Difference between revisions of "Viserys II Targaryen"

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==Reign==
 
==Reign==
Viserys II ascended to throne later in life after the death of his nephew, [[Baelor I Targaryen]], also known as Baelor the Blessed, in {{Date|171}}. Viserys is not remembered fondly in Westeros, as some accuse him of poisoning Baelor to gain the throne and doing nothing once he gained it. Viserys reigned for only a year, but in his previous role as [[Hand of the King]] he had ruled and preserved the land for much longer. The reigns and follies of Aegon, Daeron and Baelor would have been much worse if not for his tenures as [[Hand of the King]]. {{ref|ASOS|59}} {{ref|twoiaf| Viserys II}}
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Viserys II ascended to throne after the death of his nephew, [[Baelor I Targaryen]], also known as Baelor the Blessed, in {{Date|171}}. There were some amongst the smallfolk — and even some lords — who felt that the Iron Throne should have rightfully passed to Baelor's sister [[Daena Targaryen|Daena]], as she was Aegon III's eldest daughter. However, a decade of isolation in the Maidenvault had left Daena and her sisters without powerful allies, and memories of [[Rhaenyra Targaryen]] and the [[Dance of the Dragons]] had left many leery of the idea of a woman on the Iron Throne. Also, Daena the Defiant was seen by many as being wild, unmanageable, and wanton (as a year earlier she had given birth to her bastard son [[Daemon Blackfyre|Daemon]]). The precedents of the [[Great Council of 101]] and the Dance of the Dragons were therefore cited, the claims of Baelor's sisters were set aside, and the crown passed to Viserys.{{Ref|twoiaf| Viserys II}}
  
Although his reign lasted little longer then a year Viserys issued reforms of the royal household and its functions, established a new royal mint, made efforts to increase trade across the narrow sea, and made positive revisions to the already progressive code of laws established by the Old King, [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen|Jaehaerys I]]. Viserys had it in him to be another Jaehaerys the Wise, as he was just as wise and shrewd. Unfortunately, a sudden illness took him away.
+
Although his reign lasted only a little longer then a year, Viserys issued reforms of the royal household and its functions, established a new royal mint, made efforts to increase trade across the narrow sea, and made positive revisions to the already progressive code of laws established by the Old King, [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen|Jaehaerys I]]. It is believed that Viserys had it in him to be another Jaehaerys the Wise, as he was just as wise and shrewd. Unfortunately, a sudden illness led to his death in {{Date|172}}.  
  
 
Viserys was succeeded by his eldest son, [[Aegon IV Targaryen]], who had been married to [[Naerys Targaryen]], Viserys's only daughter. Some historians suspect that Viserys's death was [[Kinslaying|not natural]] and that Aegon IV had poisoned him.{{ref|twoiaf| Viserys II}}
 
Viserys was succeeded by his eldest son, [[Aegon IV Targaryen]], who had been married to [[Naerys Targaryen]], Viserys's only daughter. Some historians suspect that Viserys's death was [[Kinslaying|not natural]] and that Aegon IV had poisoned him.{{ref|twoiaf| Viserys II}}
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 +
==Legacy==
 +
 +
Viserys is not remembered fondly in Westeros, as some accuse him of poisoning Baelor to gain the throne and doing nothing once he gained it. Still, Viserys may have reigned for only a year, but in his previous role as [[Hand of the King]] he had ruled and preserved the land for much longer. The reigns and follies of Aegon, Daeron, and Baelor would have been much worse if not for his tenure as [[Hand of the King]]. {{ref|ASOS|59}} {{ref|twoiaf| Viserys II}}
  
 
==Family==
 
==Family==

Revision as of 06:54, 10 September 2015

House Targaryen crest.PNG
Viserys II
House Targaryen crest.PNG
VISERYS II.jpg
Viserys II by Amok©
Monarch
Reign 171 AC - 172 AC
Full name Viserys Targaryen the Second of His Name
Titles
Predecessor Baelor I Targaryen
Heir Aegon IV Targaryen
Successor Aegon IV Targaryen
Personal Information
Born 122 AC[1]
Dragonstone[2]
Died 172 AC[3]
King's Landing[2]
Family
Dynasty House Targaryen
Spouse Larra Rogare
Issue Aegon IV Targaryen
Aemon Targaryen
Naerys Targaryen
Father Daemon Targaryen
Mother Rhaenyra Targaryen
References
Books


