Who’s Who?
House of the Dragon, the acclaimed spinoff from Game of Thrones, sees the Targaryen family torn in a brutal war known as the Dance of the Dragons. This conflict would eventually lead to the end of the Targaryen dynasty, and Daenerys Targaryen’s fight to retake the Iron Throne.
Now, we know that it can get a bit confusing keeping track of how everyone’s related, so we’ve made things a bit easier for everyone to follow along. Here’s a breakdown of the Targaryen family tree, with all the Targaryens we’ve seen on television so far. And just a warning: There are some spoilers for the first two seasons of House of the Dragon ahead.
Jaehaerys I Targaryen
Born: 34 AC
Passed On: 103 AC
Also Known As: The Old King
Dragon: Vermithor
Family: Grandson of King Aegon the Conqueror; son of King Aenys; nephew of King Maegor; husband and brother of Queen Alysanne; grandfather of King Viserys
Portrayed By: Michael Carter
Jaehaerys was the fourth Targaryen king to rule Westeros and held the Iron Throne for an impressive 55 years, making him the longest-reigning Targaryen monarch. He is the earliest ruler featured in the Game of Thrones history. In the opening scene of House of the Dragon, Jaehaerys chooses his grandson, Viserys, as his successor instead of his granddaughter, Rhaenys. This choice would ignite the conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons.
HBO, House of the Dragon 2022 -
Viserys I Targaryen
Born: 77 AC
Passed On: 129 AC
Also Known As: Viserys the Peaceful
Dragon: Balerion
Family: Cousin and husband to Queen Aemma; husband to Queen Alicent; brother to Daemon; cousin to Rhaenys; father to Rhaenyra, Aegon II, Aemond, Helaena, and Daeron
Portrayed By: Paddy Considine
In the first season of House of the Dragon, Viserys plays a key role as the fifth Targaryen king of Westeros, presiding over a period of relative peace. However, the question of his successor leads to a conflict between his children that eventually spirals into the Dance of the Dragons civil war. While he had a daughter, Viserys was desperate for a male heir, which would lead him to marry Alicent Hightower after his first wife, Aemma Arryn, perished during childbirth.
Viserys eventually succumbs to leprosy, and upon his death, the High Council appoints his son Aegon II as king instead of his daughter Rhaenyra. On his deathbed, Viserys reveals to Alicent the prophecy of the Song of Ice and Fire, suggesting that “Aegon” would be Westeros’ savior. However, Alicent distorts his words to justify placing her son on the Iron Throne.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Rhaenys Targaryen
Born: 74 AC
Passed On: 129 AC
Also Known As: The Queen Who Never Was
Dragon: Meleys
Family: Cousin to King Viserys; wife of Lord Corlys Velaryon; mother of Laena and Laenor Velaryon; aunt of Rhaenyra
Portrayed By: Eve Best
Passed over twice by her grandfather King Jaehaerys—first in favor of her uncle Baelon and then her cousin Viserys—Rhaenys became known as the Queen Who Never Was.
Her marriage to Lord Corlys Velaryon, the wealthiest man in the realm and a formidable sea captain, gave Rhaenys some political influence, though she still nursed a grudge against King Viserys. During the Dance of the Dragons, Rhaenys supported her niece Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, she and her dragon, Meleys, met their end at the Battle of Rook’s Rest, slain by Aemond Targaryen and his dragon Vhagar.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Daemon Targaryen
Born: 81 AC
Also Known As: The Rogue Prince
Dragon: Caraxes
Family: Brother of King Viserys; husband of Laena Velaryon; father of Rhaena, Baela, Aegon III, and Viserys II; uncle and husband to Rhaenyra
Portrayed By: Matt Smith
Daemon Targaryen was one of Westeros' most formidable warriors, renowned for his unpredictable nature, impressive swordsmanship, and infamous blade, Dark Sister. As the younger brother of King Viserys, Daemon was passed over for the Iron Throne which provoked him to lead a campaign in the Stepstones with the Velaryon fleet and his dragon, Caraxes.
