Difference between revisions of "Prince of Dragonstone"

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==History==
 
==History==
[[Dragonstone]] became the seat of the heir once the [[House Targaryen|Targaryens]] created [[King's Landing]] as the capital of the [[Seven Kingdoms]] after [[Aegon I Targaryen]]'s [[War of Conquest]]. The title Prince of Dragonstone was only official during the Targaryen dynasty. After the [[War of the Usurper]], which ended Targaryen rule, the title was no longer officially used. Dragonstone was granted to [[Stannis Baratheon]] as his personal seat, and he is known as Lord of Dragonstone, a title the Targaryens had also used prior to Aegon's Conquest.
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After Aegon I Targaryen conquered the Seven Kingdoms, he set about constructing a new capital city at [[King's Landing]].  Aegon himself actually spent much of his reign making royal progresses around his new realm, and he took his eldest son [[Aenys Targaryen]] with him.  Aegon's younger son [[Maegor Targaryen]], however, remained on [[Dragonstone]] with his mother Visenya. 
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After Aegon I eventually died, Aenys was crowned king and continued to rule from King's Landing, and the still under-construction [[Red Keep]].  Maegor remained on Dragonstone, and thus became commonly referred to as "the Prince on Dragonstone", or "the Prince of Dragonstone", and the informal phrase became commonly used to refer to the current monarch's heir.
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Maegor eventually came into conflict with the Faith of the Seven and Aenys, however, when he entered into a polygamous second marriage, due to his first wife (the High Septon's own niece) being barren.  Aenys presented Maegor with a choice between setting aside his second marriage or going into exile at Pentos for five years, and Maegor chose the latter.  Subsequently, Aenys announced that his eldest son Aegon and eldest daughter Rhaena would wed each other - a major blunder which caused the High Septon to denounce him.  At the same time, Aenys also announced that his son Aegon would now hold the new official title "Prince of Dragonstone", now formally used to refer to the king's heir.  This signified a rejection of Maegor's claims to the throne - which were already fading due to Aenys having three sons and two daughters.  Thus despite being Aegon the Conqueror's first son and heir for many years, Aenys himself never held the title "Prince of Dragonstone".{{TWOIAF| The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I}}<ref>A first-run print of ''The World of Ice and Fire'' includes a mention of Aenys I as "the Prince of Dragonstone", but this was [http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?title=Aenys_I_Targaryen&action=edit&section=4 confirmed] to be a print error and corrected in subsequent versions.</ref>
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Not every Targaryen monarch held the title "Prince of Dragonstone" before coming to the throne, such as in times when there were several deaths in rapid succession so a younger son instantly succeeded to the throne.
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The title Prince of Dragonstone was only official during the Targaryen dynasty. After the [[War of the Usurper]], which ended Targaryen rule, the title was no longer officially used. Dragonstone was granted to [[Stannis Baratheon]] as his personal seat, and he is known as Lord of Dragonstone, a title the Targaryens had also used prior to Aegon's Conquest.  The Targaryens in exile still nominally maintained the title, however:  Viserys I's younger sister and only heir [[Daenerys Targaryen]] was formally styled "Princess of Dragonstone" during his lifetime.
  
 
==Recent Events==
 
==Recent Events==

Revision as of 22:44, 9 January 2017

Dragonstone castle, seat of the Princes of Dragonstone

Prince of Dragonstone or, in some cases, Princess of Dragonstone, was the title of the heir apparent to the Iron Throne during the Targaryen dynasty. The heir apparent's seat was the island castle of Dragonstone. Younger siblings could receive Summerhall and be known as the Prince of Summerhall.[1]

History

After Aegon I Targaryen conquered the Seven Kingdoms, he set about constructing a new capital city at King's Landing. Aegon himself actually spent much of his reign making royal progresses around his new realm, and he took his eldest son Aenys Targaryen with him. Aegon's younger son Maegor Targaryen, however, remained on Dragonstone with his mother Visenya.

After Aegon I eventually died, Aenys was crowned king and continued to rule from King's Landing, and the still under-construction Red Keep. Maegor remained on Dragonstone, and thus became commonly referred to as "the Prince on Dragonstone", or "the Prince of Dragonstone", and the informal phrase became commonly used to refer to the current monarch's heir.

