The Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon is officially back for its second season. And with it, we can look forward to seeing more gripping power plays, more breathtakingly rugged locations, and, of course, more of the most complicated family tree in television history. We're talking endless incest (uncle-husbands, sister-wives, cousin-brides, you name it), names that all sound exactly the same, and a sea of peroxide blonde hair. Yes, we are talking about the Targaryens, the family of “pure-bloods” at the centre of the HBO show.
Untangling the complicated mess that is their family tree is practically impossible — but we've done our best. So, without further ado, let's get into it!
Jaehaerys I Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 1
Played by: Michael Carter
Born: 34 AC
Died: 103 AC
Known as the Conciliator, the Wise, and eventually the Old King, was the fourth Targaryen king to rule over Westeros and he eventually became the longest reigning Targaryen monarch. He appears briefly in the first season of House of the Dragon's first episode. At the end of his reign, he held a Great Council to elect his successor — Viserys I Targaryen, his grandson, was chosen.
Viserys I Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 1
Played by: Paddy Considine
Born: 77 AC
Died: 129 AC
The grandson of the Old King, Jaehaerys, Viserys ruled over Westeros from 103 AC to 129 AC. In House of the Dragon, we see the last few decades of his reign. When his first wife, Aemma Arryn, dies in childbirth, leaving behind only one living daughter, Rhaenyra, he marries Alicent Hightower. The pair have four children, Aegon II, Helaena, Aemond and Daeron. He eventually succumbs to a long, gruesome illness, and, failing to leave behind an official successor, Westeros is thrown into chaos.
Queen Alicent Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Emily Carey (young), Olivia Cooke
Born: 98 AC
In House of the Dragon, we first meet Alicent as a young lady of the court and a friend of Princess Rhaenyra. However, after her father encourages her to marry the newly widowed king (Rhaenyra's father) their friendship sours. She later becomes the mother to Aegon II and, after her husband's death, supports his claim to the Iron Throne, forming the Green Council.
Rhaenys Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Eve Best
Born: 74 AC
Died: 129 AC
The daughter of Prince Aemon Targaryen (the firstborn son of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen), Rhaenys once had a claim to the Iron Throne — however, after a General Council, her cousin, Viserys, was selected instead, earning her the name “the Queen Who Never Was.” She married Lord Corlys Velaryon of Driftmark and had two children, Laena and Laenor. She has yet to die in the series, but in the books, she dies while riding her dragon in support of Rhaenyra.
Lord Corlys Velaryon
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Steve Toussaint
Born: 53 AC
Died: 132 AC
The husband of Rhaenys, who joins his wife in supporting Rhaenyra's claim to the Iron Throne.
Laenor Valeryan
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 1
Played by: John MacMillan
Born: 94 AC
Died: 120 AC
The son of Rhaenys and Corlys, Laenor marries Rhaenyra. In the series, he is secretly in a relationship with a man. He eventually fakes his own death in order to leave Westeros and continue his relationship.
Laena Valeryan
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 1
Played by: Nova Foueillis-Mosé (young), Savannah Steyn (young), Nanna Blondell
Born: 100 AC
Died: 126 AC
The daughter of Rhaenys and Corlys, Laena marries Daemon Targaryen during the first season of House of the Dragon. She mothers Baela and Rhaena before dying by suicide during the complicated birth of her third child.
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Daemon Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Matt Smith
Born: 81 AC
Died: 130 AC
The younger brother of Viserys, Daemon initially wants to be named his brother's successor. However, after marrying his neice (yep) Rhaenyra, he supports her claim. Daemon has two marriages before Rhaenyra. He is estranged from his first wife, Lady Rhea Royce, at the beginning of House of the Dragon and he later kills her. With his second wife, Lady Laena (the daughter of Rhaenys), he has twins Baela and Rhaena. With Rhaenyra, he has three children: Aegon III, Viserys II and Visenya.
Rhaenyra Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Milly Alcock (young), Emma D'Arcy
Born: 97 AC
Died: 130 AC
The eldest daughter of Viserys, Rhaenyra stakes her claim to the Iron Throne after her father's death, forming the Black Council. She has two sons, Hacaerys and Joffrey, with her first husband, Laenor (the son of Rhaenys), however, as House of the Dragon makes clear, the boys are actually the offspring of her lover, Ser Harwin Strong. After Laenor fakes his own death and leaves King's Landing, Rhaenyra marries her uncle Daemon and they have three children: Aegon III, Viserys II and Visenya.
Aegon II Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Ty Tennant (young), Tom Glynn-Carney
Born: 107 AC
Died: 131 AC
Aegon II is the first child of Alicent Hightower and King Viserys. He eventually becomes known as Aegon the Elder and becomes the sixth Targaryen king after a long dispute between Alicent and Rhaenyra (Aegon's half-sister). Aegon marries his sister, Helaena, and has three children with her, Jaehaerys, Jaehaera and Maelor.
