Exploring the Targaryen Family Tree: Who Was the True Heir?

Among the most respected houses in the imaginary world of Westeros, which George R.R. Martin created in his masterpiece, A Song of Ice and Fire, while in popular culture through its presentation on HBO’s show, Game of Thrones. Known for dragon riding, their Valyrian look, and their blood legacy dripping in fires, the family history of the Targaryen people is full of glory and tragedy but fiercer conflicts in succession battles. What’s at the core of that history? That remains the question: Who would have been the actual inheritor of the Iron Throne? In search of an answer, we dive deep into the intricate family history of the House Targaryen family tree.

Aegon the Conqueror: The Dynasty Founder

This history begins with Aegon I Targaryen, known as Aegon the Conqueror. With his two sister wives, Visenya and Rhaenys, he conquered the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, establishing a Targaryen line that would rule the country for nearly three centuries. Aegon’s rule was long and strong, and a succession seemed set: his male children would inherit the throne.

However, Aegon Targaryen’s simplest will regarding the principle of succession did not yet avoid all the problems his successors had to face. Generations passed one after the other, with Targaryens facing very heavy crises, questions over the gender and legitimacy of the involved, and political ones over the alliance.

And that led to the so-called “Dance of the Dragons“: a Succession Civil War. The first major Targaryen succession crisis was the Dance of the Dragons, a fierce civil war that split the family. The conflict began when King Viserys I Targaryen declared his chosen heir to be his eldest daughter, Rhaenyra, which her half-brother, Aegon II, contested. Viserys declared Rhaenyra his successor, but the traditionalists in Westeros opposed the idea of a woman ruling the Seven Kingdoms. They backed Aegon II, and it was a horrific war that tore the great houses apart, with horrific losses and many dragons gone.

Rhaenyra Targaryen

Viserys I’s elder daughter was the first to be officially declared an heir. Rhaenyra was trained for her position as a ruler, and her claim was legitimate based on her father’s declaration. And she also had powerful protectors who stood by her. However, being a woman, the social cultures of Westeros did not favor having a female ruler for her; thus, this made her ascension to the throne controversial. This strength and ambition were yet to translate into a good legacy as she was destined for a disastrous end in life, losing her life after being executed by her betrayers.

Aegon II Targaryen

Aegon II Targaryen was Viserys I’s second son. He was born through his marriage with Alicent Hightower. He was championed by many who felt tradition demanded a male heir. The supporters of Aegon II argued that he was stable and continuity in the succession line from the patriarch. But Aegon’s rule was not peaceful; he paid an extremely heavy price for his win, personally and in the destruction of the dragons of House Targaryen.

The Dance of the Dragons finally left the Targaryen family weakened and divided, with questions about its legitimacy and who the true heir was. Rhaenyra and Aegon II had valid claims on both sides; however, mutual ambition over the throne led to a general annihilation.

Blackfyre Rebellions: Bastard vs. King

The Targaryens, after many years, will face yet another challenge in the Blackfyre pretenders against the Iron Throne. The Blackfyre Rebellions started when the bastard legitimized by King Aegon IV declared for the Iron Throne. Aegon IV had bequeathed Daemon, the family’s ancient Valyrian steel sword Blackfyre, to signify an entitlement to rule. This set the germs of rebellion, for many nobles believed Daemon to be a better king than Daeron II, the legit son of Aegon IV.

Daemon Blackfyre

Handsome, chivalrous, and a powerful fighter, Daemon Blackfyre had many supporters who were outraged with the rule of Daeron II. Daemon’s legitimacy, with the ritualistic investiture of the sword Blackfyre, made his cause appealing to many. They deemed him an embodiment of the power and chivalry of the old Targaryen kings, which Daeron II lacked with his diplomatic and pacific disposition.

Daeron II Targaryen

Since he was the rightful heir of Aegon IV, Daeron II preferred peace and security, so he secured his realm with alliances, like his marriage to the royal family of Dorne. His detractors said he was bookish, and his ties with Dorne rendered him a less-than-appropriate leader for a warlike people. Daeron’s reign was pretty prosperous, but he quashed the Blackfyres’ uprising while still at war.

The Blackfyre Rebellions raised questions about whether legitimacy or being the true heir comes from that or if strengths and leadership matter. Since Daemon was perceived to have strength, his appeal did. Daeron’s, on the other hand, lays on the principles of lawful succession.

The Tragedy of Summerhall

Another strong aspect of Targaryen’s history is its obsession with dragons and prophecy. King Aegon V, better known as “Egg” in The Tales of Dunk and Egg, attempted to bring dragons back to the game out of his longing to restore Targaryen’s might. This eventually ended in disaster when fire struck Summerhall, taking his life and many people around him. This weakened the line of succession further and made it even more complicated.

