Valarr Targaryen

	Valarr Targaryen, by Even Mehl Amundsen ©
Alias	The Young Prince
Titles	Prince; Ser; Prince of Dragonstone; Hand of the King (possibly);
Allegiance	House Targaryen
Culture	Crownlands
Born	182–193 AC; Westeros
Died	209 AC; King's Landing
Father	Baelor Targaryen
Mother	Jena Dondarrion
Spouse	Kiera of Tyrosh
Issue	Stillborn sons
Coat of arms	Black, the red three-headed dragon of House Targaryen, with a red border; (Sable a dragon thrice-headed gules flammant of the last, a bordure of the charge)
Books	The World of Ice & Fire (mentioned); The Hedge Knight (appears); The Sworn Sword (mentioned); The Mystery Knight (mentioned); A Clash of Kings (mentioned); A Feast for Crows (mentioned);
Played by	Oscar Morgan
TV series	A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Prince Valarr Targaryen, known as the Young Prince,^[6] was the oldest son of Baelor Breakspear, Prince of Dragonstone, and Lady Jena Dondarrion.^[5] In the television adaptation A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, he is portrayed by Oscar Morgan.

Appearance and Character

Valarr looked much like his father Baelor, though he was shorter, slimmer, and handsomer.^[6] The Young Prince had light brown hair, like his father^[7] with a streak of silver-gold running through it. He had blue eyes. Unlike his father who was renowned as one of the most powerful warriors in the realm,^[6] Valarr's jousting skills were modest at best.^[4]

Valarr wore black armor and carried a black lance during tourneys. His horse was also black, as well as its trappings. Atop his black helm was the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen, enameled in a rich red. Valarr's pavilion of black silk had a line of pointed scarlet pennons hanging from its roof.^[6]

After his death, Valarr was remembered as being bold,^[7] brave,^[1] and full of promise.^[7]

History

Prince Valarr was born the eldest son of Prince Baelor Targaryen, and his wife, Lady Jena Dondarrion. He had one younger brother, Prince Matarys. At some point, Valarr was married to Kiera of Tyrosh.^[5] They had sons, but all were stillborn.^[1]

Ashford Tourney

In 209 AC, Valarr was one of the original champions for Lord Ashford's daughter at the start of the tourney at Ashford Meadow. However, his status as a Targaryen prince, grandson of King Daeron II Targaryen, and future heir to the Iron Throne, prevented him from facing dangerous opponents. He won at least nine jousts against "undistinguished foes", including Ser Abelar Hightower and Lord Gawen Swann, and remained a champion after the first day's jousting.^[6]

During Ser Duncan the Tall's trial of seven, Valarr's father, Prince Baelor Breakspear, took part as the seventh knight on Dunk's side. However, as Baelor had not expected to fight in the tourney, he had not brought any armor to Ashford with him; therefore he borrowed Valarr's armor. Thus when Baelor first appeared on the field, Dunk briefly believed Valarr was coming to champion him.^[6]

Baelor died in the trial, and Valarr stood vigil by his body at the funeral. When Dunk tried to offer his sympathies, Valarr dismissed him.^[6]

Death and legacy

Valarr died in 209 AC from the Great Spring Sickness, as did his younger brother Matarys, and their grandfather, King Daeron II Targaryen.^[7] He was likely a teenager at the time of his death.^{[N 2]}

In 211 AC, Duncan had a nightmare where the dead Valarr berated him with the same words he had used at Baelor's funeral.^[7]

In 211 AC, Duncan and Prince Aegon Targaryen heard a hunchbacked septon in Stoney Sept preach that the Hand of the King, Brynden Rivers, had killed Valarr's sons in their mother's womb, and suggest that Brynden was responsible for Valarr's death. The septon was later beheaded for speaking treason.^[1]

Recent events

A Clash of Kings

While explaining the lineage of Maester Aemon to Jon Snow, Lord Commander Jeor Mormont says that Prince Baelor's two sons soon followed their father to the grave in the Great Spring Sickness.^[8]

A Feast for Crows

Discussing both their fathers' objections to them becoming maesters, Maester Aemon,^[9] Valarr's cousin,^[5] tells Samwell Tarly that his grandfather sent him to the Citadel because too many dragons were as dangerous as too few. He mentions that King Daeron had four sons, three of whom had sons of their own.^[9] As the first-born son of King Daeron's eldest child, Prince Baelor, Valarr was one of the sons of the king's sons^[5] alluded to by Aemon.^[9]

Quotes by Valarr

My father was only nine-and-thirty. He had it in him to be a great king, the greatest since Aegon the Dragon. Why would the gods take him, and leave you? Begone with you, Ser Duncan. Begone.^[6]
—Valarr to Duncan the Tall

