House Targaryen

Lord of Dragonstone

King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men

Lord of the Seven Kingdoms

Protector of the Realm

Prince of Dragonstone

The Red Keep

King's Landing

The Crownlands

Faith of the Seven

2 B.C.
by {Aegon the Conqueror} (House Targaryen)

Dark Sister

**House Targaryen of King's Landing**, known poetically as the **House of the Dragon**, is the royal house of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. A century and a half ago, House Targaryen conquered and unified the realm under the leadership of Aegon the Conqueror and his sister-queens Visenya and Rhaenys.

The Targaryens are of pureblood Valyrian descent. Their sigil is a three-headed red dragon on a black field, and their words are "Fire and Blood."

## Culture

### Traits

The phrase "*blood of the dragon*" refers to the Valyrian descent of the Targaryens, and more specifically to the fact that they were one of forty dragonlord families of Valyria. The typical Targaryen features remind strongly of the typical Valyrian features: pale skin, silver, platinum, or gold hair and eyes in a variety of shades of purple, or light blue.

The Targaryens can tolerate more heat than most people, and some are immune to fire. Another trait typical to Targaryens is the ability to have premonition-like dreams. The trait has been in the Targaryen family since before they relocated from Valyria to Dragonstone in 114 B.C. (and in fact, is what caused them to relocate). The Targaryens are seen as prone to madness, presumably caused by their inbreeding.

### Customs

House Targaryen's words are "Fire and Blood." Their sigil is a three-headed dragon breathing flames, red on black. The three-headed dragon represents the Conqueror and his two sisters, Rhaenys and Visenya. Some younger sons of the house used variations of the standard sigil. King Aegon II Targaryen used a golden dragon as his personal banner. In line with the sigil colours, most Targaryens used armour black of colour (e.g., Aerion Targaryen, whose armour is jewelled with dragonglass).

Although the Targaryen kings take their seat at King's Landing, the place where Aegon and his army first landed in Westeros and made their first fort, replaced by the Red Keep later on, their earlier seat of Dragonstone remains in their possession as well. It eventually became the traditional seat of the heir-apparent to the throne, who was known as the Prince of Dragonstone (or Princess of Dragonstone, once).

House Targaryen historically followed the gods of Valyria. Sometime before Aegon's Conquest, the Targaryen's abandoned the Valyrian gods and converted to the Faith of the Seven, the predominant religion in Westeros. However, they continued to follow the Valyrian practice of incestuous marriage, wedding brother to sister, cousin to cousin, uncle to niece and aunt to nephew, holding themselves apart from and above the noble Westerosi families. In recent years, Aemon Targaryen has tried to discourage this in an attempt to appease the faith and the people.

Deceased Targaryens are traditionally cremated, a custom since the days of Old Valyria. If a dragon is available, it is used to light the flame of the pyre. The ashes of many of the dead of House Targaryen have been interred on Dragonstone, including those of King Aegon I, Queen Visenya, King Maegor I, Princess Daenerys, Princess Daella, King Jaehaerys I, and Queen Alysanne.

### Dragons

As one of the forty dragonlord families of Valyria, the Targaryens were closer to dragons than other men. Aenar Targaryen brought five dragons with him when he moved from Valyria to Dragonstone, and Aegon I Targaryen and his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya rode them to battle during the Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms in 2 - 1 B.C. The Targaryens rode their dragons during the first century and a half following Aegon's Conquest. Deaths in battle, especially during the Dance of the Dragons.

The Targaryens housed their dragons in an immense domed structure in King's Landing, the Dragonpit, which was constructed during the reign of Maegor I Targaryen. Not all dragons which hatched were ridden, however. On the island of Dragonstone, several dragons, both wild and previously ridden, resided.

At some point, it became tradition to gift a newborn child with a dragon's egg in the cradle. This practice continued even after the death of the last dragon, with Maeghar Targaryen being the last in recent memory.

### Aemond's Ascension

After King Aegon II's death in 131 A.C., Aegon the Younger was named as King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, and a council of seven regents was formed. However, days into the regency period, Aemond 'the Unspoken' returned from Pentos with two sons and four large dragons, declaring himself the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, stating he claimed kingship through his father, not through his mother, like Aegon III. Being the only Targaryen faction with dragons (due in no small part to staying neutral throughout the recent war) the council had no choice but to accept his judgement.

Months into his reign, some began to favour his older half-brother, Rhaelor, who had been legitimized before the war. Consequently, this would turn out to only bolster Aemond's claim to the throne, as he wed his eldest son, Aeric, to Rhaelor's only child, Rhaecaera. After their death in 131 A.C., Maelor Targaryen would continue the projects Aegon II had commissioned, such as the statues of Aemond One-Eye and Daeron the Daring, and the repairs of the dragonpit.

## Family

### Historical Members

* **†** King Aemond I Targaryen, successor to King Aegon III. Died from Winter Fever in 131 A.C.
* **†** Prince Rhaelor Targaryen, known as 'Rhaelor Redfyre' in his birth, legitimized. Father to Rhaecaera, the later Queen Consort of Aeric Targaryen. Died from Winter Fever in 131 A.C.
* **†** Queen Rhaecaera Targaryen, King Aeric's late wife. Died in 143 A.C. giving birth to her son, Lucerys Targaryen.
* **†** Prince Lucerys Targaryen, the younger brother of Aeric and Rhaelor. Died in the Storming of Pyke in 136 A.C.

### Household in 152 A.C.

* King Aeric I Targaryen, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm.
* Prince Maelor Targaryen, Aeric's younger brother, and the former Hand of the King.
* Prince Aemon Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone and Heir to the Iron Throne.
* Prince Vaegon 'the Drunk' Targaryen, the second-born child of Aeric and Rhaecaera.
* Prince Aerion 'the Black Prince' Targaryen, the third-born child of Aeric and Rhaecaera.
* Prince Jaeghar Targaryen, the fourth-born child of Aeric and Rhaecaera.
* Princess Daelaena 'the Chaste' Targaryen, the fifth-born child of Aeric and Rhaecaera.
* Princess Rhaenerys Targaryen, the sixth-born child of Aeric and Rhaecaera.
* Prince Lucerys Targaryen, the youngest child of Aeric and Rhaecaera.
* Lady Freya Greyjoy, 'the Last Greyjoy', ward to King Aeric.