House Targaryen Explained: Origins, Dragons, Kings & Game Of Thrones History (2024)

SPOILERS for Fire & Blood, which House of the Dragon is based on, and Game of Thrones

House Targaryen is the focus of House of the Dragon and the most historically detailed family in the Game of Thrones universe, with fascinating lore to dive into. The two HBO adaptations depict House Targaryen at vastly different points in its prominence in Westeros. House of the Dragon, which is based on the book Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, examines the noble family at the peak of its power, with the Targaryen dynasty being the dominant force in the Seven Kingdoms due to their growing reign of dragon power.

200 years later, Game of Thrones sees the Targaryen family after its fall, beginning with Viserys and Daenerys being the exiled remnants of an overthrown rule, with the new Baratheon lineage sitting the throne. The journey from House of the Dragon's events to those in Game of Thrones is filled with fascinating stories, with the dynasty's grasp on the realm continuously wavering more and more. Not to mention, there are years of history prior to House of the Dragon, some of which should be shown in future Game of Thrones spinoffs.

What's Known About House Targaryen Before Aegon's Conquest

House Targaryen Comes From A Ruined Civilization Called Valyria

Unlike many of the great houses of Westeros, whose roots can be traced back to ethnic groups such as the First Men, the Andals, or the Rhoynar, House Targaryen comes from the empire of the Valyrian Freehold. Valyria was a city in Essos that, in the time of Game of Thrones, is considered to have achieved architectural and technological achievements beyond comprehension, with dragons being a significant source of its strength. The empire was ruled by forty dragonriding noble houses, one of whom was House Targaryen, though they were not among the most powerful.

A Targaryen ancestor named Daenys Targaryen had visions of a cataclysm, foreseeing the Doom of Valyria, and warned her father, Aenar. Trusting her, Aenar moved his family and wealth away from Valyria, settling on the Valyrian outpost of Dragonstone off the shores of Westeros. The Doom occurred in 102 BC, just over a century before Aegon's Conquest. On Dragonstone, Aegon inherited the dragon Balerion, which had survived the trip from Valyria, and the dragons Meraxes and Vhagar were hatched, the latter of which is one of the dragons in House of the Dragon.

Why Targaryens Have Silver Hair & Purple Eyes

Valyrian People Were Known For Distinct, Beautiful Physical Traits

While not depicted in the TV shows, the Targaryens in George R.R. Martin's novels are depicted as having purple eyes to complement their iconic silver hair. In The World of Ice & Fire, Martin explains that the Valyrian people were distinguished for their great beauty. Their distinct silver or gold hair color and uncommon purple eye color were considered "proof that the Valyrians are not entirely of the same blood as other men." However, some maesters believe these qualities were simply the outcome of isolationist breeding over time.

How Targaryens Can Ride Dragons (Are They All Dragonriders?)

Not Every Targaryen Is A Dragonrider, But All Dragonriders Seem To Be Valyrian

Targaryens were known even in Valyria to be closer to dragons than others, but not every Valyrian or Targaryen is guaranteed to be able to bond with a dragon. Dragons are intelligent, and the general rule is that they can be trained to follow the commands of one rider at a time. The dragon will not allow anyone else to be on its back as long as the rider lives unless the rider accompanies them. The bond between rider and dragon is special and has mysterious properties, as dragons have been shown to sense it when their rider suffers and vice-versa.

It's unclear what makes Valyrian blood unique in allowing them to mount dragons, though it's part of the reason for inbreeding between family members. Valyrian bastards, called "dragonseeds," of House Targaryen and House Velaryon manage to claim dragons during the Dance of the Dragons. As for non-Valyrians, there's no distinct proof one way or the other that ordinary people can or can't mount a dragon, but there's no record of it ever being done.

Aegon's Conquest Of Westeros Explained (Including Aegon's Dream)

Aegon United The Kingdoms Of Westeros, Establishing The Targaryen Dynasty

Aegon's Conquest is arguably the most historically significant event in Westerosi history. Aegon the Conqueror rode his dragon Balerion along with his sister wives Visenya, Rhaenys, and their dragons and laid siege to the then-independent kingdoms of Westeros. They managed to lay claim to six of the seven, though Dorne resisted capture. After uniting the continent, Aegon was henceforth known as Aegon I Targaryen, establishing King's Landing and the Red Keep, beginning the dynasty that would last nearly 300 years.

