Targaryen Family Tree: Complete Lineage of House Targaryen

Introduction

If ever there was a dynasty forged in fire and ambition, it is House Targaryen. From the smoking ruins of Valyria to the Iron Throne of Westeros, the Targaryens shaped the fate of entire continents through their dragons, their rivalries, and their unrelenting hunger for power.

This definitive guide offers a deep exploration of the Targaryen family tree, blending Game of Thrones lore with House of the Dragon canon. Whether you are a seasoned Maester or a curious newcomer, you will find the lineage, alliances, and betrayals of this Valyrian house in one place.

Below, you’ll uncover:

• Every key Targaryen monarch, prince, and princess
• The dragons they rode
• The civil wars that shattered their line
• The secrets behind the last surviving heirs

Use this family tree as your roadmap through centuries of conquest, intrigue, and ruin.

Why the Targaryens Matter

No other house has defined the story of Westeros more dramatically. The Targaryens are the living embodiment of Valyria’s lost magic—dragonlords whose blood is said to be fire itself.

From Aegon the Conqueror—who forged the Seven Kingdoms under the Iron Throne—to Daenerys Stormborn—whose dragons heralded the rebirth of ancient power—the Targaryen dynasty spans nearly 300 years of dominance.

Their family tree is a saga of:

• Marriage alliances and incestuous unions, designed to preserve “pure” Valyrian blood.
• Legendary dragons—from Balerion the Black Dread to Drogon.
• Epic civil wars, including the Dance of the Dragons.
• The fall of a dynasty, brought down by madness and rebellion.

Understanding this lineage is essential to grasping the world created by George R.R. Martin.

Quick Overview of the Bloodline

Here is a snapshot of the most pivotal Targaryens you’ll meet in this guide:

• Aegon I Targaryen – The Conqueror who united Westeros.
• Visenya and Rhaenys Targaryen – His sisters and wives.
• Jaehaerys I Targaryen – The Old King who reigned for 55 years.
• Rhaenyra Targaryen – The Realm’s Delight, whose claim sparked the Dance of the Dragons.
• Aegon II Targaryen – Her rival half-brother and usurper.
• Aerys II Targaryen – The Mad King.
• Rhaegar Targaryen – Crown Prince whose love ignited rebellion.
• Daenerys Targaryen – The last known Targaryen, Mother of Dragons.

The Complete Targaryen Family Tree

The Targaryen line is sprawling, complex, and often incestuous. Below is a generation-by-generation walkthrough of their most critical figures, presented in narrative form so that each character also functions as a searchable keyword anchor.

The Valyrian Roots

Aenar Targaryen

• The Targaryens began in Valyria as minor dragonlords.
• Aenar fled Valyria after his daughter, Daenys the Dreamer, prophesied the Doom.
• They settled on Dragonstone about 114 years before Aegon’s Conquest.

Aegon the Conqueror and His Sisters

Aegon I Targaryen (Aegon the Conqueror)

• United Westeros with his sisters and wives, Visenya and Rhaenys.
• Rode Balerion the Black Dread, the largest dragon ever known.

Visenya Targaryen

• Elder sister-wife of Aegon.
• Mother of Maegor the Cruel.
• Rode Vhagar, who survived into the Dance of the Dragons.

Rhaenys Targaryen

• Younger sister-wife.
• Mother of Aenys I.
• Rode Meraxes, killed during the Dornish campaign.

The Early Successors

Aenys I Targaryen

• Son of Aegon and Rhaenys.
• A weak king, unable to control the Faith Militant.

Maegor I Targaryen (Maegor the Cruel)

• Son of Aegon and Visenya.
• Usurped the throne from Aenys’s sons.
• Died alone on the Iron Throne.

Jaehaerys I Targaryen (The Old King)

• Son of Aenys I.
• Married his sister Alysanne Targaryen.
• Reigned for 55 years; his children and grandchildren populated most future lines.

The Generation of the Dance

Viserys I Targaryen

• Grandson of Jaehaerys.
• Fathered:
  • Rhaenyra Targaryen (with his first wife).
  • Aegon II Targaryen and others (with Alicent Hightower).

Rhaenyra Targaryen

• Heir named by her father.
• Married first Laenor Velaryon, then her uncle Daemon Targaryen.

