Difference between revisions of "Rhaenyra Targaryen"

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{{Character  
 
{{Character  
| Character_name= [[File:House_Targaryen_crest.PNG|50px|left]] '''Rhaenyra Targaryen''' [[File:House_Targaryen_crest.PNG|50px|right]]
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| Character_name= [[File:House_Targaryen_crest.PNG|50px|left]] '''Rhaenyra Targaryen''' [[File:Rhaenyra crest final.png|50px|right]]
 
| image = [[Image:Rhaenyra.jpg|300px]]
 
| image = [[Image:Rhaenyra.jpg|300px]]
 
| image_caption = Rhaenyra by [http://en.amokanet.ru/gallery/martin/ Amok©]
 
| image_caption = Rhaenyra by [http://en.amokanet.ru/gallery/martin/ Amok©]

Revision as of 22:52, 11 March 2015

House Targaryen crest.PNG
Rhaenyra Targaryen
Rhaenyra crest final.png
Rhaenyra.jpg
Rhaenyra by Amok©

Aliases
  • The Realm's Delight
  • The Whore of Dragonstone
  • King Maegor with Teats
  • Maegor's Teats
  • The Half-Year Queen
Titles
Allegiances
Race Valyrian
Culture Valyrian
Born 97 AC
Died 130 AC
Dragonstone
Spouses
Books

Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, cheered as the Realm's Delight when she was young and later called the Half-Year Queen, was the first-born child of King Viserys I Targaryen. Her claim to the Iron Throne was challenged by her younger half-brother, Aegon II Targaryen, sparking the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. She was the mother of two kings,[1] Aegon III and Viserys II.

Rhaenyra's personal sigil was the normal Targaryen heraldry (a three-headed red dragon on a black field), quartered with the moon-and-falcon sigil of House Arryn (for her mother), and the silver seahorse on sea green of House Velaryon (for her first husband Laenor Velaryon, as well as for the Velaryons in general, who were among her major supporters). During the Dance, her faction used her personal heraldry as their battle-flag.[2]

Appearance and Character

See also: Images of Rhaenyra Targaryen

Rhaenyra had her family's Valyrian looks, wearing her silver-gold hair in a long braid in the manner of Aegon I's warrior wife, Visenya, though Rhaenyra was no warrior herself. In her youth she was described as the most beautiful maiden in all the realm. She always dressed richly, favoring purple and maroon velvets and golden Myrish lace in intricate patterns. Her bodice often glittered with pearls and diamonds, and there were always rings on her fingers. Whenever she was anxious, she would turn them compulsively, round and round.

She was very proud and stubborn, and there was a certain petulance to her small mouth. Rhaenyra was a stout woman, with a thick waist and a large bosom. She put on the weight after her three pregnancies, even though she was only 20.

Though Rhaenyra could be charming, she was quick to anger and never forgot a slight. During the Dance of the Dragons, she wore her father's crown.[3]

History

Rhaenyra was King Viserys I's only living child by his first wife, Aemma of House Arryn. She grew up expecting to become the first ruling Queen of Westeros.[4][5]

Early Life

Born in 97 AC, Rhaenyra was the only living child of King Viserys I Targaryen by his first wife, Lady Aemma of House Arryn. Rhaenyra had two brothers, both who died in the cradle.[4]

Rhaenyra became a dragonrider at the age of seven, when she flew into the sky on the back of a young dragon, whom she named Syrax. A year later, when she was eight, Rhaenyra became a cupbearer for her father, serving him at the table, at tourneys, and at court. King Viserys was seldom seen without Rhaenyra, since then.[4]

At a young age, Rhaenyra became enamored with her uncle, Prince Daemon Targaryen. Daemon, who often went on trips across the sea, brought back exotic gift for her. In 105 AC, Ser Criston Cole was named to the Kingsguard. Cole had made an impression on the court the year before, when he won a tourney and crowned Rhaenyra the Queen of Love and Beauty, after which he begged for her favor to wear in the joust. A charming man, he caught the eye of many ladies at court, Rhaenyra included. She became smitten by him, and called him "my white knight". When Rhaenyra begged her father to name Cole her personal shield and protector, Viserys agreed. From that moment on, Cole would always wear Rhaenyra's favor in the lists, and be her protector during public events.[4]

Late in the year 105 AC, Rhaenyra's mother, Aemma, went into labour. Aemma died birthing Rhaenyra's second brother, and the boy died a day later. King Viserys, since then, proclaimed Rhaenyra his heir, having all the lords of the Seven Kingdoms swear fealthy to her, promising to honor and defend her rights of succession. In addition, Rhaenyra was named Princess of Dragonstone.[4]

