Targaryen Family Tree: From Aegon to Daenerys

The Targaryen family tree can be difficult to follow because the dynasty spans nearly three centuries, repeats the same names across generations, and frequently reconnects its branches through marriage. Aegons, Viseryses, Daerons, Rhaenyses, and Aemons appear in different eras, often with competing claims to the same throne.

This guide follows the main Targaryen bloodline from Aegon the Conqueror to Daenerys Targaryen. It connects House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and Game of Thrones through the rulers, marriages, succession disputes, and family branches that matter most.

The goal is not to give every Targaryen equal space. Instead, the family is organized by era so the line of succession remains clear and the most important breaks in the dynasty are easier to understand.

The Game of Thrones House Quiz explores how you respond to inherited expectations, legitimacy, ambition, fear, change, and the cost of power. Your choices shape a House match based on your broader decision pattern rather than your favorite dragon, ruler, or family aesthetic.

Your place in the realm begins below. Decide what you would do with a legacy powerful enough to command loyalty—and dangerous enough to consume the person carrying it.

Targaryen Family Tree at a Glance

The simplified dynastic line begins with Aegon I, who conquers most of Westeros with his sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys. The crown passes through their descendants until Jaehaerys I establishes a long period of stability.

Jaehaerys's succession arrangements lead to Viserys I, whose decision to name Rhaenyra as heir eventually produces a rival claim from his son Aegon II. Their conflict becomes the Dance of the Dragons.

After the Dance, the crown continues through Rhaenyra's son Aegon III. Several generations later, the line reaches Aegon V, known as Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. His descendants include Jaehaerys II, Aerys II, Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys.

Jon Snow enters the bloodline through Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark.

Aegon the Conqueror and the First Generation

Aegon I Targaryen begins the royal dynasty in Westeros. He marries both of his sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys, following Valyrian custom.

Aegon and Rhaenys have a son, Aenys I. Aegon and Visenya have Maegor, later known as Maegor the Cruel.

Aenys inherits first, but his weak authority and conflict with the Faith destabilize the new kingdom. After his death, Maegor takes the throne rather than allowing Aenys's children to inherit normally.

Maegor's reign demonstrates an early Targaryen problem: dragons and blood can secure obedience, but they do not automatically create durable legitimacy.

After Maegor dies without a surviving heir, Aenys's son Jaehaerys becomes king. The crown therefore returns to Aenys's branch.

Jaehaerys I and the Succession Problem

Jaehaerys I and his sister-wife Alysanne have many children, but several die before they can inherit. Their eldest surviving son, Aemon, is expected to become king but dies before Jaehaerys. Aemon leaves a daughter, Rhaenys.

The next son, Baelon, then becomes the likely heir. He also dies before his father, leaving sons Viserys and Daemon.

The question is whether the crown should pass through Aemon's line to Rhaenys and her descendants, or through Baelon's male line to Viserys.

A Great Council selects Viserys. The decision does not create a perfectly clear rule, but it establishes a powerful precedent favoring a male claimant over a woman or a line descending through a woman.

That precedent later becomes central to the conflict between Rhaenyra and Aegon II.

Viserys I, Rhaenyra, and Aegon II

Viserys I first marries Aemma Arryn. Their surviving child is Rhaenyra Targaryen, whom Viserys publicly names as his heir.

After Aemma dies, Viserys marries Alicent Hightower. They have several children, including Aegon, Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron.

Viserys does not replace Rhaenyra as heir after Aegon's birth. This creates two competing principles. Rhaenyra has the king's explicit designation and years of public recognition. Aegon has the argument of male-preference succession reinforced by the Great Council.

Rhaenyra first marries Laenor Velaryon. Her sons Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey are publicly treated as Velaryons, although their biological father in the television adaptation is Harwin Strong.

She later marries her uncle Daemon Targaryen. Their children include Aegon III and Viserys II, both of whom become crucial to the later dynasty.

Aegon II marries his sister Helaena. Their branch becomes the rival royal line during the Dance.

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What the Dance of the Dragons Changed

The Dance of the Dragons is a civil war between supporters of Rhaenyra and supporters of Aegon II. For the family tree, its most important consequence is the destruction of both immediate branches.

