House of the Dragon Family Tree: Detailed Breakdown of Lineage of Targaryen Family
Originally posted at https://treemily.com/blog/house-of-dragon-family-tree/
Game of Thrones fans have a lot to be excited about — season 2 of the prequel series House of the Dragon is coming out this summer, where we’ll be witnessing the members of the infamous House Targaryen fight for power and glory.
In this article, we’ll provide a brief overview of the Targaryen family tree, leading up to the events portrayed in the show as well as glancing through some of the events to be shown on the small screen as well. Fire and blood family tree awaits!
The Origins of House Targaryen
The Targaryen family tree House of the Dragon originated from the Valyrian Freehold, in Essos, where it sat as one of the 40 ruling dragonlords. The house was infamous for, among other things, using magic and riding gigantic dragons, thus it held a lot of power in the Freehold.
Their knack for the supernatural would see them being the only surviving dragonlord house after the Doom of Valyria, a massive catastrophe that led to the destruction of the capital city in a single day. They survived by prematurely fleeing the city to a distant location, known as the Dragonstone, where they would sit until Aegon Targaryen began his conquest of the western lands, the Seven Kingdoms.
The conquest, backed by a trio of dragons in Aegon’s disposal, would turn out to be a success and see him become King of Westeros. This is where Targaryen’s Westerosian part of the lineage finally begins.
The Targaryen Family Tree Explained
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All you need is to create a free account, choose your preferred family tree layout, and put in some basic information about the characters.
Don’t be put off by the amount of effort it may take to have all of them listed — it is really quick and simple! And don’t forget to add pictures of each of the family members as well as some facts about them!
Once you’re done, you can export it to a stunningly looking PDF or even have it printed on paper of the size of your choosing.
Excited to embark on your first genealogical adventure? Feel free to find out more useful guidance in our “how to make a family tree” manual!
Key Figures in the Targaryen Family Tree
Daenys “Dreamer” Targaryen
According to legend, Daenys Targaryen, the daughter of Aenar Targaryen, had a prophetic vision in 114 BC that foretold the Doom of Valyria, a catastrophic event that would annihilate the Valyrian Freehold. This dream prompted her father, Aenar Targaryen, to relocate their family, House Targaryen, to the island of Dragonstone.
Remarkably, only twelve years after Daenys’s prophetic dream, her vision became a reality when Valyria was destroyed in a massive volcanic eruption. This disaster left the Targaryens as the sole surviving dragonlords, cementing Daenys’s reputation for her extraordinary prophetic abilities.
Interestingly, the night before Daenys experienced her prophetic dream, she claimed the young dragon Balerion, who would later be known as Balerion the Black Dread, one of the most famous dragons in Westerosi history.
Aegon I Targaryen
Once becoming king, Aegon I Targaryen built a new capital city, which he named King’s Landing, initiated the construction of the main monarch residence, the Red Keep, and created the Iron Throne, forging it from the swords of his fallen foes, melted with dragonfire.
Aegon was always seen as a very enigmatic persona. Above all, he enjoyed solitude — arguably, his only friend was Oris Baratheon, his half-brother and later, his second in command, Hand of the King. Aegon was never too involved in the routine part of ruling a kingdom, as he always left it for Oris and the rest of the council to manage. That said, all the major decisions he made himself. He was also known to show no mercy to his enemies, although he was often respectful of those who would surrender to him.
Aegon had two children, one each from his two wives (who were also his sisters — a tradition of House Targaryen), Rhaenys and Visenya. From Rhaenys he had Aenys, and from Visenya he had Maegor, who would later be known as Maegor the Cruel.
Aenys ruled after Aegon and had six children: Jaehaerys, Aegon, Viserys, Rhaena, Alysanne, and Vaella. After Aenys died, his brother Maegor usurped the throne against the line of succession. Maegor was a tyrant who ruled with an iron fist. But he never had children, so when Maegor died, the reign was passed back onto Aenys’ son — Jaehaerys.
Jaehaerys I Targaryen
House of the Dragon family tree contains the story of Jaehaerys I who was the longest-reigning king in the history of the Seven Kingdoms. He is mostly known for constructing the longest highway in all of Westeros, the Kingsroad, and making peace with the religious rebels, the Faith, upon the conclusion of the Faith Militant uprising.
