The House of the Dragon series is the first spin-off of the global phenomenon series Game Of Thrones. Based on the 2018 book Fire and Blood by George RR Martin, the production focuses on the Targaryen family, featuring characters previously unknown to fans of the original franchise, but whose course is intertwined with the events of GoT . Get to know the complex characters that the series presents Be careful not to confuse the names! and understand who is who in the dragon’s house .
The new production adapts the story of the book Fire and Blood , published in 2018 by George RR Martin, author of the book series that inspired Game Of Thrones . The action takes place 200 years before the history of the original production. We will follow the power struggles between the Targaryens until the Civil War, which became known as the Dance of Dragons. To better understand who the characters of House of the Dragon are, we need to talk about Daenys and Aegon Targaryen.
The series will not focus precisely on these two Targaryens, or even play at the time when they were still alive. However, it is important to know the history of these two names in order to understand where we find the main characters of the Dragon House and how they came to power in Westeros.
The first of them is the young Daenys Targaryen. Many years ago, the Targaryens were just one of several families in Valyria who had dragons. However, one day Daenys had a vision of a tragedy that would destroy the region and kill everyone. Her father, Aenar Targaryen, believed in the girl and moved with his family, money and, of course, his dragon to the Dragonstone Peninsula in Westeros.
Daeny’s vision was confirmed 12 years later when a mysterious catastrophic event caused what became known as Valyrian Doom. Targaryen’s entire hometown was destroyed, and all the families and dragons died there. The Targaryens were the only dragon lords to settle in Drachenstein. But 100 years later, Daeny’s distant descendant Aegon I decided that he wanted more.
Aegon conquered and united Westeros. Although the territories were still divided into different regions, they were under the authority of a single ruler, the one who occupied the Iron Throne created by Aegon. And so it was for almost 300 years, a time when the Targaryens ruled in Westeros, until quarrels began between other families, as we saw in Game Of Thrones .
Viserys I Targaryen
The history of the Dragon House begins with Viserys Targaryen I, great-great-grandson of Aegon I Targaryen and fifth king of the Targaryen dynasty. Viserys had two marriages. From his first marriage to Aemma Arryn, he had two sons who died in infancy, and a daughter who is still alive, Rhaenyra Targaryen. The second marriage of the king was with Alicent Hightower, with whom he had four children: Aegon, Healena, Aemond and Daeron Targaryen.
When he ascended the throne, Viserys I vowed to continue the period of peace and prosperity that the Seven Kingdoms had experienced over the past 50 years under his grandfather Jaehaerys I Targaryen. However, the same peace was no longer seen within the Targaryen clan. After the death of Jaehaerys I, Rhaenys Targaryen claimed her right to the throne as the only daughter of the first son of Jaehaerys I.
However, until then, no woman ascended the Iron Throne. The situation was submitted to the Great Council of Harrenhal. If the line of succession remained with the line of the first son of Jaehaerys I, Rhaenys could not take over, but his first son Laenor Velaryon could. However, the council decided that Viserys I, the eldest son of the second son of Jaehaerys i, should take up his post.
This led to a conflict between the Targaryens and the House of Velaryon, led by Corlys Velaryon, husband of Rhaenys, commander of the royal fleets and richest man in Westeros. But when the time comes to decide who should be the successor of Viserys I, there are other names in the dispute. Rhaenyra is fighting for his right as a firstborn. Demon Targaryen, younger brother of Viserys I, claims the throne as the closest male relative.
In addition to them, the house of Hightower is also interested in expanding its power over the kingdom, with Otto Hightower already being the hand of the king.
Rhaenyra Targaryen
Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen is the first and only daughter of Viserys I and his first wife, Aemma Arryn. She has always had a close relationship with her father and one day she wants to occupy the Iron Throne, especially considering her right to be the firstborn. However, tradition allows only the first male heir to have this right, and even the king’s brother can take power if he does not have male children.
When she is younger, she is elected the official successor of Viserys I. However, years later, when the king finally dies, Rhaenyra’s accession to the throne is questioned by several people who also claim the right to power. His main opponents are Lady Alicent Hightower and demon Targaryen.
Alicent is the widow of Viserys I and the daughter of Otto Hightower, the hand of the king. In order to stay in power, the young woman who grew up with Rhaenyra wants her first son to ascend the throne with Viserys I, Aegon. Daemon is Rhaenyra’s uncle and second husband and claims his right to the throne as the eldest heir of his brother Viserys I. From the union with him, Rhaenyra had three more children: Aegon, Viserys and Visenya.
Daemon Targaryen
Prince and younger brother of Viserys I, Demon, also has to fight for the right to rule Westeros. His name was also considered at the time of the succession of his grandfather, King Jaehaerys I. However, the possibility was soon put aside due to the hot and unpredictable temperament of the prince. The hand of King Viserys I, Otto Hochturm, considers demon to be the greatest threat to the kingdom.
