Daenerys Targaryen may be missing from House of the Dragon, but the makers of the show have made it clear that she holds a special place in their hearts. After all, for over a decade, she was the face of House Targaryen, and it is her popularity that even made this spinoff possible.
But is she actually related to House of the Dragon’s protagonist, Rhaenyra Targaryen? Or is the show simply paying tribute?
Rhaenyra and Daenerys are related by blood, with Rhaenyra being Daenerys’ great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother.
Bloodlines in the Game of Thrones universe can be a tad confusing. But don’t worry, I’ve untangled the webs to explain this Targaryen connection.
Not only do Rhaenyra and Daenerys belong to the same House, but Daenerys is also Rhaenyra’s direct descendent!
To be precise, being born seven generations before Daenerys, Rhaenyra is her great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother. In the same way, Rhaenrya is also Jon’s ancestor!
With folks having several wives and children out of wedlock, it’s common for some people to belong to the same House but not be direct descendants or even legitimate heirs. But like I said above, that’s not the case with Daenerys.
To understand how she’s related to Rhaenrya, you’ll have to indulge in a little bit of spoiler for House of the Dragon.
Although Rhaenyra has been named the next heir, not everyone has willingly accepted her as one. Viserys will try to gain support from House Velaryon by getting Rhaenyra married to Laenor. They shall have three children together, who will all belong to House Velaryon as well.
After his passing, Rhaenyra will be in need of a new husband, especially one who would strengthen her claim to the Iron Throne. Although her father used to be vehemently against the match, she will end up marrying her uncle, Daemon. Together, they will have two children: Aegon III and Viserys II.
As the daughter of the Mad King, Daenerys comes from Viserys II’s line.
Down below is a simplified version of the House Targaryen family tree that shows you how Rhaenyra and Daenerys are related:
Rhaenyra Targaryen + Daemon Targaryen
— Viserys II Targaryen + Larra Rogare
—– Aegon IV Targaryen + Naerys Targaryen
——— Daeron II Targaryen + Myriah Martell
———— Maekar I Targaryen + Dyanna Dayne
——–—–— Aegon V Targaryen + Betha Blackwood
––————— Jaehaerys II Targaryen + Shaera Targaryen
———––—––— Aerys II Targaryen (the Mad King) + Rhaella Targaryen
—————–——— Daenerys Targaryen
About House Of The Dragon
House of the Dragon is the prequel series to HBO’s blockbuster Game of Thrones based on George R. R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood.
Set three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will show Westeros under the Targaryen family’s rule before the dragons went extinct. It will follow the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war between siblings Aegon II and Rhaenyra, who fought for the throne after the death of their father, Viserys I.
Directed by Ryan Condall and Miguel Sapochnik, the show stars Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen, Emma D’Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Tom Glynn-Craney as Aegon II Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole, and Graham McTavish.
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