King Viserys remarried in 106 AC, to Lady Alicent Hightower, and stepmother and stepdaughter initially got along very well. That changed quickly, when Alicent birthed the king two sons, Aegon in 107 AC and Aemond in 110 AC, yet Viserys did not proclaim either boy his heir. People continued to ask Viserys about the succession, though Viserys was unwilling to discuss it. Ser Otto Hightower, Alicent's father and Visery's Hand, was sent away from court for pushing the issue too much, but even after he left, clearly two parties formed at court: the party of the Queen, and the party of the Princess.[4]

In 111 AC, a great tourney was held at King's Landing on the fifth anniversary of King Visery's marriage to Queen Alicent. At the opening feast, the queen wore a green gown, whilst Princess Rhaenyra dressed dramatically in Targaryen red and black. Note was taken, and thereafter it became the custom to refer to “greens” and “blacks” when talking of the queen's party and the party of the princess, respectively. In the tourney itself, the blacks had much the better of it when Ser Criston Cole, wearing Princess Rhaenyra's favor, unhorsed all of the queen's champions, including two of her cousins and her youngest brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower.[5]

According to the accounts of Septon Eustace, prior to her turning sixteen Rhaenyra lost her virginity to her uncle Daemon Targaryen after he seduced her. The account of the fool Mushroom is much more scandalous than the account of Eustace. Mushroom claims that Daemon gave Rhaenyra lessons on how to seduce and please a man, lessons in which Mushroom insists he took part as well. Mushroom's account differs from Eustace's account, in that Mushroom claims Rhaenyra remained a virgin during these lessons. According to Mushroom, Rhaenyra received those lessons from Daemon because she was in love with Ser Criston Cole, and wanted him to see her as a women, no longer as a girl. Whichever account is true (Grand Maester Runciter simply claims that the two brothers quarrelled), King Viserys sent his brother into exile.[4]

Ruling Princess of Dragonstone

At the age of sixteen, in 113 AC, Rhaenyra took possession of Dragonstone. She married Ser Laenor Velaryon in 114 AC, though it took the threat of removing her status as heir to the throne to convince her to accept the marriage, as Rhaenyra did not feel the need to marry a man with interests like Laenors. She was reported to have stated that "My half brothers would be more to his taste", to her father.[4]

Laenor and Rhaenyra had three sons together: Jacaerys 'Jace' Velaryon, Lucerys 'Luke' Velaryon, and Joffrey 'Joff' Velaryon. All were near adulthood and had dragons of their own when Rhaenyra's father, Viserys I, died. It was rumored that those sons of Rhaenyra's were actually fathered by her lover, Ser Harwin "Breakbones" Strong as all three of them were born with brown hair even though Laenor and Rhaenyra both had light silver/gold hair.[4][5] The truth of the parentage of Rhaenyra's three eldest children is still unclear.[6]

Rhaenyra's other sons, the future Aegon III and Viserys II, were fathered by her second husband, her uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen, the most experienced warrior of his time. They married after the deaths of Daemon's second wife and Rhaenyra's (rumored) lover Harwin Strong. The news of their wedding caused a great scandal at the court of King's Landing and made Rhaenyra father livid. It took some time before Viserys and Daemon reconciled again.[4]

Her father's intention that she should follow him on the Iron Throne was confirmed by proclamation and the will of Viserys I.[4]

Rhaenyra gave birth to a deformed stillborn girl, Visenya, very soon after learning of her father (King Viserys I)'s death.[5]

Dance of the Dragons

After the death of her father, King Viserys I, his will stated that Princess Rhaenyra would succeed him. However, Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King and Ser Criston Cole, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and possibly the former lover of Rhaenyra, defied the king's will and instead crowned Rhaenyra's half-brother, Alicent's son Aegon II, who was ten years younger. This brought about a Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons, in which dragonriders fought each other;[7] during the war Rhaenyra rode her dragon, Syrax.[8][5]

At the time of her father's death, Rhaenyra was on Dragonstone awaiting the birth of her sixth child. The Green conspirators in King's Landing ensured that the news did not reach her until after all her supporters in the Red Keep were dead or imprisoned, and Aegon II's coronation had already occurred. When news did reach her, she went into a black fury and went into early labor, producing a deformed, stillborn daughter. She blamed this tragedy on the enemies who had stolen her crown. After Ser Steffon Darklyn of the Kingsguard arrived on Dragonstone with some other Black supporters who had fled the Green coup, bringing her father's crown with them, Rhaenyra had her own coronation.[5]

To gain more support to take the crown from her brother, Rhaenyra sent her son Jace on his dragon to treat with the Arryns, Manderlys, and Starks, and her son Luke to treat with Lord Borros Baratheon at Storm's End. Luke's mission was thought to be the safer, but he arrived at Storm's End to find Queen Alicent's younger son Aemond already there. Aemond, riding Vhagar, killed Luke over Shipbreaker Bay as he attempted to leave after failing to gain Lord Borros' allegiance. The news of Luke's death devastated his mother.[5]