Rhaenyra and Aegon II both die during the conflict. Rhaenyra's older sons do not survive to rule, while Aegon II's children also fail to establish a lasting line.

The crown ultimately passes to Rhaenyra's son Aegon III. Her bloodline therefore continues on the throne even though the official royal histories do not consistently recognize her as a reigning queen.

The war also devastates the dynasty's dragons and weakens the symbolic foundation of Targaryen rule. Later kings inherit the throne, but not the same overwhelming military advantage.

From Aegon III to Aegon V

Aegon III succeeds after the Dance. His sons Daeron I and Baelor I both become kings, but neither leaves a surviving heir.

The crown then passes to Aegon III's uncle, Viserys II, the younger son of Rhaenyra and Daemon. This shift reconnects the succession to another surviving branch of the same generation.

Viserys II is followed by his son Aegon IV, whose acknowledged illegitimate children create another major succession crisis. Aegon IV legitimizes several of them before his death, including Daemon Blackfyre.

The throne passes to Aegon IV's legitimate son Daeron II. Daemon Blackfyre later challenges that succession, beginning the Blackfyre Rebellions.

Daeron II is followed by Aerys I and then Maekar I. Maekar's son Aegon V eventually becomes king after several relatives ahead of him die or refuse the crown.

This middle period is less a simple father-to-son line than a series of adjustments after early deaths, disputed legitimacy, and the survival of collateral branches.

The A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Connection

Aegon V is the young Egg who travels with Ser Duncan the Tall in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

At that stage of his life, Egg is not expected to become king. He is a younger prince from a large family and travels in disguise to gain experience beyond court.

He later becomes Aegon V, known as Aegon the Unlikely because so many people once stood ahead of him in the succession.

Aegon V marries Betha Blackwood. Their children include Duncan, Jaehaerys, Shaera, Daeron, and Rhaelle.

Jaehaerys and Shaera marry each other and become the parents of Aerys II and Rhaella. Rhaelle marries into House Baratheon, creating the Targaryen blood connection later used to support Robert Baratheon's royal claim.

Aerys II, Rhaegar, and the Fall of the Dynasty

Jaehaerys II is followed by his son Aerys II, the final Targaryen king to sit the Iron Throne.

Aerys marries his sister Rhaella. Their surviving children are Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys.

Rhaegar, the eldest, marries Elia Martell. They have two children, Rhaenys and Aegon. In the television series, Rhaegar's marriage is later annulled and he secretly marries Lyanna Stark.

Rhaegar dies fighting Robert Baratheon at the Trident. Elia and her children are killed during the Sack of King's Landing. Jaime Lannister kills Aerys, ending his reign.

Viserys and the newborn Daenerys survive in exile. The dynasty loses the throne, but its bloodline and rival claims continue.

Daenerys, Viserys, and Jon Snow

Viserys believes he is the rightful heir after the deaths of Aerys and Rhaegar. His claim depends on being the surviving male member of the royal family known to the world.

After Viserys dies, Daenerys becomes the most visible Targaryen claimant. Her dragons, armies, and growing reputation give practical force to her inherited claim.

Jon Snow is the hidden son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark. In the television series, their marriage makes him legitimate, and he is given the name Aegon Targaryen.

Jon is therefore Daenerys's nephew. He may also possess a stronger hereditary claim because he descends from Aerys II through Rhaegar, the former crown prince.

The conflict between them is not simply about blood. Daenerys has built a movement, gained armies, and openly pursued the throne. Jon has a potentially stronger lineage but no initial desire to rule.

Their relationship captures a recurring Targaryen question: does legitimacy come from inheritance, public recognition, conquest, or the ability to govern?

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Why Targaryen Names Repeat

Targaryen names repeat because the dynasty treats names as markers of ancestry, legitimacy, and continuity.

Aegon is the most important example. Aegon I is the Conqueror. Aegon II is Rhaenyra's rival. Aegon III is Rhaenyra's surviving son. Aegon IV legitimizes his illegitimate children. Aegon V is Egg. Jon Snow is also named Aegon in the television series.

Viserys I is the father of Rhaenyra and Aegon II. Viserys II is the son of Rhaenyra and Daemon. Viserys, Daenerys's brother, never becomes king.

Rhaenys may refer to Aegon the Conqueror's sister-wife, the princess known as the Queen Who Never Was, or Rhaegar's daughter.

Daeron is used by several princes and kings. The safest way to distinguish repeated names is by era, parentage, and title rather than by the name alone.

How Marriage Shaped Targaryen Succession

Targaryen marriages serve three main purposes: preserving Valyrian blood, creating political alliances, and strengthening a claim.

Sibling and close-relative marriages keep the royal line concentrated, but they also create fewer independent branches and intensify disputes when succession becomes uncertain.

Marriages outside the family connect the dynasty to Houses Arryn, Velaryon, Martell, Blackwood, Baratheon, and Stark. These alliances can stabilize rule, but they also give other families a stake in the succession.

Rhaenyra's marriage to Laenor Velaryon strengthens her political position, while questions about her sons' biological father weaken their public legitimacy. Daeron II's Martell marriage helps bring Dorne into the realm but also fuels resentment among opponents who support Daemon Blackfyre.

Marriage does not merely connect individuals. It determines which children can claim power and which families may be willing to defend them.

Bloodline, Destiny, and the Use of Power

Targaryen blood gives characters access to a political claim, a legendary past, and, in some eras, dragons. It does not determine how they use those advantages.

Jaehaerys I uses royal power to build stability and compromise. Rhaenyra and Aegon II place rival claims above family unity. Aegon IV weakens the succession through personal indulgence. Aegon V attempts reform but struggles against resistance from powerful lords.

Aerys II relies increasingly on fear. Rhaegar becomes absorbed in prophecy and the belief that his family has a special role in history. Daenerys combines liberation, destiny, and conquest, at times treating opposition as evidence that others cannot see the future she intends to create.

The recurring danger is not simply madness. It is the belief that exceptional ancestry makes ordinary limits less binding.

The most important Targaryen question is therefore not who possesses the bloodline. It is what someone believes that bloodline entitles them to do.

What Would You Do With an Inherited Destiny?

The Targaryen family tree shows that blood can create a claim without providing the judgment needed to use it well. Some members preserve order, some depend on fear, some place succession above relationships, and others believe they are meant to transform the world.

The Game of Thrones House Quiz explores those deeper patterns alongside the values of other major houses. It asks how you respond when inherited expectations conflict with personal judgment, when legitimacy is challenged, and when power offers both the ability to change the system and the temptation to place yourself above it.

The result is shaped by your choices rather than your favorite ruler, dragon, or dynasty. It is designed to show whether the Targaryen approach is truly your closest House pattern—or whether another family's instincts better match how you handle loyalty, conflict, ambition, and responsibility.

A famous name may establish a claim. The choices made afterward determine whether that legacy becomes order, reform, fear, or ruin.

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Targaryen Family Tree FAQ

How are Rhaenyra and Daenerys related?

Daenerys descends from Rhaenyra through Rhaenyra's sons Aegon III and Viserys II. The later royal line continues through Viserys II.

How are Jon Snow and Daenerys related?

Jon is Daenerys's nephew. His father, Rhaegar Targaryen, is Daenerys's older brother.

Who was the last Targaryen king?

Aerys II Targaryen, known as the Mad King, is the final Targaryen ruler to sit the Iron Throne before Robert's Rebellion.

How long did House Targaryen rule Westeros?

The dynasty ruled for nearly three centuries, from Aegon's Conquest until the fall of Aerys II.

Is Jon Snow a legitimate Targaryen?

In the television series, Rhaegar and Lyanna secretly marry, making Jon legitimate. His Targaryen name is revealed as Aegon.

Why did Rhaenyra and Aegon II both claim the throne?

Rhaenyra was publicly named heir by Viserys I. Aegon's supporters argued that a king's son should inherit before a daughter, drawing on male-preference precedent.

Is Robert Baratheon related to the Targaryens?

Yes. Robert descends from Rhaelle Targaryen through his grandmother, giving House Baratheon a dynastic connection to the former royal family.

Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, A Song of Ice and Fire, House Targaryen, its characters, settings, symbols, and all related works are the property of their respective rights holders. This independent article and House quiz are unofficial fan-created content and are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by George R. R. Martin, HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery, or the creators and cast of the television adaptations.