Aegon's Conquest is one of the planned Game of Thrones prequel series, but it's arguably not the most enthralling series of events despite its impact. Aside from Dorne, Aegon had very little struggle decimating Westerosi armies, wiping out noble families like House Gardener, and establishing the system of government that audiences are familiar with in House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. With the later addition of Dorne, Aegon united the continent of Westeros together under one banner for the first time, using dragon power to bring Houses like Stark and Lannister under his reign.

Aegon's Dream is an idea introduced in House of the Dragon that's unique to the TV universe, explained by Viserys to Rhaenyra. The dream suggests that Aegon envisioned the White Walker invasion in Game of Thrones and had hoped to build the realm into a strong, united front led by a Targaryen who could oppose the terrible winter with the fire of dragons. The prophecy is mainly introduced in the series to demonstrate the cost of the Dance of Dragons' destruction. Read the full quote from Viserys below:

"Aegon foresaw the end of the world of men. It's to begin with a terrible winter, gusting out of the distant North. Aegon saw absolute darkness riding on those winds, and whatever dwells within will destroy the world of the living. When this great winter comes, Rhaenyra, all of Westeros must stand against it. And if the world of men is to survive, a Targaryen must be seated on the Iron Throne. A King or Queen, strong enough to unite the realm against the cold and the dark. Aegon called his dream 'The Song of Ice and Fire.'"

The Dance Of The Dragons: The Targaryen Civil War

The Dance Of The Dragons Saw The Targaryen Dynasty Severely Weakened

The Dance of the Dragons is the central subject of HBO's House of the Dragon and is detailed in Fire & Blood. Jaehaerys I was the fourth monarch in the Targaryen dynasty, who ruled the realm in an era of peace and prosperity for 55 years, leading the family to its peak of power. There was a conflict of succession, and a Great Council was assembled to decide on Jaehaerys' heir, eventually selecting the male Viserys over Rhaenys despite her having a better claim through Jaehaerys' lineage. Viserys I is the ruler at the start of the HBO series.

Viserys I and his wife, Aemma Arryn, struggled to produce a male heir, leaving two potential candidates for the throne: Viserys' brother, Daemon, known for being unpredictable and impetuous, and Viserys' daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Viserys eventually decided on Rhaenyra as his heir, though this was before his marriage to his second wife, Alicent Hightower. Alicent gave birth to a male, Aegon, creating a conflict of succession, as Viserys had already pronounced Rhaenyra as his heir but now had a son who, by law, would be next in line for the throne.

Upon Viserys Targaryen's death, a plot was hatched to put Aegon on the throne, splitting the realm into the Green and Black factions. The Green faction, established by the Hightower banner's green colors, supported Aegon's claim as the eldest male son, while the Black faction believed in Viserys' wish for Rhaenyra to be his successor. This conflict led to an all-out civil war, with Targaryens killing Targaryens and dragons killing dragons. Jaehaerys' era of peace was met with a period of destruction and terror, with Westeros brought into one of its bloodiest wars in a needless conflict over power.

When & How The Dragons Died Out Before Game Of Thrones

The Last Dragon Died Roughly 150 Years Before GoT

By Game of Thrones, dragons are thought to be an extinct species, starkly contrasting their prevalence in House of the Dragon. During the reigns of Jaehaerys and Viserys, the Targaryen dynasty had a system in place for dragon breeding, with new eggs being hatched to provide dragons for the growing Targaryen and Velaryon families. However, the Dance of the Dragons saw a significant portion of these dragons killed, be it in combat with other dragons or in an event called the Storming of the Dragonpit, where commoners joined together in outrage and killed several dragons in King's Landing.

Roughly 20 years after the Dance of the Dragons, the last of the species in Westeros died out. The last dragon belonged to King Aegon III, the son of Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen. His dragon died at a young age due to vague causes, causing him to be known henceforth as Dragonbane. Until Daenerys hatched her eggs nearly 150 years later, dragons had passed into history, with their skulls represented in the Red Keep in King's Landing.

The Blackfyre Rebellions Explained

House Blackfyre Was Created By A Targaryen Bastard

Just over 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones, another civil war occurred that devastated the Seven Kingdoms. King Aegon IV, one of the least respected monarchs in the Targaryen lineage, fathered many bastards, with his bastard Daemon Rivers being legitimized. Daemon Rivers formed a branch-off House of his own, naming himself Daemon Blackfyre after the ancestral Valyrian steel sword his father had bestowed him. This created a conflict with Aegon IV's true-born heir, Daeron, following their father's death.

