The Game of Thrones family tree is a sprawling network of interconnected houses, marriages, betrayals, and bloodlines that drives the entire saga. The core of the story revolves around three main families—Stark, Lannister, and Targaryen—but dozens of other houses (Baratheon, Greyjoy, Tully, Arryn, Martell, Tyrell) weave into the web through alliances and marriages.
Why the Family Tree Matters
Unlike many fantasy series where lineage is background lore, in Game of Thrones (based on George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire) family trees are the engine of the plot. The central conflict—who sits on the Iron Throne—is a question of inheritance and legitimacy. Robert Baratheon claimed the throne through a distant Targaryen grandmother, and the entire War of the Five Kings erupts because multiple characters believe they have the best claim. Even the show’s final season hinges on Jon Snow’s true parentage: he is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, making him a hidden Targaryen heir. Understanding who belongs to which house and how they connect is essential to following the politics, betrayals, and motivations.
The Main Houses and Their Core Members
Each major house has a core family that remains stable throughout the series, though many members die or are revealed to have secret connections.
- House Stark: Lord Eddard (Ned) Stark and Catelyn Tully have five children: Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon. Ned’s illegitimate son Jon Snow is later revealed to be the son of Ned’s sister Lyanna and Rhaegar Targaryen. Ned’s brother Benjen joins the Night’s Watch.
- House Lannister: Lord Tywin Lannister has three children: Cersei, Jaime, and Tyrion. Cersei marries King Robert Baratheon, but her three children (Joffrey, Myrcella, Tommen) are actually fathered by her twin brother Jaime, a secret that fuels the conflict.
- House Targaryen: The exiled royal family. King Aerys II (the Mad King) was overthrown by Robert. His children—Viserys and Daenerys—flee to Essos. Rhaegar, Aerys’s eldest son, died at the Battle of the Trident. Jon Snow is Rhaegar’s son with Lyanna Stark.
- House Baratheon: Robert Baratheon becomes king after the rebellion. His brothers are Stannis and Renly. All three die without legitimate heirs, ending the house’s main line. Robert’s supposed children with Cersei are actually Lannisters.
Key Marriages That Connect the Houses
Marriages in Westeros are political tools, and several unions create the alliances (and tensions) that drive the story.
- Catelyn Tully & Ned Stark: This marriage binds the North to the Riverlands, giving the Starks the support of House Tully and their bannermen.
- Cersei Lannister & Robert Baratheon: This union cements the Lannister-Baratheon alliance that ends the Targaryen dynasty, but it is loveless and produces no true Baratheon heirs.
- Lysa Tully & Jon Arryn: Lysa’s marriage to the Lord of the Vale makes her son Robin the heir to the Vale, a key region in the wars.
- Margaery Tyrell’s multiple marriages: She marries Renly Baratheon, then Joffrey, then Tommen, each time attempting to secure Tyrell influence over the throne.
- Daenerys Targaryen & Hizdahr zo Loraq: A political marriage to secure peace in Meereen, though it is short-lived.
Bastards and Hidden Lineages
One of the most important aspects of the family tree is the role of illegitimate children, whose claims are often dismissed but whose bloodlines matter greatly.
- Jon Snow: Raised as Ned Stark’s bastard, he is actually the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark (they were secretly married). This makes him a trueborn Targaryen with a stronger claim than Daenerys in some eyes.
- Gendry: A bastard son of Robert Baratheon, he survives the series and is legitimized by Daenerys as Lord of Storm’s End.
- Ramsay Snow: Legitimized as Ramsay Bolton, he becomes a major antagonist after his father Roose betrays the Starks.
- Oberyn Martell’s daughters (the Sand Snakes): Bastard daughters of the Prince of Dorne, they are legitimized in the books and play roles in the Dorne plot.
How the Targaryen Family Tree Branches
The Targaryen dynasty is the most complex, with a long history of incestuous marriages to keep the bloodline pure. For the main series, the key figures are:
- Aerys II Targaryen (the Mad King) and his wife/sister Rhaella.
- Their children: Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys (born after Aerys’s death).
- Rhaegar married Elia Martell, with whom he had two children (Rhaenys and Aegon), both killed during the sack of King’s Landing. He also secretly married Lyanna Stark, producing Jon Snow.
- Daenerys is the last known Targaryen (until Jon’s parentage is revealed). Her dragons are named after her deceased brother Rhaegar, her husband Khal Drogo, and her brother Viserys.
Common Misconceptions
Many viewers confuse the family tree due to the show’s rapid pace and the similar names. Here are a few clarifications:
- Jon Snow is not Ned’s son: He is the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna. Ned raised him as a bastard to protect him from Robert’s wrath.
- Cersei’s children are not Baratheons: Joffrey, Myrcella, and Tommen are Jaime’s children, which is why they have blond hair and no Baratheon features.
- Daenerys is not the Mad King’s only child: She has two older brothers, though Viserys is killed early and Rhaegar before the series begins.
- Robert’s rebellion was not solely about Lyanna: It began when Aerys executed Brandon and Rickard Stark, but Lyanna’s abduction (or elopement) was the catalyst.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Jon Snow’s real mother?
Jon Snow’s mother is Lyanna Stark, Ned’s sister. He is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, making him a Targaryen heir. Ned hid this to protect Jon from Robert Baratheon, who would have killed him as a Targaryen.
Are Daenerys and Jon related?
Yes. Daenerys is Jon’s aunt—she is the sister of Rhaegar, Jon’s father. This makes their romantic relationship incestuous, which is a recurring theme in Targaryen history.
Why do the Targaryens marry their siblings?
The Targaryens practiced incest to keep their bloodline pure and maintain their connection to dragons. They believed that marrying outside the family diluted their dragon-riding abilities, though it also led to madness in some members.
What happened to the Stark family tree after the series?
At the end of the show, Sansa is Queen in the North, Bran is King of the Six Kingdoms, Arya explores west of Westeros, and Jon is exiled to the Night’s Watch. The Stark line continues through Sansa, though she has no children shown.
Who is the rightful heir to the Iron Throne?
If we follow Targaryen succession, Jon Snow (Aegon Targaryen) has the strongest claim, as the eldest son of Rhaegar, the crown prince. However, the show ends with Bran being elected king, which is a break from hereditary succession.
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