Be warned, this discussion contains spoilers from Fire and Blood, House of the Dragon, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. HBO’s House of the Dragon is focusing on the Targaryen family from Game of Thrones, but it only tells one part of their extensive story. While Game of Thrones mainly followed the Starks, the most interesting part of the show was the long and complicated history between the Starks and the Targaryens, who ruled for 300 years. By the end of Game of Thrones, it became clear that the central conflict revolved around the relationship between these two houses.
When Game of Thrones started, the Targaryen family had already lost control of the Iron Throne after ruling for 300 years, leaving only Daenerys and Viserys as potential heirs. Even though they were no longer in power, the Targaryens’ history and the impact of their past kings remained crucial in Westeros, heavily influencing the plans and choices of the great houses as they fought for the throne.
Following the end of Game of Thrones, the story has shifted to explore the Targaryen dynasty’s reign long before the events that led to Robert’s Rebellion. House of the Dragon showed a time when many Targaryens existed, but a brutal civil war called the Dance of the Dragon significantly reduced their population. Later, in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the Targaryens had begun to recover their numbers, but their power was unstable without dragons.
A movie about Aegon the Conqueror is being developed, and it will explore the beginning of the Targaryen dynasty in Westeros. The film aims to give viewers a deeper look at the Targaryen family – not just the kings and queens, but also the siblings and relatives who influenced the events of Game of Thrones, even if they never ruled themselves.
House Targaryen History In Game Of Thrones Explained
The story of House Targaryen in Game of Thrones spans from the time Westeros was first conquered to the beginning of Jon Snow’s (Aegon Targaryen) life north of the Wall. Although Westeros has a history stretching back 12,000 years, the show’s timeline is measured as BC (Before Conquest) and AC (After Conquest). The first year AC marks when Aegon I was crowned, officially starting the Targaryen family’s reign. While Aegon I had ancestors before the Conquest, their history isn’t well documented.
Following Aegon the Conqueror, 16 more kings/queens would sit on the Iron Throne, concluding with Daenerys Targaryen’s death in 305 AC. Daenerys’ reign was brief, though (she’s not on the Iron Throne throughout most of Game of Thrones). Mother of Dragons aside, the Targaryens were also unseated in 283 AC, when Robert Baratheon usurped the crown from Aerys II and Rhaegar Targaryen.
House Targaryen is well-known for generations of marriages between family members – brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles – in an attempt to maintain their unique lineage, often referred to as the ‘blood of the dragon.’ Dragons themselves were central to the Targaryens’ power in Game of Thrones, inspiring fear in anyone who opposed them. Though the Targaryen dragons were thought to have vanished in 153 AC, Daenerys Targaryen later became the first in over a century to successfully hatch and command them.
Aegon The Conqueror
Aegon I Targaryen, known as Aegon the Conqueror, was the first Targaryen to rule Westeros and start their royal dynasty. Born on Dragonstone, he and his sisters – and wives – Visenya and Rhaenys, conquered the kingdoms of Westeros while riding their dragons. Stories say Aegon married the strong warrior Visenya out of a sense of obligation, and Rhaenys, who was known for her beauty and love of art, because he was in love with her.
Aegon’s 37-year reign featured numerous battles with House Martell in Dorne, who refused to bend the knee even after Rhaenys and her dragon had burned much of the territory. Aegon had two sons: Aenys I with Rhaenys and Maegor I with Visenya. Following Aegon’s death from a stroke at age 64, the Iron Throne passed to his eldest son, Aenys.
Aenys I Targaryen
Aenys I Targaryen was the second ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. Unlike his father and brother, he wasn’t a strong warrior, but was known for being compassionate and sometimes hesitant. As the son of Queen Rhaenys, he married Alyssa Valeryon and together they had six children: three sons – Aegon, Viserys, and Jaehaerys – and three daughters – Rhaena, Alysanne, and Vaella. Though he only ruled for five years, Aenys’ reign faced numerous uprisings, especially from those connected to the Faith of the Seven, as seen in Game of Thrones.
Before he died, King Aenys planned to have his son, Aegon, marry his daughter, Rhaena, and name them as his successors. Unfortunately, Aenys died at just 35 years old in the year 42 AC, which allowed his younger half-brother, Maegor, to seize the throne.
Maegor The Cruel
Maegor, the younger son of Aegon the Conqueror, became king after his brother died. He had spent years in exile because he had married two women—Ceryse Hightower and Alys Harroway. He continued to marry multiple times throughout his reign, hoping to produce an heir, and ended up with six wives. Maegor also faced conflict with the High Septon and the Warrior’s Sons, and even had dozens of Septons executed before finding one willing to marry him to another wife.
When Aenys’ oldest son, Aegon, declared his right to the throne, Maegor killed him and his dragon. He then sent Aenys’ other children, Jaehaerys and Alysanne, to live on Dragonstone under his care. Maegor kept Aenys’ surviving son, Viserys, at court, but had him tortured and killed after learning Jaehaerys and Alysanne had fled Dragonstone. Shortly after, Maegor took his niece, Rhaena, as his wife, planning to make her daughter from a previous marriage his heir.
In the year 48 AC, Jaehaerys declared he was the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, and his sister Rhaena, along with several Westerosi lords, supported him. Shortly after, King Maegor was discovered dead while still sitting on the Iron Throne—his wrists were cut, and the throne itself had impaled his throat. The circumstances of his death remain a mystery.
