Alysanne Targaryen

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Alysanne Targaryen
House Targaryen.svg
Alysanne.jpg
Alysanne by Amok©
Monarch
Full name Alysanne of House Targaryen
Title Queen
Personal Information
Alias Good Queen Alysanne
Born 36 AC[1]
King's Landing[2]
Died 99 AC or 100 AC[1]
King's Landing[2]
Family
Dynasty House Targaryen
Spouse Jaehaerys I Targaryen
Issue Aegon Targaryen
Alyssa Targaryen
Aemon Targaryen
Baelon Targaryen
Daella Targaryen
Aeryn Targaryen
Vaegon Targaryen
Maegelle Targaryen
Valerion Targaryen
Viserra Targaryen
Gaemon Targaryen
Saera Targaryen
Gael Targaryen
Father Aenys I Targaryen
Mother Alyssa Velaryon
References
Books

Queen Alysanne Targaryen, also known as Good Queen Alysanne, was the queen consort of her brother, King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. Alysanne was a dragonrider whose mount was Silverwing.

Jonquil Darke was a member of House Darke and a sworn shield to Queen Alysanne Targaryen, despite being a woman. She was known as the Scarlet Shadow.[3]

Character and Appearance

According to a semi-canon source, Alysanne was slim of waist and small of breast, with a long neck, a fair complexion and a high forehead. She was tall and straight, unbowed by time. She had clear blue eyes and high cheekbones. In old age her hair turned white as snow. She wore it in a bun, pulled back and pinned behind her ears. Age left crow's feet around Alysanne's eyes and laugh lines about her mouth, but her face never lost its strength.[4] George R. R. Martin has stated that "You might consider Alysanne as the Eleanor of Aquitaine of Westeros, and model her on Katherine Hepburn's portrayal of Eleanor in the film The Lion in Winter." Alysanne often wore a slimmer, more feminine version of her brother-husband's crown at court.[4]

Alysanne was well loved throughout the Seven Kingdoms, being both beautiful and high-spirited, as well as charming and keenly intelligent.[5] Lord Roose Bolton considers Alysanne to have been shrewish.[6] She returned the love of the smallfolk, and became renowned for her charities.[4]

In her youth Alysanne was a fine archer and hunter, and loved to fly atop her dragon Silverwing to all the distant parts of the realm.[4]

History

Youth

A young Queen Alysanne and King Jaehaerys with their son Aemon as depicted by Magali Villeneuve in The World of Ice & Fire

Alysanne was born to Crown Prince Aenys Targaryen and Lady Alyssa Velaryon in 36 AC. She had four older siblings (Rhaena, Aegon, Viserys, and Jaehaerys) and one younger sibling, Vaella.[7] In 37 AC, following the death of her grandfather, King Aegon I Targaryen, on Dragonstone,[8] her father Aenys ascended the throne.[9]

Followers of the Faith of the Seven began an uprising after King Aenys I married Alysanne's two eldest siblings, Rhaena and Aegon, to one another in 41 AC. After Poor Fellows scaled the walls of the Red Keep in an attempt to murder the royal family, Alysanne fled with her family to Dragonstone.[9] By the end of the year most of the realm had joined the side of the Faith, and King Aenys, unable to decide how to deal with the rebels, fell ill. In 42 AC, he collapsed upon learning that Rhaena and Aegon were besieged at Crakehall, and died three days later.[9] Following Aenys's cremation,[9] Dowager Queen Visenya Targaryen flew to Pentos to retrieve her son Maegor from his exile. Once at Dragonstone, Maegor claimed the Iron Throne for his own, ignoring the claim of Alysanne's eldest brother Aegon. Alysanne, her brother Jaehaerys, and her mother Alyssa were kept on Dragonstone as hostages, while her brother Viserys was taken to King's Landing by Maegor.[10]

Her brother Aegon died in 43 AC when Maegor killed him in the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye. Alyssa, Jaehaerys, and Alysanne escaped Dragonstone in 44 AC, in the chaos following Visenya's death. In retaliation, Maegor had Viserys tortured to death. After years in hiding, Alysanne's sister Rhaena was eventually found, and in 47 AC forced to marry Maegor.[10] However, the realm slowly turned against Maegor, and when Alysanne's only surviving brother, Jaehaerys, put forward his claim for the throne all the factions that opposed Maegor unified behind him.[10] Following Maegor's mysterious death in 48 AC, Jaehaerys ascended the Iron Throne.[5]

