Meet Rhaenyra Targaryen
King Viserys I had an eldest daughter named Rhaenyra Targaryen. She and her younger half-brother, Aegon II, engaged in a civil war that came to be known as the Dance of Dragons in which they fought for the Iron Throne. She was twice married and had five children, two of whom—Aegon and Viserys—became kings after her passing. She was riding Syrax, a dragon.
Childhood of Rhaenyra Targaryen
Rhaenyra Targaryen , who was born in AD 97, was the oldest child and oldest daughter of King Viserys I Targaryen and Lady Aemma of House Arryn. Rhaenyra was the only child of her father’s first marriage because her two brothers passed away when they were infants.
Rhaenyra Targaryen , who had been lavished with attention since a young age, was hailed as the Seven Kingdoms’ fairest maiden by her uncle, Prince Daemon Targaryen, while she was young.
Mother of five children (one of whom died before delivery), she never shed the weight she put on during pregnancy and stayed chubby, eventually developing a hefty build, a fat waist, and a huge bust. She possessed arrogance in her voice and was obstinate and pompous.
Rhaenyra Targaryen
Like her ancestor Queen Visenya, Rhaenyra was a typical Targaryen with platinum-blond hair that was typically pulled back in a long braid.
However, Rhaenyra is not a warrior.
While Rhaenyra is charming, but she was also quick to rage and never forgot an insult. She donned her father’s crown throughout the Dance of the Dragons.
At the age of seven, Rhaenyra took to the skies for the first time on the back of her young dragon, Syrax.
When Rhaenyra was eight years old, a year later, she started serving her father as a cupbearer at his table, during competitions, or in court. King Viserys was almost ever seen without Rhaenyra after that.
Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s uncle, had captured her heart since an early age. He returned from his journey over the Narrow Sea with unique presents for her. Ser Criston Cole defeated Daemon to win the jousts during the competition for King Viserys I’s accession.
The seven-year-old girl was given the winner’s laurel by the knight, who also requested her assistance in the jousting arenas. Ser Criston eventually won Rhaenyra’s heart when he joined the Kingsguard in 105 AC, referring to him as “my white knight,” and King Viserys let him to take Rhaenira’s oath of allegiance.
Cole continued to defend Rhaenyra at public gatherings and carried her favor in the jousting arenas ever after.
In late 105 CE , Rhaenyra’s mother Aemma died giving birth to Prince Baelon , who would die a day later. Without a direct male heir, King Viserys decided to formally proclaim Rhaenyra as his heir , causing hundreds of lords and knights with lands across the Seven Kingdoms to pledge their allegiance to Rhaenyra, vowing to honor and uphold her right of succession.
Thus, Rhaenyra Targaryen was named Princess of Dragonstone
When King Viserys remarried in AD 106, he did so to Alicent Hightower, and the two women at first got along great. Even though Viserys designated neither boy as his heir, this changed when Alicent gave birth to two boys, Aegon in 107 CE and Aemond in 110 CE.
King Viserys was still being questioned about the succession, but he refrained from engaging in debate. Ser Otto Hightower, the father of Alicent and the Hand of the King, was expelled from the court for pestering the ruler excessively with inquiries on the heir. Two groups, however, continued to form at court long after he had left: those who backed the Princess and those who backed the Queen Consort.
An enormous tournament was organized in King’s Landing in AD 111 to commemorate the union of King Viserys and his Queen Alicent’s fifth anniversary. Princess Rhaenyra wore red and black, the traditional Targaryen colors, while the Queen began the feast wearing a green attire.
As a result, Prince Aegon became recognized as the king’s legitimate heir, and political factions within the court began to be known as “the Greens” and “the Blacks” respectively. They did this by referencing the Grand Council of 101, in which a male heir was given priority over a female heiress (who supported Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen based on her birthright ).
Rhaenyra’s Seduction by her Uncle
Rhaenyra was seduced by her uncle, Prince Daemon, before she became 16 years old, according to Septon Eustace’s archives.