Viserys II was the tenth king from House Targaryen to sit the Iron Throne as Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. He was the brother of Aegon III Targaryen and was the son of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Daemon Targaryen, and the father of King Aegon IV Targaryen, Queen Naerys Targaryen, and Prince Aemon "the Dragonknight".

Appearance

According to a semi-canon source, Viserys II was clean-shaven with long hair. He had a prominent nose, bushy eyebrows and a shrewd, calculating look to him. He wore the simple crown of Aegon III.[4]

Viserys was frailer than his brother Aegon, but was more mature than him and his other Velaryon half brothers.[1]

History

Youth

Born in 122 AC, Viserys was the second born son of his father, Prince Daemon Targaryen, and the fifth born son of his mother, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. As per Targaryen tradition, a dragon egg was placed in his cradle.[5] Viserys was named after his grandfather, King Viserys I Targaryen.

Viserys had four older brothers. Three half-brothers from his mother's first marriage, Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey Velaryon, and one full-blood brother, Aegon. He also had two older half-sisers, Baela and Rhaena Targaryen, from his father's second marriage.[5].

Viserys lived with his mother, father, brothers, and sisters on Dragonstone, his mother's seat as the Princess of Dragonstone. When his grandfather died in early 129 AC, Viserys and his family were thus away from the capital, since Rhaenyra was pregnant for the sixth time. This pregnancy led to the birth of Viserys's younger sister, Visenya. The girl was still born, however.

The death of his grandfather sparked a war of succession between Viserys's mother, Rhaenyra, and his half-uncle, Prince Aegon, who was crowned King Aegon II Targaryen, despite Rhaenyra having been the heir to the throne.

The Dance of the Dragons

A young Prince Viserys and his wife Larra Rogare hold their child, Aegon, as depicted by Magali Villeneuve in The World of Ice and Fire.

In late 129 AC, at the behest of their half-brother Jacaerys Velaryon, Viserys and his older brother Aegon were sent to Essos aboard the Gay Abandon to be fostered by a prince of Pentos until their mother, Rhaenyra, secured the Iron Throne. However, the fleet of the Kingdom of the Three Daughters, who were allied with the greens and Aegon II Targaryen, captured the Gay Abandon during the voyage. Aegon flew away atop his dragon, Stormcloud, but Viserys had only a dragon egg. Remaining behind, the clever Viserys hid his egg and disguised himself as a common ship's boy, but his identity was revealed by one of the crew. A Tyroshi captain brought Viserys to Sharako Lohar, the Triarchy's admiral. Viserys's fate through the remainder of the Dance of the Dragons is as yet unknown,[5] though it is known he survived the war.

Later Life

Viserys eventually ended up in Lys under the stewardship of the wealthy Rogare family whose bank at the time was as powerful as the Iron Bank of Braavos. Viserys was eventually wed to the families eldest daughter Larra Rogare despite her being nine years his senior.

During the early reign of Viserys's younger brother, Aegon III, it became known in Westeros that Viserys had survived. After a huge ransom was paid, he returned to King's Landing with his new wife and several of her kin. The ambitious Rogare family soon became embroiled in the conflicts of the regency of Aegon III. Viserys's wife eventually ran out on him and their three children and fled back to Lys, an experience that made Viserys stern. [6]

Viserys later served as Hand of the King to his brother Aegon and his two nephews, Daeron I and Baelor I. He was instrumental in keeping the realm intact while Aegon brooded, Daeron warred, Baelor prayed. It was rumored that to spare the realm embarrassment, Viserys used his position as Hand to order the poisoning of a stonemason whom Baelor had appointed as High Septon.[7][6]

Viserys had three children: Aegon, Aemon and Naerys. Whilst Aegon and Naerys were wed to one another, Aemon became a knight of the Kingsguard late in the reign of his uncle King Aegon the Third and later served under King Daeron I Targaryen, then under King Baelor I Targaryen, and later still when Viserys himself became king.

