Summary
Warning! This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon and Game of ThronesRhaenyra Targaryen, one of the central characters inHouse of the Dragon, is related toGame of Thrones' Daenerys Targaryen, as one of her most controversial ancestors because of the Targaryen civil war, the Dance of Dragons. AlthoughRhaenyra Targaryen will die inHouse of the Dragon, her legacy lives on in her many descendants, including Daenerys, who was born almost 200 years later. During that time, the Targaryens endure war, tragedy, and peace, butRhaenyra and Daenerys remain the only two Targaryen ruling queensWesteros has ever had.
Despite the many generations that separate these two women, they have a lot in common, establishing a firm connection between ancestor and descendant. Dragons become extinct shortly after Rhaenyra’s reign, but Daenerys brings the mythical creatures back to life inGame of Thronesseason 1, episode 10, “Fire And Blood.“House Of The Dragoneven solidified Rhaenyra’s dragon,Syrax, Rhaenyra’s dragon, being the mother of Daenerys' dragon eggs inGame of Thrones, even though it is not canon in theSong of Ice and Firebooks. There isno doubt Daenerys descends from a strong queen like Rhaenyra.
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Rhaenyra Targaryen Is Daenerys' Fifth Great-Grandmother
Daenerys Is A Descendant From Rhaenyra & Daemon’s Line
Daenerys is related to Rhaenyra because she is her direct descendant from Rhaenyra’s marriage with Daemon. InHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 7, “Driftmark,” Daemon and Rhaenyra marry, and in episode 8, “The Lord of the Tides,“Daemon and Rhaenyra have two sons in six years. Their sons are named Aegon and Viserys. At the end of the Dance of Dragons, all of Rhaenyra’s sons are presumed dead, except Aegon. He ascends the throne as Aegon III after someone fatally poisons Aegon II.
However,Fire & Bloodlater reveals that Viserys did not die; he was just kidnapped and sold, eventually returning to King’s Landing. Aegon III dies with two sons as his heirs—Daeron I and Baelor I. However, neither king produces offspring, transferring the line of succession to Viserys. Aegon III does have three daughters—Daena, Rhaena, and Elaena. However,theGame of Thronesprequel establishes that the Dance of Dragons occurredprimarily because of male primogeniture, so Westeros passed over Aegon III’s daughters to avoid another war.Daenerys comes from Viserys' descendants, making her Rhaenyra’s fifth great-granddaughter.
How The Targaryen Line Continues From Rhaenyra’s Children To Daenerys
Viserys has three children: Aegon IV, Naerys, and Aemon. To keep Targaryen tradition, Viserys marries Aegon, his heir, to his sister, Naerys. They have two children: Daeron II and Daenerys. Daeron II has four sons, two of whom become king—Aerys I and Maekar I. When Aerys dies without children, Maekar, Daeron’s fourth son, ascends the iron throne. Maekar also has four sons: Daeron, Aerion, Aemon—who later becomes Maester Aemon—and Aegon.Maekar Targaryen and his sons will appear inA Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. By the time Maekar dies, his two eldest sons, Daeron and Aerion, have already passed.
However,A Song Of Ice And Firehas an extra generation between Aegon V and the Mad King.
An emergency council gathers to determine the next Targaryen king, initially asking Aemon to be king. However, Aemon rejects them because he has already taken the Black. Therefore, Maekar’s fourth son, Aegon V, becomes king of Westeros.Aegon V’s descendants differ inGame of ThronesandA Song of Ice and Fire.Game of Thronesmakes Aerys II and Rhaella, his sister-wife, Aegon V’s children. However,A Song of Ice and Firehas an extra generation between Aegon V and the Mad King. In the books, Aegon V has several children, none of which are Aerys or Rhaella.
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Daenerys' fifth great-grandmother (sixth in the books)
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Rhaenyra’s youngest son by Daemon
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Viserys' eldest son
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Maekar I Targaryen
Daeron II’s fourth son; ascends the throne after his brother Aerys I
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Aegon V Targaryen
Maekar’s fourth son; ascends the throne after his brother Maester Aemon declines
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Daenerys Targaryen
The Last Targaryen
After Aegon V’s eldest son, Duncan gives up the throne for love, his second son, Jaehaerys, becomes the king upon Aegon V’s death. Jaehaerys tricks his father and marries his sister, Shaera, reigniting the Targaryen sibling marriage tradition.Jaehaerys and Shaera have Aerys and Rhaella, Daenerys' parents. Therefore,A Song of Ice and Firedepicts Rhaenyra as Daenerys' sixth great-grandmother, while she remains Daenerys' fifth great-grandmother in the show’s universe. It is fascinating thatGame of Throneschanged the Mad King’s parentage, but it makes sense, given that they also aged up the present-day characters.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
House of the Dragon
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