However, since Viserys I is in the process of choosing his successor, Daemon will try to assert his right as the younger brother of the king and current husband of Viserys I’s first-born, his niece Rhaenyra. Before Daemon married Rhaenyra, he had two more marriages. His first wife, Rhea Royce, died without children. His second wife was Laena Velaryon, daughter of his cousin Rhaneys. She had two children with the prince before she died. Rhaenyra had three more children with her second husband and uncle.
In addition to his ambition for the Iron Throne, Daemon is known for his skills as a warrior and dragon knight, as well as his impulsive attitude. For him, the Targaryens came to power not through dreams, but because of dragons.
Lady Alicent Hightower
Alicent Hightower is the daughter of Otto Hightower, the hand of King Viserys I. The young woman grew up next to members of the royal family and, as she grew older, became the second wife of King Viserys I. A few years ago, Alicent was still a young girl growing up next to Rhaenyra, the first daughter of Viserys I from his marriage to his first wife, Aemma Arryn. It was during this period that the king announced his decision to make Rhaenyra his official successor.
Years later, Alicent, now married to the king, had four children: Aegon, Healena, Aemond and Daeron Targaryen. When her husband finally dies, she is one of the people in the kingdom who does not accept Rhaenyra’s succession. With the support of Sir Criston Cole, she tries to fight against the princess to claim the right of her first son with Viserys I, Aegon, to take over the rule of the Seven Kingdoms.
Otto Hightower
Otto Hightower is the knight of the House of Hightower and occupies the important position of trust as the hand of the King to Viserys I. always advising the king, he makes it clear that he considers Deamon Targaryen, the brother of Viserys I, the greatest threat to the kingdom. With violent and unpredictable behavior, Daemon is one of the names claiming his status as heir to the throne, while Viserys I chooses his successor.
Otto is the father of Alicent Hightower and, due to his proximity to the royal family, raised his daughter under the kings. As an adult, Alicent becomes the second wife of Viserys I. In a conversation with her daughter, Otto emphasized that they are playing an ugly game, but that she has the necessary determination to win.
Ser Criston Cole
Criston Cole is considered the greatest living warrior of Westeros. His reputation in battle and appearance prompted several court ladies to take an interest in him. Criston, a member of the Cole House, was born in the Dornish Marches. His father was butler to Lord Dondarrion of Blackhaven.
In footage from the first season, Criston appears alongside characters such as Alicent Hightower and Otto Hightower and in a fight against Daemon Targaryen. In the book, Criston is Alicent’s main ally in his fight against Rhaenyra’s accession to the throne. On the side of the widow of Viserys I, he defends with the king Aegon the right of Alicent’s first son to take power.
Rhaenys Velaryon
Rhaenys, a cousin of King Viserys I, was among the names who were to ascend the Iron Throne after the death of his grandfather Jaehaerys I. She claimed to be the only daughter of the first son of Jaeharys I. With the election of Viserys I – the eldest son of the second son of Jaehaerys I – to the reign, Rhaenys became known as the queen who never existed.
The princess married Lord Corly’s Velaryon, with whom she had two sons. Your children’s marriages are some of the points that make the family tree a little complicated. His daughter Laena Velaryon was the second wife of demon Targaryen, his cousin and brother of Viserys I. His son Laenor Velaryon was the first husband of Rhaenyra, first-born of Viserys I and third wife of Demon.
Lord Corlys Velaryon
Corly’s Velaryon, also known as the Sea Serpent and Lord of the Tides, became the richest man in Westeros after the various trading expeditions he undertook. Currently, he is the commander of the royal fleet of the kingdom of Viserys I, with whom he had a conflict since the appointment of the king, because he believed that the right to ascend the throne belonged to his family.
He is married to Rhaenys Targaryen. She is a cousin of Viserys i and the only daughter of the first son of Jaehaerys I, the previous king. In order to elect his predecessor, Jaehaerys I decided to convene the council in Harrenhal to avoid a civil war, since Viserys I, the first son of the second son of Jaehaerys i, also ascended the throne.
With the election of Viserys I, Lord Corly’s Velaryon and Rhaenys felt that their right to the kingdom had been stolen twice. For the first time by Rhaenys himself. The second, from her son Laenor Velaryon, who was to ascend the throne if his mother was not accepted as a wife.
Mysaria
Mysaria was a slave in Essos and worked as a prostitute. Little by little, the young woman worked to gain her freedom and infiltrate the criminal world of King’s Landing.
She currently lives in Westeros and is the most reliable ally of Prince Demon Targaryen.
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