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House Targaryen

"Fire and Blood."

"The idea that we control the dragons is an illusion. They're a power man should never have trifled with. One that brought Valyria its doom. If we don't mind our own histories, it will do the same to us."

—Viserys I

A noble house descending from the now extinct eastern peninsula of Valyria. One century prior to the events of the series, they invaded Westeros and unified the Seven Kingdoms under a single monarchy using dragons, and their dynasty has ruled them ever since. The Targaryen family ended up divided in a feud engulfing Westeros as a whole following the death of King Viserys I, with two factions warring over his succession.

For the Game of Thrones era Targaryen descendants as well as other Targaryen ancestors, see here.

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In General

Ancestral Weapon: As the last of Old Valyria, they possess at least three significant Valyrian steel blades, all presumed to date prior to the Conquest:
- Blackfyre, the Valyrian steel sword handed down from one King to the next since Aegon the Conqueror. Viserys I bears it whenever he officially sits the Iron Throne. It's handed down to Aegon II upon his crowning.
- Dark Sister, another Valyrian steel sword originally wielded by Queen Visenya. It is usually handed down to the next most powerful warrior of the family after the king. We see it wielded by Daemon Targaryen.
- A Valyrian steel dagger—claimed by Viserys I to have been in the House even before Aenar Targaryen. Aegon the Conqueror would have it branded with his prophetic dream.
Animal Motifs: Dragons. Unlike the other Westerosi houses' motifs, this is literal since they use dragons.
Appeal to Force: It is repeatedly mentioned that what makes the Targaryens exceptional (and in charge) is that they have dragons, something no other house (save the Velaryons, and later the Targaryens-Hightowers) can boast. Rhaenyra and Viserys note that without the dragons, House Targaryen becomes much more vulnerable, which is exactly what ends up happening.
Authority in Name Only: Over Dorne, which in this era maintains de-facto independence and has not yet submitted to the authority of the Targaryens, who in reality are ruling the Six Kingdoms.
Big Fancy Castle: Doubling as their ancestral seats, House Targaryen built and retains control of two:
- The Red Keep, looming large over the capital of King's Landing. It grew out of the original fort of Aegon the Conqueror, housing the Iron Throne, and would be subsequently expanded by his sons Kings Aenys I and Maegor I. As seen during the early reign of Viserys I, the castle was a lively, prosperous and very noisy place to work in, subsequently quieting and darkening as the tragedies pile up on Viserys I's reign. It had a warmth not even the peacetime rule of Robert I (as shown in Game of Thrones) would ever equal. It becomes a far more dangerous and Decadent Court (despite the trappings of Faith-inspired iconography) under the de facto regencies of Otto and Alicent Hightower.
- Dragonstone, an intimidating dark fortress built on the similarly-named island. The castle was an old trading outpost where the Targaryens exiled themselves before the Doom of Valyria left them the Last of Their Kind. Currently, the seat and title to it is bestowed to the heir to the Iron Throne. However, its relative lack of resources leaves it undesirable for most holders (making it continuously dependent on the Red Keep's resources). That said, it is viable to reinforce and defend even with a handful of men (as the later castellan, Stannis Baratheon, would experience in Game of Thrones). Rhaenyra and her brood (with her husband Laenor and later, Daemon) manage to make Dragonstone a lively and warm place, a testament to their comparatively better family life.
Big, Screwed-Up Family: At the time of King Viserys I's reign, the Targaryen family has grown quite big and definitey deteriotates into this mostly due to Hightower meddling, with family members who are distrustful of others at best and outright despise at worst, and it becomes depressingly clear that Viserys himself is the only one who's barely holding it together... and then he dies, and the feud-turned Civil War begins.
Brother–Sister Incest: While they didn't always exclusively marry within their house, they are huge proponents of it and there have been six of these couples in recent memory (Daenys/Gaemon, Elaena/Aegon, Visenya/Aegon I/Rhaenys, Rhaena/Aegon, Jaehaerys I/Alysanne, and Baelon/Alyssa). They also enjoy other types of incest like uncle/niece (Maegor I/Rhaena, Daemon/Rhaenyra) and aunt/nephew (Aemon/Jocelyn Baratheon via Alyssa Velaryon) plus the occasional first cousin match (Aerion/Valaena Velaryon, Viserys I/Aemma Arryn).
