- "I want my child to be born where I was born, on Driftmark, in my lord father's castle. I want my daughters to be raised in their homeland with their family according to their birthright. And at my end, I want to die a dragonrider's death. Not that of some fat country lord."
- ―Laena Velaryon
Lady Laena Velaryon[c] was the daughter of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen and the younger sister of Laenor Velaryon.[4] She was the rider of the dragon Vhagar.[1]
Biography[]
Background[]
Laena's mother, Rhaenys Targaryen, was passed over as heir to the Iron Throne due to her sex when the assembled lords of Westeros at the Great Council of 101 AC instead voted that Rhaenys's cousin Viserys should be the heir.[3]
House of the Dragon: Season 1[]
Laena attends the Heir's Tournament with her family. When the combatants break into brutish violence, she is visibly distressed, clutching her older brother Laenor's arm.[3]
Five months following Queen Aemma Arryn's death, Laena is proposed by her parents as a marriage candidate for King Viserys I Targaryen. They arrange a meeting between Laena and Viserys, during which the young lady asks the king about the dragons Balerion and Vhagar. She also admits to the king that her mother told her, should he marry her, Laena wouldn't have to bed the king until she turned fourteen. Despite the political advantages of the proposed marriage, Viserys rejects the match on account of Laena's age, and decides to marry Alicent Hightower.[2]
Laena claims Vhagar in 115 AC.[1]
In 116 AC, Lord Corlys returns to Driftmark from the War for the Stepstones, and begins negotiations to betroth Laena to the son of the Sealord of Braavos. An alliance between House Velaryon and one of the Free Cities is viewed as deeply troubling by the Small Council.[5] No such marriage ever takes place; soon after the beginning of the negotiations, Laena dances with Daemon Targaryen at the wedding of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Laena's brother Laenor[6] and the two are eventually married.[1]
Ten years after Rhaenyra's and Laenor's wedding, Laena and Daemon reside in Pentos and live there for some time alongside their two daughters, Baela and Rhaena. Laena suffers from complications during her third pregnancy. After Daemon is informed that it would perhaps be possible to save the baby through the use of a caesarean section, Laena resolves to die a dragonrider's death, walking to Vhagar and commanding the dragon to incinerate her. Vhagar reluctantly complies, burning Laena alive in front of Daemon.[1] Laena is buried at High Tide according to the customs of House Velaryon, her sarcophagus being dropped into the sea. Her eulogy is delivered by her uncle Vaemond Velaryon.[7]
Personality[]
Laena is a valiant dragonrider.[8]
Family[]
Paternal[]
Corlys Velaryon |
Rhaenys Targaryen |
Vaemond Velaryon Deceased | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Laenor Velaryon1 |
Rhaenyra Targaryen |
Daemon Targaryen |
Laena Velaryon Deceased | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jacaerys Velaryon |
Lucerys Velaryon Deceased |
Joffrey Velaryon |
Baela Targaryen |
Rhaena Targaryen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 While Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey are officially Laenor's, he and Rhaenyra never had any biological issue. His three sons are in fact fathered by Harwin Strong.
Maternal[]
Rhaena Targaryen Deceased |
Aegon Targaryen Deceased |
Jaehaerys I Targaryen1 Deceased |
Alysanne Targaryen Deceased | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Aemon Targaryen Deceased |
Jocelyn Baratheon Deceased |
Rodrik Arryn[d] Deceased |
Daella Targaryen Deceased |
Baelon Targaryen Deceased |
Alyssa Targaryen Deceased | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Corlys Velaryon |
Rhaenys Targaryen |
Aemma Arryn Deceased |
Viserys I Targaryen Deceased |
Alicent Hightower |
Daemon Targaryen |
Rhea Royce Deceased | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Daemon Targaryen |
Laena Velaryon Deceased |
Laenor Velaryon2 |
Rhaenyra Targaryen |
Daemon Targaryen |
Aegon II Targaryen |
Helaena Targaryen |
Aemond Targaryen |
Daeron Targaryen | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Baela Targaryen |
Rhaena Targaryen |
Jacaerys Velaryon |
Lucerys Velaryon Deceased |
Joffrey Velaryon |
Aegon Targaryen |
Viserys Targaryen |
Jaehaerys Targaryen |
Jaehaera Targaryen |
Maelor Targaryen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 Jaehaerys had thirteen children in all. For simplicity, only the direct ancestors of future generations are on this family tree and they are not in the exact order of birth. The thirteen children in correct order are: Aegon, Daenerys, Aemon, Baelon, Alyssa, Maegelle, Vaegon, Daella, Saera, Viserra, Gaemon, Valerion, and Gael.
2 While Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey are officially Laenor's, he and Rhaenyra never had any biological issue. His three sons are in fact fathered by Harwin Strong.
Behind the scenes[]
On October 5, 2021, HBO announced that Savannah Steyn had been cast in the role of Laena Velaryon for House of the Dragon. Her character description reads as follows:
- "Daughter of Corlys Velaryon and Rhaenys Targaryen."[9]
In the books[]
In Fire & Blood, Laena was born in 92 AC. She inherited her mother's beauty and her father's bold, adventurous spirit. She loved to fly; at age 13 she claimed Vhagar, the oldest and largest of the Targaryen dragons since the passing of the Black Dread.
Laena's family schemed to advance her in a marriage alliance, but she herself was disinterested in politics, and more interested in flying. Nonetheless she was considered a great feminine beauty and admired at court.
Laena was betrothed from the age of twelve to a son of the current Sealord of Braavos, but the father died before they could be wed, and the son turned to be a wastrel fool.
When Daemon came to Driftmark, he met Laena, who was 22 years old, tall, slender, and surpassingly lovely, with a great mane of silver-gold ringlets that fell downpast her waist. Daemon fell in love with Laena (some people believe he saw Laena as a means to further his ambition), and asked Corlys for her hand in marriage. Daemon taunted Laena's fiancé, and the latter foolishly challenged him. Daemon easily killed his opponent and wed Laena in 115 AC.
Since Daemon knew his brother would be displeased with his marriage, they moved to Pentos. A year later, Laena gave birth to twin daughters, Baela and Rhaena. When the babies were half a year old, Laena sailed with them to Driftmark.
When Laena was 27 years old, she gave birth to a third child, but the babe was twisted and malformed, and died within the hour; Laena died three days afterwards. During her final hour, it is said she rose from her bed, intending to reach Vhagar for flying one last time. She collapsed and died, however, before she could reach the dragon.
The deaths of Laena and her third child were the first two of the multiple tragic events which occurred in 120 AC, known as Year of the Red Spring.
Appearances[]
- – "The Heirs of the Dragon"
- – "The Rogue Prince"
- – "Second of His Name" (mentioned)
- – "King of the Narrow Sea" (mentioned)
- – "We Light the Way"
- – "The Princess and the Queen"
- – "Driftmark" (mentioned)
- – "The Green Council" (mentioned)
- – "The Black Queen" (mentioned)
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 6: "The Princess and the Queen" (2022).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 2: "The Rogue Prince" (2022).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 1: "The Heirs of the Dragon" (2022).
- ↑ HBO Releases First Official Teaser For HOUSE OF THE DRAGON
- ↑ House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 4: "King of the Narrow Sea" (2022).
- ↑ House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 5: "We Light the Way" (2022).
- ↑ House of the Dragon: Season 1, Episode 7: "Driftmark" (2022).
- ↑ Laena Velaryon. HBO. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- ↑ Unknown author (Unknown date). House of the Dragon | Character Descriptions. Warner Bros. Discovery. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
Notes[]
- ↑ Viserys I Targaryen states that Laena Velaryon is 12 years old in "The Rogue Prince," which takes place in 112 AC; therefore, she was born in 100 AC.
- ↑ In "The Princess and the Queen," Laenor Velaryon says that it has been ten years since his wedding to Rhaenyra Targaryen, which occurred in 116 AC; therefore, "The Princess and the Queen" takes place in 126 AC.
- ↑ High Valyrian: Laena Velarion
- ↑ Conjecture based on information from The World of Ice & Fire; may be subject to change.
External links[]
- Laena Velaryon on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for House of the Dragon)
- Laena Velaryon on The Official Guide
Head
|
Corlys Velaryon | Heir
|
Joffrey Velaryon | ||
Seat
|
High Tide, Driftmark · Castle Driftmark (historical) | Region
|
Crownlands | ||
Titles |
Lord of the Tides · Master of Driftmark | ||||
Ancestors |
Rodrik Velaryon · Daemon Velaryon | ||||
Members |
Rhaenys Targaryen · Laenor Velaryon · Rhaenyra Targaryen · Jacaerys Velaryon | ||||
Deceased |
Vaemond Velaryon · Laena Velaryon · Lucerys Velaryon | ||||
Household |
Maester Kelvyn · Baela Targaryen | ||||
Overlords |
House Targaryen |