The full Targaryen family tree spans nearly three centuries of documented history, beginning with Aegon I the Conqueror and ending with Daenerys Targaryen. Below is a complete, generation-by-generation breakdown of the major branches, including the main line, the Blackfyre pretenders, and the surviving members at the end of the saga.
Origins and the Doom of Valyria
The Targaryens were a minor dragonlord family from the Valyrian Freehold, a powerful civilization on the continent of Essos. According to The World of Ice & Fire, they fled to the island of Dragonstone twelve years before the Doom of Valyria, a cataclysmic volcanic event that destroyed their homeland. Aenar Targaryen, his daughter Daenys the Dreamer, and his son Gaemon moved the family’s five dragons to safety, making them the only dragonlords to survive the Doom. For over a century, the Targaryens remained on Dragonstone, building their strength and waiting for the right moment to claim the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
Aegon I and the Conquest Era
Aegon I Targaryen, also known as Aegon the Conqueror, was the first of his name to sit the Iron Throne. He had two sisters-wives, Visenya and Rhaenys, following the Valyrian custom of incestuous marriage to keep the bloodline pure. Aegon’s three dragons—Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes—helped him subjugate six of the seven kingdoms during the War of Conquest. His sons, Aenys I (by Rhaenys) and Maegor I the Cruel (by Visenya), both ruled after him, but neither produced a lasting dynasty. Aenys’s son Jaehaerys I, called the Conciliator, eventually succeeded Maegor after a succession crisis, and his long reign stabilized the realm.
The Main Line: Jaehaerys I to Aerys II
Jaehaerys I married his sister Alysanne, and their many children and grandchildren formed the core of the Targaryen family tree for the next century. Their eldest son, Aemon, died before inheriting, so the crown passed to Aemon’s daughter Rhaenys, the Queen Who Never Was, and then to Viserys I, Jaehaerys’s grandson through his second son Baelon. Viserys I’s reign set the stage for the Dance of the Dragons, a brutal civil war between his daughter Rhaenyra and his son Aegon II. The war nearly exterminated the dragons and killed many Targaryens. After the Dance, Aegon III, Rhaenyra’s son, became king, followed by his sons Daeron I and Baelor I, and then by Viserys II, who had been hand of the king. Viserys II’s line continued through Aegon IV, whose many bastards would later cause the Blackfyre Rebellions.
The Blackfyre Pretenders
Aegon IV the Unworthy legitimized all his bastards on his deathbed, including Daemon Waters, who took the surname Blackfyre after the sword he was given. Daemon rebelled against King Daeron II, Aegon’s trueborn son, in the First Blackfyre Rebellion. Though Daemon was killed at the Battle of the Redgrass Field, his descendants continued to press their claim for generations. The Blackfyre line produced five major rebellions and several pretenders, including Daemon II, Haegon, and Maelys the Monstrous, who died in the War of the Ninepenny Kings. The male Blackfyre line ended with Maelys, but some believe female descendants may have survived, though no confirmed Targaryen-Blackfyre descendants appear in the main story.
The Mad King and the Fall of the Dynasty
The last Targaryen king was Aerys II, called the Mad King, who reigned from 262 to 283 AC. His paranoia and cruelty, especially after the Defiance of Duskendale, led to the death of his Hand, Brandon Stark’s father, and the execution of Brandon and Rickard Stark. This sparked Robert’s Rebellion, during which Aerys was killed by Jaime Lannister. Aerys’s wife Rhaella gave birth to Daenerys on Dragonstone during a storm, shortly after the fall of King’s Landing. Aerys’s son Rhaegar, the crown prince, was killed by Robert Baratheon at the Battle of the Trident, leaving only his young children Aegon and Rhaenys, who were murdered by Gregor Clegane. Viserys, Aerys’s younger son, fled to Essos with Daenerys, but he was killed by Khal Drogo in 298 AC, leaving Daenerys as the last known Targaryen.
Surviving Targaryens and Hidden Branches
At the end of the main story, Daenerys Targaryen is the only acknowledged Targaryen alive, but the books and show suggest two hidden branches. Jon Snow, the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, is revealed to be Aegon Targaryen in the novels, though he was raised as a bastard and never took the Targaryen name. In the TV series, Jon kills Daenerys after she destroys King’s Landing, ending the Targaryen line. In the books, a boy claiming to be Aegon VI, Rhaegar’s son, appears in the story, but his true identity is uncertain—he may be a Blackfyre pretender or an imposter. Additionally, some maesters and historians speculate that the Targaryen blood may have passed into other noble houses through marriages, such as the Baratheons, who descend from Aegon V’s daughter Rhaelle, but these are not considered Targaryens in the direct sense.
Family Tree Structure and Key Marriages
The Targaryen family tree is unusual because of the frequent sibling marriages, which were meant to keep the dragonriding blood pure but also led to madness and deformities. Key marriages include Aegon I to his sisters Visenya and Rhaenys; Jaehaerys I to Alysanne; Viserys I to Aemma Arryn and later Alicent Hightower; Aegon IV to Naerys; and Aerys II to his sister Rhaella. The tree also includes marriages to non-Targaryens, such as Daeron II’s marriage to Myriah Martell, which brought Dorne into the Seven Kingdoms. A full chart would show these branches, but the main line descends through the eldest sons, with occasional exceptions like Rhaenyra, whose claim was contested.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the first Targaryen king?
Aegon I Targaryen, also known as Aegon the Conqueror, was the first Targaryen to sit the Iron Throne. He conquered six of the seven kingdoms and unified them under his rule, with the seventh, Dorne, joining later through marriage.
Are Daenerys and Jon Snow related?
Yes. Daenerys is the daughter of Aerys II, making her Rhaegar’s sister. Jon is Rhaegar’s son, so Daenerys is Jon’s aunt. This makes their romantic relationship incestuous, though it is consistent with Targaryen tradition.
Do the Targaryens still have dragons?
No. The last dragon died during the reign of Aegon III, about 150 years before the main story. Daenerys hatches three dragons from fossilized eggs in the first book, but they are the first in over a century, and they die or disappear by the end of the series.
Why did the Targaryens marry siblings?
They followed the Valyrian custom of keeping the bloodline pure, believing that incest preserved their dragonriding abilities and physical traits like silver hair and purple eyes. This practice also prevented other houses from claiming the throne through marriage.
What happened to the Targaryen dragons?
The dragons died out gradually after the Dance of the Dragons, when many were killed in the civil war. The last dragon, a sickly and stunted creature, died during Aegon III’s reign. Some say the maesters poisoned them, but this is not confirmed in the text.
Is there a complete Targaryen family tree?
Yes, the semi-canonical book The World of Ice & Fire includes a full family tree from Aegon I to Aerys II. However, the tree is not exhaustive—it omits some minor branches and uncertain descendants, and the show adds characters like Jon Snow that are not in the original tree.
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