Colour-Coded for Your Convenience: Black and red.
Cool Crown: The house has two extant crowns used by their kings:
- The first one worn by Aegon I and Maegor I—a rough Valyrian Steel crown of square-shaped wedges set with a ruby. The Greens would bring this out and crown Aegon II with it.
- The one worn by Jaehaerys I and Viserys I—a wrought crown of gold, silver and white bands studded with the sigil of House Targaryen and the other Great Houses.^{From the books...} Ser Erryk Cargyll of the Kingsguard would risk his life to smuggle it out of King's Landing and get it to Rhaenyra and crown her as was her right.
Crippling Overspecialization: Viserys I, despite openly acknowledging that House Targaryen's power is directly tied to their dragons, has come to view that it was the Valyrians' usage (and over-reliance) on them that led to the Doom of Valyria—and potentially House Targaryen's. Rhaenyra has come to this conclusion independently, and Viserys appreciated her insight enough to make her heir. That said, the Targaryens are not solely militarily composed by their dragons: they maintain a sizeable coterie of household knights (the red-and-black clad armed men in background scenes), and they also have two military organizations under their control: the Kingsguard and the City Watch.
Dragon Rider: They maintain their ancestral tradition of riding dragons (at least Rhaenyra and Daemon do). Through marriage ties, they passed it on to House Velaryon (through Princess Rhaenys and her son Ser Laenor), as well as the next generation of princes (the Velaryon-Targaryens and the Hightower-Targaryens).
Foregone Conclusion: Unfortunately, as we witness in Game of Thrones, the "duty to the realm" of their Heroic Lineage (detailed below) would be lost through the centuries—to the point that the last monarch of the line, Aerys II, practically did everything in his madness to tear the realm asunder. That said, the last Targaryen scions Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow would unwittingly resume carrying out said duty.
Glory Days: Under the reign of Viserys I, they're very far from the quite sorry state the family would find itself in two centuries later in Game of Thrones before the rise of Daenerys.
Heroic Lineage: The series reveals that the Targaryens were not just conquerors and rulers for conquest and power's sake, having instead a bigger purpose beyond their own ambitions and desires. Aegon the Conqueror saw a great darkness coming from the north, riding on the winds of a devastating winter, "the Song of Ice and Fire". He knew that only a strong monarch of a united Westeros could hope to stand against them, a secret knowledge that has been transmitted from kings to heirs ever since.
Viserys: The responsibility I have handed to you, the burden of this knowledge... it is larger than the throne, the king. It is larger than you and your desires.
A House Divided: Ends up split into two "clans" in the last years of Viserys's life — one with Alicent Hightower and her children from Viserys in King's Landing, and one with Rhaenyra and Daemon and their children (the Strong bastards of Rhaenyra, the children she's had with Daemon and the children Daemon had with Laena Velaryon) at Dragonstone.
Viserys: The crown cannot stand strong if the House of the Dragon remains divided.
Mystical White Hair: White hair is a definitive feature of their Valyrian bloodline.
No Man Should Have This Power: Viserys reflects that the dragons are an uncontrollable Sword of Damocles that brings doom to those who wield it.
Parental Incest: Averted, quite astonishingly. Despite the long history of Royal Inbreeding, there aren't Targaryens (or Valaryons) who married their parents, at least as far as history is aware. This very much appears to be where even the Valyrians draw the line.
Royal Inbreeding: Very much a normal thing in the family making a very tangled family tree.
- Rhaenyra is the daughter of two cousins, for instance (King Viserys and Aemma).
- King Viserys and Daemon themselves are the sons of two siblings, Baelon and Alyssa, as well as the grandsons of two siblings and great-great-grandchildren of some as well (making them incredibly inbred).
- King Viserys is both the grandfather and the uncle to the children of Rhaenyra and Daemon.
- Rhaenyra is the cousin, aunt, step-mother, and mother-in-law all in one to both of Daemon’s girls. Then to add to those already tangled relations, her eldest sons were engaged to both of the girls as well.
- There haven't been any Valyrians who engage in Parental Incest, as noted above.

