Aegon II Targaryen

Aegon II Targaryen
Biographical information
Born	113 AC (age 19) Red Keep, King's Landing
Political information
House(s)	Targaryen
Affiliation(s)	Greens
Title(s)	King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men (disputed) Lord of the Seven Kingdoms (disputed) Protector of the Realm (disputed)
Personal information
Also known as	Aegon the Usurper
Culture	Valyrian
Religion	Faith of the Seven
Father	{Viserys I Targaryen}
Mother	Alicent Hightower
Spouse(s)	Helaena Targaryen
Issue	Trueborn: {Jaehaerys Targaryen} Jaehaera Targaryen Bastard(s)
Personal arms	Green, a gold three-headed dragon
World of Westeros
Series	House of the Dragon
Season(s)	1 · 2
Appeared in	9 episodes (see below)
First seen in	"Second of His Name"
Portrayed by	Tom Glynn-Carney Ty Tennant (adolescent) Unidentified (infant)

"I wish to spill blood, not ink."

―Aegon II Targaryen

King Aegon II Targaryen is the sixth King of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men and Lord of the Seven Kingdoms. His rule is disputed by his older half-sister, Rhaenyra Targaryen. He is the firstborn son of King Viserys I Targaryen and his second wife, Queen Alicent Hightower, and a member of the Targaryen dynasty. He is the rider of the dragon Sunfyre.

Biography

Background

Aegon was born in 113 AC, roughly a year after his parents' marriage in King's Landing and the tenth year of his father's rule. He has an elder half-sister, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the daughter of King Viserys's first wife, Queen Aemma Arryn, and three younger full siblings through his mother Alicent: Princess Helaena, Prince Aemond, and Prince Daeron Targaryen.

Until his sudden ascension to the throne orchestrated by the Green Council, Aegon was seventh-in-line to succeed to the Iron Throne, after Rhaenyra and her five children and his half-nephews, Princes Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey Velaryon, and Princes Aegon Targaryen the Younger and Prince Viserys Targaryen.

House of the Dragon: Season 1

Aegon on his second nameday.

The realm celebrates Aegon's second nameday with a royal hunt in the Kingswood. During a gathering shortly before the hunt, Hobert Hightower pressures his brother Otto—who serves as the Hand of the King—to convince Viserys to name Aegon his heir. Hobert later openly hails the prince as "Aegon the Conqueror-Babe, Second of His Name."

During the outing, the Royal Huntsman tracks a white hart, considered a magical creature and a symbol of royalty, contributing to Viserys's doubts about previously naming Rhaenyra his heir in a very public ceremony. To the king's relief, however, the stag that they finally catch is not a white one.

When Otto proposes a marriage between Aegon and Rhaenyra, this at first amuses then angers the king, who is already exhausted with the constant politicking by his Small Council and the other lords present, including Jason Lannister who brazenly declares his assumption that Aegon will soon be named heir.

The day after the hunt, Otto pressures Alicent to discuss the succession with Viserys. She does not bring up the subject in her next conversation with him, however.

Mummers spread the sentiment that Aegon is the rightful heir.

The following year, Rhaenyra and her uncle Daemon watch a mummer's farce about the succession performed on the Street of Silk in King's Landing. The majority of the spectators appear to favor Aegon as heir, echoing the lead mummer's question that Rhaenyra would be a feeble queen.

After being dismissed as Hand of the King, Otto bluntly tells Alicent that if Rhaenyra inherits the throne, war will follow and Alicent and her children will be put to the sword. He urges her to prepare Aegon to rule.

Ten years later, a now teenaged Aegon accompanies his brother Aemond and Rhaenyra's sons Jacaerys and Lucerys Velaryon to the Dragonpit, and watches as Jace is trained by the Dragonkeepers to command his young dragon Vermax. Aegon, Jace, and Luke tell Aemond, the only boy yet without a dragon, that they found one for him. The three boys then bring out a pig that they have decorated with wings and make fun of Aemond with squealing noises. Aegon is later scolded in private by his mother, who tells him that he must treat his brother respectfully in public, for one day he will be king. When Aegon claims that he has no plans to challenge Rhaenyra's succession, Alicent rebukes him, telling her son that he himself already is the challenge, and that Rhaenyra will have to kill him and his brother to secure her claim.

Aegon fights Jace.

Aegon later trains in the courtyard of the Red Keep alongside Aemond, Jace, and Luke under Ser Criston Cole. Aegon demonstrates proficiency with a sword against a strawman, but he and Aemond are easily bested by Criston. Criston later has Aegon knock Jace to the ground and relentlessly attack him, but Ser Harwin Strong intervenes, grabbing Aegon and pushing him aside, angering the young prince.

