Understanding the Targaryen family tree requires navigating centuries of dynastic rule, civil wars, and a strict tradition of sibling marriage designed to keep bloodlines pure. In the universe of George R.R. Martin's books and television adaptations like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, the Targaryens are the fallen dragon-lords of Valyria who conquered Westeros and ruled the Seven Kingdoms for nearly three hundred years. Their genealogy isn't just a list of names; it's a map of succession crises, madness, and military power that explains why the Iron Throne became so deeply contested.
The Targaryen dynasty's obsession with incestuous unions—brother marrying sister, uncle marrying niece—was born in ancient Valyria to preserve dragon-riding magic and political control. While this strategy kept dragons under their command, it also introduced genetic volatility, famously described by characters in the franchise as a coin toss between greatness and madness. This guide breaks down the core generations, untangles the messy branches relevant to the television adaptations, and explains how the bloodline ultimately leads to Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow.
The Conquest and Early Generations: From Aegon to Jaehaerys I
The recorded history of the Targaryens in Westeros begins with Aegon I Targaryen, known as Aegon the Conqueror. Landing on the shores of Westeros with his sister-wives, Visenya and Rhaenys, Aegon united six of the seven independent kingdoms under his banner using three dragons: Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes.
Aegon's lineage immediately established the pattern of dynastic continuity through multi-generational marriage:
- Aegon I married both of his sisters. From Visenya came King Aenys I Targaryen, and from Rhaenys came King Maegor I Targaryen (Maegor the Cruel).
- King Aenys I fathered several children with Alyssa Velaryon, including King Jaehaerys I and King Jaehaerys's sister-wife, Queen Alysanne.
- Jaehaerys I and Alysanne ruled for 55 years, a golden age of peace known as the Old King's reign, though their large brood of children created major succession headaches down the line.
The primary friction point in these early generations was agnatic primaturity versus female inheritance. When Jaehaerys outlived his direct male heirs, a Great Council in 101 AC (After Conquest) bypassed Princess Rhaenys—the Queen Who Never Was—and handed the crown to her younger cousin, Viserys I. That decision directly sets the stage for the catastrophic civil war depicted in House of the Dragon.
The Dance of the Dragons: Viserys I and the Civil War
The Targaryen family tree fractures violently during the reign of Viserys I Targaryen. Viserys had a daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen, from his first marriage to Aemma Arryn. For years, Rhaenyra was recognized as the heir to the Iron Throne, and lords across Westeros swore fealty to her.
However, Viserys remarried Alicent Hightower, producing three sons: Aegon II, Aemond, and Daeron. When Viserys died, members of the Small Council and the Hightower faction crowned Aegon II instead of Rhaenyra, splitting the family tree into two warring camps:
- The Blacks (Rhaenyra's faction): Rhaenyra married her uncle Daemon Targaryen. Together, they had sons Aegon III and Viserys II. Rhaenyra also had three older sons (Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey) from her first marriage to Laenor Velaryon—though whispers of their true paternity involving Harwin Strong shadowed their legitimacy.
- The Greens (Alicent and Aegon II's faction): Aegon II claimed the throne with the support of his mother Alicent, his dragon-riding brother Aemond, and their sister-wife Helaena Targaryen, with whom Aegon II had children including Jaehaerys, Jaehaera, and Maelor.
The resulting civil war, the Dance of the Dragons, decimated the dragon population and killed most of the royal family members on both sides. When the dust settled, Rhaenyra's surviving young son, Aegon III (Aegon the Younger), ascended the throne, but the family's magical dominance began a permanent decline.
From the Dance to the Mad King: The Later Generations
Following the civil war, the Targaryen line continued through a sequence of kings who faced dwindling dragon numbers, rebellions, and personal tragedies. A key figure in the mid-dynasty genealogy is Daeron II Targaryen, who brought Dorne into the realm through marriage and diplomacy.
However, Daeron's reign sparked the Blackfyre Rebellions—a series of civil wars incited by Aegon IV (the Unworthy), who legitimized all of his bastards on his deathbed. The Blackfyre pretenders challenged the trueborn Targaryens for decades, complicating the political landscape of Westeros.
Skipping ahead several generations brings us to the final decades of Targaryen rule:
- Jaehaerys II and Shaera: Brother and sister who married for love, producing Aerys II.
- Aerys II Targaryen (The Mad King): Married his sister Rhaella. Their union produced three children who survived into adulthood: Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys.
Aerys II's paranoia, cruelty, and eventual murder of noble lords triggered Robert's Rebellion, led by Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark, and Jon Arryn. Rhaegar Targaryen died at the Battle of the Trident, killed by Robert Baratheon, and the dynasty was seemingly wiped out.
The Survivors: Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow
When Game of Thrones begins, the Targaryen family tree appears reduced to just two surviving members hiding across the Narrow Sea: Viserys and his infant sister, Daenerys.
- Daenerys Targaryen: Becomes the last major claimant of her house, hatching three dragon eggs and conquering Essos before launching her campaign to reclaim Westeros.
- Jon Snow (Aegon Targaryen): Unbeknownst to the world for most of his life, Jon is not the bastard son of Ned Stark. He is the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, born in secret at the Tower of Joy.
This secret heritage places Jon at the exact intersection of the Targaryen and Stark bloodlines. Through his father Rhaegar, Jon is the direct grandson of Aerys II, making Daenerys his aunt rather than just a political rival or romantic partner—a genealogical twist that reshapes the final conflicts of the television series.
Common Misconceptions in Targaryen Genealogy
When tracking the Targaryen lineage through books and shows, viewers often run into a few recurring points of confusion:
- The naming conventions: Targaryens loved repeating names. There are multiple Aegons, Viserys's, Jaehaerys's, and Rhaenys's, which makes tracking succession tricky without looking at regnal numbers.
- The Velaryon connection: The Velaryons are another house of Valyrian descent. They intermarried with the Targaryens frequently before and during the Dance of the Dragons to keep dragon-riding blood fresh, leading to frequent confusion between silver-haired houses.
- Bastardy and legitimacy: In Westerosi law, bastards have no claim unless legitimized by a king. The fallout from Aegon IV's legitimization of his bastards caused generational warfare that rivals the Dance of the Dragons in bloodshed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Targaryens marry their siblings?
They practiced incest primarily to keep their bloodline pure and maintain control over dragons. In Valyrian tradition, dragon-lords viewed themselves as closer to gods than ordinary men, believing outsiders were unworthy of sharing their blood.
How are Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen related?
Daenerys is Jon Snow's paternal aunt. Jon's father, Rhaegar Targaryen, was the older brother of Daenerys. This makes Jon the legitimate nephew of the last Targaryen queen.
Who was the last Targaryen king?
Aerys II Targaryen, widely known as the Mad King, was the final Targaryen to sit on the Iron Throne before he was overthrown and killed during Robert's Rebellion.
Did all Targaryens have white hair and purple eyes?
Most Targaryens carried the distinct Valyrian traits of silver-gold hair and violet or lilac eyes due to generations of selective inbreeding. However, children born from unions with outsiders—such as Dorne or the Riverlands—frequently inherited darker hair, as seen with Rhaenys Targaryen (who had Baratheon black hair) and Jon Snow.