Rhaenyra took the capital and sat in the throne for roughly half a year. Upon taking the city, Rhaenyra insisted on claiming her fathers seat, and so she climbed the Iron Throne and accepted pleas of forgiveness and loyalty from those in the Red Keep all throughout the night. Although Rhaenyra was dressed in armor, Septon Eustace[9] claimed that those present witnessed the throne leaving several cuts on her legs and left hand. The dripping blood was taken as a sign that the throne had rejected her; her days as ruler would be few. [5]

While those living in King's Landing had welcomed Rhaenyra's return as a ruler, for they had always had little love for Aegon II Targaryen and his brother Aemond, the fact that the spikes of the gates started to be filled with more and more heads each day, and the taxes were increased, turned the inhabitants of King's Landing against their Queen. The smallfolk slowly started to turn against her, and eventually named her "King Maegor with Teats." This term would remain a common curse in King's Landig for a hundred years thereafter.[5]

After hearing of the Two Betrayers, Rhaenyra grew paranoid and declared the two remaining dragonseeds, Ser Addam Velaryon and the girl Nettles both traitors, a decision with disastrous conseqneunces. Rhaenyra's Hand, Lord Corlys Velaryon, who had named Ser Addam his heir, alerted Ser Addam in time for the knight to flee upon the back of the dragon Seasmoke. This lead to the arrest of Lord Corlys, which caused the fleet of House Velaryon to abandon Rhaenyra's cause.[5]

In order to have Nettles arrested, Queen Rhaenyra had sent a letter to Lord Manfryd Mooton, commanding him to kill the girl. Lord Mooton refused, as Nettles was under the protection of guest right, and he feared Prince Daemon Targaryen would kill them if them followed Rhaenyra's orders, believing that there was no winning option for himself: refusing to obey Rhaenyra's order, would make him a traitor to the crown. Insisting that King Viserys I and Jaehaerys I would never have asked such a thing, Lord Manfryd then decided to change his allegiance to King Aegon II Targaryen, after both the girl Nettles and Prince Daemon had left his roof for the very last time.[5]

After the Storming of the Dragonpit Rhaenyra fled King's Landing. Terrorized and despairing, she grew grey and haggard as she traveled past Rosby, Stokeworth, and Duskendale. Once she reached Dragonstone, Rhaenyra was betrayed by Ser Alfred Broome, whose men slew the remainder of her Queensguard. Her half-brother Aegon II then had her fed to his own dragon, Sunfyre, at Dragonstone. King Aegon II decreed that Rhaenyra was never a queen and that she be referred to only as princess in all chronicles and court records.[5]

Legacy

Rhaenyra's three eldest sons all died fighting during the Dance of the Dragons, but her two youngest sons, the sons by her second husband, Prince Daemon, survived the civil war. The war ended when Aegon II died shortly after his victory in 131 AC with no male issue, and was succeeded by Rhaenyra's and Daemon's elder son, the boy Aegon III, who had seen his mother's death by dragon.[10] Rhaenyra's second son with Prince Daemon would also later rule as King, after both of the sons of Aegon III died without any issue.[11]

Recent Events

A Storm of Swords

Stannis Baratheon mentions Rhaenyra to Davos Seaworth while listing historical figures killed for treason.[1]

Quotes about Rhaenyra

Daemon Blackfyre, the brothers Toyne, the Vulture King, Grand Maester Hareth... traitors have always paid with their lives ... even Rhaenyra Targaryen. She was daughter to one king and mother to two more, yet she died a traitor's death for trying to usurp her brother's crown.[1]

Stannis Baratheon, to Davos Seaworth

Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rodrik
Arryn
 
Daella
 
 
 
 
 
Baelon
 
Alyssa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aemma Arryn
 
 
 
 
 
Viserys I
 
 
 
 
 
Alicent Hightower
 
Daemon*
 
Aegon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
unknown son
 
Baelon
 
Rhaenyra
 
Daemon*
 
Aegon II
 
Helaena
 
Aemond
 
Daeron
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aegon III
 
Viserys II
 
Visenya
 
Jaehaerys
 
Jaehaera
 
Maelor
 

References and Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 36, Davos IV.
  2. The World of Ice & Fire, Aegon II.
  3. "So speak martin". Good Queen Alysanne and Rhaenyra. June 18, 2006. http://www.westeros.org/Citadel/SSM/Entry/1604/. 
  4. 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 The Rogue Prince.
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 The Princess and the Queen.
  6. As Rhaenyra has an Arryn mother, and Laenor a Baratheon grandmother, there is a possibility Jace, Luke and Joff inherited their looks from more distant relatives, instead of their parentes.
  7. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 13, The Soiled Knight.
  8. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 8, Tyrion III.
  9. Ran discussing Eustace
  10. The Hedge Knight.
  11. A Game of Thrones, Appendix.