Upon his return, Daemon married his niece Rhaenyra and became a key leader in her black council. Before Rhaenyra, Daemon was married to Rhea Royce, who perished under mysterious circumstances after falling from her horse, and Laena Velaryon, who met her end in childbirth. Daemon and Laena had two daughters, Rhaena and Baela. Daemon also commanded the City Watch of King’s Landing and frequented its bawdy houses, where he kept his lover Mysaria as his Mistress of Whispers. In Season 2 of House of the Dragon, Daemon seizes Harrenhal castle in support of Rhaenyra’s cause.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Rhaenyra Targaryen
Born: 97 AC
Also Known As: The Realm’s Delight; The Whore of Dragonstone; The Pretender; King Meagor With Teats
Dragon: Syrax
Family: Daughter of King Viserys and Queen Aemma; stepdaughter of Queen Alicent; wife of Laenor Velaryon; lover of Criston Cole and Harwin Strong; niece and wife to Daemon; half-sister to Aegon II, Aemond, and Heleana; mother of Jacaerys, Lucerys, Joffrey, Aegon III, and Viserys II
Portrayed By: Emma D’Arcy; Milly Alcock (younger)
Despite being Viserys’s first-born child, Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne was overshadowed by her father’s desire for a male heir, which would ultimately complicate the line of succession after the birth of her half-brother, Aegon II. After Viserys’s passing, Rhaenyra led her black council in opposition to King Aegon II and Queen Alicent’s greens, who had declared Aegon king.
At the same time, the legitimacy of Rhaenyra’s three eldest children—Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey—was widely questioned. Although she was married to Laenor Velaryon, who was rumored to be gay, many believed that Harwin Strong was the true father of her eldest children, as they shared his dark hair and features. Rhaenyra later married Daemon Targaryen, with whom she had two sons, Aegon III and Viserys II. From Dragonstone, she commanded the black council in her bid for the throne.
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Aegon II Targaryen
Born: 107 AC
Also Known As: Aegon the Elder; Aegon the Usurper
Dragon: Sunfyre
Family: Son of King Viserys and Queen Alicent; brother of Aemond, Helaena, and Daeron; half-brother of Rhaenyra; uncle to Jacaerys and Lucerys; father of Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor
Portrayed By: Tom Glynn-Carney; Ty Tennant (younger)
Aegon II ascended to the Iron Throne as the sixth Targaryen king of Westeros following the demise of his father, Viserys. Named after his great-great-great-grandfather, Aegon the Conqueror, Aegon II was known for his laziness during his youth.
His ascension to the throne would spark a conflict between him and his half-sister Rhaenyra, which would turn into the Dance of the Dragons. Aegon II was married to his sister Helaena, and together they had three children: Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor. In the Battle of Rook’s Rest, Aegon II was betrayed by his brother Aemond and suffered severe burns inflicted by his own dragon, Vhagar.
HBO, House of the Dragon 2022 -
Aemond Targaryen
Born: 110 AC
Also Known As: Aemond One-Eye; Aemond the Kinslayer
Dragon: Vhagar
Family: Son of King Viserys and Queen Alicent; brother of King Aegon II, Helaena, and Daeron; half-brother of Rhaenyra; uncle to Jacaerys and Lucerys
Portrayed By: Ewan Mitchell; Leo Ashton (younger)
Aemond Targaryen, the younger and more ruthless son of King Viserys and Queen Alicent, was known for his vicious nature. As a teenager, Aemond claimed Vhagar, one of the largest and oldest dragons in Westeros, after the dragon's previous rider, Laena Velaryon, perished. Unfortunately for Aemond, he was caught by his nephews, Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon, and a confrontation ensued, during which Lucerys slashed Aemond’s eye. Aemond subsequently fitted a sapphire into the empty eye socket and wore an eye patch as a result. He would go on to exact revenge on Lucerys by slaying him and his dragon, Arrax, while flying over Storm’s End with Vhagar. In the Battle of Rook’s Rest, Aemond and Vhagar also slew Rhaenys Targaryen and her dragon, Meleys.
