The Bloodline Battles: 15 Essential Branches Of The House Of The Dragon Family Tree Explained
The Targaryen family tree is arguably the most crucial—and most confusing—element of the entire *House of the Dragon* narrative. As of December 2025, with anticipation building for the next installments, understanding the intricate web of spouses, siblings, and succession disputes is essential to grasping the "Dance of the Dragons," the brutal civil war that forms the core of the series. This genealogy is not just a list of names; it is the map of a dynasty, illustrating how one king's indecision led to the near-extinction of the dragonriders and irrevocably altered the course of Westeros history.
The complexity stems from the Targaryen practice of incestuous marriages—keeping the Valyrian bloodline "pure"—and the constant struggle between male and female heirs for the Iron Throne. The entire conflict is essentially a family feud, tracing back to a single moment of disputed succession that split the royal house into two deadly factions: the Blacks and the Greens.
The Roots of Fire and Blood: From Aegon the Conqueror to the Old King
To understand the current crisis, we must first trace the line back to its founders. The Targaryen dynasty in Westeros begins with Aegon I, 'The Conqueror', who famously married both of his sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys. This established the tradition of brother-sister marriages that would define the house for centuries.
The line continued, often violently, until the reign of Jaehaerys I, 'The Old King'. His reign, known as the Golden Age, lasted for over five decades. Jaehaerys I and his queen, Alysanne, had thirteen children, but many died young, creating the first major succession headache.
Jaehaerys I bypassed his granddaughter, Rhaenys Targaryen (The Queen Who Never Was), in favor of his grandson, Viserys I, at the Great Council of 101 AC. This decision—favoring a male heir (Viserys) over a female heir (Rhaenys)—is the foundational precedent that Rhaenyra's claim later directly challenges. Rhaenys, the daughter of Jaehaerys's eldest son, was married to Corlys Velaryon, 'The Sea Snake', linking the two most powerful Valyrian houses.
Key Figures Before the Dance
- Jaehaerys I (The Old King): Stabilized the realm, but his succession choice created the underlying tension.
- Rhaenys Targaryen: Passed over for the throne; her resentment and alliance with Corlys Velaryon are crucial to the Blacks' strength.
- Viserys I: The King whose indecision sparked the war. His two marriages and conflicting wills are the direct cause of the Dance.
The Core Conflict: Viserys I and the Schism of Succession
King Viserys I is the central pivot point of the family tree. His marriages and children created the two opposing camps that would tear the realm apart.
Viserys I's First Marriage (The Blacks):
Viserys married Aemma Arryn and had one surviving child, Rhaenyra Targaryen. After Aemma's death, Viserys named Rhaenyra his heir, forcing all the lords of Westeros to swear fealty to her. This established the faction known as the Blacks, who support Rhaenyra’s claim.
- Rhaenyra Targaryen: The King's named heir. She first married Laenor Velaryon (Rhaenys and Corlys's son), producing three sons: Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey (whose parentage is disputed). She later married her uncle, Daemon Targaryen.
- Daemon Targaryen: Viserys's younger brother, a powerful dragonrider (Caraxes). He is a key military and political asset for the Blacks. He and Rhaenyra had two sons, Aegon (The Younger) and Viserys (The Second), and a daughter, Visenya.
Viserys I's Second Marriage (The Greens):
Viserys later married Alicent Hightower, the daughter of his Hand, Otto Hightower. This marriage produced three sons and one daughter, forming the basis of the Greens faction, who support the male line of succession.
- Aegon II Targaryen: Viserys's firstborn son by Alicent. He is the central claimant for the Greens, arguing that traditional Westerosi law dictates a son must succeed before a daughter.
- Helaena Targaryen: Aegon II's sister and wife (a common Targaryen pairing). She is a dragonrider (Dreamfyre) and has three children: Jaehaera, Jaehaerys, and Maelor.
- Aemond Targaryen: Aegon II's younger brother, a formidable warrior and the rider of Vhagar, the largest living dragon. He is a crucial military leader for the Greens.
- Daeron Targaryen: The youngest son, often overlooked, who rides the dragon Tessarion.
The Warring Branches: Tracing the Lineage of the Blacks and the Greens
Season 2 of *House of the Dragon* will fully explore the consequences of this fractured family tree. The Dance of the Dragons is not just a war between two armies; it is a series of assassinations, betrayals, and tragic deaths within the same extended family.
The key to understanding the war is realizing that both sides are fighting for the same goal: the future of the Targaryen dynasty and control of the Iron Throne. The conflict drastically reduces the number of living dragonriders and narrows the family tree significantly.
The Blacks' Lineage and Alliances (Rhaenyra)
Rhaenyra’s claim is strengthened by her marriage to Daemon Targaryen and her alliance with the powerful House Velaryon (Corlys and Rhaenys). Her sons are central to the war effort:
- Jacaerys Velaryon: Rhaenyra's eldest son, and her heir. He is instrumental in securing alliances in the North and the Vale.
- Lucerys Velaryon: His death at the hands of Aemond Targaryen is the spark that fully ignites the war, leading to the brutal retaliation known as "Blood and Cheese."
- Aegon (The Younger) and Viserys (The Second): These two sons by Daemon are the only surviving male heirs of Rhaenyra who carry the Targaryen name forward after the Dance.
The Greens' Lineage and Alliances (Aegon II)
Aegon II's claim is backed by his mother, Alicent Hightower, and her father, Otto Hightower, who use the precedent set by Jaehaerys I. Their strength lies in the political maneuvering of the Hightowers and the sheer power of their dragons, particularly Vhagar.
- Helaena Targaryen: Her children, the true heirs in the eyes of the Greens, become tragic victims of the war.
- Aemond Targaryen: His ruthlessness and dragon Vhagar make him the most dangerous player on the Greens' side.
The Aftermath: How the Dance of the Dragons Shaped Daenerys's Ancestry
The Dance of the Dragons resulted in a devastating loss of life and nearly wiped out the dragons entirely, earning Aegon III the title "The Dragonbane." The family tree, once sprawling, became a single, narrow trunk.
The lineage that survives and continues the Targaryen dynasty descends directly from Rhaenyra’s line. After the war, the throne passed to her surviving son, Aegon III Targaryen (Aegon the Younger). He married Jaehaera Targaryen, the sole surviving child of Aegon II, symbolically uniting the two warring branches and ending the succession crisis.
However, the line of kings that followed ultimately descended through Viserys II Targaryen, Rhaenyra's second son by Daemon, who later ascended the throne. This lineage eventually leads, centuries later, to the last Targaryens: Aerys II (The Mad King), Rhaegar, Viserys, and ultimately, Daenerys Targaryen.
The entire drama of *Game of Thrones*—Daenerys’s quest to reclaim the Iron Throne—is a direct consequence of the choices and conflicts laid bare in the *House of the Dragon* family tree. The Targaryen genealogy proves that the blood feud between Rhaenyra and Aegon II was not an end, but a catastrophic beginning that haunted Westeros for generations.
Understanding the relationships between Viserys I, Rhaenyra, Daemon, and Alicent Hightower is the only way to truly appreciate the political and emotional stakes of the upcoming seasons. The complexity is the tragedy; the Targaryens destroyed themselves, not by external enemies, but by the fire and blood within their own house.
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