This page is about the blacksmith. For other uses, see: Hugh (disambiguation)

Hugh is a dragonseed and blacksmith living in King's Landing. He is a bastard son of Princess Saera Targaryen and rider of the dragon Vermithor.^[1]

Biography[]

Background[]

Hugh is a bastard son of Princess Saera Targaryen, and first cousin of Viserys, Daemon, and Rhaenys Targaryen. He grew up in the pleasure house his mother worked in, but later left to make his own way because he was ashamed of his mother, eventually establishing himself as a blacksmith in King's Landing.^[1] He is married to a woman named Kat, with whom he has a daughter. His daughter is sick and he is trying to make ends meet for her.^[3]

House of the Dragon: Season 2[]

After the outbreak of the Dance of the Dragons, Hugh, along with the other blacksmiths of King's Landing, is commissioned by the Crown to begin manufacturing weapons, including scorpions, in preparation for an impending attack on the city. However, the rising cost of iron causes the work to stall, and Hugh presents himself at court to ask for payment in advance of his work from King Aegon II, a request which the king grants, despite the reservations of his Hand, Ser Otto Hightower.^[4]

After successfully petitioning King Aegon II for funds, Hugh returns home to nurse his ailing daughter. He shares the news of the Crown's impending payment with his wife, Kat, but is incensed by the selfishness of some among the citizens of King's Landing, who hoard supplies for themselves at the cost of the most needy.^[2]

Hugh, who has not yet been paid, is among the citizens who see the decapitated head of the dragon Meleys, killed in Rook's Nest. A friend of his is incredulous at the dragon's death, commenting that dragons were supposed to be gods, but Hugh denies this and says they are made of flesh.^[5]

After returning home to take care of her family, Kat tells Hugh that they must flee the city, as she fears Rhaenyra's retaliation; she proposes that they flee to Tumbleton where she has a brother, but Hugh doesn't want to live as a beggar. When Kat says that they are already begging for money, Hugh reminds his wife that he obtained the promise of payment from King Aegon II, but Kat tells Hugh that Aegon lied and that they will not be paid, and that if they continue living based on empty promises, their daughter, who needs food and medicine, will end up dying.^[5]

Hugh listens to Kat and the family tries to flee through one of the city gates, but the gold cloaks block it and demand that the crowd disperse by order of Prince Aemond Targaryen, whom they call prince regent and Protector of the Realm. Kat and another commoner ask if Aemond is king now, to which Hugh replies that he doesn't know.^[5]

Hugh is petting a dog in the streets when he learns about Rhaenyra Targaryen shipping food to the people of King's Landing. Hugh punches a man in the face before stealing his bag of food to feed his family.^[6] Despite everything, Hugh's daughter succumbs to her illness.^[1]

When Elinda Massey spreads the word that Rhaenyra is looking for Targaryen bastards who can attempt to claim dragons, Hugh, now grief-stricken from the loss of his daughter and determined to do something, heeds the call and leaves King's Landing for Dragonstone, despite Kat's protests. Hugh confesses to her that he believes he might be able to claim a dragon due to his mother being a Targaryen princess, which he has never told anyone.^[1]

Once he arrives at Dragonstone, Hugh and the other dragonseeds are escorted to the lair of the dragons, where Rhaenyra summons Vermithor and asks the dragonseeds to attempt to claim him. Silver Denys, another dragonseed, steps forward but is killed by Vermithor, who then rampages across the lair, killing many Dragonseeds. Hugh hides behind a rock with a female dragonseed, who is discovered by Vermithor when she tries to run. Hugh distracts the dragon, allowing her to escape, and then stares Vermithor down, challenging him to attack. Vermithor doesn't, and instead allows Hugh to claim him, making him a dragonrider.^[1]

Hugh and fellow new rider Ulf stay at Dragonstone, and Hugh watches as Jacaerys Velaryon confronts Ulf over his manners, with the latter putting up his feet on the Painted Table. Hugh calms down the situation, and asks Jace to excuse Ulf. All three of them later attend a dinner with Rhaenyra, and fellow dragonriders Addam of Hull and Baela Targaryen. Rhaenyra informs them of her plan to end the war through decisive action, and asks them to attack the Lannister and Hightower armies, as well as Lannisport and Oldtown. Hugh opines that a lot of innocents will die, but Rhaenyra claims that even more lives will be lost should the war be allowed to go on. Later, Hugh is dressed for battle by the attendants at Dragonstone.^[7]

Behind the scenes[]

On December 2, 2023, HBO announced that Kieran Bew had been cast in the role of Hugh for House of the Dragon: Season 2.^[8] His character description reads as follows:

"A blacksmith from King’s Landing trying to make ends meet for his sick daughter."^[3]

In the books[]

In Fire & Blood, Hugh Hammer, also known as "Hugh the Hammer" or "Hard Hugh," was the bastard son of a blacksmith of Dragonstone. He was of imposing stature and strong enough to twist steel bars with his bare hands.

There is no mention in Fire & Blood that Hugh was married or had any children. Hugh's ancestry is unknown, although Saera Targaryen was famously promiscuous and was known to have sired several bastards, so it is not entirely out of the question for Hugh to have been one of her children.

Appearances[]

• The Dance of Dragons (illustrated)
• – "A Son for a Son"
• – "Rhaenyra the Cruel"
• – "Regent"
• – "Smallfolk"
• – "The Red Sowing"
• – "The Queen Who Ever Was"

References[]

Notes[]

External links[]

• Hugh Hammer on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for House of the Dragon)