Queen

In 50 AC, two years after Jaehaerys I had been crowned king, Alysanne married her eldest surviving brother.[5] Their marriage lasted forty-six years (the years of their two estrangements are not counted as part of their married years),[11] until Alysanne died.[5] These two estrangements both lasted no more than a year or two. The Second Quarrel began in 92 AC, when Jaehaerys decided to pass over his granddaughter Rhaenys, the only heir of his deceased eldest son Aemon, in favor of his son Baelon. Alysanne believed there was no reason to favor a man over a woman, and thought that, if Jaehaerys believed women to be of less use, he would have no need of her. The couple reconciled two years later, in 94 AC, with the help of their daughter, Septa Maegelle.[5]

As a queen, Alysanne was well loved by the people in the Seven Kingdoms.[5] She held great influence over Jaehaerys and was his most trusted counselor.[4] She convinced him to forbid the right of the first night, although many lords jealously guarded it.[6][5][12] When Jaehaerys travelled to Winterfell, early on in his reign, Alysanne accompanied him, as did six dragons and half the royal court. Alysanne grew bored, however, and flew north mounted upon her dragon Silverwing. She stayed in several local villages while flying north. One of such establishments, Queenscrown, changed its name following Alysanne's visit in her honor, and painted the merlons atop the holdfast golden to look like the golden crown she'd worn during her visit.[13][14] At the Wall, Alysanne suggested to the Night's Watch that the Nightfort, the oldest and largest castle at the Wall, which was too costly to maintain, be replaced with a smaller castle nearby. She used her own jewels to finance the construction of the castle, which was named Deep Lake. King Jaehaerys later sent men north to built the castle.[15] Alysanne thought the Night's Watch was so brave, that she convinced Jaehaerys to double the amount of land held by the black brothers.[13]

Lord Stark[N 1] indeed donated the land, which was renamed the New Gift, to the Night's Watch, although the Starks were not glad to do so. Lord Stark's brother even sent letters to the Citadel, asking for precedents against forced donation of property. As such, it was said at the time that the Starks were bitter about having been forced to part with the land, and maester Yandel believes that this might have influenced Lord Ellard Stark's choice of support during the Great Council of 101 AC.[16] The Night's Watch, on the other hand, was grateful. To thank Alysanne for financing Deep Lake and winning them the New Gift, the Night's Watch renamed the castle Snowgate, dubbing it Queensgate in her honor.[5][17][14]

The death of Alysanne's youngest and favorite daughter, Princess Gael, weighed heavily on the queen. Princess Gael committed suicide in 99 AC, and in her grief, Queen Alysanne followed her daughter to the grave within a year. She was cremated, and her ashes were interred beneath the Red Keep, where a few years later they were joined by the ashes of Jaehaerys.[5]

Jaehaerys outlived Alysanne by a few years. She had been his great love, and it was said that the grief caused by their parting hung over his court,[5] reducing him to a shell of the man he had once been.[18]

There is a sad song, "Alysanne", that may be about the queen.[19] It is probable the galley Queen Alysanne is named after her as well.[20]

Royal Progresses

Jaehaerys was known for his love of travel. The king and queen were known to stay at the inn at the crossroads during their journeys, so much so that afterwards it was renamed the Two Crowns.[5][21]

By 58 AC, Jaehaerys had not made any royal progress for several years, and had yet to visit the north. Therefore, he and Queen Alysanne planned a great royal progress to Winterfell.[3]

Because Jaehaerys had grown tired of having to wait for his baggage train to arrive when he made a royal progress on dragonback, this time the royal retinue traveled ahead and took ship to White Harbor. However, after the retinue left, Jaehaerys was detained at King's Landing by matters of state: the Free Cities of Pentos and Tyrosh, which had been engaged in a disruptive trade war for the past three years, asked him to mediate negotiations. Not wanting to insult the Starks by canceling the progress, Alysanne suggested she could go on the progress as planned, and Jaehaerys would catch up as soon as negotiations ended. Negotiations unfortunately ran long, so Alysanne arrived at White Harbor and then Winterfell without him.[3]

