Season 2 of House of the Dragon has concluded, leaving fans reeling from betrayals, dragon battles, and shifting alliances. With the Dance of the Dragons in full swing, understanding the intricate Targaryen family tree is more crucial than ever to follow the power struggles and predict who will ultimately claim the Iron Throne. Navigating Westerosi succession is no simple task, especially with a family as intertwined and, frankly, incestuous as the Targaryens.
When House of the Dragon began, King Viserys I Targaryen faced a succession crisis. With no male heir, the realm debated between his unpredictable brother Daemon and his headstrong daughter Rhaenyra. Viserys defied tradition and named Rhaenyra his heir, setting the stage for conflict. However, the subsequent marriage of Viserys to Alicent Hightower and the birth of their son Aegon II complicated matters immensely, igniting the flames of civil war.
As the fight for the Iron Throne intensifies, keeping track of who’s who in this blonde-haired dynasty can be challenging. The Targaryen family tree, while historically prone to keeping it “in the family,” is undeniably complex. So, let’s break down the key players and their relationships as they stand after the dramatic Season 2 finale of House of the Dragon.
Daenys Targaryen: The Dreamer Who Saved a Dynasty
Our journey begins with Daenys Targaryen, known as “Daenys the Dreamer.” Her prophetic vision of Valyria’s fiery destruction prompted her father, Aenar Targaryen, to relocate their family from Valyria to Dragonstone. This pivotal decision proved to be the Targaryens’ salvation, as Daenys’s dream came true, and they became the sole dragonlord survivors of Valyria’s cataclysm. Daenys’ foresight ensured the Targaryen legacy would endure, making her a foundational figure in Westerosi history.
Aegon I Targaryen: The Conqueror and Unifier of Westeros
Aegon Targaryen, forever known as “Aegon the Conqueror,” stands as a monumental figure. Alongside his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya, Aegon launched the Conquest, uniting six of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros under Targaryen rule. His ambition and dragon power forged a new era, establishing the Targaryen dynasty on the Iron Throne.
The Targaryen tradition of incestuous marriage, intended to maintain “pure” bloodlines, often yielded unpredictable results. As Cersei Lannister famously noted in Game of Thrones, Targaryen births are a coin toss: some become great leaders, others, monsters. Aegon’s sons exemplified this duality. Aenys I proved a capable ruler, while his brother Maegor I “The Cruel” became infamous for his brutality, even murdering Aenys.
Aenys I Targaryen: The Kind King Betrayed
Aenys I Targaryen, despite his unfortunately pronounced name, earned a reputation as a kind and just ruler. His reign, however, was tragically cut short by his ruthless brother, Maegor. Aenys married Alyssa Velaryon, connecting the Targaryens to the other surviving Valyrian family, the Velaryons – though notably, the Velaryons were not dragonriders themselves. This alliance proved strategically vital, with House Velaryon becoming key players in the game of thrones early on.
Jaehaerys I Targaryen: The Wise and Long-Reigning King
Maegor I’s reign of terror lasted only six years, ending with his mysterious death upon the Iron Throne – impaled, some say by the throne itself, rumored to reject unworthy rulers.
Jaehaerys I Targaryen, Aenys’s son, inherited a fractured kingdom and ushered in a golden age. Marrying his sister Alyssane – a common Targaryen practice, though they reportedly married for love after eloping – Jaehaerys’ reign was marked by peace and prosperity. Known as “The Wise” or “The Old King,” he focused on infrastructure, building roads and sewers, solidifying his legacy as one of Westeros’ greatest rulers. Jaehaerys and Alyssane had thirteen children; however, for clarity, we’ll focus on those central to the succession drama.
Aemon Targaryen: Heir Who Died Too Soon
Aemon Targaryen, Jaehaerys’ eldest son to reach adulthood, was his initially designated heir. He married Jocelyn Baratheon (his cousin, continuing the trend of close-kin marriages). Sadly, Aemon predeceased his father, leaving behind his daughter Rhaenys Targaryen and shifting the line of succession to his younger brother, Baelon.
Baelon Targaryen: Father of Kings and Another Lost Heir
Baelon Targaryen, Aemon’s younger brother, married his sister and had two sons: Viserys and Daemon Targaryen. Like his brother, Baelon also died before his father, succumbing to a “burst belly,” leaving the succession in further turmoil as Jaehaerys lacked a clear male heir.