Jaehaerys I Targaryen
After Maegor’s reign ended, young Jaehaerys took the Iron Throne at just fourteen years old, becoming the fourth king. Honestly, everyone said he was remarkably mature for his age – incredibly wise, forgiving, and just seemed born to rule. He made a controversial decision, going against advice and marrying his sister, Alysanne. Together, they had a huge family – thirteen children, in fact! Their kids were Aegon, Daenerys, Aemon, Baelon, Alyssa, Maegelle, Vaegon, Daella, Saera, Viserra, Gaemon, Valerion, and Gael. It’s a family tree that’s always fascinated me as a fan of the history!
Aemon had a daughter named Rhaenys. Jaehaerys arranged a marriage between his son, Baelon, and his daughter, Alyssa, and they had three children: Viserys, Daemon, and Aegon Targaryen. When Baelon unexpectedly died, Jaehaerys called together a Great Council to determine who should inherit the throne. The lords decided that Baelon’s oldest son, Viserys, should be the heir. Jaehaerys ruled for 55 peaceful years and died at the age of 69 in the year 103 AC.
Viserys I Targaryen
Paddy Considine delivers a compelling performance as Viserys I Targaryen in House of the Dragon. He’s a fascinating king, ruling Westeros for decades – from 103 to 129 AC, to be exact. While he initially rode the magnificent Balerion, the dragon passed away before Viserys could truly claim the Iron Throne. He never bonded with another dragon, but that didn’t diminish his impact. In fact, Viserys is one of the most important figures in Westerosi history, and his death essentially brings a beautiful era for the Targaryens to a close, ultimately sparking a brutal civil war.
As with many rulers, there was disagreement over who should succeed Viserys, but he firmly chose his daughter, Rhaenyra, as his heir. The show House of the Dragon depicts how, after Viserys died in 129 AC, his wife, Alicent, had her own son, Aegon Targaryen, take the Iron Throne, going against Rhaenyra’s claim.
Rhaenyra Targaryen
I’m really fascinated by Rhaenyra Targaryen! She’s Viserys’ daughter with his first wife, Aemma Arryn, and the half-sister of Aegon II. Their conflict over who should rule basically tore Westeros apart in a huge civil war – it reminds me a lot of everything that happened in Game of Thrones, with so many people claiming the Iron Throne, both within the Targaryen family and from outside it. Emma D’Arcy plays her in House of the Dragon, and Milly Alcock does a fantastic job as the younger Rhaenyra, especially in the scenes showing her complicated relationship with Viserys’ second wife, Alicent Hightower.
Rhaenyra suffered greatly during the Dance of the Dragons, as two of her sons, Lucerys and Jacaeys, died in the fighting before she even took the Iron Throne. By this point, the Targaryens were in a state of absolute chaos, and Rhaenyra’s hold on her crown was quite weak. The people of King’s Landing ultimately rebelled against her, and Rhaenyra ended up being fed to her half-brother Aegon’s dragon, Sunfyre.
Daemon Targaryen
When Viserys I Targaryen’s grandfather died, Viserys became king. He quickly named his daughter Rhaenyra as his heir, but his brother Daemon (played by Matt Smith in House of the Dragon) believed the throne should have been his. Like many Targaryens, Daemon and Rhaenyra eventually found a complicated way to resolve their conflict – through a romantic relationship. Rhaenyra married Laenor Velaryon, and Daemon had two daughters with Laenor’s sister, Laena Velaryon, adding to the family’s already complex and disturbing dynamics.
Following the deaths of their spouses, Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen married each other. They soon had a son named Aegon the Younger. However, the long-standing conflict between Rhaenyra and Alicent escalated into a major division within the Targaryen family. This split the family into two factions: the “greens,” who supported Alicent’s son Aegon II, and the “blacks,” who supported Rhaenyra. Daemon remained fiercely loyal to Rhaenyra and fought bravely throughout the Dance of the Dragons, ultimately perishing along with his dragon, Caraxes, in the Battle Above the Gods Eye.
Aegon II Targaryen
When King Viserys died, his son Aegon II took the throne, but his sister Rhaenyra challenged his claim. This sparked a civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons, which ultimately led to the deaths of both Aegon and Rhaenyra. Aegon was married to his sister Helaena, and they had two sons who tragically died during the war while still young.
Aegon didn’t stay on the Iron Throne for long, losing it just months after becoming king. He had to leave King’s Landing when Rhaenyra arrived with her dragons to take the city. But when the citizens rebelled against Rhaenyra, Aegon saw an opportunity and took back control. He ultimately captured Rhaenyra and had her executed in front of her son, Aegon the Younger. Sadly, Aegon himself was poisoned by members of his own council soon after.
Aegon III Targaryen
Concluding the Dance of the Dragons, Aegon the Younger ascended the Iron Throne after the deaths of his mother, Rhaenyra, and uncle, Aegon II. Aegon’s reign saw unity in the Seven Kingdoms after the Dance of the Dragons, though he was too young to rule on his own for many years.
King Aegon III was a somber ruler, deeply affected by his experiences as a child during the Civil War. He rarely showed emotion, except when dragons were mentioned – a topic that always made him intensely angry, as they had become extinct during his time as king. He first married his cousin, Jaehaera, but she died after only two years, seemingly by her own hand. He later married Daenaera Velaryon and they had five children together: Daeron, Baelor, Daena, Rhaena, and Elaena. When Aegon III died at the age of 36 from illness, his oldest son inherited the Iron Throne.
2026-07-29 19:33