House of the Dragon is set in an era when House Targaryen was at the peak of its powers. Around this time, House Targaryen housed many large dragons, and their strength was such that none could dare to challenge them. In House of the Dragon, fans have actually seen quite a few monarchs already.

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Of course, all of these monarchs have stemmed from House Targaryen itself, given that this is the family of kings and queens and has always been the greatest power in the world of Game of Thrones. While some of these kings are rather well known, others are still a mystery to the fans.

5 Jaehaerys Targaryen

The Wise Ruler Of Westeros

King Jaehaerys Targaryen ruled over Westeros for quite a long time. In fact, it was said that Jaehaerys was one of the wisest and most shrewd monarchs to ever live in the world of Game of Thrones. He established an era that was peaceful, and during his time, Westeros prospered in many ways. Along with Alysanne at his side, Jaehaerys made sure that the realm prospered.

However, on the day of the succession, he ended up choosing Viserys Targaryen over Rhaenys. This ended up causing a domino effect which eventually caused House Targaryen to collapse upon itself.

4 Viserys Targaryen

The Successor Of Jaehaerys

King Viserys Targaryen took the throne after Jaehaerys. When the Great Council of 101 AC was held, Jaehaerys named Viserys Targaryen as his heir. Under Viserys, Westeros certainly did progress quite a bit. However, he was known to be a weak King with no conviction.

His council always preyed on him and used him for his own good. Viserys let others, such as Otto, easily manipulate him, and at the same time, his decision-making was also quite questionable. His hunger for a male heir led to the death of his wife, Aemma Arryn, and the lack of trust he showed in Daemon took his brother away from him as well. Viserys was slowly eaten away by his disease, and eventually, he ended up dying in his sleep, leaving the throne to his daughter.

3 Daemon Targaryen

The King Of The Narrow Sea And The Stepstones

Daemon Targaryen never sat the Iron throne, however, he too is a monarch in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire. Essentially, after Daemon smashed the Triarchy and killed Drahar the Crab Feeder, he was proclaimed the King of the Narrow Sea and the Stepstones. This happened in 109 AC, and for 2 years, Daemon kept this crown.

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In the year 111 AC, Daemon gave the crown to his brother, Viserys Targaryen, in an attempt to reconcile with him. Daemon proclaimed Viserys the true King, but, for quite a while he held the title of King of the Narrow Sea and the Stepstones. Of course, his influence over these areas would not be as great as that of a true King, however, he still holds the title of a monarch nonetheless.

2 Aegon II Targaryen

The Usurper Who Took Rhaenyra's Throne

Aegon II Targaryen is the first male child of Viserys Targaryen and he certainly had a claim to the Iron throne as well. Aegon was proclaimed King after the death of Viserys Targaryen as the Greens ended up usurping Rhaenyra’s throne.

He wielded the Conqueror’s sword, wore his crown, and even wielded his dagger. Above all, he carried the Conqueror's name and was male, and all these things combined to make him the chosen monarch in the eyes of the people. Of course, in terms of ruling, Aegon was simply unworthy of the Throne, and that certainly showed in Martin's description of him throughout Fire and Blood.

1 Rhaenyra Targaryen

The True Queen Of Westeros and Viserys's Chosen Heir

The most important monarch that fans see in House of the Dragon is certainly Rhaenyra Targaryen. She is the firstborn child of King Viserys Targaryen and Aemma Arryn. She was named heir to the throne after Viserys spurned his brother, Daemon Targaryen, following the death of his wife and his newborn son, Baelon. Having no other heirs, he decided to name Rhaenyra as his successor and made sure that she was accepted as the Queen by all the Lords of the Seven Kingdoms. This was especially important because Westeros had never had a female monarch before, and accepting one for them would have been difficult. While Rhaenyra certainly was deserving of the Throne, Viserys failing to back her up on various occasions, aside from one, led to the realm essentially being split in two.

Nonetheless, as a ruler, fans know that Rhaenyra deserved the Throne more than anyone in House of the Dragon. She was both wise and brave at the same time. She had the right temperament for ruling, and at the same time, she did her duty as a Targaryen monarch. She did her best to hold the realm together even in the face of war. In the end, it was Rhaenyra's bloodline that continued while the Greens were utterly destroyed.

House of the Dragon

Action

Adventure

Drama

Cast

Paddy Considine , Matt Smith , Emma D'Arcy , Rhys Ifans , Steve Toussaint , Eve Best , Sonoya Mizuno

Creator

Ryan Condal

Story By

George R. R. Martin