After Maegor’s death, quite expectedly, Jaehaerys inherited a kingdom in turmoil and had to resolve major issues, all that at a very young age. He stood firm, however, and was remembered as someone who ruled very wisely all the way until the end of his record-long reign. In fact, the reign was so long that Jaehaerys was ultimately succeeded by his grandson Viserys — the only time in Westeros’ history that a king was succeeded by his grandson.
Jaehaerys had a sister-wife, Alysanne, with whom they had thirteen children together — only nine of them would live to adulthood, yet many of them still struggled with their well-being. It all resulted in Jaehaerys and Alysanne having just three grandchildren who survived to adulthood and had children of their own: Rhaenys, Viserys (later King Viserys I Targaryen), and Daemon.
Upon Alysanne’s passing, Jaehaerys was mostly bed-confined, and struggling to keep his sanity, affected by grief and aging. For instance, he frequently mistook Alicent Hightower, daughter of his Hand, Otto Hightower, as one of his daughters. Jaehaerys died of natural causes at an old age.
Rhaenys Targaryen
Rhaenys Targaryen, known as “The Queen Who Never Was,” is a key figure in Targaryen history. She is the granddaughter of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and the daughter of Aemon Targaryen and Jocelyn Baratheon.
Rhaenys married Corlys Velaryon, an esteemed admiral of the Targaryen fleets and the wealthiest man in Westeros, thanks to his lucrative trading expeditions to the Further East of Essos. Together, they have two children: Laenor Velaryon and Laena Velaryon.
Her father, Aemon, predeceased her grandfather, King Jaehaerys, leading to a significant succession controversy. Traditionally, inheritance law based on primogeniture would place Rhaenys, Aemon’s daughter, ahead of her younger uncle in the line of succession. However, Jaehaerys chose to name his second son, Baelon Targaryen, as his heir instead. This decision was contentious and led to Rhaenys being dubbed “The Queen Who Never Was.” When Baelon also died before Jaehaerys, the succession crisis deepened.
Viserys I Targaryen
Viserys I Targaryen, the son of Prince Baelon and Princess Alyssa Targaryen, and the grandson of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, ascended to the Iron Throne after a prolonged period of peace and prosperity under his grandfather’s reign. This era, spanning sixty years, is remembered as a golden age, and Viserys was determined to maintain this legacy of stability and growth.
At the outset of his reign, Viserys faced a significant challenge: he had yet to produce a male heir with his beloved wife, Queen Aemma Arryn. This was particularly pressing because Viserys’s claim to the throne was based on the principle of direct male succession. Their only surviving child was Princess Rhaenyra. According to the precedent set by the Great Council at Harrenhal, Viserys’s heir should logically be his closest male relative, which was his younger brother, Daemon Targaryen. However, Daemon’s volatile and unpredictable nature made him an unsuitable candidate in the eyes of many, including Viserys himself.
Baelon Targaryen
Baelon Targaryen, son of King Jaehaerys I, was married to his younger sister, Alyssa Targaryen. The couple had two sons: Viserys and Daemon. Baelon was a formidable dragonrider, bonded with the dragon Vhagar. Following the death of his elder brother Aemon, Baelon was named Prince of Dragonstone by his father, a decision that bypassed Aemon’s daughter, Rhaenys.
To honor Baelon’s new position as Hand of the King, King Jaehaerys organized a grand hunt in the Kingswood. Tragically, just five days later, Baelon died unexpectedly of a burst belly. His sudden death precipitated a significant succession crisis. The issue was ultimately resolved through the Great Council at Harrenhal, where the lords of Westeros convened to elect Baelon’s son Viserys as the new Prince of Dragonstone. Following Baelon’s death, Ser Otto Hightower succeeded him as Hand of the King.
Daemon Targaryen
Daemon Targaryen, the grandson of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and younger brother to King Viserys I, is the heir presumptive to the Iron Throne. Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, considers Daemon the greatest threat to the kingdom, seeing in him a potential second coming of Maegor the Cruel due to his impulsive and unpredictable nature.
The Great Council at Harrenhal selected Viserys as King Jaehaerys’s successor, bypassing Daemon and other potential claimants. During the early years of Viserys’s reign, Daemon served on the Small Council as Master of Laws and later as Master of Coin, but his tenure in both roles was cut short by the persistent objections of Otto Hightower. Otto viewed Daemon as a disruptive force, while Daemon saw Otto as a scheming climber.