Rhaenys Targaryen: “The Queen Who Never Was”
Rhaenys Targaryen, daughter of Jaehaerys’s eldest son Aemon, had a strong claim to the Iron Throne. As Jaehaerys’s granddaughter, by primogeniture, she should have been heir. However, Westerosi patriarchy intervened. A Great Council was convened to decide the succession, and despite Rhaenys’s rightful claim, the lords of Westeros, unwilling to accept a queen, chose Viserys, Baelon’s eldest son. Rhaenys became known as “The Queen Who Never Was.” In House of the Dragon, Rhaenys faces further tragedy, losing both her children and her husband, Corlys Velaryon, suffers severe injuries. She initially maintains a tense alliance with Rhaenyra after Viserys’s death but ultimately perishes heroically at the Battle at Rook’s Rest.
Viserys I Targaryen: The King Who Sparked a Civil War
Viserys Targaryen married his cousin Aemma Arryn, and they had Rhaenyra Targaryen. Their inability to produce a male heir initially created the succession crisis. Tragedy struck when Aemma died in childbirth after a brutal forced cesarean performed by Viserys in a desperate attempt to save a son who also died soon after. Viserys, desperate for an heir, named Rhaenyra as Princess of Dragonstone and heir to the Iron Throne, defying centuries of tradition.
However, Viserys later married Alicent Hightower and fathered Aegon II Targaryen, reigniting the succession debate. Alicent bore Viserys three more children: Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron. Viserys’s long, agonizing illness and eventual death in House of the Dragon Season 1 triggered the Dance of the Dragons. A deathbed misunderstanding fueled Alicent’s determination to crown Aegon II, directly challenging Rhaenyra’s claim. By Season 2, Aegon II sits on the Iron Throne, but his reign is contested and bloody.
Daemon Targaryen: The Rogue Prince and Ambitious Warrior
Daemon Targaryen, Viserys’s younger brother, is a charismatic but volatile figure, a celebrated warrior with a clear hunger for power. Viserys’s council feared Daemon would usurp the throne from both Viserys and Rhaenyra. Daemon’s marriages are as dramatic as his personality. His first wife, Rhea Royce, was strategically chosen but despised by Daemon, who ultimately caused her death. He then married Laena Velaryon, fathering Baela and Rhaena Targaryen before Laena’s tragic death in childbirth. Finally, Daemon marries his niece Rhaenyra, with whom he shares a long-simmering attraction and ambition for the throne, solidifying their claim in opposition to Aegon II.
Corlys Velaryon: “The Sea Snake” and Master Navigator
Corlys Velaryon, “The Sea Snake,” is a legendary mariner and head of House Velaryon. His marriage to Rhaenys Targaryen was a rare love match in Westeros’s politically driven society. They had two children, Laenor and Laena Velaryon, who become crucial figures in the Targaryen civil war. Corlys initially pushed for Viserys to marry Laena, showcasing House Velaryon’s ambition, but Viserys chose Alicent Hightower instead. Despite this, the Velaryon children become vital allies to the Targaryens.
Alicent Hightower: From Friend to Queen and Rival
Alicent Hightower, daughter of Otto Hightower, Hand to both Jaehaerys and Viserys, begins as Rhaenyra’s close companion. Otto, however, strategically encourages Alicent to comfort the widowed Viserys, making her indispensable to the king. Viserys marries Alicent, and she becomes queen, bearing him Aegon II and his siblings. Fueled by fears that Rhaenyra would eliminate her children to secure her claim, Alicent becomes a staunch advocate for Aegon II’s ascension. The deathbed misunderstanding regarding Viserys’s last words solidifies her resolve to place Aegon on the Iron Throne.
Rhaenyra Targaryen: The Queen in Waiting, Now at War
Rhaenyra Targaryen was named heir by her father, Viserys I, but faced constant challenges to her claim due to Westerosi societal norms favoring male inheritance. Initially reluctant to marry, she wed Laenor Velaryon to solidify her political position. However, the legitimacy of her sons is questioned, fueling Alicent’s attempts to undermine her. To strengthen her claim and driven by mutual desire, Rhaenyra marries her uncle Daemon. She and Daemon plot to seize the Iron Throne, directly opposing Aegon II and Alicent.
Laenor Velaryon: The Husband in Name, Ally in Deed
Laenor Velaryon, son of Corlys Velaryon, married Rhaenyra for political reasons. Openly gay, Laenor and Rhaenyra agreed to a marriage of convenience, allowing them both personal freedom. Despite the rumors surrounding his sexuality and the paternity of Rhaenyra’s children, Laenor remained a loyal ally. He eventually faked his own death with Rhaenyra’s help, escaping to a new life with his lover, Qarl Correy, freeing himself from the constraints of court.