Targaryens on other pages

The Targaryens end up A House Divided during the Succession Crisis and Civil War called the "Dance of the Dragons". Those who have major involvement in the conflict can be found on the factions' pages.

Blacks: Baela Targaryen, Rhaena Targaryen, Jacaerys Velaryon, Lucerys Velaryon, Joffrey Velaryon.
- Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen
- Prince-Consort Daemon Targaryen.
- House Velaryon: Rhaenys Velaryon (née Targaryen).
Greens: King Aegon II Targaryen, Queen Consort Helaena Targaryen, Prince Aemond Targaryen.
- Dowager Queen Alicent Targaryen (née Hightower).

Reigning monarchs of the Iron Throne

King Jaehaerys I

King Jaehaerys Targaryen "The Old King"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/jaehaerys_9.jpg

Played By: Michael Carter

The fourth King of the Seven Kingdoms and the grandson of Aegon the Conqueror. He succeeded his uncle Maegor, who was a cruel tyrant, and ruled over nearly sixty years of peace and prosperity. After outliving both his adult sons, he held a council to determine who would be the next heir. The throne eventually passed to his grandson, Viserys I.

Brother–Sister Incest: Customary for Targaryens. Jaehaerys is married to his younger sister Alysanne.
Cool Old Guy: The universally loved ruler of the Seven Kingdoms who managed to rule for 55 years before dying at the age of 69.
Dragon Rider: Jaehaerys rode Vermithor, the third largest dragon after Balerion and Vhagar.
Famous Ancestor: Is one to every Targaryen after him. This includes Daenerys and her brothers Viserys and Rhaegar, and thus Jon Snow. As well as the Baratheons and Martells.
Gold and White Are Divine: The Old King's regal attire at the Great Council is a mixture of gold and white, including his white hair. This is fitting for The Good King.
The Good King: A Targaryen monarch who managed to rule over a peaceful and prosperous time successfully for decades and set up the reign for his grandson. Poor Viserys had one hell of an act to follow. The fact that Viserys reign was so peaceful was almost entirely due to him inheriting the peace and stability that Jaehaerys created and maintained. ^{In the books...}
Long-Lived: Played With. On the one hand, the age of 69 is (by our modern standards) not all that old and even during the period the series is set in, there are others who lived to be older (Lord Beesbury is 76 years old and in good health when he is murdered), but in terms of reign, he is by far the longest reigning Targaryen king, with him being crowned at the age of 14 and reigning for 55 years, surpassing even his grandfather Aegon the Conqueror, who reigned for a total of 36 years. He was given the moniker of the Old King as a result.
The Magnificent: Was called "the Wise" and "the Conciliator".
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of his family's ancestry and one of his most notable physical features.
No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Unlike most of the Targaryens of this era who tended to be based on members/relatives of The House of Normandy, Jaehaerys I is more like Edward III of The House of Plantagenet—a long-lived ruler who died of old age, blessed with many heirs, and has been seen as the apex of his dynasty's rule. He also had his first two sons predecease him—although unlike Jaehaerys I, Edward III had no issue in designating his male grandson Richard II as successor King.
Not Quite the Right Thing: Having the Lords all vote for who they wanted as a ruler seemed like a good idea at the time but establishes Heir Club for Men as the law of the land.
Outliving One's Offspring: Manages to outlive both Rhaenys and Viserys' fathers, which is why he wants to avoid a Succession Crisis at all costs.
Parents as People: He was apparently a far better king than he was a father, with Lyonel Strong noting to Viserys that his children, particularly the girls, drove him to the brink of madness.
Royal Inbreeding: He follow the valyrian tradition of incestuous marriage. He is married to his sister, Queen Alysanne and they had nine children together - three sons named Aemon, Baelon, and Vaegon, and six daughters named Alyssa, Daella, Maegelle, Viserra, Saera, and Gael.
Small Role, Big Impact: Jaehaerys is long dead after his one scene of the Distant Prologue, but his decision to call a Great Council resulted in Rhaenys being passed over as well as setting a male-only precedent.
Universally Beloved Leader: He's widely considered one of Westeros' greatest kings, having helped bring about and ruled over an era of great peace and prosperity. This is an unimaginable achievement since his direct predecessor Maegor was a bloodthirsty tyrant who spent most of his reign committing massacres in his war against the Faith. Even after the fall of House Targaryen by the time Game of Thrones rolls around, he's still regarded well by the history books. Historians call him and Queen Alysanne the greatest Targaryen monarchs to have ever lived, a statement that even by the time of Game of Thrones has yet to be disputed.
Unwitting Instigator of Doom: Choosing Viserys as his successor led to the devastating Succession Crisis-fueled Civil War known as the Dance of Dragons and ultimately, the overall downfall of House Targaryen in the future.

