Aegon Targaryen (Young Griff)

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House Targaryen.svg Prince
Aegon Targaryen
House Targaryen.svg
Paolo Puggioni aegontargaryen.jpg
Prince Aegon Targaryen - by artist Paolo Puggioni © Fantasy Flight Games

Alias Young Griff[1]
Titles
Allegiance House Targaryen (supposedly)
Race Valyrian
Born In late 281 AC or early 282 AC[3](supposedly)Dragonstone (supposedly)
Fathers
Mothers
Books

Young Griff is a young man of Valyrian origin claiming to be Aegon Targaryen, the believed-dead son of the late Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Elia Martell.

Appearance and Character

Aegon dyes his hair blue in the custom of Tyrosh, making his purple eyes appear dark blue.[4] He is as tall as Jon Connington.[5]

Illyrio Mopatis says there has never been a nobler lad than Young Griff.[1]

Current Events

A Dance with Dragons

Griff and Young Griff, by Steamey ©

Tyrion Lannister meets "Young Griff", a young man who is introduced to Tyrion as the son of the sellsword "Griff", aboard the Shy Maid. The company is headed for Volantis, to await the expected arrival of Daenerys together with the Golden Company and more ships for her cause.[1][5] After some time on the Shy Maid, Tyrion concludes that "Griff" is Lord Jon Connington, and that "Young Griff" is not his son, but instead Aegon Targaryen. "Young Griff" explains his apparent survival to Tyrion while they play cyvasse. According to his account, the infant killed during the Sack of King's Landing was a tanner's infant son born at Pisswater Bend, a street of King's Landing. The child's mother had died at birth. The tanner sold his boy to Varys for a jug of wine, since he already had other sons, but had never tasted Arbor gold. Varys arranged the swap between the two infants. Elia received the tanner's son, whom Tyrion dubs the pisswater prince, while Varys took custody of the real Prince Aegon.[6]

Tyrion deduces that once the impostor infant was dead at Gregor Clegane's hands, Varys smuggled the genuine Aegon across the narrow sea, where he was first entrusted to Illyrio Mopatis and later to the exiled Lord Jon Connington, a friend of Aegon's late father, Rhaegar.[6] Tyrion is skeptical about the plot to marry Aegon to his aunt Daenerys, as Aegon's claim to the throne would be stronger than Daenerys's. Tyrion suggests heading to Westeros instead of going east, taking advantage of all the problems caused by the War of the Five Kings and that King Tommen I Baratheon has a weak small council. The game of cyvasse ends with a loss for Aegon.[6]

Aegon and the Golden Company, by Borja Pindado © Fantasy Flight Games

Aegon's company travels to Volon Therys, where he and Jon Connington head toward the camp of the Golden Company. After initially presenting the boy as his squire, Jon introduce Young Griff as Aegon VI of House Targaryen, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men. They discuss Daenerys's lingering presence in Meereen, and whether they should join the ongoing conflict in Slaver's Bay. Aegon sees the opportunity to introduce his own plan of going to Westeros and claiming the Iron Throne in his own name. Harry Strickland tries to point out the risks, but most officers are eager to support this course of action. Aegon further explains that Daenerys is welcome to keep Meereen. His plan is to move fast and strike hard, gaining a foothold before House Lannister can react. The Golden Company swear allegiances to Aegon, but the officers agree to keep his identity a secret from the soldiers until they land in Westeros.[2]

They soon depart Volantis, but the landing of the Golden Company is disrupted by storms and less than half arrive in the stormlands on schedule. Aegon remains in the camp during the taking of Griffin's Roost, and arrives four days later.[7] He has named Ser Rolly Duckfield as the first knight of his Kingsguard.[7] Aegon is in favor of Jon's plan to take Storm's End, but announces his intent to personally lead the attack.[7]

The Winds of Winter

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Warning
This information has thus far been released in a sample chapter for The Winds of Winter, and might therefore not be in finalized form. Keep in mind that the content as described below is still subject to change.

Arianne Martell departs Sunspear on a mission from her father, Doran Martell, to discover the truth about Aegon. At Ghost Hill, Ser Daemon Sand expresses his skepticism of Aegon's claim to Arianne.[8] When Arianne arrives at Griffin's Roost, Haldon informs her that the Golden Company has taken Storm's End and that Aegon intends to meet Lord Mace Tyrell's men in battle.[9]

Quotes by Aegon

Blue-haired Young Griff aboard the Shy Maid, by Winona Nelson © Fantasy Flight Games

Aegon: Daenerys is Prince Rhaegar's sister, but I am Rhaegar's son. I am the only dragon you need.

Jon: Spoken boldly, but think what you are saying.