• Children:
  • Jacaerys Velaryon
  • Lucerys Velaryon
  • Joffrey Velaryon
  • Aegon III Targaryen
  • Viserys II Targaryen

Aegon II Targaryen

• Half-brother to Rhaenyra.
• Crowned by the Greens.
• His forces defeated Rhaenyra, who was fed to Sunfyre.

Post-Dance Monarchs

Aegon III Targaryen (The Dragonbane)

• Son of Rhaenyra and Daemon.
• Became king after the war.
• His reign saw the extinction of dragons.

Daeron I Targaryen

• Conquered Dorne temporarily.
• Killed at age 18.

Baelor I Targaryen (Baelor the Blessed)

• Known for piety.
• Locked his sisters in the Maidenvault.

Viserys II Targaryen

• Son of Rhaenyra.
• Served as Hand for decades before taking the throne.

Aegon IV Targaryen (The Unworthy)

• Notorious for legitimizing bastards on his deathbed, creating the Blackfyre line.

⚔️ The Blackfyre Bastards

Daemon Blackfyre

• Bastard son of Aegon IV.
• Founded House Blackfyre, triggering multiple rebellions.

The Blackfyre Rebellions

• Series of civil wars where Blackfyres challenged Targaryen rule.

The Mad King and the End

Jaehaerys II Targaryen

• Reigned briefly.

Aerys II Targaryen (The Mad King)

• Deposed in Robert’s Rebellion.
• Father of:
  • Rhaegar Targaryen
  • Viserys Targaryen
  • Daenerys Targaryen

⚡ The Children of the Mad King

Rhaegar Targaryen

• Crown Prince.
• Secretly married Lyanna Stark.
• Father of Jon Snow (Aegon Targaryen).

Viserys Targaryen

• Exiled with Daenerys.

Daenerys Targaryen

• Mother of Dragons.
• Last confirmed Targaryen of the main line.

️ Key Dynasties and Rulers of House Targaryen

Aegon the Conqueror

Aegon I Targaryen changed history when he launched the Conquest of Westeros. Unlike any king before him, Aegon wielded not only armies but dragons—especially Balerion the Black Dread.

• Reign: Unified six kingdoms (Dorne resisted for decades).
• Consorts: His sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys.
• Legacy: Forged the Iron Throne and began nearly three centuries of Targaryen dominance.

⚔️ Maegor the Cruel

The son of Aegon and Visenya, Maegor I became infamous for violence.

• Reign: Seized the throne from his nephew, Aenys’s son.
• Notable Acts:
  • Finished the Red Keep’s construction.
  • Wiped out the Faith Militant resistance.
• Death: Found dead on the Iron Throne—whether by suicide or murder remains unknown.

️ Jaehaerys I – The Old King

Widely revered as the greatest Targaryen ruler.

• Reign: 55 years of stability and prosperity.
• Marriage: His sister, Alysanne Targaryen.
• Achievements:
  • Built roads and infrastructure.
  • Codified laws.
  • Repaired relations with the Faith.
• Legacy: His many children became ancestors to rival factions in later conflicts.

⚡ Viserys I – The Seeds of Division

Viserys I Targaryen inherited peace but sowed discord through his succession.

• Decision: Named his daughter Rhaenyra as heir.
• Marriage: Later took Alicent Hightower as queen, fathering sons who would contest Rhaenyra’s claim.
• Outcome: His death sparked the Dance of the Dragons.

Rhaenyra Targaryen – The Realm’s Delight

The first woman declared heir to the Iron Throne.

• Titles: Princess of Dragonstone, Queen of Westeros (disputed).
• Support: Backed by the “Blacks.”
• Downfall: Betrayed and executed by Aegon II’s faction.
• Legacy: Her son, Aegon III, ultimately succeeded.

Aegon II – The Usurper

Half-brother and rival to Rhaenyra.

• Titles: King Aegon II, supported by the “Greens.”
• Acts: Captured and killed Rhaenyra.
• Death: Poisoned—murdered in retribution or politics.

Aegon III – The Dragonbane

Son of Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen.

• Reign: Marked by trauma and sorrow.
• Notable Fact: Witnessed his mother’s death, earning the name “Dragonbane” after the last dragons perished during his rule.
• Succession: Fathered Daeron I and Baelor I.

Daeron I – The Young Dragon

A teenage conqueror who invaded Dorne.