Maegor eventually came into conflict with the Faith of the Seven and Aenys, however, when he entered into a polygamous second marriage, due to his first wife (the High Septon's own niece) being barren. Aenys presented Maegor with a choice between setting aside his second marriage or going into exile at Pentos for five years, and Maegor chose the latter. Subsequently, Aenys announced that his eldest son Aegon and eldest daughter Rhaena would wed each other - a major blunder which caused the High Septon to denounce him. At the same time, Aenys also announced that his son Aegon would now hold the new official title "Prince of Dragonstone", now formally used to refer to the king's heir. This signified a rejection of Maegor's claims to the throne - which were already fading due to Aenys having three sons and two daughters. Thus despite being Aegon the Conqueror's first son and heir for many years, Aenys himself never held the title "Prince of Dragonstone".Template:TWOIAF[2]

Not every Targaryen monarch held the title "Prince of Dragonstone" before coming to the throne, such as in times when there were several deaths in rapid succession so a younger son instantly succeeded to the throne.

The title Prince of Dragonstone was only official during the Targaryen dynasty. After the War of the Usurper, which ended Targaryen rule, the title was no longer officially used. Dragonstone was granted to Stannis Baratheon as his personal seat, and he is known as Lord of Dragonstone, a title the Targaryens had also used prior to Aegon's Conquest. The Targaryens in exile still nominally maintained the title, however: Viserys I's younger sister and only heir Daenerys Targaryen was formally styled "Princess of Dragonstone" during his lifetime.

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

From her birth until the death of her brother, Daenerys Targaryen uses the title Princess of Dragonstone, as heir of Viserys Targaryen, who is the claimant to the Iron Throne.

Known Princes of Dragonstone

During the reign of King Prince of Dragonstone Period Notes
Aegon I Aenys Targaryen[3] Unknown - 37 AC First to hold the title Prince of Dragonstone. It is unknown when exactly King Aegon I bestowed this title on his heir.
Aenys I Maegor Targaryen[4] 37 AC - 41 AC Prince of Dragonstone despite not being Aenys' heir. Maegor and his mother Visenya had been living on Dragonstone during the years before.
Aegon Targaryen[4] 41 AC - 42 AC Upon the exile of Prince Maegor, King Aenys I's eldest son was named Prince of Dragonstone when he wed in 41 AC. Despite being still alive upon the death of his father, Prince Aegon did not succeed Aenys to the throne. Aenys' half-brother, Maegor, instead ascended the throne, and a war between Aegon and Maegor followed, leading to Aegon's death in 43 AC.
Maegor I Aerea Targaryen[5] 47 AC - 48 AC Maegor had no living children of his own. Upon his marriage to Princess Rhaena Targaryen, he named Rhaena's eldest daughter Aerea as his heir, until he had sons of his own.
Jaehaerys I Aemon Targaryen.[6][7] Unknown - 92 AC
Baelon Targaryen[6][7] 92 AC - 101 AC Prince Baelon, Jaehaerys's next eldest son, became heir upon the death of his brother Aemon, having been chosen over Aemon's daughter, Princess Rhaenys.
Viserys Targaryen[6][7] 101 AC - 103 AC Prince Viserys, Prince Baelon's eldest son, was proclaimed Jaehaerys's heir by a Great Council, instead of Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, Prince Aemon's daughter, or Laenor Velaryon or Laena Velaryon, the children of Princess Rhaenys.
Viserys I[7] Rhaenyra Targaryen 103 AC - 129 AC Rhaenyra's position as Princess of Dragonstone was ignored upon the death of her father, King Viserys I Targaryen. Her younger half-brother, Aegon, was crowned King instead.
Rhaenyra I Jacaerys Velaryon[8] 129 AC - 129 AC Despite Rhaenyra's rule never being officially recognized, Rhaenyra did possess Dragonstone, and upon her own coronation, named her eldest son, Prince Jacaerys, Prince of Dragonstone.
Joffrey Velaryon[8][9] 129 AC - 130 AC
Aegon III Daeron Targaryen[10] 143 AC - 157 AC -
Daeron I Baelor Targaryen 157 AC - 161 AC Although married, Daeron left no children.
Baelor I None 161 AC - 171 AC Despite the fact that Baelor had his marriage set aside as soon as he was able to do so, he had not named an heir. Upon his death, without issue of his own, the lords of the realm eventually decided to give the crown to Prince Viserys, Baelor's uncle and Hand, instead of Princess Daena, Baelor's eldest sister, and once his wife.
Viserys II Aegon Targaryen[11] 171 AC - 172 AC -
Aegon IV Daeron Targaryen[12] 172 AC - 184 AC -
Daeron II Baelor Targaryen[13][12] 184 AC - 209 AC -
Valarr Targaryen 209 AC - 209 AC Valarr, and his younger brother Matarys, both died during the Great Spring Sickness, as did King Daeron II.
Aerys I Rhaegel Targaryen[14] 209 AC - 215 AC
Aelor Targaryen[14] 215 AC - 217 AC
Maekar Targaryen[14] 217 AC - 221 AC
Maekar I[15] Daeron Targaryen 221 AC - Unknown Daeron died in an unknown year due to pox. He preferred to be styled as "Prince of Summerhall".[15]
Aerion Targaryen Unknown - 232 AC Aerion drank himself to death with a cup of wildfire in 232 AC. Maekar failed to name a new Prince of Dragonstone before his own death in 233 AC, leading to the Great Coucil to eventually decide on Maekar's successor in 233 AC.
Aegon V Duncan Targaryen[16] 233 AC - 239 AC Duncan renounced his rights to the throne when he married Jenny of Oldstones.
Jaehaerys Targaryen[16] 239 AC - 259 AC -
Jaehaerys II Aerys Targaryen[17] 259 AC - 262 AC -
Aerys II Rhaegar Targaryen[18] 262 AC - 283 AC Last official Prince of Dragonstone.
Viserys Targaryen[19] 283 AC - 283 AC Prince Viserys was proclaimed King on Dragonstone after news of the deaths of his father, brother and nephew reached Dowager Queen Rhaella Targaryen.