King Viserys I

King Viserys I Targaryen "The Peaceful"

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/kingviserys_0.png

"That I am forever doomed to anger one person in the pleasing of another."

^{Click here to see him towards the end of his life}

Played By: Paddy Considine

"It is mine [duty] to hold the realm together, not sow it with further division."

The fifth King of the Seven Kingdoms. He's the grandson of King Jaehaerys and was chosen to succeed him at the Great Council.

See here for more information.

Royal Consorts

Aemma Arryn

Queen Consort Aemma Arryn

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fdwwckuwyai8jsh_6.png

"You will lie in this bed soon enough, Rhaenyra. This discomfort is how we serve the realm."

Played By: Siân Brooke

"I've mourned all the dead children I can..."

The cousin of Viserys, Daemon, and Rhaenys, Viserys's beloved first wife, and Rhaenyra's mother. She dies in the first episode after many failed attempts to bear a male heir, leading to Viserys taking Alicent Hightower as second wife.

Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Desperately tries to beg Viserys to stop the Traumatic C-Section they're going to perform on her once she realizes what's going on. Unfortunately for her, Viserys values getting a male hair more and sacrifices her life to save the child (who then dies hours later).
All for Nothing: Her Cruel and Unusual Death that her own husband ordered was out of desperation to produce a male heir from Viserys and Aemma’s line, only for the resulting baby to live for just a few hours.
Alliterative Name: Before she took on the surname Targaryen, she was Aemma Arryn.
Cruel and Unusual Death: She bleeds to death during a non-consensual caesarean, and she's both conscious and fully aware of what is happening the whole time; she initially begs for her life and dies screaming.
Death by Childbirth: When her son is breech during the birth, Grand Maester Mellos tells Viserys that without any intervention, both Aemma and the baby will die, but that if they perform a Traumatic C-Section they may be able to save the baby. Given the technology available, this means Aemma will be held down, cut open without anesthesia, and then die of blood loss—a far more grisly death than if she were to die from lack of intervention. Viserys agrees to it, and it's done even as Aemma pleads with them not to. She bleeds to death. The boy is delivered alive… only for him to die mere hours later, making it All for Nothing.
Due to the Dead: She is cremated alongside her infant son—who survived only mere hours—with her daughter Rhaenyra using her dragon to light the funeral pyre.
Feminine Mother, Tomboyish Daughter: Her first scene with her daughter establish they have this dynamic. Aemma, a demure Proper Lady has to explain to her strongly-opiniated tomboy of a daughter that her role as a woman with royal blood is to provide heirs for the Realm. Rhaenyra dismisses her mother's words and tells her she would rather be a knight who rides to battle and glory.
Good Parents: She's shown to be a loving though slightly stern mother to Rhaenyra; she chides her for going out flying on Syrax while she's heavily pregnant, as it causes her more stress from worry, and tells her to take a bath because she stinks of dragon. She tries to reassure her about her upcoming labor, and Viserys later tells Rhaenyra that Aemma believed her daughter was fully capable of governing the Seven Kingdoms in her own right.
Happily Married: She and Viserys clearly love each other very much; she's thrilled for him when he's named Jaehaerys' heir and desperately hopes to finally give him a son. This makes it all the more heartbreaking when Viserys decides to sacrifice her to try and save the baby.
The High Queen: She's a beautiful and kind consort who is beloved throughout the realm and widely mourned after her death. She’s implied to have given Viserys the strength and confidence he needed to be king, and he is noticeably more insecure once she dies.
Kissing Cousins: Her mother was Viserys’ aunt, making him also her cousin.
Law of Inverse Fertility: Both Aemma and Viserys desired children (Viserys especially more than anything wanted a son and male heir), but Aemma was a sickly woman who had suffered numerous miscarriages and stillbirths and by the time of her final pregnancy, she was terrified that she would lose another. Tragically, this fear was not only justified, but it cost her life, with their only surviving child being Princess Rhaenyra.
Aemma: I've lost one babe in the cradle, had two stillbirths, and two pregnancies ended well before their term. That's five in twice as many years.
The Lost Lenore: Viserys only reluctantly remarries, and outright says that no one can replace Aemma. His second marriage is okay by Westerosi standards, yet it's repeatedly made clear that his first wife was his One True Love. Years after her death, he is still mourning for her, even keeping her wedding ring with him at all times, and it's heavily implied the main reason he favours Rhaenyra so much over his other children is that Rhaenyra is his only surviving child by Aemma and thus his only living reminder of her (and it extends to Rhaenyra's children as well). As his health deteriorates, he sometimes confuses Alicent with her by calling her Aemma. Paddy Considine considers Viserys' worsening health to be his own self-inflicted punishment for being directly responsible for Aemma's death and thus the king never seriously looked for a cure.invoked
My Nayme Is: Her name is spelled unusually but pronounced as the fairly normal "Emma".
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of her family's ancestry and one of her most notable physical features.
No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Aemma shares a number of similarities with Catherine of Aragon. Like Aemma and Viserys, Catherine and her husband Henry VIII's multiple attempts to have children and heirs were met with repeated failures, as Catherine also suffered multiple miscarriages and stillbirths, and a baby boy that died less than two months after birth. Her and Henry's only surviving child was their daughter Mary, much like how Aemma and Viserys' only surviving child was their daughter Rhaenyra. Both also met pretty tragic deaths as a result of their inability to provide their respective husbands a son, although unlike Henry, who famously rebelled against the Catholic Church to divorce Catherine and effectively disinherit Mary so he could remarry to the younger Anne Boleyn, Viserys never resented or blamed Aemma, only got remarried to Alicent out of obligation, and heavily favored Rhaenyra over the son he finally got after remarrying.
Outliving One's Offspring: All of her children save Rhaenyra died; she sadly lists off to her husband how she had a son who died in the cradle, two stillbirths, and two miscarriages. She even apologizes to Viserys for failing to give him a male heir, though he doesn't blame her. Her last child, Baelon, initially outlives her but ultimately dies shortly after she does.
Pink Is Feminine: She is a Proper Lady and most of her attires are pink-colored.
Plot-Triggering Death: Her death and the subsequent loss of the boy she birthed in the first episode is what drives Viserys to name Rhaenyra as his heir and marry Alicent, setting the stage for the civil war that will be driven by the younger women.
Royal Inbreeding: She follows the valyrian tradition of incestuous marriage, Aemma married Prince Viserys Targaryen, her cousin, sometime prior to the Great Council of 101 AC (though cousin marriages are permitted by the laws and main religion of Westeros). They have a daughter named Rhaenyra.
Sacrificial Lamb: A sympathetic character whose horrifying death helps to (re)establish the brutality of the setting.
Screaming Birth: When Viserys comes to see her after being told her labor isn't going well, she's howling in agony on the birthing bed. It's justified, as her unborn baby is in breech and all efforts to turn him—which is painful in and of itself—have been unsuccessful. Viserys asks if there's nothing the maester can do for the pain, though he states they can only give her so much milk of the poppy as they risk harming the baby. She stops screaming after a while, because she's drugged and too exhausted. Then she starts screaming again both when she realizes they're going to cut the baby out of her and throughout the procedure (which is done without anesthesia nor means to stop the bleeding).
Small Role, Big Impact: Her death causes Viserys to name Rhaenyra heir, setting the stage for the Dance of the Dragons to follow.
Tragic Stillbirth: Mentions having had other pregnancies, only to lose the babies, and it’s clearly taken a toll on her.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Has the dubious honor of being the first named character (and plot-important character) to die onscreen in the series. Her screentime doesn't go further than the pilot episode.
White Shirt of Death: She dies clad in a white nightgown, which is thoroughly stained with blood by the end due to the gruesome birth she endured.