• Reign: Brief and ambitious.
• Outcome: Killed in rebellion; Dorne regained independence.

✝️ Baelor the Blessed

Known for religious fervor.

• Actions:
  • Locked his sisters in the Maidenvault.
  • Walked barefoot to negotiate peace.
• Death: Died fasting—possibly starved.

Aegon IV – The Unworthy

Among the most scandalous kings.

• Deeds:
  • Took countless mistresses.
  • Legitimized all his bastards on his deathbed.
• Consequences: Spawned the Blackfyre line, leading to generations of conflict.

⚔️ The Blackfyre Pretenders

Daemon Blackfyre received Aegon IV’s sword and founded House Blackfyre.

• Rebellions: Five major uprisings challenging Targaryen rule.
• Impact: Deep divisions that weakened the dynasty.

Aerys II – The Mad King

The final Targaryen monarch before the fall.

• Traits:
  • Paranoid and increasingly insane.
  • Obsessed with wildfire.
• Death: Killed by Jaime Lannister during Robert’s Rebellion.
• Children:
  • Rhaegar – Slain at the Trident.
  • Viserys – Exiled.
  • Daenerys – Born fleeing Westeros.

Daenerys Stormborn – The Last Dragon

One of the most iconic figures in modern Westeros.

• Titles: Khaleesi, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons.
• Legacy: Revived dragons after centuries of extinction.
• Fate: Killed in King’s Landing after the sacking of the city.

⚡ Jon Snow – Aegon Targaryen VI

The hidden child of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark.

• Identity: Raised as Ned Stark’s bastard.
• Claim: True heir to the Iron Throne.
• Decision: Chose exile rather than rule.

Dragons of House Targaryen

The Targaryens were not merely kings—they were dragonlords. Their dragons secured their conquests, upheld their rule, and ultimately sealed their doom.
Below is a guide to the most legendary dragons in their history and the riders who claimed them.

Balerion the Black Dread

Description: The greatest of all Targaryen dragons. Vast, black as midnight, his wingspan could cover entire towns.

• Hatched: Valyria
• Rider(s): Aegon I Targaryen, Maegor I, Viserys I (in youth)
• Notable Acts:
  • Burned Harrenhal.
  • Forged the Iron Throne with dragonfire.
  • Lived nearly 200 years.

⚔️ Vhagar

Description: Second only to Balerion in size. Named after a Valyrian god.

• Hatched: Valyria
• Rider(s): Visenya Targaryen, Baelon Targaryen, Laena Velaryon, Aemond Targaryen

• Notable Acts:
  • Survived the Conquest.
  • Killed Meleys in the Dance of the Dragons.
  • Died fighting Caraxes.

Meraxes

Description: Silver scales and enormous eyes.

• Hatched: Valyria
• Rider: Rhaenys Targaryen
• Notable Acts:
  • Conquest campaigns.
  • Killed during the Dornish War by a scorpion bolt to the eye.

Caraxes – The Blood Wyrm

Description: Lean, red, ferocious.

• Rider(s): Aemon Targaryen, Daemon Targaryen
• Notable Acts:
  • Fought Vhagar to the death.
  • Killed Aemond Targaryen and Vhagar in a final plunge.

⚡ Syrax

Description: Pale yellow she-dragon.

• Rider: Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Notable Acts:
  • Never fought another dragon.
  • Killed during the sack of Dragonstone.

️ Sunfyre the Golden

Description: Most beautiful dragon of the age, golden scales.

• Rider: Aegon II Targaryen
• Notable Acts:
  • Fought Meleys.
  • Later killed Rhaenyra.
  • Died from wounds.

Vermithor – The Bronze Fury

Description: Massive bronze dragon.

• Rider: King Jaehaerys I Targaryen
• Notable Acts:
  • Bonded to the Old King.
  • Later claimed by Hugh Hammer during the Dance.

Dreamfyre

Description: Blue and silver she-dragon.

• Rider(s): Rhaena Targaryen, later Helaena Targaryen
• Notable Acts:
  • Laid many eggs (some rumored to hatch later).
  • Died in the Dragonpit Riot.

️ Meleys – The Red Queen

Description: Fast, scarlet scales.

• Rider(s): Alyssa Targaryen, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen
• Notable Acts:
  • Fought Vhagar and Sunfyre.
  • Killed by Vhagar.

