View source for Alysanne Targaryen

{{Monarch
| name		= [[File:House Targaryen.svg|50px|left]] '''Alysanne Targaryen''' [[File:House Targaryen.svg|50px|right]]
| image		= [[Image:Alysanne.jpg|350px]]
| image_caption = Alysanne by [http://en.amokanet.ru/gallery/martin/ Amok©]
| reign		=
| coronation	=
| othertitles	= Queen
| alias = Good Queen Alysanne
| fullname	= Alysanne of [[House Targaryen]]
| predecessor	=
| Race          = [[Valyria]]n
| Culture       = [[crownlands]]
| suc-type	=
| heir		=
| queen		=
| consort	= 
| spouse1	= [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]]
| issue		= [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Aegon Targaryen]]<br>[[Alyssa Targaryen]]<br>[[Aemon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Aemon Targaryen]]<br>[[Baelon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Baelon Targaryen]]<br>[[Daella Targaryen (daughter of Jaehaerys I)|Daella Targaryen]]<br>[[Aeryn Targaryen]]<br>[[Vaegon Targaryen]]<br>[[Maegelle Targaryen]]<br>[[Valerion Targaryen]]<br>[[Viserra Targaryen]]<br>[[Gaemon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Gaemon Targaryen]]<br>[[Saera Targaryen]]<br>[[Gael Targaryen]]
| royalhouse	= [[House Targaryen]]
| dynasty	=
| royalanthem	=
| father	= [[Aenys I Targaryen]]
| mother	= [[Alyssa Velaryon]]
| dateofbirth	= {{Date|36}}<ref name=Cal />
| placeofbirth	= [[King's Landing]]{{Ref|awoiaf| Alysanne Targaryen}}
| dateofdeath	= {{Date|99}} or {{Date|100}}<ref name=Cal>''See the [[Years after Aegon's Conquest/Calculations Ages#Alysanne Targaryen|Alysanne Targaryen calculation]]''</ref>
| placeofdeath	= [[King's Landing]]{{Ref|awoiaf| Alysanne Targaryen}}
| dateofburial	=
| placeofburial=
| Books		= ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Sons of the Dragon]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Rogue Prince]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Princess and the Queen]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[A Storm of Swords]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[A Feast for Crows]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[A Dance with Dragons]]'' (mentioned)<br>''[[The Sworn Sword]]'' (mentioned)
}}

Queen '''Alysanne Targaryen''', also known as '''Good Queen Alysanne''', was the queen consort of her brother, King [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]]. Alysanne was a [[dragonrider]] whose mount was [[Silverwing]]. 

==Character and Appearance==
{{See also|:Category:Images of Alysanne Targaryen|l1=Images of Alysanne Targaryen}}

According to a semi-canon source, Alysanne was slim of waist and small of breast, with a long neck, a fair complexion and a high forehead. She was tall and straight, unbowed by time. She had clear blue eyes and high cheekbones. In old age her hair turned white as snow. She wore it in a bun, pulled back and pinned behind her ears. Age left crow's feet around Alysanne's eyes and laugh lines about her mouth, but her face never lost its strength.<ref name=GoodQueen/> [[George R. R. Martin]] has stated that ''"You might consider Alysanne as the [[w:Eleanor of Aquitaine|Eleanor of Aquitaine]] of Westeros, and model her on [[w:Katherine Hepburn|Katherine Hepburn's]] portrayal of Eleanor in the film [[w:The Lion in Winter|The Lion in Winter]]."'' Alysanne often wore a slimmer, more feminine version of her brother-husband's [[crown]] at court.<ref name=GoodQueen>[[So Spake Martin]]: [http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/Good_Queen_Alysanne_and_Rhaenyra Good Queen Alysanne and Rhaenyra (June 18, 2006)]</ref>

Alysanne was well loved throughout the [[Seven Kingdoms]], being both beautiful and high-spirited, as well as charming and keenly intelligent.{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}} Lord [[Roose Bolton]] considers Alysanne to have been shrewish.{{ref|ADWD|32}} She returned the love of the [[smallfolk]], and became renowned for her charities.<ref name=GoodQueen/>

In her youth Alysanne was a fine archer and hunter, and loved to fly atop her [[dragon]] [[Silverwing]] to all the distant parts of the realm.<ref name=GoodQueen/>

==History==
===Youth===
[[File:jaehaerys&Alysanne.jpg|thumb|right|350px|A young Queen Alysanne and King Jaehaerys with their son [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Aemon]] as depicted by Magali Villeneuve in ''[[The World of Ice and Fire]]'']] 
Alysanne was born to Crown Prince [[Aenys I Targaryen|Aenys Targaryen]] and Lady [[Alyssa Velaryon]] in {{Date|36}}. She had four older siblings ([[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena]], [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Aenys I)|Aegon]], [[Viserys Targaryen (son of Aenys I)|Viserys]], and [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen|Jaehaerys]]) and one younger sibling, [[Vaella Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Vaella]].{{Ref|TWOIAF| Appendix: Targaryen Lineage}} In {{Date|37}}, following the death of her grandfather, King [[Aegon I Targaryen]], on [[Dragonstone]],{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Aegon I}} her father Aenys ascended the throne.{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}}