Daeron II ascended the Iron Throne, and his half-brother rebelled, marking the start of the First Blackfyre Rebellion. Over the course of roughly 60 years, there were five Blackfyre Rebellions in total during the reigns of different Targaryen kings, leading to further decline for the Targaryen dynasty in the century leading up to Game of Thrones. The Blackfyres also made other attempts at the throne during this period that weren't documented as official rebellions.

The Mad King, Robert's Rebellion & The End Of The Targaryen Dynasty

The Mad King Aerys II & His Son Rhaegar Caused The Fall Of House Targaryen

Just before Game of Thrones, Robert's Rebellion sets the stage for many of the major plot points from the original series. King Aerys II, later referred to as the Mad King, began his tenure as a promising monarch with great ambitions to expand the Seven Kingdoms. Over time, due to conflict with his Hand, Tywin Lannister, and a six-month imprisonment in the castle of Duskendale, Aerys began to lose grasp on himself and took to common cruelty. However, the catalyst for Robert's Rebellion was Rhaegel Targaryen, Aerys' son, running off with Leanna Stark.

Previously, Lyanna Stark had been betrothed to Robert Baratheon, who was impassioned by his love for her. Lord Rickon Stark and Brandon Stark, Ned Stark's father and older brother, traveled south to King's Landing to request Lyanna be returned, to which Aerys reacted by burning Rickon alive and hanging Brandon as he watched. Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon, and Jon Arryn then called their banners, and Robert's Rebellion began. Several battles were fought, but three key events have relevance to the Targaryen dynasty: The Battle of the Trident, the Sack of King's Landing, and the Tower of Joy.

The Battle of the Trident saw Robert Baratheon and his rival, Prince Rhaegar, battle face to face. Robert claimed victory, killing Rhaegar, the Mad King's heir. At the Sack of King's Landing, Tywin Lannister betrayed Aerys, commanding his forces to storm the city violently and later tasking the Mountain with killing Rhaegar Targaryen's infant children. Jaime Lannister of the Kingsguard infamously stabbed Aerys II in the back, ending the war. Afterward, Ned Stark found his sister Lyanna dying at the Tower of Joy, though he took her newborn baby and passed it off as his bastard son.

Daenerys Targaryen & Jon Snow In Game Of Thrones

Daenerys & Jon Are The Last Surviving Targaryens In The Game Of Thrones TV Series

Daenerys Targaryen is the daughter of King Aerys II, who was conceived late in Robert's Rebellion. Her mother and the young Prince Viserys escaped to Dragonstone before the Sack of King's Landing. After Daenerys was born, she and Viserys fled to Essos. After her marriage to Khal Drogo, Daenerys had Viserys killed, beginning her own reign as the next Targaryen ruler, which was further enforced by the hatching of her three dragons, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion. She spent much of Game of Thrones accumulating forces for her conquest of Westeros and eventually succeeded in claiming King's Landing.

Jon Snow was raised as Ned Stark's bastard and only discovers late in the series that he's the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Since Rhaegar and Lyanna had married in private, Jon is technically a true-born heir and has a more legitimate claim to the Iron Throne than Daenerys. Before her death, Lyanna had named Jon Aegon Targaryen. He never becomes the King, as he kills his lover Daenerys after she goes mad in the Game of Thrones ending and is sentenced to exile north of the Wall.

Every Known Targaryen King & Queen

The Targaryen dynasty lasted nearly 300 years, with monarchs of varying quality ruling Westeros. Their nicknames are often telltale signs of that quality.

House Targaryen Actors In House Of The Dragon & Game Of Thrones

Members of House Targaryen have been played by some phenomenal acting talent. Throughout Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, nearly 20 have appeared, with many more to be shown in future spinoffs.

House of the Dragon

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Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alco*ck and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.

Cast

Jefferson Hall , Paddy Considine , Fabien Frankel , Ryan Corr , Eve Best , Gavin Spokes , Graham McTavish , Steve Toussaint , Olivia Cooke , Sonoya Mizuno , Bill Paterson , Matthew Needham , Emma D'Arcy , Matt Smith , Rhys Ifans , David Horovitch

Release Date

August 21, 2022

Seasons

2

Streaming Service(s)

HBO Max

Franchise(s)

Game of Thrones