Rhaenys Targaryen (daughter of Rhaegar)

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House Targaryen.svg Princess
Rhaenys Targaryen
House Targaryen.svg
Princess Rhaenys by Rae Lavergne.jpg
Rhaenys Targaryen, by Rae Lavergne ©

Title Princess
Allegiance House Targaryen
Race Valyrian
Culture Crownlands
Born In 280 ACDragonstone
Died In 283 ACKing's Landing
Father Rhaegar Targaryen
Mother Elia Martell
Books

Rhaenys Targaryen was the daughter of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Elia Martell.

Appearance

Rhaenys looked like a Martell.[1]

History

In 280 AC, Rhaenys was born on Dragonstone.[2][3] After her birth, her mother was bedridden for half a year.[4] Rhaenys was presented at court by her father, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Whilst her grandmother, Queen Rhaella Targaryen, embraced her warmly, her grandfather, King Aerys II Targaryen, refused to touch or hold her, claiming she smelled "Dornish".[3]

She had a small black kitten that she named Balerion, after the great black dragon of Aegon I Targaryen.[5] Princess Arianne Martell has been told that she held Rhaenys once, when she was too young to remember.[6]

During the Sack of King's Landing, Rhaenys hid under her father's bed, a floor above the nursery, where her younger brother, Aegon, and her mother, Elia Martell, were. She was discovered and dragged out by Ser Amory Lorch, who proceeded to stab her with "half a hundred thrusts."[7] Tyrion Lannister recalls hearing of other men-at-arms present during the murder, but he did not know their names.[8]

Tywin Lannister commanded the deaths of Rhaenys and Aegon to prove his loyalty to Robert Baratheon, although he himself claims to have been shocked at the brutality of their deaths. In Rhaenys's case, he believed Lorch, who tried to justify his savagery by claiming the girl kicked him and would not stop screaming, could simply have offered a few sweet words to calm her, and a pillow to suffocate her.[9]

After Rhaenys's and Aegon's deaths, Tywin Lannister presented their bodies to Robert clothed in red Lannister cloaks (to better conceal the blood).[10]

According to Maester Yandel, however, Rhaenys had been murdered in her bed. He states that there are some who say it had been done at King Aerys II's command, when he learned that Tywin Lannister had taken up the cause of Robert Baratheon. Others, according to Yandel, state that Elia killed Rhaenys herself, out of fear for what would happen to Rhaenys, should she fall into the hands of Rhaegar's enemies.[11]

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