Prince Duncan “The Small”: The eldest son of Aegon V, Prince Duncan relinquished his claim to the throne. He relinquished it so that he could marry for love and personal happiness, not because that’s what duty called. His decision threw the established line of succession into disarray and brought the tension between personal desires and royal responsibilities to the forefront.

Jaehaerys II Targaryen

Jaehaerys II inherited the kingdom; he was the only surviving son of Aegon V. The things that happened at Summerhall were so horrible that even its memory could not endure the ravages of the aftermath it brought. Within a short reign, the groundwork was laid for Aerys II, more popularly known as the Mad King, to be the last Targaryen to sit on the Iron Throne. Jaehaerys, through his efforts to make the situation stable, found it far from what it had achieved with the next generation’s instability.

Aerys II Targaryen

On the one hand, is the exposure that leads to the downfall of the Targaryen dynasty through the character of Aerys II, known as the Mad King. Slowly descending into full-blown madness and cruelty on the part of the king resulted in widespread discontent, finally leading to the impetus for Robert’s Rebellion. Everything Aerys did-from the executions of Rickard and Brandon Stark to his plan to burn King’s Landing-was sealed into his house.

Rhaegar Targaryen

One of the hopes of the sons of the House Targaryen, Rhaegar Targaryen, was intelligent, polite and an accomplished warrior. Still, his fixation on being the “Princes That Were Promised,” followed by an affair with the Stark girl Lyanna, sealed his downfall in the rebellion that saw the Targaryens fall. Rhaegar’s actions, especially his vanishing with Lyanna, are one of the most talked about incidents in Westerosi’s.

Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen

The last children of Aerys II left the country after the assassination of their father. All life was devoted to the return of the throne to Viserys. However, he would not have made a good king because of his cruel and unstable nature. A timid girl, Daenerys grew up to become a great queen for justice, ending tyranny. Her strength was fierce, but the brutal battle that began in King’s Landing soon showed her that she was not quite one to be a queen.

Jon Snow

Jon Snow is Aegon Targaryen, and this revelation is part of the plot where Daenerys learns Jon’s true identity. The most shocking discovery that came to light in Game of Thrones is that the bastard son of Eddard Stark, Jon Snow, is Aegon Targaryen, the trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. This, kept secret for so many years, not to face Jon from the wrath of Robert Baratheon, made Jon a legit Targaryen heir with a better claim to the throne than Daenerys did.

Jon Snow’s Argument

Jon was better situated to sit on the seat with Rhaegar Targaryen’s blood by ancient succession rights. Jon didn’t want to be a ruler; his heart was with the North. He always considered honor and duty more important. This often made him hesitant to seek power to gain for himself, but he protected the realm instead. It often earned him people’s love through humility but made him worse at playing Westeros politics.

Daenerys vs. Jon

After discovering his parentage, Jon broke away from Daenerys. She considered Jon’s claim an infringement on hers, and his natural charm and leadership qualities drew many of her followers to his side. Their clash of ideals was the final fight between the self-sacrificing protector and the liberator-turned-conqueror, Jon and Daenerys.

The concept of the “true heir

Targaryen history is not only just about bloodline, capability, legitimacy, and the prophecy of the “Prince That Was Promised” who should sit on the throne; rather, the Targaryen family represents the complexity of monarchy: lineage, politics, and destiny are twined together in sometimes tragically complex ways.

Bloodline vs. Ability

The characters Daemon Blackfyre and Rhaegar Targaryen show that blood does not make them better rulers. Then, rulers like Aegon V and Daenerys had real noble intentions but faced immense challenges in fulfilling their objectives.

The Role of Prophecy

Prophecies have tormented and led Targaryens. While prophecies – Rhaegar’s obsession over “The Prince That Was Promised” and Daenerys’ visions in House of the Undying – manifested the key decisions, the overall system of justification can be questioned over some claims.

The Question of Stability

The true heir is often determined not by the one with the strongest claim but rather by who can bring stability to Westeros. Robert Baratheon’s position was taken simply because he won the war, not because he had a legitimate claim to it. Daenerys’ case was similarly undermined by being unable to unify the realm.

Was There Ever a “True” Heir?

The question of who the actual heir to the Iron Throne is is complex and subjective. From a legal perspective, Jon Snow’s claim was the strongest of all, but his unwillingness to rule made his candidacy weaker. Daenerys had power and a legitimate claim to be the last surviving child of Aerys II, but her destructive actions also weakened her moral authority. Real kingship is far more than just lineages; rather, it is character, leadership, and changing needs of the realm. The Targaryen saga reminds us that power is short-lived; the throne is a dangerous seat that few can claim and even fewer hold. It continues with Westeros’ history, as does the legacy, which reminds us of the power of fire and blood.