280 AL: A great tournament is held at Harrenhal. The court is scandalized when Crown Prince Rhaegar wins the Melee tournament and crowns Lyanna Stark the"Queen of love and Beauty" instead of his wife.
281 AL: Prince Rhaegar becomes obsessed with the prophecy of "The Prince that was promised." In order to fulfill the prophecy he kidnaps Lyanna Stark of Winterfell. He takes her to the Red Keep and proceeds to rape her. Elia tries to protect her but, it is no use. Rhaegar will have his Prophecy.
After Lyanna becomes pregnant, Elia, with the help of Arthur Dane, spirits her away from the Red Keep. She asks her brother to protect her. Rhaegar begins to search Kings Landing for her but, by then, the Realm is in open rebellion. Robert Barrantheon is enraged by Lyanna's kidnapping and rallies his storm lords. Rhaegar marches to war against the North and the Trident.
The northern Host is ambushed by a mixed army of crown loyalist led by Randyll Tarly and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Both Rickard and Brandon Stark die at the battle of FairMarket forcing Ned Stark to take the field and leave a young Benjen Stark as the only Stark in Winterfell.
282 AL: Ned Stark marries Catelyn Tully in Riverrun uniting the North, the Riverlands, The Vale, and the Stormlands in rebellion. Robert joins his army with Ned's after the wedding. Robert and Ned decide to march south and face Prince Rhaegar and his army at a place west of the Saltpans.
Lyanna gives birth to a son. She dies at child birth but, before she dies, she asks Prince Oberyn to protect her son. Prince Oberyn takes pity on her seeing as she is an innocent victim in the game of thrones. He decides to name Jon his bastard and keeps him hidden in Sunspear.
Prince Rhaegar dies in battle against Robert Baratheon. The place he dies at becomes known as the Ruby Ford. Robert is injured in the battle and asks Ned to go ahead to Kings Landing.
283 AL: Tywin Lannister sacks Kings Landing before Ned Stark arrives. He has the mountain rape and kill Elia Martell. Amory Lorch kills the royal children. Viserys and Daenarys Targaryen escape.
Ned enters the Red Keep and orders Clegane and Lorch to be placed in the Black cells. Tywin protests but, he cannot dispute Ned or his army.
Robert arrives at the capital and is crowned King. Robert secretly agrees with Tywin's orders but knows how honorable Ned is, so he goes ahead with the trial. Both Lorch and Clegane demand trial by combat. Lord Gerold Hightower, Barristan Selmy, and Jaime Lannister are the only Kings guard left alive after Arthur Dayne and the others die protecting Kings Landing.
Hightower and Selmy wish to champion the crown against Clegane and Lorch. Hightower is killed by the Mountain while Selmy slays Lorch. The Mountain is found innocent and is sent back to Lannisport.
Ned Stark rides south with Elia Martell and her children's bones. He rides towards Sunspear with the hope of finding his sister Lyanna.
Ned finds the Martells and gives them Elia's bones. He tells them of how the mountain escaped justice by winning his trial by combat. Oberyn tells Ned about how his sister died of a fever and he shows Ned where she is buried. Ned has her bones dug up in preparation for her journey north.
Ned and Oberyn part on good terms but, Oberyn tells Ned privately that he would never support that oaf on the throne. Ned nods his head in understanding, making his way up north.
284 AL: Robert Baratheon marries Cersei Lannister.