Aerys II Targaryen

Aerys II Targaryen is a character who is deceased when the events of Game of Thrones begin. It is unknown if he will appear in flashbacks in the series.

Aerys Targaryen was the previous King of Westeros and the last member of House Targaryen to sit the Iron Throne. Nicknamed the Mad King, his reign became increasingly erratic and murderous. A final round of blood-letting, unleashed when his son Prince Rhaegar kidnapped Lyanna Stark of Winterfell, saw the Seven Kingdoms rebel against his rule. The noble houses Stark, Tully, Arryn and Baratheon raised the flags of rebellion and destroyed the royalist armies in several major engagements, culminating in the Battle of the Trident where Prince Rhaegar fell.

King Aerys was betrayed by his former friend and King's Hand, Lord Tywin Lannister, who led an army to apparently defend the capital at King's Landing but then brutally sacked the city instead. Aerys was executed by a member of his own Kingsguard, Ser Jaime Lannister.

Aerys was survived by his two youngest children, Viserys and Daenerys, who fled to the Free Cities.

In the books
In the Song of Ice and Fire novels, Aerys II's reign began with great promise. Taking the throne at only the age of 20, Aerys installed a number of younger, vigorous and capable men in positions of power, whilst his own son Rhaegar showed promise of being a great king in his turn. However, Aerys, who occasionally showed signs of a terrible temper, became erratic following the brief uprising known as the Defiance of Duskendale, when he was held prisoner for several months by a rebellious lord. Aerys's fury on that occasion was terrible all of those involved in the incident were killed, several by being burned alive. After that his rage could no longer be held in check. After he burned several prominent lords alive and sanctioned his son's kidnap of Lyanna Stark, several noble houses rebelled against him.