Aegon: I have. Why should I go running to my aunt as if I were a beggar? My claim is better than her own. Let her come to me ... in Westeros.[2]

—Aegon and Jon Connington

Quotes about Aegon

Prince Aegon, by artist Diego Gisbert Llorens © Fantasy Flight Games

This beardless boy could have any maiden in the Seven Kingdoms, blue hair or no. Those eyes of his would melt them.[10]

Tyrion Lannister's thoughts

The perfect prince but still half a boy for all that, with little and less experience of the world and all its woes.[6]

Tyrion Lannister's thoughts

Trust no one, my prince. Not your chainless maester, not your false father, not the gallant Duck nor the lovely Lemore nor these other fine friends who grew you from a bean. Above all, trust not the cheesemonger, nor the Spider, nor this little dragon queen you mean to marry. All that mistrust will sour your stomach and keep you awake by night, 'tis true, but better that than the long sleep that does not end.[6]

Tyrion Lannister, to Aegon

Sail west, not east. Leave the little queen to her olives and seat Prince Aegon upon the Iron Throne. The boy has stones, give him that.[2]

Aegon has been shaped for rule before he could walk. He has been trained in arms, as befits a knight to be, but that was not the end of his education. He reads and writes, he speaks several tongues, he has studied history and law and poetry. A septa has instructed him in the mysteries of the Faith since he was old enough to understand them. He has lived with fisherfolk, worked with his hands, swum in rivers and mended nets and learned to wash his own clothes at need. He can fish and cook and bind up a wound, he knows what it is like to be hungry, to be hunted, to be afraid. Tommen has been taught that kingship is his right. Aegon knows kingship is his duty, that a king must put his people first, and live and rule for them.[11]

Arianne: Could this truly be Prince Aegon?
Daemon: If Lord Connington's prince has a crushed skull, I will believe that Aegon Targaryen has returned from the grave. Elsewise, no. This is some feigned boy, no more. A sellsword's ploy to win support.[8]

Line of succession to the Iron Throne

Young Griff, by Enife ©

After Rhaegar died on the Trident, Prince Viserys Targaryen was named heir to the throne by King Aerys II Targaryen, while Aegon was still alive.[12] After Aerys's death, Viserys was declared king on Dragonstone.[13] Viserys would later name his sister Daenerys his heir, by declaring her to be the Princess of Dragonstone.[14][15] Aegon himself, as well as Tyrion Lannister, believe Aegon's claim is stronger than Daenerys's claim.[6][2] According to the relevant succession laws, "the sons of the first son come before the second son".[16] As Aegon is the son of the eldest son of King Aerys II Targaryen, he would under normal circumstances be higher in the Targaryen succession line than both Viserys (Aerys II's second son) and Daenerys (the daughter of Aerys II).[16] However, documents from the end of King Aerys II's reign give doubt to the fact that Aegon's claim is truly stronger, due to Aerys's appointment of Viserys.[12][17]

In both 92 AC and 101 AC, the succession of House Targaryen was brought into question when the proclaimed heir of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen died. On both occasions, the male line through a younger son was chosen over the female line through the elder (but deceased) son, by first choosing the King's second son, Baelon, over the elder son's heir, Rhaenys, and by later choosing Baelon's elder son over Rhaenys's son, after Baelon's death.[18] According to Archmaester Gyldayn, in the eyes of many, the council of 101 AC established an iron precedent on matters of succession: that the Iron Throne could not pass to a woman, nor through a woman to her male descendants.[18] King Viserys I wished to set a new precedent by naming his daughter Rhaenyra his heir, and kept her as his heir after fathering three sons,[19][20] an issue over which eventually a civil war was fought.[21][22] When King Baelor I Targaryen died without a son of his own, and without having proclaimed an heir, the claims of his three sisters were discussed, but dismissed in favor of the claim of Baelor's uncle, his closest living male relative.[23] Further, in the Great Council of 233 AC, Aegon V Targaryen was crowned king despite the fact that the infant son of his older brother was still alive.[24]

In contrast to Aegon, who due to his supposed death is considered an imposter by the small council at King's Landing, Daenerys Targaryen's lineage is not under suspicion.[11] According to Harry Strickland, Aegon's lineage can be questioned, but a marriage of Aegon to his aunt would quell any doubts.[2]

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aegon V
 
Betha
Blackwood
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Duncan
 
Jenny
of Oldstones
 
Jaehaerys II
 
Shaera
 
Daeron
 
Rhaelle
 
Ormund
Baratheon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aerys II
 
Rhaella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Baratheon.svg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhaegar
 
Elia
Martell
 
Shaena
 
 
Stillborn
child
 
 
Jaehaerys
 
 
Drogo
 
Daenerys
 
Hizdahr
zo Loraq
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhaenys
 
Aegon
 
 
 
Daeron
 
Aegon
 
Viserys
 
Rhaego
 

Theories

Even before the release of A Dance with Dragons, the fandom had speculated about whether or not Aegon had survived the Sack of King's Landing. With the revelation from A Dance With Dragons about Aegon's survival and his fake identity of "Young Griff", some members of the fandom have speculated about the character's true identity.

Notes

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 5, Tyrion II.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 24, The Lost Lord.
  3. See the Aegon Targaryen (son of Rhaegar) calculation.
  4. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 14, Tyrion IV.
  5. 5.0 5.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 8, Tyrion III.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 22, Tyrion VI.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 61, The Griffin Reborn.
  8. 8.0 8.1 The Winds of Winter, Chapter , Arianne I.
  9. The Winds of Winter, Chapter , Arianne II.
  10. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 18, Tyrion V.
  11. 11.0 11.1 A Dance with Dragons, Epilogue.
  12. 12.0 12.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Fall of the Dragons: The End.
  13. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Rhaella Targaryen.
  14. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 3, Daenerys I.
  15. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 11, Daenerys II.
  16. 16.0 16.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 35, Bran V.
  17. A Forum of Ice and Fire: Errors in the WOIAF (March 10, 2015) "Maester Yandel is merely reporting based on historical records on events of the time."
  18. 18.0 18.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I.
  19. The Rogue Prince.
  20. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys I.
  21. The Princess and the Queen.
  22. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II.
  23. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Viserys II.
  24. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maekar I.