Later, Aemond ambushed his brother, King Aegon II, severely burning him, and taking on the mantle of prince regent as the King recovered.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Helaena Targaryen
Born: 109 AC
Dragon: Dreamfyre
Family: Daughter of King Viserys and Queen Alicent; sister and wife to Aegon II; sister to Aemond and Daeron; mother of Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor
Portrayed By: Phia Saban; Evie Allen (younger)
Helaena Targaryen was the only daughter of King Viserys and Queen Alicent. Known for her cryptic and prophetic statements, she often spoke in ways that seemed to foretell future events. Helaena predicted that her brother Aemond would lose an eye and mentioned a "beast beneath the boards" shortly before Rhaenys Targaryen’s dramatic appearance through the floor of Dragonstone on her dragon during Aegon’s coronation. Helaena was married to her brother Aegon II, with whom she had three children: Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, And Maelor Targaryen
Born: 123 AC and 127 AC
Passed On: 129 AC (Jaehaerys)
Family: Children of Aegon and Helaena
Portrayed By: Unknown actors
Twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, along with their younger brother Maelor, make a brief appearance in Season 1 of House of the Dragon. In the Season 2 premier, Jaehaerys meets a tragic end when he’s slain by the assassins Blood and Cheese, who were sent by Daemon as revenge for the demise of Rhaenyra’s son, Lucerys.
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Jacaerys Velaryon
Born: 114 AC
Also Known As: Jace
Dragon: Vermax
Family: Son of Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon (or Harwin Strong); brother of Lucerys and Joffrey; nephew to King Aegon II and Aemond
Portrayed By: Harry Collett; Leo Hart (younger)
There were many people in King’s Landing who believed that Jacaerys and his brothers were actually the sons of Rhaenyra’s knight, Ser Harwin Strong, rather than her husband, Laenor Velaryon. Aemond used to taunt them, calling them “strong boys”. This provocation led to a confrontation where Lucerys slashed Aemond’s eye. Jacaerys, who fought for his mother’s black faction, was betrothed to his cousin Baela. Throughout the Dance of the Dragons, Jacaerys worked to rally allies in support of his mother’s claim.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Lucerys Velaryon
Born: 115 AC
Passed On: 129 AC
Also Known As: Luke
Dragon: Arrax
Family: Son of Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon (or Harwin Strong); brother of Jacaerys and Joffrey; nephew to King Aegon II and Aemond
Portrayed By: Elliot Grihault; Harvey Sadler (younger)
Lucerys was given the important mission of flying his dragon, Arrax, to Storm’s End so he could gain Lord Borros Baratheon’s support for Rhaenyra in the Targaryen civil conflict. However, Aemond got there first and proposed to marry one of Borros' daughters. This was better than anything Lucerys could offer, since he was betrothed to his cousin Rhaena. Lucerys and Aemond clashed in a fierce aerial battle above Storm’s End, with Aemond’s formidable dragon Vhagar quickly overpowering Lucerys and Arrax. Both Lucerys and his dragon perished in the confrontation.
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Joffrey Velaryon
Born: 126 AC
Also Known As: Joff
Family: Son of Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon (or Harwin Strong); brother of Jacaerys and Lucerys; nephew to King Aegon II and Aemond
Portrayed By: Oscar Eskinazi
While he shares a first name with an infamously despicable future king of Westeros, Joffrey Velaryon, is far different from Game of Thrones’ Joffrey Baratheon. Velaryon is Rhaenyra’s third son, thought to be fathered by Harwin Strong. During the Dance of Dragons, he gets sent to Essos.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Aegon III And Viserys II Targaryen
Born: 120 AC and 122 AC
Also Known Ass: Aegon the Younger
Family: Children of Rhaenyra and Daemon
Portrayed By: Unknown actors
Rhaenyra and Daemon’s children don’t get much screentime in Season 1 of House of the Dragon, but they should have more significant roles in the future. Rhaenyra and Daemon also had a stillborn daughter named Visenya, in honor of Aegon the Conqueror's powerful sister-wife. Their son Aegon was named both to honor the original Targaryen ruler and as a subtle jab at Rhaenyra’s half-brother, King Aegon II. Their other son, Viserys, was named after Rhaenyra’s father and Daemon’s brother. During the Dance of the Dragons, the two boys were sent to Essos for their safety.
