The Dance of the Dragons, a civil war in the Targaryen dynasty, significantly reduced their numbers, but a few Targaryens did survive this brutal conflict.
“There is no war so hateful to the Gods as a war between kin. And No War So Bloody As A War Between Dragons.”
Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen Who Never Was.
Here is a list of notable Targaryens who survived the Dance of the Dragons:
These individuals represent the primary Targaryen survivors of the Dance of the Dragons, and their survival was pivotal in the continuation of the Targaryen line.
- Aegon III Targaryen: Known as Aegon the Younger, he was the son of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Prince Daemon Targaryen. He became King of Westeros after the war and ruled for many years, striving to restore stability to the realm.
- Prince Viserys Targaryen: The younger brother of Aegon II Targaryen. He was imprisoned during much of the conflict but survived and later served as Hand of the King.
- Baela Targaryen: The daughter of Prince Daemon Targaryen and Lady Laena Velaryon. She survived the war and later married Prince Alyn Velaryon.
- Rhaena Targaryen: Baela’s twin sister, who also survived the conflict. She married Lord Corwyn Corbray and later, Lord Garmund Hightower.
- Lord Corlys Velaryon: Also known as the Sea Snake, Corlys played a significant role during the Dance of the Dragons, aligning himself with Rhaenyra Targaryen’s faction, the Blacks. After the fall of King’s Landing and the death of Rhaenyra Targaryen, Corlys was imprisoned by Aegon II. Upon the ascension of Aegon III, Rhaenyra’s son, Corlys Velaryon was released from prison. Recognizing his loyalty and importance, Aegon III pardoned him and appointed him as the Hand of the King. In this role, Corlys continued to serve the realm, contributing to the restoration of stability after the Civil War.
List of Targaryens that died during the Dance of Dragons and how they died:
1. King Viserys I Targaryen:
- Died: Peacefully in his sleep in 129 AC.
- Significance: His death precipitated the civil war as rival factions vied for the throne.
2. Prince Lucerys Velaryon:
- Died: 129 AC, killed by Aemond Targaryen at the Battle of Storm’s End.
- Circumstances: Lucerys was on a diplomatic mission to gain the support of House Baratheon when Aemond, riding Vhagar, attacked and killed him and his dragon Arrax.
3. Prince Joffrey Velaryon:
- Died: 130 AC during the Second Battle of Tumbleton.
- Circumstances: Joffrey attempted to ride his mother Rhaenyra’s dragon, Syrax, but fell to his death when the dragon was injured and threw him off.
4. Prince Jacaerys Velaryon:
- Died: 129 AC during the Battle of the Gullet.
- Circumstances: Jacaerys was leading a fleet when he and his dragon, Vermax, were shot down by crossbowmen.
5. Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen:
- Died: 130 AC, executed by Aegon II Targaryen.
- Circumstances: After being captured when King’s Landing fell, Rhaenyra was fed to Aegon II’s dragon, Sunfyre, in front of her son. She was 33 years old at the time.
6. Prince Daemon Targaryen:
- Died: 130 AC during the Battle Above the Gods Eye.
- Circumstances: Daemon fought his nephew Aemond Targaryen in a duel atop their dragons. Both dragons and riders died in the clash. Daemon’s body was never found.
7. Prince Aemond Targaryen:
- Died: 130 AC during the Battle Above the Gods Eye.
- Circumstances: Killed in the aerial duel with Daemon Targaryen.
8. King Aegon II Targaryen:
- Died: 131 AC.
- Circumstances: Poisoned by his own courtiers who wished to end his tyrannical rule and bring peace.
9. Helaena Targaryen:
- Died: 130 AC.
- Circumstances: Committed suicide by throwing herself from Maegor’s Holdfast in the Red Keep, though there are suspicions she was murdered.
10. Prince Maelor Targaryen:
- Died: 130 AC.
- Circumstances: Killed during a mob attack while attempting to escape with his guardian, Ser Rickard Thorne.
When and how did Alicent Hightower die?
Alicent Hightower, the queen consort of King Viserys I Targaryen and a central figure in the Dance of the Dragons, died in 133 AC.
After the end of the Dance of the Dragons, Alicent was imprisoned in the Red Keep by her stepson, King Aegon III Targaryen. She lived the last years of her life in confinement, a shadow of her former influential self. The once powerful queen, who had played a pivotal role in the civil war by supporting her son Aegon II’s claim to the throne against Rhaenyra Targaryen, faced a lonely and sombre end.
Alicent Hightower died during a great spring sickness that swept through King’s Landing in 133 AC. This illness claimed many lives, including several prominent figures, and Alicent was one of its victims. She passed away at the age of 52, her final years marked by isolation and the loss of her family and power.
How old was Rhaenyra Targaryen when she died?
Rhaenyra Targaryen was born in 97 AC and died in 130 AC. This means she was 33 years old at the time of her death.