Jaehaerys would eventually travel to Winterfell with Alysanne in a great royal progress that contained six dragons.[14]

Family

Alysanne and her husband had thirteen children, nine of whom lived to adulthood.[7][5] The bulk of Alysanne's children predeceased her, with the loss of Princess Gael in 99 AC being a particularly heavy blow that was believed by many to have hastened her own death.[5]

Alysanne had five known grandchildren, four of them living to adulthood: Aemon's daughter Princess Rhaenys, who married Lord Corlys Velaryon, Baelon's sons, Prince Viserys, who would later be crowned as King Viserys I, and Prince Daemon Targaryen, and Daella's daughter, Lady Aemma Arryn, who would later become Queen of the Seven Kingdoms through her marriage to her cousin, Prince Viserys.[18] Another son of Baelon and Alyssa, Prince Aegon, presumably died young.[7]

Ancestors

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Valaena
Velaryon
 
Aerion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Visenya
 
Aegon I
 
Rhaenys
 
 
Orys
Baratheon
 
Argella
Durrandon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ceryse
Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aenys I
 
Alyssa
Velaryon
 
 
House Baratheon.svg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Elinor
Costayne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alys
Harroway
 
 
Maegor I
 
Rhaena
 
Aegon
 
Viserys
 
Jaehaerys I
 
Alysanne
 
Vaella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeyne
Westerling
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tyanna of
the Tower
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhaella
 
Aerea
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Targaryen.svg
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Family

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aenys I
 
Alyssa
Velaryon
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Rhaena
 
Aegon
 
Viserys
 
Jaehaerys I
 
Alysanne
 
Vaella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Issue
 
Aegon
 
Daenerys
 
Aemon
 
 
Baelon
 
Alyssa
 
Maegelle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Vaegon
 
Daella
 
Saera
 
Viserra
 
Gaemon
 
Valerion
 
Gael
 


Descendants

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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.


Quotes about Alysanne

She was his most trusted counsellor and his right hand.[4]

- George R. R. Martin

Behind the Scenes

George R. R. Martin has compared Alysanne to Eleanor of Aquitaine, including Katharine Hepburn's portrayal in The Lion in Winter.[4]

In one of the earlier drafts of the Targaryen family tree, dating circa 1998, Alysanne was displayed as the daughter of King Maegor I Targaryen. Not much later, however, George R. R. Martin changed the family tree and Alysanne became the daughter of King Aenys I Targaryen, Maegor's older brother, instead.[22] As a result of this change, Alysanne's husband, Jaehaerys I Targaryen, became her brother instead of her cousin.

Notes

  1. Earlier prints of The World of Ice & Fire state that Lord Ellard Stark was the lord who had been forced to give up the New Gift. However, it has been confirmed that this is an error, and that the statement would be replaced by "the Starks were glad" in later prints, leaving it unknown for the time being which Stark had been the lord in question.

References

­­

  1. 1.0 1.1 See the Alysanne Targaryen calculation
  2. 2.0 2.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Alysanne Targaryen.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Not a Blog: A FIRE & BLOOD Excerpt just for YOU! (27 September, 2018) Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "excerpt" defined multiple times with different content
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 So Spake Martin: Good Queen Alysanne and Rhaenyra (June 18, 2006)
  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 5.12 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I.
  6. 6.0 6.1 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 32, Reek III.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 The World of Ice & Fire, Appendix: Targaryen Lineage.
  8. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon I.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I.
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I.
  11. Westeros.org: Inconsistency or Intentional?
  12. The Sworn Sword.
  13. 13.0 13.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 40, Bran III.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 41, Jon V.
  15. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 56, Bran IV.
  16. The World of Ice & Fire, The North: The Lords of Winterfell.
  17. The World of Ice & Fire, The North: The Wall and Beyond: The Night’s Watch.
  18. 18.0 18.1 The Rogue Prince.
  19. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 10, Sansa I.
  20. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 58, Davos III.
  21. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 37, Brienne VII.
  22. asoiaf.westeros.org: The Book of Swords - The Sons of the Dragon SPOILERS (August 28, 2018)