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Rhaena And Baela Targaryen
Born: 116 AC
Dragon: Moondancer (Baela)
Also Known As: Dragon Twins
Family: Daughters of Daemon and Laena; cousins of Jacaerys, Lucerys, Joffrey, Aegon II, Aemond, Helaena, and Daeron
Portrayed By: Phoebe Campbell and Eva Ossei-Gerning (younger); Bethany Antonia and Shani Smethurst (younger)
Daemon Targaryen and his second wife, Laena Velaryon, had two twin daughters: Rhaena and Baela. To strengthen the alliance between the Targaryens and Velaryons, Rhaena and Baela are betrothed to their cousins, Jacaerys and Lucerys. When Rhaenyra sends her sons to Essos, Rhaena goes with them. Baela chooses to stay in Westeros and support the ongoing conflict.
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Maester Aemon
Born: 198 AC
Passed On: 300 AC
Also Known As: Aemon Targaryen
Family: Son of King Maekar I and Dyanna Dayne; brother of King Aegon V; great-great uncle of Daenerys; great-great-great uncle of Jon Snow
Portrayed By: Peter Vaughan
When Maester Aemon joined the Night’s Watch, he hid the fact that he was a Targaryen and by the time he met Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, few people knew about his royal lineage. Following the passing of his father, King Maekar I, Aemon declined the throne, leading his younger brother Aegon V—known as Egg from the Tales of Dunk and Egg—to become king. Aemon would later act as a mentor to Jon Snow and was the deciding vote that saw Jon elected as the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Aemon passed on at Castle Black due to old age.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Three-Eyed Raven
Born: Unknown
Passed On: 303 AC
Also Known As: Brynden Rivers; Bloodraven
Family: Legitimized bastard son of King Aegon IV and Melissa Blackwood
Portrayed By: Max van Sydow; Struan Rodger (previously)
King Aegon IV was infamous for his many illegitimate children by various women. On his deathbed, he legitimized all of his children, sparking the First Blackfyre Rebellion as his heirs fought over the Iron Throne. Brynden Rivers, one of these contenders, was eventually sent to the Night’s Watch but went missing beyond the Wall. Many fans of the series believe that the greenseer known as the Three-Eyed Raven, whom Bran Stark sees in visions and later meets beyond the Wall in Game of Thrones, could be Brynden, now known by a different name. The Three-Eyed Raven teaches Bran the art of greensight but is eventually slain by the Night King.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Aerys II Targaryen
Born: 244 AC
Passed On: 283 AC
Also Known As: The Mad King; King Scab
Family: Son of King Jaehaerys II and Queen Shaera; Father of Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys; husband and brother of Queen Rhaella; grandfather of Jon Snow
Portrayed By: David Rintoul
Aerys II, known as the Mad King, has a significant impact on the events of Game of Thrones, but we only see him in a brief flashback of his turbulent rule. His reign was marked by madness, which was probably the result of generations of inbreeding, along with his own paranoia. Aerys became obsessed with dragonfire, refused to cut his hair and nails, and mistreated his sister-wife, Rhaella. Aerys named Tywin Lannister as Hand of the King and made Tywin’s son Jaime the youngest-ever member of the Kingsguard.
During Robert’s Rebellion, Robert Baratheon, Eddard Stark, and their allies rose up against the Mad King. Tywin Lannister betrayed Aerys by opening the gates of King’s Landing to the rebels. Soon after, Jaime Lannister stabbed Aerys in the back—Jaime was branded the shameful title of “Kingslayer" thereafter. Robert’s ascension to the throne marked the end of the Targaryen dynasty.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Rhaegar Targaryen
Born: 259 AC
Passed On: 283 AC
Also Known As: Silver Dragon; Dragon Prince; Last Dragon
Family: Son of King Aerys II and Queen Rhaella; brother of Daenerys and Viserys; husband of Elia Martell and Lyanna Stark; father of Jon Snow
Portrayed By: Wilf Scolding
Rhaegar Targaryen was one of the last members of the Targaryen dynasty and, with no siblings old enough to marry, he wed Elia Martell of Dorne. The couple had a daughter, Rhaenys, and a son named Aegon. Both children were tragically slain, along with their mother, during Robert’s Baratheon’s Sack of King’s Landing. Rhaegar's actions set the stage for the rebellion when he courted Lyanna Stark, Robert’s betrothed, during a tourney at Harrenhal. For many years, people believed that Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna after the tourney, leading Robert to join forces with her brother Eddard Stark and take up arms against the Targaryens. It was thought that Rhaegar imprisoned and assaulted Lyanna at the Tower of Joy in Dorne, where she ultimately perished.