Aegon laments his betrothal to his sister, Helaena.

Aegon is present alongside Viserys, Alicent, Helaena, Aemond, and the rest of the royal family for the funeral of his aunt, Laena Velaryon, at Driftmark. During the funeral reception after, Aegon and his brother watch their sister Helaena study a spider, and they argue over Aegon's betrothal to and dislike of their sister, with him stating Helaena is an idiot and that they have nothing in common. Aemond defends Helaena by reminding Aegon that she is their sister and his future queen. When Aegon suggests Aemond should marry Helaena if he is willing to defend her, Aemond says that if he were betrothed to Helaena, he would do his duty to keep their Valyrian blood pure. Aegon finishes the argument by quipping that he and Helaena do share at least an attraction to things with long legs, before grabbing more wine and leaving to flirt with a servant.

Aegon continues to get drunk on wine through the funeral reception into the evening. He is eventually found by his grandfather, Ser Otto Hightower, inebriated on a flight of steps near the reception area. Exasperated at his behavior, Otto roughly grabs Aegon, who in his drunken confusion believes him to be his brother. Otto then drags Aegon back to the reception area and sends him to bed, while his brother Aemond and the assembled court look on.

Aegon confesses to his father that everyone knows about the illegitimacy of Rhaenyra's children.

Later that evening, Aegon is present in the Hall of Nine with his mother and sister, as Aemond's eye injury is tended to by Maester Kelvyn, while Viserys angrily questions his Kingsguard how they allowed the fight between his son and his grandchildren and nieces to happen. Alicent then angrily confronts Aegon on where he was before slapping and reprimanding him for getting drunk while his brother was harmed. When calls on Aemond to tell him where he heard the rumors about Jace and Luke's parentage, Aemond reluctantly says Aegon told him, baffling Aegon. When Viserys questions Aegon on where he heard the rumors, Aegon's only defense to his father's questioning is that everyone knows based on Jace and Luke's non-Valyrian features.

The following day, Aegon departs with his family from Driftmark, riding on his dragon Sunfyre, alongside Helaena on Dreamfyre and Aemond on Vhagar as they return home to King's Landing.

At some point after this, Aegon and Helaena are wed to each other and have two children, Jaehaerys and Jaehaera.

Six years after Laena's funeral, Aegon rapes a household servant named Dyana as she is serving him wine. Furious, Alicent goes to see her son, who is lying in bed naked and heavily drunk. When Aegon says that he viewed it as "harmless fun" and that Dyana did not need to get upset, Alicent yells at him to stop with his womanizing as he is shaming their family. Aegon accuses his mother of wanting too much from him, and that despite how much pressure she and his father put on him, it will never be enough for them.

Aegon with his family in the Great Hall.

Later, Aegon and his family hear the petitions of Vaemond Velaryon and Rhaenyra, on behalf of Lucerys, over the succession to Driftmark. Aegon smiles when Viserys reaffirms Lucerys's right to Driftmark and is surprised when his uncle Daemon kills Vaemond for calling Rhaenyra's sons bastards.

Aegon drunkenly brawls with Luke.

Viserys gets the entire Targaryen family together for dinner that night. Fed up with Aegon, Alicent toasts Rhaenyra and says that she will be a fine queen. Aegon harasses Jace about his betrothal to their cousin Baela, joking that he can teach Jace about sex. When Aegon goes to flirt with Baela, Jace stands up but quickly calms himself and toasts his uncles. Helaena adds in, toasting Baela and Rhaena and indirectly taunting Aegon about their marriage. Aegon is further annoyed when Jace dances with Helaena. At the end of the feast, when a fight breaks out between Aemond and Jace, Aegon joins in by hitting Luke's head against the table before Alicent, Rhaenyra, and Daemon break the fight up.

On his deathbed, Viserys, thinking he is talking to Rhaenyra, tells Alicent that Aegon's prophetic dream is true and that she will be the one to save the realm. Believing that Viserys means their son, Alicent is reinvigorated in her goal to get Aegon on the throne.

What Alicent does not know, however, is that members of the Small Council, including her father, have been plotting to put Aegon on the throne for years despite Viserys's steadfast support of Rhaenyra. When their plans are complete, the king-to-be is nowhere to be found. Otto sends Arryk and Erryk Cargyll to find Aegon and bring the prince to him, while Alicent sends Criston Cole and Aemond to find him for the same purpose.