Followers of the [[Faith of the Seven]] began an uprising after King [[Aenys I Targaryen|Aenys I]] married Alysanne's two eldest siblings, Rhaena and Aegon, to one another in {{Date|41}}. After [[Poor Fellows]] scaled the walls of the [[Red Keep]] in an attempt to murder the royal family, Alysanne fled with her family to [[Dragonstone]].{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}} By the end of the year most of the realm had joined the side of the Faith, and King Aenys, unable to decide how to deal with the rebels, fell ill. In {{Date|42}}, he collapsed upon learning that [[Rhaena Targaryen (daughter of Aenys I)|Rhaena]] and [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Aenys I)|Aegon]] were besieged at [[Crakehall]], and died three days later.{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}} Following Aenys's cremation,{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}} Dowager Queen [[Visenya Targaryen]] flew to [[Pentos]] to retrieve her son [[Maegor I Targaryen|Maegor]] from his exile. Once at Dragonstone, Maegor claimed the [[Iron Throne]] for his own, ignoring the claim of Alysanne's eldest brother Aegon. Alysanne, her brother Jaehaerys, and her mother Alyssa were kept on Dragonstone as hostages, while her brother Viserys was taken to King's Landing by Maegor.{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}}

Her brother Aegon died in {{Date|43}} when Maegor killed him in the [[Battle Beneath the Gods Eye]]. Alyssa, Jaehaerys, and Alysanne escaped Dragonstone in {{Date|44}}, in the chaos following Visenya's death. In retaliation, Maegor had Viserys tortured to death. After years in hiding, Alysanne's sister Rhaena was eventually found, and in {{Date|47}} [[Black Brides|forced to marry]] Maegor.{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}} However, the realm slowly turned against Maegor, and when Alysanne's only surviving brother, Jaehaerys, put forward his claim for the throne all the factions that opposed Maegor unified behind him.{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I}} Following Maegor's mysterious death in {{Date|48}}, Jaehaerys ascended the Iron Throne.{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}

===Queen===
In {{Date|50}}, two years after [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen|Jaehaerys I]] had been crowned king, Alysanne married her eldest surviving brother.{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}} Their marriage lasted forty-six years (the years of their two estrangements are not counted as part of their married years),<ref>Westeros.org: [http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/119534-twoiaf-spoilers-inconsistency-or-intentional/&page=11#comment-6415733 Inconsistency or Intentional?]</ref> until Alysanne died.{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}} These two estrangements both lasted no more than a year or two. The [[Second Quarrel]] began in {{Date|92}}, when Jaehaerys decided to pass over his granddaughter [[Rhaenys Targaryen (daughter of Aemon)|Rhaenys]], the only heir of his deceased eldest son [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Aemon]], in favor of his son [[Baelon Targaryen (son of Jaehaerys I)|Baelon]]. Alysanne believed there was no reason to favor a man over a woman, and thought that, if Jaehaerys believed women to be of less use, he would have no need of her. The couple reconciled two years later, in {{Date|94}}, with the help of their daughter, Septa [[Maegelle Targaryen|Maegelle]].{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}

As a queen, Alysanne was well loved by the people in the [[Seven Kingdoms]].{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}} She held great influence over Jaehaerys and was his most trusted counselor.<ref name=GoodQueen/> She convinced him to forbid the [[custom|right]] of the [[first night]], although many lords jealously guarded it.{{Ref|adwd|32}}{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}{{Ref|tss}} When Jaehaerys travelled to [[Winterfell]], early on in his reign, Alysanne accompanied him, as did six dragons and half the royal court. Alysanne grew bored, however, and flew north mounted upon her [[dragon]] [[Silverwing]]. She stayed in several local villages while flying north. One of such establishments, [[Queenscrown]], changed its name following Alysanne's visit in her honor, and painted the merlons atop the holdfast golden to look like the golden crown she'd worn during her visit.{{Ref|asos|40}}{{Ref|asos|41}} At the [[Wall]], Alysanne suggested to the [[Night's Watch]] that the [[Nightfort]], the oldest and largest castle at the Wall, which was too costly to maintain, be replaced with a smaller castle nearby. She used her own jewels to finance the construction of the castle, which was named [[Deep Lake]]. King Jaehaerys later sent men north to built the castle.{{Ref|asos|56}} Alysanne thought the Night's Watch was so brave, that she convinced Jaehaerys to double the amount of land held by the black brothers.{{Ref|asos|40}} 

