House of the Dragon covers the internal struggle between members of the most powerful family in Westeros. The prequel narrows its focus significantly from Game of Thrones‘ continent-wide scope. House Targaryen enjoys the might of their dragons and the influence of their legacy, but the downside of a life beside the throne is constant conflict. Rhaneys Targaryen knows how it feels to be denied her destiny and to fight for someone else’s.
The central conflict of House of the Dragon arises from sexism. King Viserys I Targaryen has a daughter who has her eyes on the Iron Throne, but she’s passed over for her younger half-brother. In A Song of Ice and Fire, all but a few nobles are indefensible monsters driven mad by access to power and lust for more. There are almost no heroes, but some experience treatment that justifies some of their cruelty.
Who was Rhaenys Targaryen?
Princess Rhaenys Targaryen was born 74 years after Aegon’s Conquest. Her father was Prince Aemon Targaryen, and her mother was Lady Jocelyn Baratheon. Aemon’s father, King Jaehaerys I, openly proclaimed Aemon his chosen heir over his older sister. Queen Alyssane Targaryen considered that unfair, even as Jaehaerys planned to wed Aemon to his sister. Alyssane immediately dubbed newborn Rhaenys the next Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Rhaenys became a dragonrider at 13 years old. She selected Meleys, a swift she-dragon nicknamed the Red Queen. Rhaenys was gorgeous, bearing her mother’s black hair and her father’s lilac eyes. At 16, Rhaenys met and married Corlys Velaryon. Despite their chilling 21-year age difference, their marriage was not arranged. Rhaenys asked King Jaeharys for his blessing and received it. She became pregnant with their first child two years later. The same year, Aemon died, shot in the throat by a Myrish pirate.
With Aemon, Prince of Dragonstone, unexpectedly deceased, King Jaehaerys was obliged to select a new heir. Rhaenys was Aemon’s only child and the rightful heir to Dragonstone. Against the will of his wife and many Noble Houses, Jaehaerys selected Rhaenys’ uncle Baelon as his heir. This cut Rhaenys and her daughter Laena from the line of succession. Rhaenys and Corlys left King’s Landing in fury. Corlys abandoned his position on the small council and admiralship, bringing Rhaenys to his home in Driftmark. While there, they birthed a second child, their son Laenor. Baelon also died before he could ascend to the Iron Throne, passing suddenly and most likely from appendicitis. The duty fell again to King Jaehaerys to select an heir. He considered fourteen claims, including Rhaenys and her two children. He rejected Rhaenys and her children in favor of Baelon’s son, Viserys. Though many Lords supported Rhaenys or her kids, they were outnumbered twenty-to-one. Viserys’ court jester, Mushroom, dubbed Rhaenys “The Queen Who Never Was.” As a codicil, he added this cute little quip:
What did Viserys ever have that she did not? A little sausage? Is that all it takes to be a king?
How did Rhaenys Targaryen appear in House of the Dragon?
Eve Best portrays Princess Rhaenys in House of the Dragon. She’s a minor figure, but her harsh lessons are a godsend to her young second cousin, Rhaenyra. As the show opens, Viserys loses his first wife in childbirth. Rhaenys and Corlys see another opportunity to reach the Iron Throne. Corlys pushes Viserys to take Laena as his new bride, reinstating their branch and guaranteeing their grandchild a chance to take the Seven Kingdoms. Viserys refused, unwilling to wed a twelve-year-old at his advanced age. He married Allicent Hightower, again enraging Rhaenys and Corlys. Corlys steps away from his small council position, possibly for the second time. Viserys travels to his castle to make amends, eventually agreeing to marry Rhaenyra to their son, Leanor. Rhaenys explained her situation to Rhaenyra, sharing the experience of another woman passed over for her sex. In the upcoming second season of House of the Dragon, Rhaenys and Corlys will be critical to Rhaenyra’s quest for the Iron Throne.
Rhaenys Targaryen is a fascinating character. She’s the living embodiment of everything Rhaenyra wants to avoid. Though she has every quality that would make a person a skilled leader, the cruel men above her ignore her in favor of a long line of losers who happen to have the correct gender assigned at birth. Her and her husband’s anger is justified every time. The Seven Kingdoms will never know how they could have flourished under the Queen Who Never Was. Rhaenys’ consolation prizes were a happy marriage, unimaginable wealth, and a majestic legacy. Though she never attained the goal dangled above her, Rhaenys remains one of the most engaging and fascinating characters in the Targaryen line.
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