Reign

Viserys II ascended to throne after the death of his nephew, Baelor I Targaryen, also known as Baelor the Blessed, in 171 AC. There were some amongst the smallfolk — and even some lords — who felt that the Iron Throne should have rightfully passed to Baelor's sister Daena, as she was Aegon III's eldest daughter. However, a decade of isolation in the Maidenvault had left Daena and her sisters without powerful allies, and memories of Rhaenyra Targaryen and the Dance of the Dragons had left many leery of the idea of a woman on the Iron Throne. Also, Daena the Defiant was seen by many as being wild, unmanageable, and wanton (as a year earlier she had given birth to her bastard son Daemon). The precedents of the Great Council of 101 and the Dance of the Dragons were therefore cited, the claims of Baelor's sisters were set aside, and the crown passed to Viserys.[8]

Although his reign lasted only a little longer then a year, Viserys issued reforms of the royal household and its functions, established a new royal mint, made efforts to increase trade across the narrow sea, and made positive revisions to the already progressive code of laws established by the Old King, Jaehaerys I. It is believed that Viserys had it in him to be another Jaehaerys the Wise, as he was just as wise and shrewd. Unfortunately, a sudden illness led to his death in 172 AC.

Viserys was succeeded by his eldest son, Aegon IV Targaryen, who had been married to Naerys Targaryen, Viserys's only daughter. Some historians suspect that Viserys's death was not natural and that Aegon IV had poisoned him.[8]

Legacy

Viserys is not remembered fondly in Westeros, as some accuse him of poisoning Baelor to gain the throne and doing nothing once he gained it. Still, Viserys may have reigned for only a year, but in his previous role as Hand of the King he had ruled and preserved the land for much longer. The reigns and follies of Aegon, Daeron, and Baelor would have been much worse if not for his tenure as Hand of the King. [9] [8]

Family

Ancestors

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jocelyn
Baratheon
 
Aemon
 
Daella
 
Rodrik
Arryn
 
Baelon
 
Alyssa
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corlys
Velaryon
 
Rhaenys
 
 
 
 
 
Aemma
Arryn
 
Viserys I
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alicent
Hightower
 
Daemon
[Note 1]
 
Rhea
Royce
 
Aegon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Laena
Velaryon
 
Daemon
[Note 1]
 
Laenor
Velaryon
 
Rhaenyra
 
Daemon
[Note 1]
 
Son
 
Baelon
 
Aegon II
 
Helaena
 
Aemond
 
Daeron
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhaena
 
Baela
 
Stillborn
son
 
Jacaerys
Velaryon
 
Lucerys
Velaryon
 
Joffrey
Velaryon
 
Viserys II
 
Visenya
 
Aegon III
 
Jaehaera
 
Jaehaerys
 
Maelor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes:
  1. 1.0 1.1 Prince Daemon Targaryen was married to Lady Rhea Royce from 97 AC to 115 AC, to Lady Laena Velaryon from 115 AC to 120 AC, and to Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen from 120 AC to 130 AC.


Descendants

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aemma
Arryn
 
 
 
Viserys I
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alicent
Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daemon
 
Rhaenyra
 
 
 
 
 
Aegon II
 
Helaena
 
Aemond
 
Daeron
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Viserys II
 
Larra
Rogare
 
Daenaera
Velaryon
 
Aegon III
 
Jaehaera
 
Jaehaerys
 
Maelor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aemon
 
Naerys
 
Aegon IV
 
 
 
 
Daena
 
Baelor I
 
Daeron I
 
Rhaena
 
Elaena
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daeron II
 
Myriah
Martell
 
Maron
Martell
 
Daenerys
 
Daemon
Blackfyre
 
Rohanne
of Tyrosh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Targaryen.svg
 
 
 
 
 
House Martell.svg
 
 
 
 
 
House Blackfyre 2.svg
 
 
 


References and Notes