Prince Daemon
The jester Mushroom’s story is more scandalous; it claims that Rhaenyra received lessons from Daemon on how to attract and appease a man, and that Mushroom himself took part in those teachings. In contrast to Eustace, Mushroom claims that Rhaenyra remained virginal during these “lessons.”
According to Mushroom, the princess wanted Criston Cole to recognize her as a lady at the time since she was still deeply in love with him. Regardless of which account is accurate, King Viserys banished his brother Daemon shortly after (Grand Maester Runciter simply claims the two brothers quarreled)
Rhaenyra Targaryen’s possession of Dragonstone
At the age of 16, in AD 113 , Rhaenyra took possession of Dragonstone .
She had been courted by several lords and nobles who wanted her hand and favor. The sons of Lords Blackwood and Bracken came to duel for the hand of the Princess of Dragonstone when she visited the Trident in AD 112 and the so-called Fool Frey even asked her to marry him.
Twins Jason and Tyland Lannister sang her during their visit to Casterly Rock and she also received proposals from the Oakheart Lords ‘ sons Tarly ., Tully and Tyrell
Ser Harwin Strong , the son of Lord Lyonel Strong , also courted the princess.
King Viserys I Targaryen considered marrying her to the Prince of Dorne with the aim of bringing Dorne to the Seven Kingdoms , while Queen Alicent Hightower even proposed a marriage between Rhaenyra and her son Prince Aegon Targaryen
Rhaenyra Targaryen’s Marriage
Rhaenyra eventually wed Ser Laenor Velaryon in 114 AC, but it took King Viserys threatening to revoke her status as heir to the Iron Throne to get her to agree to the union because Rhaenyra had no desire to wed a man (referring to his possible homosexuality).
According to reports, the princess persuaded her father that her half-brothers would be more appealing to him.
During the wedding tourney, Ser Criston Cole fatally injured Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, Laenor’s closest friend. While his wife spent her time at court, Laenor chose to spend the most of his time in the high tide stronghold.
Lady Laena Velaryon, the sister of Laenor who wed Prince Daemon Targaryen after Laenor’s passing, and Rhaenyra were close.
Children of Rhaenyra Targaryen
The princes Jacaerys “Jace,” Lucerys “Luke,” and Joffrey “Joff” Velaryon are the offspring of Laenor and Rhaenyra. When Rhaenyra’s father Viserys I passed away, all three of them had already reached adulthood and possessed their own dragons. All three of Rhaenyra’s children shared the princess’s lover Harwin Strong’s dark hair and large noses, which was odd given that Laenor and Rhaenyra shared many similar traits.
However, this tale spread throughout the realm. Traditional Valyrians, with silver-gold hair included.
Rhaenyra’s first three children’s biological father is still a mystery.
Brothers Laenor and Laena Velaryon died in AD 120 , as did Rhaenyra’s alleged lover, Harwin Strong.
Rhaenyra then secretly married her uncle, Prince Daemon, the most experienced warrior of her time, on Dragonstone. Septon Eustace claimed that the hurried and secret marriage took place as it did because Viserys had forbidden the union; Mushroom suggests that Daemon, 39 years old, had impregnated the princess, who was 23 years old
The announcement of the marriage sparked a commotion at King’s Landing’s court, and Rhaenyra’s father was furious. Viserys and Daemon’s reconciliation took some time.
Princes Aegon and Viserys were the second and third children born to Rhaenyra from this union. The king’s thinking towards the succession did not change as a result of the birth of these two.
Rhaenyra sent her personal maester Gerardys to treat her father’s wounds after King Viserys I cut her left hand to the bone after falling over the Iron Throne.
Civil war: Dance of the Dragons
As the presumed heir to her father, King Viserys I Targaryen, Rhaenyra had been chosen. A declaration in a will reaffirmed the king’s intention.
However, after Viserys passed away in AD 129, Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and Ser Criston Cole, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, chose to crown Aegon II, Viserys’ half-brother.
10 years Rhaenyra’s younger sister and the son of Queen Alicent Hightower.
This started a civil war, known as the Dance of Dragons., where Aegon II’s supporters (called the Greens ) claimed that the first son always took precedence in the line of succession, while Rhaenyra’s supporters defended her right as the king’s firstborn. Both sides had dragons and the kingdom split.