Princes of the Blood

Baelon Targaryen

Prince Baelon Targaryen

The son of Viserys I and his last child with Aemma Arryn, as well as Rhaenyra's younger full brother. He becomes heir after birth, only to die mere hours later.

All for Nothing: His mother was cut open, leaving her to die bleeding out and in utter agony, only for Baelon to live for mere hours.
Dead Guy Junior: Named after his paternal grandfather, Prince Baelon the Brave.
Death of a Child: He only survives for a day. Tragically, his mother is essentially killed off so he can be born, rendering her sacrifice pointless.
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of his family's ancestry and one of his most notable physical features.
Plot-Triggering Death: His premature death, combined with Daemon's jest about it, leads Viserys to disinherit the latter in favor of Rhaenyra. Not following the Heir Club for Men deeply displeases the Higthowers who then go on to prepare a coup in the following decades, starting by having Alicent marry Viserys.

Aegon Targaryen

Prince Aegon Targaryen "the Younger"

Played By:

Fourth son of Rhaenyra, and the first with her second husband (and uncle) Daemon.

Ancestral Name: Named for Aegon the Conqueror. Rhaenyra's clearly not willing to let the Hightower-Targaryen side carry out this prestigious ancestor's legacy, starting with his name.
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of his family's ancestry and one of his most notable physical features.
One-Steve Limit: Defied. He has the same name as his maternal half-uncle, so he’s referred to as “Aegon the Younger” to better differentiate them.

Viserys Targaryen

Prince Viserys Targaryen

Played By:

Fifth and youngest son of Rhaenyra Targaryen, and her second with her husband (and uncle) Daemon.

Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of his family's ancestry and one of his most notable physical features.
"Near and Dear" Baby Naming: Named after his grandfather/uncle King Viserys I, who passes away shortly after meeting him for the first time.

Aegon II's children

Jaehaerys Targaryen

Prince Jaehaerys Targaryen

Played By:

Oldest son of King Aegon II Targaryen and his sister-wife Queen Helaena Targaryen.

Ancestral Name: Named for his great-great grandfather King Jaehaerys I.
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of his family's ancestry and one of his most notable physical features.
Theme Twin Naming: Both him and his twin sister were named for Jaehaerys I.

Jaehaera Targaryen

Princess Jaehaera Targaryen

Played By:

Only daughter of King Aegon II Targaryen and his sister-wife Queen Helaena Targaryen

Ancestral Name: Named for her great-great grandfather King Jaehaerys I.
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of her family's ancestry and one of her most notable physical features.
Theme Twin Naming: Both her and her twin brother were named for Jaehaerys I.

Previous Generations

Alysanne Targaryen

Queen Alysanne Targaryen

The sister-wife of King Jaehaerys I, and grandmother of Viserys, Daemon, Rhaenys, and Aemma.

Brother–Sister Incest: Customary for Targaryens. Alysanne is married to her elder brother Jaehaerys.
Dragon Rider: Alysanne rode Silverwing a silvery dragon who was considered relatively docile and friendly to strangers.
The High Queen: She was well-loved by both nobles and smallfolk, with it being mentioned that King's Landing was peaceful when she was queen but fell into crime and chaos in the years after her death.^{From the books...}
Viserys: King's Landing has been in decline since my grandmother passed. In the end, this new City Watch might be a good thing.
Hot Consort: Implied to have been this back in the day. When Lord Dondarrion, a man older than Viserys, comes to ask for Rhaenyra's hand in marriage, he mentions Alysanne, and Rhaenyra jokes about his age by asking if her great-grandmother was indeed as beautiful as everybody says.
Posthumous Character: She passed away far before King Jaehaerys I did. Her presence in the series is shown via her personal sigil sharing screen time with that of her king in the Artistic Title.
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of her family's ancestry and one of her most notable physical features.
Royal Inbreeding: She follow the valyrian tradition of incestuous marriage, She is married to her to brother King Jaehaerys they have nine children together. 3 sons named Aemon, Baelon and Vaegon, and 6 daughters named Alyssa, Daella, Maegelle, Viserra, Saera and Gael.