However, in Season 7 of Game of Thrones, it was revealed that Rhaegar and Lyanna were deeply in love, secretly married, and that she gave birth to their son. The boy was named Aegon Targaryen, but the world knew him as Jon Snow. After Rhaegar was slain by Robert at the Battle of the Trident, Eddard Stark was the only one who knew the truth about Jon’s identity and vowed to raise the boy as his own illegitimate child.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Viserys III Targaryen
Born: 276 AC
Passed On: 298 AC
Also Known As: Beggar King
Family: Son of King Aerys II and Queen Rhaella; brother of Rhaegar and Daenerys; uncle of Jon Snow
Portrayed By: Harry Lloyd
Following the deaths of King Aerys II, Rhaella, and Rhaegar during Robert’s Rebellion, Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen were sent to Braavos for their protection. The siblings traveled through the Free Cities of Essos, hosted by various lords and noblemen. Viserys eventually arranged a marriage between Daenerys and Khal Drogo of the Dothraki. Viserys was desperate to take his place on the Iron Throne, but he was also consumed by anger and spite.
He made the mistake of antagonizing Drogo, who did give Viserys a crown in the end—by pouring molten gold over the ambitious Targaryen’s head, slaying him.
HBO, House of the Dragon 2022 -
Daenerys Targaryen
Born: 282 AC
Passed On: 305 AC
Also Known Ass: Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms; the Mother of Dragons; the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea; the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains; Dany
Dragons: Viserion, Rhaegal, Drogon
Family: Daughter of King Aerys II and Queen Rhaella; sister of Rhaegar and Daenerys; wife of Khal Drogo; aunt and lover of Jon Snow
Portrayed By: Emilia Clarke
After the demise of her husband, Khal Drogo, Daenerys Targaryen began to assemble a formidable army to reclaim the Iron Throne. She gathered powerful allies such as Tyrion Lannister, Lord Varys, and Jorah Mormont, alongside an army of Dothraki, Unsullied, Greyjoy ships, and her three dragons. Daenerys would go on to form an alliance with Jon Snow, the King in the North and, unbeknownst to them both at the time, her long-lost nephew. Together, they challenged Queen Cersei Lannister.
Following her victory in the Battle of King’s Landing, Daenerys succumbed to Targaryen madness and had Drogon incinerate the city with dragonfire. After the chaos, Jon Snow, heartbroken and horrified, stabbed Daenerys in the heart. Drogon then melted the Iron Throne and flew away with the departed queen’s body.
HBO, Game of Thrones (2011-2019)
Jon Snow
Born: 283 AC
Also Known Ass: Aegon Targaryen; the White Wolf; the King in the North; the Prince That Was Promised
Family: Son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark; nephew and lover of Daenerys; illegitimate son of Eddard Stark; half-brother to Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon Stark
Portrayed By: Kit Harington
Thought to be the illegitimate son of Eddard Stark, Jon Snow was actually the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, which made him the trueborn heir to the Iron Throne. To protect Jon, Ned promised Lyanna that he would hide the boy’s true identity. When Jon got older, he joined the Night’s Watch and eventually became Lord Commander. After being slain during a mutiny, he was resurrected by the Red Priestess Melisandre.
Jon was later declared King in the North after winning the fight to reclaim Winterfell from House Bolton. He then teamed up with Daenerys Targaryen to destroy the Night King and the white walkers. Following Daenerys's destruction of King’s Landing, Jon, torn by loyalty and love, betrayed her and took her life. For this act, the end of Game of Thrones, saw Jon exiled back to the Night’s Watch, where he then went on to lead the freefolk beyond the Wall.