Whilst Aegon II Targaryen is recorded in history as the official monarch of the Seven Kingdoms from King Viserys I's death in 129 AC until his own death in 131 AC, he is not mentioned to have declared a Prince or Princess of Dragonstone, despite having had three children and three brothers. Since during most of that time period Dragonstone was in possession of Rhaenyra Targaryen, who, as the declared heir of King Viserys I, had crowned herself Queen, it might be that Aegon II did not feel he could declare a Prince of Princess of Dragonstone until the castle was conquered. Rhaenyra, however, acknowledged several Princes of Dragonstone during this time. Dragonstone came in the possession of Aegon II in late 130 AC.[8][9] Whether he declared his sole surviving child, Princess Jaehaera Targaryen, the Princess of Dragonstone after this, is currently unknown.

During the Baratheon Dynasty

After Robert's Rebellion, the Targaryen dynasty was at an end. The title "Prince of Dragonstone" has not been used by House Baratheon of King's Landing. Instead, Dragonstone was granted to Lord Stannis Baratheon as his personal seat. He now rules Dragonstone as the Lord of Dragonstone, a title which had also been used by the Targaryens prior to Aegon's Conquest.

However, two children of King Aerys II still remain. Viserys Targaryen, who had been crowned on Dragonstone prior to its fall,[20] named his young sister Daenerys Targaryen, as his sole heir, the Princess of Dragonstone.[21] After Viserys' death, Daenerys declared herself Queen. She has not yet named a new heir.

References and Notes

  1. A Song of Ice and Fire Campaign Guide
  2. A first-run print of The World of Ice and Fire includes a mention of Aenys I as "the Prince of Dragonstone", but this was confirmed to be a print error and corrected in subsequent versions.
  3. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon I.
  4. 4.0 4.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aenys I.
  5. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maegor I.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 The Rogue Prince.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 The Princess and the Queen.
  9. 9.0 9.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon II.
  10. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon III.
  11. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV.
  12. 12.0 12.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II.
  13. The Hedge Knight.
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys I.
  15. 15.0 15.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Maekar I.
  16. 16.0 16.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon V.
  17. The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands: House Lannister Under the Dragons.
  18. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II.
  19. The World of Ice & Fire, The Fall of the Dragons: The End.
  20. George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Rhaella Targaryen.
  21. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 3, Daenerys I.