At the beginning of the conflict, Rhaenyra flew on her dragon Syrax.
Rhaenyra was expecting the birth of her sixth child on Dragonstone when her father went suddenly. Viserys’ supporters in the Red Keep were either put in prison or slain by the Greens in King’s Landing, who made sure that no one knew she had died. Aegon II was formally crowned king a week later.
Rhaenyra was enraged when she eventually learned of these occurrences and went into labor, giving birth to a malformed stillborn daughter whom she named Visenya. Rhaenyra attributed this catastrophe to the treasonous people who took her throne.
Then she hastily planned her own coronation. Ser Steffon Darklyn of the Kingsguard and several Blacks supporters’ appearance at Dragonstone gave the ritual some legitimacy since, while Aegon II crowned himself with the Conqueror’s crown, Rhaenyra was able to place her grandfather’s crown—which had also been her father’s—on his head. Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s uncle-husband, gave her the crown.
Both sides sent ravens and emissaries to the powerful houses of Westeros to solicit support for their claims to the Iron Throne. While her son Luke traveled to Storm’s End to meet with Lord Borros Baratheon, Rhaenyra sent her eldest son Jace, riding on her dragon, to Houses Arryns, Manderlys, and Starks in an effort to garner support. Jace was successful in doing so.
Luke, unlike his brother, failed, and when he was going home, the dragon Vhagar, which was being ridden by Prince Aemond, attacked him. After Luke was eventually put to death, Lord Borros endorsed the Green Party.
In order to exact revenge, her husband Daemon hired two assassins (Cheese and Blood) to murder the young Jaehaerys, son of Aegon II. The conflict then extended, with clashes occurring throughout the kingdom.
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The Reign of Rhaenyra Targaryen
Rhaenyra got the war off to a better start by winning over the great houses. In AD 130, she and her husband Daemon advanced and captured King’s Landing (Aegon II fled, though his wife was taken prisoner)
Now that she was in charge of the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra ascended the steps and sat down in the throne, declaring that she would spend the entire night hearing promises of allegiance and apologies in the Red Keep. Despite wearing armor, Septon Eustace said that several witnesses in the fortress’s main hall claimed that Rhaenyra was slashed numerous times on her hands and legs by the Iron Throne’s blades.
Rhaenyra’s reign would be brief, however, as many saw this as a sign that the throne had “rejected” her.
During her time in King’s Landing, according to Eustace, she constantly cut herself on the throne, put on weight, and started to appear untidy.
As they had little affection for Aegon II Targaryen and his brother Aemond, the citizens of King’s Landing at first rejoiced over Rhaenyra’s return as a liberator.
Then, with the city gates piled high with spikes containing the heads of potential traitors, Rhaenyra dispatched knights to chase individuals who had backed Aegon in the capital. Money was still absent.
The royal treasury had been looted by the Greens despite the fact that King Viserys I Targaryen left the royal coffers brimming with wealth, thus by the time Rhaenyra arrived at King’s Landing, she was unable to support her rule. Rhaenyra, who was in dire need of money, gave her new Master of Coin, Lord Bartimos Celtigar, the authority to enact taxes and tax the citizens of the capital.
Slowly but surely, the common people developed a mistrust and dislike for their queen.
Rhaenyra’s actions become more and more unpredictable with time. She gave the Red Keep orders to execute several people after noticing traitors on every side.
She eventually earned the moniker “Maegor with tits” from the populace. For the next 100 years, the phrase “Maegor’s Tits” was a frequent curse in King’s Landing.
Rhaenyra became even more paranoid after learning about the Two Traitors and the First Battle of Tumbleton, which led her to declare that Ser Addam Velaryon and Nettles, the other two idiots she had legitimized, were also traitors. This declaration had major repercussions. Lord Corlys Velaryon, Queen Rhaenyra’s Hand, chose to notify Ser Addam and give him time to escape with his dragon Seasmoke after naming Ser Addam his heir in Driftmark.
Without thinking twice, the queen had Corlys detained, making House Velaryon’s fleetabandon her cause.
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