Rhaella Targaryen

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Rhaella Targaryen
House Targaryen crest.PNG
Rhaella Targaryen.jpg

Title Queen
Allegiance House Targaryen
Died 284 AC
Dragonstone
Spouse Aerys II Targaryen
Books

Rhaella Targaryen was the sister, wife, and queen of Aerys II and the daughter of Jaehaerys II. Her grandfather was Aegon V. Rhaella died in labor, giving birth to princess Daenerys.[1]

Rhaella and Aerys unhappy wedding

History

Ser Barristan Selmy claimed that in her youth she was in love with Ser Bonifer Hasty, who wore her favor and won a tournament where he named Rhaella Queen of Love and Beauty. The pair had a passionate but ultimately doomed relationship, as Ser Bonifer was of too low birth to be seriously considered as a suitor for a Targaryen princess.

Later in her life, at the command of her grandfather Aegon V, Rhaella married her brother Aerys at some time before 259 AC. Aegon was influenced by a woods witch brought to court by Jenny of Oldstones, who prophesied that the Prince that was Promised would be born from their line. According to Ser Barristan, there was no fondness between Aerys and Rhaella on the day of their wedding.[2]

On the same day her grandfather and his eldest son perished in the Tragedy at Summerhall, Aerys became Crown Prince and Rhaella gave birth to their first child, Rhaegar.[3]

In later years, as Aerys' insanity began to set in, he grew sexually abusive toward Rhaella. He developed a sexual fetish for fire and death, only sleeping with Rhaella after he had executed someone by burning. The final time, just before the the queen was sent to Dragonstone to escape the coming siege of King's Landing by the rebels, Jaime Lannister of the Kingsguard recalls listening to Rhaella cry as the king raped her. In the morning, the queen's maids reported seeing scratches, bruises and bite marks all over her body.[4]

When the city fell two weeks later, she and her younger son Viserys became the last known surviving members of House Targaryen. Rhaella spent the duration of her pregnancy on Dragonstone, where she delivered her third child, Daenerys. She died shortly thereafter from the stress of giving birth.[5]

When she was a princess, her ladies-in-waiting included Lady Joanna Lannister and the mother of Prince Doran Martell.[6]

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
 

References and Notes