‘House of the Dragon’ Family Tree: A Full Guide to the Targaryens on Teams Black & Green (PHOTOS)
Would you like Swooon in your inbox? Signup for our Swooon! newsletter!
The tapestry of Targaryen history is woven with complications, and some of the family’s most pivotal history comes to pass in HBO‘s House of the Dragon. Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon Season 2 will track the aftermath of Lucerys Velaryon’s (Elliot Grihault) death that ignited a civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
With all the marrying of cousins and uncles and siblings that’s commonplace in the ruling family of Westeros, it can be hard to keep track of how all of these characters are related. Here, we break down the Targaryen family tree as seen in the HBO fantasy drama. Use it as your guide throughout Season 2, which kicks off this Sunday, June 16 on HBO.
House of the Dragon, Season 2 Premiere, Sunday, June 16, 9/8c, HBO, Streaming on Max
Team Black: Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy)
Parents: King Viserys I Targaryen (deceased, played by Paddy Considine) and Queen Aemma Arryn (deceased, played by Sian Brooke); stepmother Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke)
Siblings: Deceased brother, half-siblings Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney), Helaena (Phia Saban), and Aemond (Ewan Mitchell)
Spouses: 2nd cousin Laenor Velaryon (John MacMillan); uncle Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith)
Children: Jacaerys (Harry Collett), Lucerys (deceased, played by Grihault), and Joffrey Velaryon (Oscar Eskinazi) with Laenor (Ryan Corr‘s Harwin Strong is implied to be their biological father); Aegon “The Younger” and Viserys II with Daemon (their third child and first daughter together, Visenya, was stillborn); stepdaughters/cousins Baela (Bethany Antonia) and Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell)
Claim to the Iron Throne: Viserys was named heir to his grandfather Jaehaerys I Targaryen’s crown over his cousin, Rhaenys, after her father, heir Aemon, was killed. Rhaenys was robbed of her birthright for being a woman. Viserys eventually named Rhaenyra his heir and held to that commitment after having sons with his second wife, Alicent, who later stole the throne from Rhaenyra for her own son, Aegon.
Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith)
Parents: Siblings Baelon and Alyssa Targaryen
Siblings: Viserys I Targaryen
Spouses: First cousin once removed Laena Velaryon (deceased, played by Nanna Blondell); niece Rhaenyra Targaryen
Children: Baela and Rhaena Targaryen with Laena; Aegon “The Younger,” Viserys II, and Visenya (stillborn) with Rhaenyra; stepsons/great-nephews Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey; Laena and Daemon’s third child died with Laena during childbirth
As children of Viserys, Aegon, Aemond, and Helaena are Daemon’s biological nieces/nephews. As Rhaenyra’s half-siblings, they are also Daemon’s in-laws.
Brothers Jacaerys (Harry Collett) & Joffrey Velaryon (Oscar Eskinazi)
Parents: Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laenor Velaryon; it’s heavily implied that the late Harwin Strong is their biological father, not Laenor
Grandparents: Princess Rhaenys and Corlys Velaryon (paternal); Viserys I Targaryen and Aemma Arryn (maternal)
Siblings: Luke (deceased); half-siblings Aegon “The Younger,” Viserys II, and Visenya (deceased); stepsisters Baela and Rhaena. As Daemon’s daughters, Baela and Rhaena are also their cousins.
Betrothals: Jace is betrothed to stepsister/cousin Baela; Luke was betrothed to Rhaena before his death
Claim to the Iron Throne: As Rhaenyra’s firstborn child and son, Jace is Rhaenyra’s heir
Aegon, Helaena, and Aemond are their uncles and aunt through Rhaenyra and Viserys.
Sisters Baela (Bethany Antonia) & Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell)
Parents: Daemon Targaryen and Laena Velaryon; stepmother Rhaenyra Targaryen
Grandparents: Princess Rhaenys and Corlys Velaryon (maternal); Baelon and Alyssa Targaryen (paternal)
Siblings: Half-siblings Aegon “The Younger,” Viserys II, and Visenya (deceased); stepbrothers Jace, Luke (deceased), and Joffrey. As Rhaenyra’s sons, Jace and Joffrey are also their 2nd cousins.
As Daemon’s daughters, this also makes Rhaenyra their cousin.
Rhaenys Velaryon (Eve Best)
Parents: Prince Aemon Targaryen and Jocelyn Baratheon
Grandparents: Jaehaerys I Targaryen
First Cousins: Viserys I Targaryen and Daemon Targaryen
Spouses: Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint)
Children: Laenor and Laena Velaryon (deceased); Rhaenys and Corlys believe Laenor is dead after he faked his death in Season 1 with the help of Rhaenyra
Grandchildren: Jace, Luke, and Joffrey Velaryon (from Laenor); Baela and Rhaena Targaryen (from Laena)
Claim to the Iron Throne: Rhaenys is the queen that never was. Her father, Aemon, was the Prince of Dragonstone and King Jaehaerys I’s heir. Prince Aemon’s death threw the line of succession into question, as a woman had never sat upon the Iron Throne. A council of lords chose her cousin, Viserys, as heir instead, as seen in the Season 1 Episode 1 prologue.
Team Green: Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke)
Parents: Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans, with Cooke above), mother unnamed in series
Siblings: Ser Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox in Season 2)
Spouses: King Viserys I Targaryen
Children: Aegon II, Helaena, and Aemond Targaryen; stepdaughter Rhaenyra Targaryen
Grandchildren: Jaehaerys and Jaehaera Targaryen, twin son and daughter of married siblings Aegon and Helaena; step-grandchildren Aegon III, Viserys II, and Visenya (deceased)
Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney)
Parents: King Viserys I Targaryen (deceased) and Queen Alicent Hightower
Grandparents: Otto Hightower (maternal); Baelon and Alyssa Targaryen (paternal)
Siblings: Helaena and Aemond Targaryen; half-sister Rhaenyra Targaryen
Spouses: Younger sister Helaena
Children: Twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera
Claim to the Iron Throne: As Viserys’ eldest living son, there are those in Westeros who wanted Aegon as king. Queen Alicent usurped Rhaenyra’s inheritance by placing her son on the throne in Season 1 Episode 9 after Viserys’ death. Rhaenyra is challenging his claim.
As Daemon’s wife, half-sister Rhaenyra is also aunt by marriage to Aegon, Helaena, and Aemond
Helaena Targaryen (Phia Saban)
Parents: King Viserys I Targaryen (deceased) and Queen Alicent Hightower
Grandparents: Otto Hightower (maternal); Baelon and Alyssa Targaryen (paternal)
Siblings: Aegon and Aemond Targaryen; half-sister Rhaenyra Targaryen
Spouses: Brother Aegon
Children: Twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera
Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell)
Parents: King Viserys I Targaryen (deceased) and Queen Alicent Hightower
Grandparents: Otto Hightower (maternal); Baelon and Alyssa Targaryen (paternal)
Siblings: Aegon and Helaena Targaryen; half-sister Rhaenyra Targaryen
Spouses: None
Children: None
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services