Drogon

Description: Largest of Daenerys’s dragons, black and red.

• Rider: Daenerys Targaryen
• Notable Acts:
  • Destroyed the slavers of Astapor and Yunkai.
  • Burned King’s Landing.
  • Carried Daenerys’s body east.

Rhaegal

Description: Green and bronze.

• Rider: Daenerys (unmounted)
• Notable Acts:
  • Fought in the Long Night.
  • Killed by Euron Greyjoy’s scorpion bolt.

❄️ Viserion

Description: Cream and gold.

• Rider: Daenerys (unmounted), later reanimated by the Night King
• Notable Acts:
  • Brought down the Wall.
  • Killed in the Battle of Winterfell.

✨ How Dragons Shaped Westeros

Throughout Targaryen history, dragons were more than weapons:

• Symbols of legitimacy: No other house could rival them.
• Deterrence: One dragon could end rebellions before they began.
• Fatal arrogance: Dependence on dragons blinded rulers to political reality.

Their extinction marked the decline of House Targaryen. Their rebirth with Daenerys gave the house one last moment of glory—and terror.

⚔️ Major Events in Targaryen History

The history of House Targaryen is a saga of ambition, betrayal, and fire. These pivotal conflicts defined the rise and fall of the dynasty and set the stage for the stories of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.

The Dance of the Dragons

Dates: 129–131 AC
Summary: A brutal civil war between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon II over the Iron Throne.

Causes:

• Viserys I named Rhaenyra his heir.
• After his death, the Greens crowned Aegon II.
• Both factions claimed legitimacy.

Key Figures:

• Rhaenyra Targaryen (the Blacks)
• Daemon Targaryen
• Aegon II Targaryen (the Greens)
• Alicent Hightower
• Criston Cole

Major Battles:

• The Battle at Rook’s Rest (death of Meleys)
• The Storming of the Dragonpit (dragons slaughtered)
• The final duel above the Gods Eye (Vhagar and Caraxes killed each other)

Consequences:

• Almost all dragons died.
• Rhaenyra was betrayed and devoured by Sunfyre.
• Aegon II died poisoned.
• Aegon III, Rhaenyra’s son, became king.

Legacy:

• The Dance left House Targaryen shattered.
• The extinction of dragons accelerated.

⚔️ The Blackfyre Rebellions

Dates: 196–260 AC (five separate rebellions)

Summary: A series of civil wars sparked by Aegon IV’s legitimization of his bastards.

Origins:

• King Aegon IV granted his bastard Daemon the ancestral sword Blackfyre.
• Daemon claimed the throne and founded House Blackfyre.

Key Events:

• First Blackfyre Rebellion (196 AC): Daemon Blackfyre’s initial uprising. Killed in battle.
• Second and Third Rebellions: His sons attempted further claims.
• Fourth Rebellion: Led by Daemon III Blackfyre.
• Fifth Rebellion: Failed final attempt by Maelys the Monstrous.

Consequences:

• Endless instability.
• Weakened Targaryen rule.
• Many Blackfyre descendants died in exile.

️ Robert’s Rebellion

Dates: 282–283 AC

Summary: The uprising that overthrew the Targaryen dynasty.

Causes:

• Rhaegar Targaryen “abducted” Lyanna Stark.
• Rickard and Brandon Stark executed by Aerys II.
• Houses Baratheon, Stark, Arryn, and Tully rebelled.

Key Battles:

• The Battle of the Bells
• The Battle of the Trident (Rhaegar killed by Robert Baratheon)
• The Sack of King’s Landing (Tywin Lannister betrays Aerys)

End of the Rebellion:

• Jaime Lannister killed Aerys II.
• Elia Martell and her children murdered.
• Viserys and Daenerys fled into exile.

Legacy:

• Robert Baratheon crowned king.
• The last known Targaryen children vanished across the Narrow Sea.

The Return of Dragons

Dates: 298–305 AC

Summary: The final chapter of the Targaryen legacy.

Key Events:

• Daenerys Targaryen hatched three dragon eggs.
• Conquered Slaver’s Bay.
• Invaded Westeros with Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion.
• Burned King’s Landing in the final assault.
• Killed by Jon Snow (Aegon Targaryen).

Consequences:

• The Targaryen line ended with Daenerys.
• Drogon carried her body east, fate unknown.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About the Targaryen Family Tree