Game of Thrones’First spinoff series House of the DragonFinally! But don’t expect to see any familiar faces. This show takes place 172 years prior to the birth Daenerys Targaryen, and is set during the historical events of Game of Thrones George R.R. was adapted. Martin’s fantasy series Song of Ice and Fire. Still, audiences will get to meet plenty of Daenerys’ ancestors.
House of the Dragon draws from Martin’s companion novel to the main series, Fire & BloodThis article traces the history and development of the Targaryen clan. When Viserys, Targaryen’s king, chooses an unorthodox heir to his family, the show begins. This choice eventually causes civil war in this powerful clan. Targaryen is pitted with Targaryen. Dragon against dragon.
But to understand why, exactly, the Targaryens are so willing to tear one another apart for a chance to sit on the Iron Throne—and how the lords of Westeros respond to this conflict—you have to recall some Westerosi history. Some of these lessons and legends were shared in discussions between Game of Thrones Characters as they talked about their forebears.
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Here’s everything you need to remember before watching House of the Dragon.
What time does House of the Dragon occur?
Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton—HBO
House of the Dragon This story is set in 172 years prior to the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. It tells her ancestor’s tale, the Dragon-riding Targaryen family.
Why did the Targaryens rise to power?
We need to go back several hundred years in order to understand why the Targaryens took the Iron Throne first. Game of Thrones
Keep in mind that all of the universe is Game of ThronesIt is split into Westeros in the West and Essos to the East. Because they have the ability to control fire-breathing dragons and the strongest weapon any ruler can use, the Valyrians hold the power of the most powerful individuals in Essos.
Daenys Targaryen is a nightmare about the destruction of Valryia. Aenar Targaryen is her father and he tells all his noblemen about the apocalyptic vision. As often happens with Cassandra-like figures, the Valyrians ignore Daenys’ warnings.
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But Aenar heeds his daughter’s vision, gathers up the family and their dragons, and departs Valyria. They cross the ocean to an island to build Dragonstone’s castle. They are In Game of Thrones Dragonstone is guarding the Blackwater Bay entrance. Stannis Baratheon, who fled the Battle for Blackwater to seek refuge here until he returns to the Wall to assist with the Battle at Castle Black. Dragonstone is also Daenerys’ first stop in Westeros when she finally makes her way across the waters after living in exile in Essos.
Twelve years after Aenar moves his family, Daenys’ dream comes true. There are eruptions of volcanoes; Valyria bursts into flames; all the dragons in it are eliminated. It is now known as the Doom of Valyria. The Targaryens, safe on Dragonstone, become the only Valyrians left—and the only people who can control dragons. Daenys is now known as Daenys, the Dreamer.
What is the secret to Westeros’s power over the Targaryens?
It is now a century. The Targaryens maintain a low profile while continuing to build their Dragonstone castle. Aegon I then decides to travel Westeros. Aegon I, his sister-wives (yep really), Rhaenys & Visenya take a ride with their dragons to explore all of the kingdoms. Aegon declares his desire to bring together the Westeros warring parties and make it his own. Daenerys uses the map of Westeros he has built to build the large table that he builds at Dragonstone. Game of Thrones.
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And so Aegon’s conquest begins. With three dragons, Aegon, Rhaenys, and Visenya handily defeat the houses of Westeros—with the exception of Dorne—and Aegon becomes king. Aegon takes all of his enemies’ weapons and constructs the incredibly uncomfortable-looking Iron Throne. He places it in a fortress that becomes King’s Landing, the spot where he first landed in Westeros.
How can we go from Aegon I up to the characters House of the Dragon?
Paddy Considine (Sian Brooke), Michael Carter and Steve Toussaint as Eve Best House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton—HBO
The Targaryens are big on keeping their lines “pure,” which means they engage in incest. Unfortunately, half of Targaryen offspring are relatively normal while half become crazy and bloodthirsty. (See Daenerys’ lunatic brother Viserys, at the start of Thrones—Although Daenerys is arguably the most outrageous character on the show by far, it’s not impossible to see her as a complete shaman at the end.
