Targaryen madness

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House Targaryen carries the trait for insanity in its bloodline, often referred to as madness. It may have been passed to House Blackfyre.

About

Some Targaryens appear to be born mad. Others may not display madness when they are younger but can develop it as the years go by, especially when circumstances encourage it, such the Defiance of Duskendale which affected Aerys II very deeply. Madness may also skip a generation.

Daenerys's brother Viserys appeared to have inherited the inclination for madness from his father. Even Illyrio admits as much to Tyrion:

Viserys was Mad Aery’s son, just so. [1]

Ser Barristan was well aware of this trait and chose to observe Daenerys in the guise of Arstan Whitebeard to make sure she did not display any madness before revealing himself and pledging his sword to her.

When he says that he can see no taint in her Dany bristles. Ser Barristan tries to explain diplomatically what he means by saying to Daenerys:

I am no maester to quote history at you, Your Grace. Swords have been my life, not books. But every child knows that the Targaryens have always danced too close to madness. Your father was not the first. King Jaehaerys once told me that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. Every time a new Targaryen is born, he said, the gods toss the coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land. [2]

Up until this point Daenerys was aware that her father was called The Mad King - but she thought that it was a lie.[2] She had no idea the extent of her father’s insanity or that this trait ran in House Targaryen.

This knowledge of the madness in her bloodline concerns her. After hearing and seeing Quaithe standing under the persimmon tree, in the terrace of the Great Pyramid, she thinks about Ser Barristan’s warning that in the blood of the dragon there is a taint. She wonders briefly to herself if she is going mad.[3]

The Targaryen propensity for madness is known even in Essos. Although he is relying on rumor the Windblown's Books thinks Daenerys both murderous and mad, saying that her father was mad too, stating:

It runs in the blood. [4]

This comment worries Prince Quentyn Martell as he is all too aware of the madness than runs in the Targaryen line. Quentyn thinks to himself that King Aerys II had been mad, all of Westeros knew. He had exiled two of his hands and burned the third. He has his apprehensions and worries:

If Daenerys is as murderous as her father, must I still marry her? [4]

Prince Doran had never spoken of that posibility to Quentyn.

Dreams and dragons

The Targaryen's prophetic dragon dreams could also try the sanity of the dreamer. Also the yearning for bringing dragons back to life. Aerion Targaryen died drinking a cup of wildfire, believing it would transform him into a dragon.

Mad Targaryens

References and Notes