SPOILER WARNING
This page includes content relating to the Dunk & Egg novellas, and therefore contains potential spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, as revealed in George R.R. Martin's writings. Anyone wishing to remain completely spoiler free for this prequel series should avoid any pages displaying this tag. |
Duncan Targaryen, also known as the Prince of Dragonflies, was the eldest son and heir of King Aegon V Targaryen.
Biography[]
Background[]
Duncan was the eldest son and heir of King Aegon V Targaryen. He was named in honor of his father's great friend Ser Duncan the Tall, who had also become Lord Commander of Aegon V's Kingsguard.[1] Duncan used to take part in tourneys, once defeating and unmasking the young Barristan Selmy.[2] He died alongside his father and his namesake in the fire of Summerhall.[1]
Game of Thrones: Season 4[]
He is mentioned in his namesake's entry in the Book of Brothers.[1]
Game of Thrones: Season 8[]
He is mentioned in a page of Ser Barristan Selmy's entry in the Book of Brothers, which the new Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Brienne of Tarth was flicking through.[2]
Family[]
Daeron Targaryen Deceased |
Aerion Targaryen Deceased |
Aemon Targaryen Deceased |
Aegon V Targaryen Deceased |
Betha Blackwood[b] Deceased | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Duncan Targaryen Deceased |
Aerys II Targaryen Deceased |
Rhaella Targaryen Deceased |
Daeron Targaryen Deceased |
Ormund Baratheon Deceased |
Rhaelle Targaryen Deceased | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Elia Martell Deceased |
Rhaegar Targaryen Deceased |
Lyanna Stark Deceased |
Viserys Targaryen Deceased |
Drogo Deceased |
Daenerys Targaryen Deceased |
Descendants | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rhaenys Targaryen Deceased |
Aegon Targaryen Deceased |
Jon Snow |
Rhaego Stillborn | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Behind the scenes[]
Due to the simplification of the Targaryen lineage by removing Jaehaerys II from the line of kings and making Aerys and Rhaella the children of Aegon V rather than his grandchildren, Duncan is Aerys and Rhaella's brother in the TV series though he was their uncle in the books.
In the books[]
In the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Duncan was the eldest son of King Aegon V Targaryen, named after his close friend Ser Duncan the Tall. He once defeated the ten-year-old Barristan Selmy in a tourney at Blackhaven. Prince Duncan took pity on the small knight and jousted against him when no one else would, giving Barristan the nickname "the Bold". Years later he was defeated by Ser Barristan at a winter tourney in King's Landing.
Prince Duncan fell in love with a woman known as Jenny of Oldstones and loved her so much he gave up his crown for her and married her against his father's wishes. Duncan's defiance caused significant trouble for his father, as the Prince of Dragonstone had been engaged to a daughter of Lyonel Baratheon, the Lord of Storm's End. Although Duncan renounced his right to the throne upon his marriage to Jenny of Oldstones, Lord Baratheon was angered by this event and briefly renounced his allegiance to the Iron Throne, declaring himself Storm King. His rebellion was brief and he was defeated in a trial by battle by Ser Duncan the Tall, Duncan's namesake and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Following the end of the Baratheon rebellion, Aegon V betrothed his daughter Rhaelle to Ormund Baratheon, the heir to Storm's End. Duncan nevertheless remained a significant presence at court in the latter years of his father's reign, even being involved in the planned campaign against the Ninepenny Kings in the Stepstones (to whom he gave their name by a jape made at court).
Duncan's love for Jenny of Oldstones inspired a song that was very popular in circles that admired "courtly love" and the Prince of Dragonflies and his bride remained a favorite of the smallfolk for many years.
He died in the tragedy at Summerhall, alongside his father and his namesake, before the war began in the Stepstones.
Appearances[]
- – "Two Swords" (mentioned in text)
- – "The Iron Throne" (mentioned in text)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Game of Thrones: Season 4, Episode 1: "Two Swords" (2014).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Game of Thrones: Season 8, Episode 6: "The Iron Throne" (2019).
Notes[]
- ↑ In "The Kingsroad," Tyrion Lannister states that Tywin Lannister was Hand of the King for 20 years. In "Mad King Aerys - House Lannister," Tywin states that he resigned as Hand after Jaime Lannister was appointed to the Kingsguard in 278 AC. "Robert's Rebellion - Barristan Selmy" established that the War of the Ninepenny Kings was waged during the reign of Aegon V Targaryen in 257 AC. In "The Rains of Castamere," Jaime states that the Reyne-Tarbeck revolt occurred upon Tywin's return from the War of the Ninepenny Kings; therefore, the fire of Summerhall and Rhaegar Targaryen's birth occurred in 258 AC.
- ↑ Conjecture based on information from The World of Ice & Fire; may be subject to change.
External links[]
- Duncan Targaryen on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight)