Rhaenys Targaryen (sister of Aegon I)

This page is about the sister-wife of Aegon the Conqueror. For other uses, see: Rhaenys Targaryen (disambiguation)

Rhaenys Targaryen
Biographical information
Born	Dragonstone
Died	Hellholt, Dorne
Political information
House(s)	Targaryen
Title(s)	Queen Consort
Personal information
Culture	Valyrian
Religion	Old Gods of Valyria Faith of the Seven (convert)
Spouse(s)	{Aegon I Targaryen}
Issue	{Aenys I Targaryen}

"It wasn't just Aegon riding his dragon, it was Rhaenys and Visenya too...Rhaenys rode Meraxes, Visenya rode Vhagar..."

―Arya Stark

Queen Rhaenys Targaryen was a sister and wife of Aegon the Conqueror and helped him in his invasion and conquest of Westeros three centuries before the events of the series. Rhaenys and her sister Visenya were (simultaneously) the first Queens of the Andals and the First Men. Since her nephew Maegor Targaryen died without issue, all subsequent Targaryens were descended from Rhaenys, not Visenya. Rhaenys is pronounced "Ray-niece".

Biography

Background

Rhaenys Targaryen rode the dragon Meraxes

Rhaenys and her siblings on Dragonstone

Rhaenys was the sister of Aegon and Visenya, and was born on Dragonstone, the Targaryen stronghold in the Narrow Sea. Following Valyrian custom, she and Visenya both married Aegon. All three rode dragons, and Rhaenys rode the one named Meraxes.^{[citation needed]}

During Aegon's Conquest, she rode her dragon at the Field of Fire, where the Targaryens destroyed the largest army ever fielded against their troops and broke the bulk of resistance to their rule in Westeros. However, Rhaenys ultimately perished along with her dragon in her attempt to conquer Dorne.

Game of Thrones: Season 2

Arya Stark, while posing as a common serving girl in Lannister-occupied Harrenhal, discusses the razing of the castle with Lord Tywin Lannister. She mentions Rhaenys and her dragon, but admits that Visenya was more of a hero of hers.

Family

Visenya Targaryen Deceased

Aegon I Targaryen Deceased

Rhaenys Targaryen Deceased

Orys Baratheon Deceased

Argella Baratheon née Durrandon Deceased

Aenys I Targaryen Deceased

Alyssa Velaryon Deceased

Maegor I Targaryen Deceased

Ceryse Hightower 1st wife Deceased

Alys Harroway 2nd wife Deceased

Tyanna of the Tower 3rd wife Deceased

Elinor Costayne Black Bride Deceased

Jeyne Westerling Black Bride Deceased

Rhaena Targaryen Black Bride Deceased

Axel Baratheon Deceased

Raymont Baratheon Deceased

Rhaena Targaryen Deceased

Aegon Targaryen Deceased

Viserys Targaryen Deceased

Jaehaerys I Targaryen Deceased

Alysanne Targaryen Deceased

Vaella Targaryen Deceased

Child Stillborn

Child Stillborn

Child Stillborn

Child Stillborn

In the books

Rhaenys Targaryen by Roman "Amok" Papsuev.©

In A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Rhaenys is said to have been the gentler, more playful and less serious of Aegon's sisters. While she rode her dragon in battle, she was not a warrior in the same way her brother and sister were, and unlike them did not possess a Valyrian steel sword.

She bore Aegon one son, Aenys, who later become the second King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men after Aegon's death. Aenys was followed by his half-brother Maegor the Cruel but after his death Jaehaerys, Aenys's son, inherited the throne. This means that all later members of House Targaryen, including Daenerys, are descended from Rhaenys.

In The World of Ice & Fire it is revealed that Aegon loved Rhaenys the most out of his sisters, spending ten nights with her for every one that he spent with Visenya. However, while Rhaenys was indeed the gentler of the two sisters, she was still a fierce warrior in her own right. She was the youngest of the three Targaryen siblings born to Aerion Targaryen, Lord of Dragonstone, and his wife, Valaena Velaryon. She became a dragon-rider at a very young age and during Aegon's Conquest provided support for Orys Baratheon's assault on Storm's End. She also led the invasion of Dorne, but the Dornish refused to give pitched battle, and resisted instead, through guerilla warfare. Frustrated, Rhaenys flew directly to Sunspear to demand Princess Meria's surrender. Meria instead informed her that, "This is Dorne. You are not wanted here, return at your peril." Rhaenys replied that she would return with "Fire and blood", but Meria simply replied, "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken". The Targaryen army withdrew from Dorne, leaving the country untaken.

As queen, Rhaenys actively led her brother's efforts to unite the realm into a solid and lasting entity. She organized marriages between the Great Houses to stop ancient feuds, having Lord Torrhen Stark's daughter marry the Lord of the Vale over the objections of her brothers. She also brought singers and artists to court so that they could make songs of the Targaryens and make them appear strong and present for the realm. She also cared for the smallfolk more than either her brother or her sister did. It appears that a rivalry between Rhaenys and Visenya for both Aegon's affections and for the best way to rule the realm divided the court.

In 4 AC, Rhaenys joined Aegon I in his renewed efforts to conquer Dorne, however, this too proved unsuccessful. Rhaenys and her dragon, Meraxes, were slain during this war by a scorpion bolt. Aegon's fury and grief at the loss of his favorite wife led to him and Visenya burning all Dornish castles for two years, in what was known as the Dragon's Wroth.

Rhaenys bore Aegon at least one son, Aenys, who succeeded his father on the Iron Throne. Although Visenya's son, Maegor, took the throne for himself upon Aenys's death, his cruel rule turned the whole realm against him and the nobility abandoned him in favor of Aenys's son, Rhaenys's grandson, Jaehaerys, who took the throne from his uncle. As such, Rhaenys's descendants ruled over the Seven Kingdoms instead of Visenya's, and Daenerys is her direct descendant.

Appearances

• – "The Field of Fire - House Targaryen" (illustrated)
• – "The Field of Fire - House Stark" (illustrated)
• – "A Man Without Honor" (mentioned)
• – "Robert's Rebellion - Margaery Tyrell" (illustrated)
• – "House Tyrell" (illustrated)
• – "Dragonstone" (illustrated)
• – "Harrenhal" (mentioned indirectly)
• – "The Reach" (illustrated)
• – "House Martell" (mentioned)
• – "Dragons" (illustrated)
• – "The Seven-Pointed Star" (illustrated)
• – "The Faith Militant" (illustrated)
• – "Dorne" (illustrated)
• The Dance of Dragons (mentioned)
• – "Valyria's Last Scion: House Targaryen" (illustrated)
• – "Invasion" (illustrated)
• – "House Durrandon, the Storm Kings" (illustrated)
• – "House Lannister, Kings of the Rock & House Gardener, Kings of the Reach" (illustrated)
• – "House Martell, Princes of Dorne" (illustrated)
• – "King's Landing" (mentioned indirectly)
• – "King of the Narrow Sea" (mentioned)
• – "Driftmark" (mentioned indirectly)
• – "Rhaenyra the Cruel" (illustrated)
• – "The Red Sowing" (illustrated)

External links

• Rhaenys Targaryen on A Wiki of Ice and Fire