Aemond Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Leo Ashton (young), Ewan Mitchell
Born: 110 AC
Died: 130 AC
The second child of Alicent and Viserys, Aemond is a ruthless, cruel, ferocious young man. In the show, he loses an eye as a child during a fight with his half-nephew, Lucerys Velaryon (Rhaenyra's son). Aemond is eventually known as the Kingslayer
Helaena Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Evie Allen (young), Phia Saban
Born: 109 AC
Died: 130 AC
Helaena is the third child of Alicent and Viserys. She marries her brother, Aegon II and has three children. Helaena has a prophetic ability known as the dragon dream.
Jaehaerys, Jaehaera and Maelor Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 2
The three children of Helaena and Aegon. At the end of the first episode of season 2, Jaehaerys is murdered by an assassin after his mother chooses him as the child they should kill.
Jacaerys Velaryon
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Leo Hart (young), Harry Collett
Born: 114 AC
Died: 130 AC
Jacaerys is the oldest son of Rhaenyra and Laenor (although in the show, it's made clear that his real father is Rhaenyra's lover, Ser Harwin Strong).
Lucerys Velaryon
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 1
Played by: Harvey Sadler (young), Ellit Grihault
Born: 115 AC
Died: 129 AC
Lucerys is the second child of Rhaenyra and Harwing Strong. His fight with Aemond caused resulted in Aemond losing an eye. Years later, Aemond chased Lucerys on a dragon, planning to take his eye in revenge. The chase led to Lucerys' death.
Joffrey Velaryon
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 2
Played by: Oscar Eskinazi
Born: 117 AC
Died: 130 AC
The third son of Rhaenyra and Harwin.
Aegon III Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 2
Born: 120 AC
Died: 157 AC
The first child of Rhaenyra and her second husband, her uncle Daemon. In the books, he later marries his half-cousin Jaehaera Targaryen, the daughter of Aegon II and Helaena (Alicent and Viserys's children). He also eventually sits on the Iron Throne after his uncle, Aegon II.
Viserys II Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, season 2
Born: 122 AC
Died: 172 AC
The second son of Rhaenyra and Daemon.
Baela Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Shani Smethurst (young), Bethany Antonia
Born: 116 AC
The first daughter of Laena and Daemon. She and her sister live with Daemon and his new wife, Rhaenyra, along with their other children.
Rhaena Targaryen
Appears in: House of the Dragon, seasons 1 and 2
Played by: Eva Ossei-Gerning (young), Phoebe Campbell
Born: 118 AC
The second daughter of Laena and Daemon. She and her sister live with Daemon and his new wife, Rhaenyra, along with their other children.
Maester Aemon
Appears in: Game of Thrones, seasons 1, 3, 4 and 5
Played by: Peter Vaughan
Born: 202 AC
Died: 302 AC
Jumping ahead to the Game of Thrones timeline, we have Master Aemon, one of the few Targaryens to appear in the show and the last known Targaryen in Westeros. Aemon is a descendant of Princess Rhaenyra, who is his great, great, great, great grand-mother. He is the great-uncle of Daenerys Targaryen. In Game of Thrones, he is a member of the Knight's Watch.
Aerys II Targaryen
Appears in: Game of Thrones, season 6
Played by: David Rintoul
Died: 281 AC
Also known as “the Mad King,” Aerys ruled from 262 AC to 283 AC. He was deposed by Robert Baratheon and was the last Targaryen to rule over Westeros. He appears in Game of Thrones in a flashback.
It may be a fictional series set in the imagined land of Westeros, but many of the filming locations are very real.
Rhaegar Targaryen
Appears in: Game of Thrones, season 7
Played by: Wilf Scolding
Born: 258 AC
Died: 281 AC
The eldest son of the Mad King, Rhaegar appears in flashbacks of Game of Thrones, in which we learn that he secretly fathered Jon Snow with Lyanna Stark. He is the elder brother of Daenerys and Viserys.
Viserys III Targaryen
Appears in: Game of Thrones, season 1
Played by: Harry Lloyd
Born: 276 AC
Died: 198 AC
The second child of the Mad King, Viserys is erratic, unpredictable and often cruel. He dies in the first season of Game of Thrones.
Daenerys Targaryen
Appears in: Game of Thrones, seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8
Played by: Emilia Clarke
Born: 281 AC
Died: 305 AC
Daenerys is one of the main characters in Game of Thrones who eventually brings dragons back to Westeros and makes a claim for the Iron Throne.
Jon Snow
Appears in: Game of Thrones, seasons 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8
Played by: Kit Harrington
Born: 281 AC
Died: 302 AC
At the end of Game of Thrones, it is revealed that Jon Snow, the adopted son of Eddard Stark, is, in fact, a Targaryen, as his biological father is Rhaegar, Daenerys' older brother.
‘A Dance of Dragons’ left us with a lot of questions.