Rhaenyra Targaryen
Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen is the daughter and only surviving child of King Viserys I Targaryen and his first wife, Queen Aemma Arryn. As a princess of the Targaryen dynasty, she fiercely disputes the claim of her younger half-brother, Aegon II, to the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra adopts the titles Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm.
King Viserys had declared her his heir, a decision challenged upon his death. Her claim to the throne leads to the devastating civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, a brutal conflict that pits Targaryen against Targaryen and dragon against dragon. Her supporters, known as the Blacks, include powerful houses such as House Velaryon and House Stark. Despite the significant backing, Rhaenyra’s path to the throne is fraught with peril, betrayal, and immense personal loss.
Aegon II Targaryen
King Aegon II Targaryen is the firstborn son of King Viserys I Targaryen and his second wife, Queen Alicent Hightower. His ascension to the Iron Throne is contested by his older half-sister, Rhaenyra Targaryen.
His claim was rather sudden and orchestrated by the Green Council, a faction that supported his claim over that of Rhaenyra. Prior to this, Aegon was seventh in line to the Iron Throne. The line of succession before him included Rhaenyra and her five children — Princes Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey Velaryon, as well as Princes Aegon the Younger and Viserys Targaryen. Supported by key figures in the realm, he set the stage for the civil war between factions supporting Aegon II and those loyal to Rhaenyra, known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Corlys Velaryon
Corlys Velaryon, also known as the Lord of the Tides, Master of Driftmark, and head of House Velaryon, is a distinguished and influential figure in Westeros. Married to Rhaenys Targaryen,, he has two children: Laenor and Laena Velaryon.
Corlys Velaryon’s reputation is built upon his adventurous spirit and extraordinary achievements at sea. As the captain of the Sea Snake, he embarked on nine great voyages across the known world, amassing wealth and collecting exotic artifacts. Corlys’s extensive travels and the treasures he acquired from these distant lands greatly enhanced the wealth and prestige of House Velaryon, making him the wealthiest man in Westeros during his time.
Alicent Hightower
Alicent Hightower, the second wife of King Viserys I Targaryen and the daughter of Ser Otto Hightower is recognized as one of the most influential and beautiful women in Westeros, which helped her a lot in concealing her dangerous cunning.
During Viserys I’s reign, Alicent and Rhaenyra became bitter rivals. Their personal gripes culminated in assembling two opposing powerhouses. During one big tournament, Rhaenyra dressed herself in a black dress (signature Targaryen color), while Alicent put on a green dress (the Hightower heraldry didn’t actually have green, but it was Alicent’s favorite color). This occasion would later inspire their loyals to dress in those same colors to show their political allegiance. It also inspired the nicknames for the two factions — the Blacks and the Greens.
Conclusion
While House Targaryen is no stranger to questionable marital habits, their lineage is absolutely fascinating. For centuries, from Aegon I to the Mad King family tree, Targaryens ruled the Seven Kingdoms equally with wisdom and cruelty, and that’s exactly what makes this new glimpse into George R. R. Martin’s world so exciting. makes millions of people all over the world study their family tree in great detail.
FAQs
How are the Targaryens related to other noble families in Westeros?
The Targaryens, originally from Valyria, are related to other noble families in Westeros primarily through marriage alliances. They married with prominent families like the Baratheons, Starks, and Velaryons to strengthen their political power.
What is the significance of dragon-riding in the Targaryen family?
Dragons, being powerful and fearsome creatures, provided the Targaryens with unmatched military strength and a psychological edge over their rivals. Dragon-riding set them apart from other noble houses and allowed them to conquer and unify the Seven Kingdoms under Aegon the Conqueror.
How did intermarriage impact the Targaryen lineage?
Intermarriage within the Targaryen family, often between siblings or close relatives, was practiced to preserve their Valyrian bloodline and dragon-riding abilities. This practice, however, led to significant genetic issues, including instances of madness and physical deformities. The most famous example is King Aerys II, known as the Mad King, whose erratic behavior contributed to the downfall of the Targaryen dynasty.
Who are the key figures in the Targaryen family tree?
Key figures in the Targaryen family tree include Daenys “Dreamer” Targaryen, Aegon I Targaryen, Jaehaerys I Targaryen, Rhaenys Targaryen, Viserys I Targaryen, Baelon Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon II Targaryen.
How did the Targaryen family maintain power for so long?
The Targaryen family was able to maintain their power through their ability to control dragons, which gave them unmatched military power as well as clever strategic marriages with influential houses that secured vital political alliances.