Baelon Targaryen

Prince Baelon Targaryen of Dragonstone

The second son of King Jaehaerys I, who was named Prince of Dragonstone after the previous one, his brother Prince Aemon, died in battle. Later named Hand of the King to his father. He married his sister Alyssa Targaryen, becoming father to King Viserys I and Prince Daemon. He was one of Vhagar's previous riders.

Brother–Sister Incest: Customary for Targaryens, Baelon is married his younger sister Alyssa.
Dragon Rider: Rode Vhagar throughout his life.^{From the books...}
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of his family's ancestry and one of his most notable physical features.
Plot-Triggering Death: In two important ways:
- First, Baelon dying before his father opened the unsavory debate of succession that led to the Great Council of 101—the one that saw his son Viserys elevated as Prince of Dragonstone and future King over his older brother's daughter Princess Rhaenys.
- Second, as he was the Hand of the King when he died, the vacancy paved the way for Otto Hightower's appointment, presaging the rise in prestige and influence of House Hightower.
Posthumous Character: He passed away far before King Jaehaerys I did. His presence in the series is shown via his personal sigil sharing screen time with that of his wife, Princess Alyssa, in the Artistic Title.
Royal Inbreeding: He follow the valyrian tradition of incestuous marriage, He is married to his to sister Princess Alyssa, they have two named sons Viserys and Daemon.
Undignified Death: Viserys laments that a great man like him died in so abrupt and mundane a manner.
The Unsolved Mystery: The fact that he was a very healthy person and yet died of a 'burst belly' within five days continued to haunt his son King Viserys I—subsequently darkening the latter's memory of the ascent of Otto Hightower. Viserys goes as far as alleging that Otto may have been involved in it.
The Wise Prince: As he grew older, his leadership and renown was such that Jaehaerys I was confident enough to name him as his Hand. As a matter of fact, Both Viserys and Daemon named one of their children after him (Baelon and Baela), showing how highly they thought of their late father.

Alyssa Targaryen

Princess Alyssa Targaryen

Eldest daughter of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne. The mother of Viserys and Daemon.

Brother–Sister Incest: Customary for Targaryens. Alyssa is married to her elder brother Baelon.
Dragon Rider: Rode Meleys in her lifetime, which she loved.
Parental Favoritism: Viserys implies she liked Daemon more than she liked himself, which he accounts to their similar personalities.
Posthumous Character: She passed away in childbirth some years before the Great Council in 101 AC.
Royal Inbreeding: She follow the valyrian tradition of incestuous marriage, She is married to her to brother Prince Baelon, they have two sons named Viserys and Daemon.

Aemon Targaryen

Prince Aemon Targaryen

Eldest son of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne. The father of Rhaenys Targaryen.

Dragon Rider: Rode Caraxes, who would later become the dragon to his nephew Daemon.
Mystical White Hair: A definitive feature of his family's ancestry and one of his most notable physical features.
Plot-Triggering Death: His sudden death led to Jaehaerys naming his younger brother Baelon as heir. At the Council of 101 AC, Rhaenys is presented as a candidate to be the new heir due to her relationship to Aemon.
Posthumous Character: Died before the events of the series, but the fact that he was the eldest child of Jaehaerys and his daughter didn't become the next heir after him is mentioned many times.
Small Role, Big Impact: Was the father of Rhaenys Targaryen and the heir to the Kingdom before his death. It's mentioned numerous times that even though he was Jaehaerys's eldest son, his daughter didn't inherit the status of heir after his death.

Characters / House of the Dragon - House Targaryen