Every Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon’ Explained

Home of the Dragon is one in every of 2022’s most anticipated TV reveals. Whereas HBO’s blockbuster takes place within the King’s Touchdown all of us keep in mind, the residents new to us. Provided that it takes place about 200 years earlier than Recreation of Thrones kicks off, there are not any acquainted faces to cling to.

That may make stepping into Home of the Dragon a problem at first. There are such a lot of new characters, and so many complicated relationships, that it may be somewhat overwhelming at first. This record of key Targaryens ought to assist make sense of the chaos. Notice that there are Home of the Dragon Episode 1 spoilers under.

Aegon the Conquerer

Aegon Targaryen is not proven in Home of the Dragon, however his contemporary legend is ceaselessly referenced. Also known as Aegon the Conqueror, Aegon was the primary king of Westeros. He married each of his sisters, Rhaenys and Visenya (yep, his sisters). The three of them every had dragons, which they used to unite the seven kingdoms of Westeros by drive. Utilizing the swords of his fallen enemies, Aegon had his dragon forge the Iron Throne.

If you happen to delve into A Music of Ice and Hearth lore, you will notice the phrases BC and AC. That is Earlier than the Conquest and After the Conquest. Rhaenyra Targaryen, as an illustration, was born 97 AC.

King Jaehaerys I Targaryen  

King Jaehaerys Targaryen is seen solely briefly in Home of the Dragon, however he is an necessary Targaryen to know. You noticed him within the opening vignette of Home of the Dragon’s premiere episode, by which Jaehaerys had convened a council of Westerosi lords to vote on who ought to succeed him. He is performed by Michael Carter who, enjoyable reality, performed Jabba the Hutt lackey Bib Fortuna in Return of the Jedi.

Solely the fourth Targaryen ruler of Westeros, Jaehaerys was an ideal king in A Music of Ice and Hearth lore. “The realm that Jaehaerys inherited was impoverished, war-torn, lawless and riven with division and distrust, while the brand new king himself was a inexperienced boy with no expertise of rule,” George R.R. Martin wrote in Hearth and Blood. But regardless of these inauspicious beginnings, Jaehaerys would reign for 55 years, a interval marked by peace and prosperity.

Jaehaerys married his sister, Alysanne Targaryen, which was apparently in vogue on the time. Each of their sons died, leaving no direct successor.

King Viserys I Targaryen

King Viserys is probably Home of the Dragon’s most distinguished character, particularly within the opening episodes. He is the grandson of Jaehaerys Targaryen, and was the winner of the competition that decided Jaehaerys’ successor. His primary competitor in that vote was Rhaenys Targaryen, who’s cousin to Viserys and granddaughter to Jaehaerys.

King Viserys’ father was Baelor Targaryen, who was inheritor to the throne till his dying from appendicitis, which explains why Viserys in episode 1 named his new child son Baelor.

“Many think about the reign of King Viserys I to symbolize the apex of Targaryen energy in Westeros,” Martin wrote in Hearth and Blood, although he additionally famous the king’s faults. “King Viserys I Targaryen was not the strongest-willed of kings, it have to be stated; at all times amiable and anxious to please, he relied significantly on the counsel of the lads round him, and did as they bade as a rule.”

King Viserys is performed by Paddy Considine, who you’ll have seen in Sizzling Fuzz, The Bourne Ultimatum, The World’s Finish and HBO’s The Outsider.

Aemma Targaryen

Queen Aemma Targaryen is Viserys’ first spouse, and mom of Rhaenyra Targaryen. Earlier than she married into the royal household, she was Aemma Arryn, making her a distant relative of Jon Arryn, whose poisoning precipitated the occasions depicted in Recreation of Thrones.

Aemma’s marriage with Viserys was plagued with nice misfortune. She fell pregnant a number of instances, however suffered miscarriages. Just one wholesome baby was delivered: Rhaenyra. Two boys had been birthed, however each died of their cots. Aemma died giving start to the second, Baelor. Although her dying was a pure consequence of childbirth within the Hearth and Blood e book, in Home of the Dragon it is attributable to Viserys instructing Grand Maester Mellos to carry out a C-section on Aemma within the hopes of saving the kid.

Actress Sian Brooke performs Aemma Targaryen. Along with a number of TV credit, together with Eurus Holmes in Sherlock, Brooke can also be a prolific actress on Britain’s theater circuit.

Daemon Targaryen

Arguably the largest star going into Home of the Dragons is Matt Smith, who performs Daemon Targaryen. For 4 years Smith performed the physician in Physician Who, and extra lately performed Prince Phillip in The Crown.

Daemon Targaryen is Viserys Targaryen’s youthful brother, and begins Home of the Dragon because the inheritor to the Iron Throne. As we see in episode 1, nevertheless, Viserys decides that his daughter Rhaenyra is a extra appropriate inheritor, disqualifying Daemon’s conventional proper to turn out to be king.

Daemon is married to Rhea Royce. The Royces are an ideal household of the Vale; Recreation of Thrones followers will keep in mind Yohn Royce as the important thing Vale determine following Littlefinger’s homicide of Lysa Arryn.

Daemon is type of like a combination between Jaime and Tyrion Lannister. He is a famend warrior however, like “the imp” Tyrion, is rightly or wrongly seen as a black mark on the household. He is recognized to usually frequent pleasure homes, and has a pronounced rebellious streak.

Rhaenys Targaryen

Rhaenys Targaryen is “the Queen Who By no means Was.” She declared a proper to turn out to be Queen, being King Jaehaerys’ eldest grandchild, however was rejected by the lords of Westeros once they voted en masse for Viserys as a substitute.

Rhaenys is the daughter of Aemon Targaryen — the namesake of the Evening’s Watch’s Maester Aemon in Recreation of Thrones. Rhaenys is portrayed as a badass in Hearth and Blood, famous for her spirit, magnificence and skill to journey dragons. She’s married to Lord Corlys Velaryon, who’s a distinguished member of the Small Council in Hearth and Blood. Although the Lannisters had been recognized for his or her riches in Recreation of Thrones, on this period it is Lord Corlys’ Home Velaryon that is probably the most cashed up in Westeros.

Rhaenys is performed by Eve Finest, most recognized for her position as Eleanor O’Hara in Nurse Jackie. Steve Toussaint performs Lord Corlys.

It ought to be famous that in Hearth and Blood, the vote to determine Jaehaerys’ successor was principally between Viserys and Laenor Velaryon (Rhaenys’ son, not Rhaenys herself). Within the e book — this will likely not find yourself mattering within the present — each Home Baratheon and Home Stark had been proponents of Rhaenys’ declare for the Iron Throne.

Rhaenyra Targaryen

King Viserys could be the central character of Home of the Dragon’s first season, however the star character is Rhaenyra Targaryen. As famous, Matt Smith is arguably probably the most distinguished actor coming into the present. Milly Alcock, who performs Rhaenyra for a lot of the primary season, could come out as Home of the Dragon’s greatest star.

Rhaenyra is the one surviving baby of King Viserys and Queen Aemma Targaryen. Following the dying of Baelor, who solely lived for round 10 hours, Viserys declared Rhaenyra the rightful inheritor to the throne. She’s a younger lady when the present begins, simply 14 years previous. However Rhaenyra grows shortly as Home of the Dragon progresses, and turns into a compelling drive unto herself.

Older Rhaenyra is performed by Emma D’Arcy, who had a distinguished position in 2020’s Fact Seekers. 9 generations separate Rhaenyra and Daenerys Targaryen: Rhaenyra is Daenerys’ nice, nice, nice, nice, nice, nice, nice grandmother.