By If you think royal history is all stiff collars and dusty old crowns, hang on—because Rhaenyra Targaryen flips that script like a dragon on a barbecue pit. She wasn’t just any princess; she was the firestarter, the troublemaker, and the queen who burned through tradition and expectations.
The Princess They Didn’t Expect to Rule
Okay, picture this: It’s 97 AC, and Rhaenyra Targaryen is born into a world where boys get all the toys—thrones included. But King Viserys I had other ideas. He named his daughter heir. Yep, the firstborn, no ifs, ands, or buts.
Now, that alone would be juicy enough. But the court? Nah, they didn’t exactly throw a “Congrats, future queen!” party. More like side-eye and whispered bets on how long she’d last.
I mean, growing up, Rhaenyra Targaryen was sharp as a tack. Rode her dragon, Syrax, around like she owned the skies (because, well, she kinda did). Her nickname? “The Realm’s Delight.” Sounds sweet, right? But trust me, she was anything but delicate.
The Queenmaker’s Dilemma
Here’s where it gets messy. King Viserys remarried Alicent Hightower and had sons. Suddenly, Rhaenyra Targaryen went from “heir apparent” to “that girl with the crown that half the court hates.”
The Greens and the Blacks started duking it out—sounds like a wrestling match but with more dragons and fewer spandex.
- Blacks: Rhaenyra’s crew—her dragon, her uncle Daemon, and the Velaryons.
- Greens: Alicent’s camp, pushing her son Aegon II.
Side note: Their/there mix-ups? Guilty as charged. But seriously, this rivalry was the OG soap opera.
Marriages, Dragons, and Drama
So, Rhaenyra Targaryen marries Laenor Velaryon, who’s got a wicked family name but not-so-wicked personal secrets. Rumor had it her kids were fathered by her bodyguard, Ser Harwin Strong. I don’t judge—I once claimed my neighbor’s zucchini as mine.
Anyway, after Laenor’s death (or disappearance? Some say), Rhaenyra married her uncle Daemon. I know, family reunions in Westeros were… complicated.
Her kids? Oh, they were a handful:
- Jacaerys, the oldest, destined for greatness
- Lucerys, brave but unlucky
- Joffrey, wild card
- Then Aegon III and Viserys II, the “second batch” with Daemon
Her brood was her claim and her curse. Losing two sons during the Dance of the Dragons? Yeah, no sugarcoating there.
The Dance of the Dragons: Civil War with Flames
Alright, here’s the kicker. King Viserys dies. The throne? Not hers anymore, at least according to the Greens. They crowned Aegon II. But Rhaenyra Targaryen? She wasn’t having it. She declared herself queen on Dragonstone and bam—civil war.
Dragons took to the skies. Blood spilled. Family betrayed family. It was messy as hell.
The battles were brutal:
- The Battle of the Burning Mill? Literal burning.
- Storming Harrenhal? Daemon’s playground.
- Siege of King’s Landing? City-wide chaos.
The smell of burnt wood and dragon fire lingered longer than my cousin’s failed barbecue attempts last summer. (Seriously, dude, how do you burn charcoal?)
Queen for a Hot Minute
Rhaenyra Targaryen finally grabbed the Iron Throne, but holding it? Different story. The capital was a mess—food shortages, angry nobles, and taxes higher than a dragon’s flight.
Imagine trying to run a kingdom when half your court wants your head. Not fun. My first attempt at a veggie garden was easier—and I killed everything, even the weeds.
Her reign was a short, fiery blip before the Greens counterattacked hard. Betrayals from within hurt her worse than any battlefield wound.
The Bitter End
Eventually, the half-brother Aegon II came back swinging. Rhaenyra Targaryen was captured. What happened next? Well, hold onto your dragon eggs—she was fed alive to Sunfyre, Aegon II’s dragon. Brutal, right?
Her son, little Aegon III, had to watch. Heartbreaking doesn’t even begin to cover it.
What Came After
Fast forward past three failed attempts to tell this story without crying—Rhaenyra Targaryen’s bloodline didn’t die with her. Aegon III took the throne, a living reminder of her claim.
Dragons? Most of ‘em dead or gone quiet after the war. Westeros? Shattered. Houses broken. And yet, the fire she sparked? Never really died.
Why I Still Think About Her
Why does Rhaenyra Targaryen stick in my head like a catchy song I can’t get rid of? Because she was ahead of her time. Fighting a guy’s club with a dragon, refusing to back down. Plus, she’s got that tragic queen vibe that reminds me of every time I tried to convince my friends to watch House of the Dragon (and failed).
Fun fact I read somewhere—Victorians believed talking to ferns prevented madness. I talk to my begonias just in case. Maybe Rhaenyra Targaryen talked to her dragons.