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Aegon is blessed with a brother and a sister-wife. Aenys is the oldest and most pleasant. Maegor, the younger one, is less sweet. Maegor murders his halfbrother to take the Iron Throne. Maegor is a dictator for six years and is incredibly cruel. He is finally impaled on the Iron Throne. Jaehearys his nephew and son of Aenys succeeds him.
Jaehaerys was the most powerful king. He builds roads (including the King’s Road), a sanitation system, and infrastructure—which is boring but important. The husband and wife are parents to 13 children. They all sleep in the same cribs, with their dragon eggs. Jaeherys’ eldest sons, Aemon and Baelon, are both good men and would make great rulers. Jaeherys’ eldest sons Aemon and Baelon both passed away before Jaeherys could choose an heir. Although the succession politics can be complicated, it boils down to his choice of a grandchild or granddaughter.
And, finally, we’re ready to meet some House of the Dragon characters. Aemon’s oldest child is Princess Rhaenys (played by Eve Best in the series). Because Aemon was Jaehaerys’ eldest son, Rhaenys should be the obvious choice as heir. Unfortunately, all the lords in Westeros are super sexist and don’t like the idea of taking orders from a queen. Jaeherys calls a Great Council of 101 A.C. meeting to discuss giving the Iron Throne to her instead. They decide that Baelon’s son Jaeherys (Paddy Considine) should inherit the Iron Throne instead.
Lady Rhaenys married Lord Corlys Vaaryon (Steve Toussaint), who is a skilled shipmaster and goes by the nickname the Sea Snake. He hails from a family that’s also Valyrian but left Valyria long before the Targaryens for trade purposes. Crucially, the Valaryons can’t ride dragons, but they have become key allies of the Targaryens since Aegon’s conquest.
Then, who are the key players? House of the Dragon?
Viserys Targaryen
Paddy Considine is King Viserys Targaryen House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton—HBO
Viserys is a good king over the years. When it’s time for Viserys to name his heir, everything goes berserk. The Dance of Dragons is eventually declared a civil conflict.
Rhaenyra Targaryen
Milly Alcock and Paddy Considine House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton—HBO
Viserys makes Rhaenyra his first wife, and decides to inherit the throne. (A young version of Rhaenyra is played by Milly Alcock in the show, the older version by Emma D’Arcy.) This declaration doesn’t go over well with the aforementioned misogynist lords of Westeros who point to Jaeherys passing over Rhaenys as a precedent for male succession. It becomes difficult to see the point because Westeros has a fuzzy succession law. Rhaenyra is still a child who hopes to inherit the throne.
Daemon Targaryen
Matt Smith plays Prince Daemon Targaryen House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton—HBO
Meanwhile, Viserys’ brother Daemon (Matt Smith), a great warrior, wants the Iron Throne for himself. Viserys will team up with any person he feels is worthy of power.
Rhaenys Targaryen
Eve Best in Princess Rhaenys Vearyon House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton—HBO
Rhaenys comes to be known as “The Queen Who Never Was” by the time House of the Dragon begins. She may or may not still have a chip on her shoulder about being passed over for the throne—and advice to dole out to another potential female heir.
Corlys Vayron
Steve Toussaint in Lord Corlys Velaryon House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton—HBO
Rhaeyns wed Lord Corlys Valaryon. He is also known as Sea Snake and left Valyria before the Targaryens. He’s a shipmaster, and can’t ride dragons. He sticks close to the Targaryens since Aegon’s conquest.
Otto Hightower
Otto Hightower as Rhys Ifans House of the Dragon
Ollie Upton—HBO
Hightowers, a powerful house, have their seat of power in Old Town. The Hand of King is Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), at the beginning. This is exactly the position Ned Stark held for King Robert Baratheon in the beginning. Game of Thrones).
Alicent Hightower
Olivia Cooke plays Alicent Hightower Game of Thrones
Ollie Upton—HBO
His daughter Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke, in the two different timelines) becomes Viserys’ second wife. The line of succession gets more complex when she has children.
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