Look, trying to map out the Targaryen lineage is basically like trying to untangle a ball of yarn that’s been soaked in dragon fire and then knit back together by someone who really, really loves their cousins. It's messy. If you've ever stared at the screen during an episode of House of the Dragon and wondered why everyone has the same silver hair and the same three names, you aren't alone. The House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones family tree isn't just a list of ancestors; it's a complicated, 300-year-long game of genetic musical chairs that eventually leads us to Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow.
George R.R. Martin didn't make this easy. He modeled the Targaryens after real-world dynasties like the Ptolemies of Egypt or the Habsburgs of Europe, where keeping the bloodline "pure" was more important than, well, sanity.
The Old King and where the mess begins
To understand how we get from the power-hungry lords of House of the Dragon to the icy wasteland of Game of Thrones, we have to look at King Jaehaerys I. He's often called the Old King. He ruled for 55 years, which is basically an eternity in Westeros. He and his sister-wife Alysanne had thirteen children. You’d think having thirteen kids would guarantee a smooth succession, right? Wrong.
It actually created a massive logistical nightmare. Because so many of his heirs died before he did, the crown skipped around. This eventually led to the Great Council of 101 AC. This is the moment where the seeds of the Dance of the Dragons were sown. The lords of Westeros had to choose between Viserys (the son of the second son) and Rhaenys (the daughter of the first son). They chose Viserys. They chose the man. This decision is the literal foundation of every single argument Rhaenyra Targaryen makes a generation later.
Viserys, Rhaenyra, and the split in the branches
In House of the Dragon, the family tree splits into two distinct, warring factions: the Blacks and the Greens. On one side, you have Rhaenyra Targaryen. She’s the daughter of Viserys I and Aemma Arryn. On the other side, you have Aegon II, the son of Viserys and Alicent Hightower.
Here is where the House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones family tree gets weirdly compressed. Rhaenyra marries her uncle, Daemon Targaryen. Why? Because in their world, Daemon is the most powerful ally she can have, and they both want to keep the "blood of the dragon" concentrated. From this union, we get Viserys II and Aegon III. These two kids are essential. While the rest of the family is busy burning each other alive on dragonback, these two are the ones who actually carry the line forward into the era of Game of Thrones.
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Most of the people you see fighting in the Dance of the Dragons—Aemond, Helaena, Jacaerys, Lucerys—actually end up as dead ends on the family tree. They don't have descendants who survive into the main series. It’s a brutal culling of the herd. The line that leads to Daenerys comes specifically through Rhaenyra and Daemon’s son, Viserys II. He was a younger son who never expected to rule, yet his DNA is the reason the Targaryen dynasty survived another 150 years.
The bridge between eras: From Aegon III to the Mad King
After the dragons died out, the family tree got a bit more "normal" for a while, but the Targaryen penchant for drama didn't fade. You have figures like Aegon the Unworthy, who legitimized all his bastards on his deathbed. That caused about five different civil wars called the Blackfyre Rebellions.
Fast forward through a few more kings, and we hit the generation that directly impacts Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon. We’re talking about King Aerys II, the Mad King. He married his sister, Rhaella. Again, that "keeping it in the family" thing. They had three children who actually matter to our story: Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys.
Rhaegar Targaryen and the secret branch
Rhaegar is the guy who supposedly kidnapped Lyanna Stark. As we find out in the final seasons of Game of Thrones, they actually got married in secret. This is the pivot point for the entire House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones family tree. It turns Jon Snow from a nameless bastard into Aegon Targaryen, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne.
- Rhaegar + Elia Martell: Rhaenys and Aegon (both killed by the Mountain).
- Rhaegar + Lyanna Stark: Jon Snow (Aegon).
- Aerys II + Rhaella: Daenerys and Viserys.
It’s wild to think that Daenerys is actually Jon Snow's aunt. When they meet in Game of Thrones, they are the last two remaining branches of a tree that was once a massive, sprawling forest of dragon riders.
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The Baratheon connection people forget
One of the coolest nuances in the House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones family tree is that the Baratheons are actually Targaryen cousins. Orys Baratheon, the founder of the house, was rumored to be the bastard half-brother of Aegon the Conqueror.
But it goes deeper. Robert Baratheon’s grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen. This means Robert, Stannis, and Renly actually had a semi-legitimate claim to the throne through blood, not just conquest. When Robert killed Rhaegar at the Trident, he was essentially killing his second cousin. The rebellion wasn't just a political uprising; it was a family feud on a continental scale.
Why the bloodline matters for dragon riding
In the lore of Westeros, having the right "blood" isn't just about vanity. It’s a functional requirement. To bond with a dragon like Syrax, Caraxes, or Drogon, you generally need that Valyrian DNA. This is why the House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones family tree is so insular.
We see "dragonseeds" in House of the Dragon—people like Addam of Hull or Hugh Hammer who aren't "official" Targaryens but clearly have the blood. They can claim dragons because some Targaryen lord a few generations back couldn't keep his hands to himself. This suggests the family tree is much wider than the official Maesters' records show. There are likely hundreds of people in the Seven Kingdoms with a tiny drop of dragon blood, though most of them would just get burned to a crisp if they tried to hop on a dragon.
Common misconceptions about the lineage
People often think Daenerys is the direct descendant of the "main" characters in House of the Dragon. While she is a descendant, it's not a straight line from Rhaenyra to her. It goes through several branches, near-extinctions, and the aforementioned Blackfyre Rebellions.
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Another big mistake? Thinking the Velaryons are Targaryens. They are both from Old Valyria, yes. They both have the hair and the eyes. But the Velaryons were never dragon riders until they started intermarrying with the Targaryens. Corlys Velaryon’s kids could ride dragons only because their mother was Rhaenys Targaryen. The blood comes from the dragon-riding houses, not just Valyrian heritage in general.
How to track the lineage yourself
If you're trying to keep this all straight while watching the shows, focus on the names. The Targaryens love to recycle.
- Aegon: There are at least five King Aegons, plus Jon Snow.
- Viserys: Viserys I (the peaceful), Viserys II (the survivor), and Viserys III (Daenerys's brother who got the "golden crown").
- Rhaenyra/Rhaenys/Rhaella: All variations of the same root, usually denoting high-status women in the family.
The easiest way to visualize the House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones family tree is to think of it as a funnel. It starts wide with Jaehaerys and his thirteen kids, narrows down drastically during the Dance of the Dragons, expands slightly during the Blackfyre era, and then bottlenecks almost to a point right before the start of Game of Thrones.
Real steps for the superfan
To truly master this lore, you should look into the Fire & Blood text by George R.R. Martin. It’s written as a history book by Archmaester Gyldayn, which means it’s "unreliable." He mentions different versions of the family tree based on different sources (like Mushroom the fool or Septon Eustace).
Honestly, the best way to understand the stakes is to realize that every character is fighting against their own shadow. When Daenerys looks at her dragons, she’s seeing the legacy of Rhaenyra. When Jon Snow looks at the Wall, he’s unknowingly standing where his ancestors once flew. It’s all connected.
Next time you watch, pay attention to the jewelry and the sigils. They often signal which branch of the tree a character belongs to before they even speak a word. You can actually map the descent of certain Valyrian steel blades, like Blackfyre or Dark Sister, to see how the power shifted from one side of the family tree to the other. That’s where the real story is hidden.