Quotes about Valarr

The Young Prince's horse was black as night, to match the color of his armor, lance, shield, and trappings. Atop his helm was a gleaming three-headed dragon, wings spread, enameled in a rich red; its twin was painted upon the glossy black surface of his shield.^[6]
—thoughts of Duncan the Tall

Meanwhile the Young Prince sat outside his black pavilion, drinking from his silver goblet and rising from time to time to mount his horse and vanquish yet another undistinguished foe. He had won nine victories, but it seemed to Dunk that every one was hollow. He is beating old men and upjumped squires, and a few lords of high birth and low skill. The truly dangerous men are riding past his shield as if they do not see it.^[6]
—thoughts of Duncan the Tall

Family

Kiera of
Tyrosh
^{[Note 1]}

Kiera of
Tyrosh
^{[Note 1]}

Stillborn sons

Unknown
descendants

Notes:

↑ Kiera of Tyrosh was widowed when Valarr Targaryen died from the Great Spring Sickness; some time later she married his cousin Daeron.

Notes

↑ It is uncertain whether the list of the deaths of "His Grace King Daeron, sweet Matarys and bold Valarr, the Hand..." indicates that Valarr was Hand, or that King Daeron, Matarys, Valarr, and an unnamed Hand of the King died during the Great Spring Sickness. Given that Valarr is implied to be near in age to Duncan the Tall, and Tywin Lannister later became the youngest Hand of the King at age twenty, it may be more likely that the mentioned Hand is a separate individual.
↑ When Duncan the Tall first meets Aerion Targaryen, who is near Dunk's own age, in The Hedge Knight, he judges that Aerion could be Valarr, Matarys or one of their cousins based on his youth. Since Dunk himself is sixteen, this implies Valarr is also a teenager in 209 AC.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 The Mystery Knight.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 The Hedge Knight, Graphic Novel.
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 See the Valarr Targaryen calculation.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Valarr Targaryen.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 ^5.3 ^5.4 The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix: Targaryen Lineage.
↑ ^6.00 ^6.01 ^6.02 ^6.03 ^6.04 ^6.05 ^6.06 ^6.07 ^6.08 ^6.09 The Hedge Knight.
↑ ^7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 The Sworn Sword.
↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 6, Jon I.
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 5, Samwell I.

Preceded by Baelor Targaryen	13th Prince of Dragonstone 209 AC	Succeeded by Rhaegel Targaryen

[12] Kiera of Tyrosh was widowed when Valarr Targaryen died from the Great Spring Sickness; some time later she married his cousin Daeron.

[3] It is uncertain whether the list of the deaths of "His Grace King Daeron, sweet Matarys and bold Valarr, the Hand..." indicates that Valarr was Hand, or that King Daeron, Matarys, Valarr, and an unnamed Hand of the King died during the Great Spring Sickness. Given that Valarr is implied to be near in age to Duncan the Tall, and Tywin Lannister later became the youngest Hand of the King at age twenty, it may be more likely that the mentioned Hand is a separate individual.

[9] When Duncan the Tall first meets Aerion Targaryen, who is near Dunk's own age, in The Hedge Knight, he judges that Aerion could be Valarr, Matarys or one of their cousins based on his youth. Since Dunk himself is sixteen, this implies Valarr is also a teenager in 209 AC.

[Rtmk{{{2}}}{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 The Mystery Knight.

[Rthk[[the_hedge_knight_(comics)|graphic_novel]]{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-2] 2.0 ^2.1 The Hedge Knight, Graphic Novel.

[Calculation-4] 3.0 ^3.1 See the Valarr Targaryen calculation.

[Rawoiafvalarr_targaryen{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-5] 4.0 ^4.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Valarr Targaryen.

[Rtwoiafappendix:_targaryen_lineage{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-6] 5.0 ^5.1 ^5.2 ^5.3 ^5.4 The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix: Targaryen Lineage.

[Rthk{{{2}}}{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-7] 6.00 ^6.01 ^6.02 ^6.03 ^6.04 ^6.05 ^6.06 ^6.07 ^6.08 ^6.09 The Hedge Knight.

[Rtss{{{2}}}{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-8] 7.0 ^7.1 ^7.2 ^7.3 ^7.4 The Sworn Sword.

[Racok6{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-10] A Clash of Kings, Chapter 6, Jon I.

[Raffc5{{{3}}}{{{4}}}-11] 9.0 ^9.1 ^9.2 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 5, Samwell I.

[1]

[2]

[N 1]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[N 2]

[8]

[9]

[Note 1]

v t e The small council under Daeron II Targaryen
Hand of the King	Lord Ambrose Butterwell Lord Hayford Prince Baelor Targaryen¹ Prince Valarr Targaryen²
Master of coin	Lord Ronnel Penrose³
Advisor	Ser Brynden Rivers⁴
¹ Held the title of Protector of the Realm ² Possibly ³ Duties actually performed by his wife ⁴ Served as spymaster (it is unknown if he was appointed master of whisperers as well)