Lord Stark<ref group="N">Earlier prints of ''[[The World of Ice and Fire]]'' state that Lord [[Ellard Stark]] was the lord who had been forced to give up the New Gift. However, [http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/119534-twoiaf-spoilers-inconsistency-or-intentional/&do=findComment&comment=6483268 it has been confirmed that this is an error], and that the statement would be replaced by "the Starks were glad" in later prints, leaving it unknown for the time being which Stark had been the lord in question.</ref> indeed donated the land, which was renamed the [[New Gift]], to the [[Night's Watch]], although the Starks were not glad to do so. Lord Stark's brother even sent letters to the [[Citadel]], asking for precedents against forced donation of property. As such, it was said at the time that the Starks were bitter about having been forced to part with the land, and [[maester]] [[Yandel]] believes that this might have influenced Lord [[Ellard Stark]]'s choice of support during the [[Great Council of 101 AC]].{{Ref|TWOIAF| The North: The Lords of Winterfell}} The Night's Watch, on the other hand, was grateful. To thank Alysanne for financing Deep Lake and winning them the New Gift, the Night's Watch renamed the castle Snowgate, dubbing it [[Queensgate]] in her honor.{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}{{Ref|twoiaf| The North: The Wall and Beyond: The Night’s Watch}}{{Ref|ASOS|41}}

The death of Alysanne's youngest and favorite daughter, Princess [[Gael Targaryen|Gael]], weighed heavily on the queen. Princess Gael committed suicide in {{Date|99}}, and in her grief, Queen Alysanne followed her daughter to the grave within a year. She was cremated, and her ashes were interred beneath the [[Red Keep]], where a few years later they were joined by the ashes of Jaehaerys.{{Ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}

Jaehaerys outlived Alysanne by a few years. She had been his great love, and it was said that the grief caused by their parting hung over his court,{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}} reducing him to a shell of the man he had once been.{{Ref|trp}}

There is a sad song, "[[Alysanne]]", that may be about the queen.{{ref|AFfC|10}} It is probable the galley ''[[Queen Alysanne]]'' is named after her as well.{{Ref|ACOK|58}}

==Family==
Alysanne and her husband had thirteen children, nine of whom lived to adulthood.{{Ref|TWOIAF| Appendix: Targaryen Lineage}}{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}} The bulk of Alysanne's children predeceased her, with the loss of Princess [[Gael Targaryen|Gael]] in {{Date|99}} being a particularly heavy blow that was believed by many to have hastened her own death.{{ref|twoiaf| The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}}

Alysanne had five known grandchildren, four of them living to adulthood: Aemon's daughter Princess [[Rhaenys Targaryen (daughter of Aemon)|Rhaenys]], who married Lord [[Corlys Velaryon]], Baelon's sons, Prince [[Viserys I Targaryen|Viserys]], who would later be crowned as King [[Viserys I Targaryen|Viserys I]], and Prince [[Daemon Targaryen]], and Daella's daughter, Lady [[Aemma Arryn]], who would later become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms through her marriage to her cousin, Prince Viserys.{{Ref|TRP}} Another son of Baelon and Alyssa, Prince [[Aegon Targaryen (son of Baelon)|Aegon]], presumably died young.{{ref|twoiaf| Appendix: Targaryen Lineage}}

===Ancestors===
{{Targaryen tree Aegon}}

===Family===
{{Targaryen tree Jaehaerys I}}

===Descendants===
{{Targaryen tree Dance}}

==Quotes about Alysanne==
{{Quote|She was [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen|his]] most trusted counsellor and his right hand.<ref name=GoodQueen/>}} - [[George R. R. Martin]]

==Behind the Scenes==
[[George R. R. Martin]] has compared Alysanne to [[w:Eleanor of Aquitaine|Eleanor of Aquitaine]], including [[w:Katharine Hepburn|Katharine Hepburn's]] portrayal in ''[[w:The Lion in Winter (1968 film)|The Lion in Winter]]''.<ref name=GoodQueen/>

==Notes==
{{Notes}}

==References==
{{references|2}}

{{Royal consorts of Westeros}}

[[Category:House Targaryen]]
[[Category:Characters from the Crownlands|Targaryen, Alysanne]]
[[Category:Dragonriders|Targaryen, Alysanne]]
[[Category:Members of Aegon I Targaryen's court|Targaryen, Alysanne]]
[[Category:Members of Aenys I Targaryen's court|Targaryen, Alysanne]]
[[Category:Members of Jaehaerys I Targaryen's court|Targaryen, Alysanne]]
[[Category:Noblewomen|Targaryen, Alysanne]]
[[Category:Royal consorts|Targaryen, Alysanne]]

[[es:Alysanne Targaryen]]
[[fa:آلیسان تارگرین]]
[[fr:Alysanne Targaryen]]
[[ru:Алисанна Таргариен]]
[[tr:Alysanne Targaryen]]
[[zh:亚莉珊·坦格利安]]