During the Dance of the Dragons, Jacaerys Velaryon had made allies out of House Stark and House Arryn, the furious Aegon II Targaryen removed his grandfather Otto Hightower from his position as Hand of the King, and appointed his Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Criston Cole. To prove his worth to his King, Criston decided to burn every castle that had declared for the Blacks, and first set his army on the coastal stronghold of Rook's Rest, with both the Greens army and the Kingsguard, marching North.