Laena Velaryon: Dragonrider and Daemon’s Tragic Wife
Laena Velaryon was initially considered as a bride for Viserys by her father Corlys, but the age gap was deemed too significant. She later married Daemon Targaryen, becoming a dragonrider and mother to Baela and Rhaena. Laena’s life ended tragically when she chose dragonfire over a painful, likely fatal, childbirth, leaving Daemon a widower once more.
Aegon II Targaryen: The Usurper King on the Iron Throne
Aegon II Targaryen on House of the Dragon
Aegon II Targaryen, son of Viserys and Alicent, became a focal point of the succession crisis from birth. Many questioned why Rhaenyra should inherit when a male heir existed. Initially indifferent to ruling, Aegon was persuaded by his mother, Alicent, that Rhaenyra posed a threat to his life and claim. Crowned king after Viserys’s death, Aegon II usurped Rhaenyra’s claim, igniting the Dance of the Dragons. Season 2 sees him weakened, losing his dragon and his young son Jaehaerys to the escalating war.
Helaena Targaryen: The Dreamer Queen and Tragic Mother
Helaena Targaryen on House of the Dragon
Helaena Targaryen, Viserys and Alicent’s daughter, is a dragonrider of Dreamfyre and possesses prophetic “dreamer” abilities like Daenys. Married to her brother Aegon II, she is Queen Consort and mother to Jaehaerys and Jaehaera. Helaena suffers immense tragedy when Jaehaerys is murdered in Season 2. She is increasingly unwilling to support Aegon’s war efforts, highlighting the personal cost of the Dance of the Dragons.
Aemond Targaryen: The One-Eyed Dragonrider and Ruthless Prince
Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen on House of the Dragon
Aemond Targaryen, Viserys and Alicent’s youngest son, is a formidable dragonrider and a key player in the Dance of the Dragons. Initially dragonless and mocked, he claimed Vhagar, Laena Velaryon’s dragon, becoming one of the most powerful riders. In a childhood fight, he lost an eye to Lucerys Velaryon, fueling a bitter rivalry. This rivalry culminates in tragedy when Aemond’s dragon Vhagar kills Lucerys and his dragon Arrax in the Season 1 finale, a pivotal moment escalating the war. By Season 2’s end, Aemond effectively rules in Aegon’s stead, demonstrating increasing ruthlessness.
Jacaerys Velaryon: Rhaenyra’s Heir and Dragonrider
jacaerys targaryen on house of the dragon
Jacaerys Velaryon, Rhaenyra’s eldest son, is her designated heir. His paternity is questioned, with strong hints suggesting Harwin Strong as his true father. Jacaerys is a dragonrider of Vermax and betrothed to Baela Targaryen, forging a strong alliance between their branches of the family.
Lucerys Velaryon: The Boy Whose Death Ignited War
Lucerys Targaryen on House of the Dragon
Lucerys Velaryon, Rhaenyra’s second son, also rumored to be Harwin Strong’s child, was the heir to Driftmark. His childhood altercation with Aemond, resulting in Aemond’s lost eye, foreshadowed tragedy. Lucerys’s death at the hands of Aemond and Vhagar in the Season 1 finale serves as the immediate catalyst for the Dance of the Dragons, plunging Westeros into full-scale civil war. He was betrothed to Rhaena Targaryen.
Joffrey Velaryon: The Youngest Son, Born into Conflict
Joffrey Velaryon, Rhaenyra and Laenor’s youngest son, is a baby during the initial stages of the succession crisis. His young life is immediately impacted by the escalating tensions and rumors surrounding his family.
Baela Targaryen: Dragonrider and Betrothed to an Heir
Baela Targaryen and Rhaenys Targaryen on House of the Dragon
Baela Targaryen, Daemon and Laena’s elder daughter, is a dragonrider like her parents. She is betrothed to Jacaerys Velaryon, solidifying the alliance between Rhaenyra and Daemon’s families and strengthening Rhaenyra’s claim.
Rhaena Targaryen: Dragonless No More?
Lucerys Velaryon, Random Lady, Jacaerys Velaryon, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen, Joffrey Velaryon, Rhaena Targaryen (l-r)
Rhaena Targaryen, Daemon and Laena’s younger daughter, faced early disappointment when her dragon egg failed to hatch. Her determination to become a dragonrider is evident, even attempting to hatch her egg in dragonfire. With dragons riderless in Season 2, Rhaena’s future may involve claiming a dragon, a more challenging but potentially powerful path. She was betrothed to Lucerys Velaryon before his death.
As House of the Dragon progresses, the Targaryen family tree will undoubtedly become even more tangled and tragic. Understanding these relationships is key to fully grasping the drama and intrigue of the Dance of the Dragons.
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