***Warning: Spoilers for Game of Thrones seasons 1-8***
After a long wait, Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon has finally arrived. The new fantasy show is based on a book published by author George R. R. Martin, and will focus on Daenerys Targaryen’s ancestors at the height of their powers.
But how does Daenerys fit in to her own family tree?
First off, the new series begins roughly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, which means that it is incredibly unlikely that any character from the original series will ever make an appearance.
Do you remember Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan), Samwell Tarly’s (John Bradley-West) kind mentor from the Night’s Watch? Well, there’s a very slim possibility that we might see his great-great-great-grandparents be born towards the end of the series.
That’s how far back we’re going.
So, with so many new faces to acquaint ourselves with, including Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy), some newcomers to the show might well be wondering how Daenerys Targaryen herself relates to all this.
Who were Daenerys’ parents and grandparents?
At the very beginning of Game of Thrones, we met Daenerys Targaryen (and her brother Viserys) in exile. She was staying in the seaside city of Pentos, on the continent of Essos, having been chased out of Westeros several years earlier.
She was chased out of Westeros after her father King Aerys (‘The Mad King’) was overthrown by a combination of armies commanded by Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon, and Tywin Lannister. By then, House Targaryen was already in ruins.
A character we never met was Daenerys’ mother, Rhaella Targaryen, who died shortly after giving birth to the eventual Mother of Dragons. Her father (Daenerys’ grandfather) was Jaehaerys II – he was the 16th House Targaryen king. House of the Dragon’s King Viserys is still only the fifth. We’re going back a long way.
Who are Daenerys’ direct descendants in House of the Dragon?
Okay, so this is where things get (slightly) complicated. In order to understand exactly how the characters from House of the Dragon are related to Daenerys, several generations must be skipped over entirely. If we analysed every step of the Targaryen family tree, we’d be talking about it for weeks.
Are you ready? Deep breath, everyone.
King Viserys Targaryen is Daenerys’ great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather (we know, stay with us here). This also makes Aemma Targaryen (Sian Brooke) Daenerys’ great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, and makes Rhaenyra Targaryen her great-great-great-great-great-grandmother.
There’s also the matter of Daemon Targaryen. At the start of the show, he is Daenerys’ great-great-great-great-great-great uncle, and he always will be. But without giving too much away, things might change for him ever so slightly in that regard. All we’ll say is that we know the Targaryens love to keep their bloodlines ‘pure’.
Who is Maester Aemon?
He was given a brief mention earlier, but Maester Aemon deserves a proper analysis. The kindly, gentle, and wise maester of the Night’s Watch was always such a welcome contrast to the hard-headed and stubborn leaders at Castle Black, such as Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale) and Ser Janos Slynt (Dominic Carter).
A friend to Jon Snow (Kit Harington) initially, then to Samwell Tarly and Gilly (Hannah Murray), Aemon died from natural causes towards the end of season five. On his deathbed, he repeatedly mentioned an ‘Egg’ – that was the nickname he gave to his younger brother, Aegon.
Aegon, known as ‘Aegon the Unlikely’, was the fifth of his name and the 15th Targaryen king overall. This made him Daenerys’ great-great grandfather. Bringing it all back to House of the Dragon, Maester Aemon is King Viserys’ great-great-great-great-great-grandson.
Boy are the Targaryens a big family.
Watch House of the Dragon on Sky Atlantic and Now TV.
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