A bastard child fathered by Aegon.

While in a fighting pit that enslaves young children, Arryk and Erryk find a child who they believe is one of Aegon's bastards. Eventually, they are approached by Jayne, a woman who claims to know where Aegon is, and they are taken to her employer Mysaria, also known as the White Worm. She reveals to Otto that she orchestrated the kidnapping of Aegon the previous night, and tells the Cargylls where to find him in exchange for the Crown cracking down on the child fighting pits.

Aegon attempts to flee being crowned.

They travel to the Grand Sept, where they find Aegon asleep underneath a shrine. When they go outside with the drunken prince to bring him to Otto, they are stopped by Criston and Aemond, who had picked up their trail. Aegon tries to escape, but Aemond tackles him. Aegon is shocked to learn from his brother that his mother and her allies have plotted to make him king, and expresses his wish to leave Westeros to stay out of everyone's political games. When Aemond puts him in a headlock, Aegon loudly pronounces that he is unfit to rule and he doesn't want the crown.

Aegon and Alicent on their way to the coronation.

Regardless of his wishes, Aegon's coronation takes place the next day in the Dragonpit. On the way there, he questions his mother on whether Viserys's alleged wish for Aegon to succeed him is genuine, as he had refused to name Aegon his heir for twenty years, even over the blood of his relatives. Alicent presents him with Viserys's Valyrian steel dagger, but Aegon, after being told not to kill Rhaenyra as Otto wishes, asks if his mother truly loves him, to which she replies "you imbecile."

Aegon relishes in the cheers of the smallfolk as he is crowned.

Aegon is anointed by Septon Eustace and crowned by Criston Cole with his ancestor Aegon the Conqueror's crown as King Aegon II, usurping Rhaenyra. He turns to see the crowd cheering for him. He draws Blackfyre, the ancestral sword of House Targaryen, and starts to celebrate his new, previously unwanted, kingship. But at that point, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen bursts through the floor astride her dragon Meleys, and Alicent steps in front of Aegon to protect him, but Rhaenys spares Aegon and his family and flees to Dragonstone to warn Rhaenyra.

House of the Dragon: Season 2

Aegon visits the royal chamber of his sister-wife Helaena, looking for his young son, Prince Jaehaerys. Upon realizing the child present with Helaena is his daughter, Princess Jaehaera, Aegon asks Helaena where Jahaerys is. When she asks why he needs him, Aegon announces his intention to take Jaehaerys with him to the Small Council, so he can learn, as the heir and future king, to rule. Helaena reacts awkwardly and says Jaehaerys might not want to be king one day, but reluctantly informs her brother-husband that Jaehaerys is in the castle library, as is his custom. As he leaves, Helaena says she is afraid: Aegon reassures her the Blacks would not dare attack the city with Vhagar present, but Helaena clarifies she's scared of the "rats." This confuses Aegon and her handmaids, as there are no rats around. Aegon jokes that his queen is "an enduring mystery" and departs.

Aegon finds and brings Jaehaerys with him to a following meeting of the Small Council. He is displeased when Otto Hightower informs him that the North and the Vale of Arryn have ignored his diplomatic embassies, insulting Lady Jeyne Arryn and Lord Cregan Stark as "cunts." Aegon pays little interest in the following proceedings, being more amused at watching Jaehaerys annoy Ser Tyland Lannister by stealing his marble of office. When Tyland begs someone to intercede, Aegon suggests Tyland should perhaps give Jaehaerys a pony ride. Dowager Queen Alicent intercedes, insisting there is important business to conduct, and Aegon grudgingly concedes, sending Jaehaerys off with one of his retainers.

Once Jaehaerys departs, the discussion turns to the Velaryon fleet's blockade of the Gullet and the strain it is putting on commerce in King's Landing. Aegon bitterly questions why they didn't just kill Rhaenyra when they had the chance; Otto, after briefly glaring at Alicent, who countermanded his plans to do just that, replies that the opportunity has been lost. The session is interrupted by the intrusion of Aemond; when Alicent asks what Aemond is doing, as he has no seat on the Council, Aegon clarifies that he invited Aemond to attend. When Aemond proposes seizing Harrenhal as a toehold for the Greens in the Riverlands, Aegon suggests he and Aemond take Vhagar and Sunfyre to force Lord Grover Tylly and the Riverlords into submission, and destroy the Velaryon blockade as an afterthought. Alicent and Ser Criston Cole both protest this plan; Criston citing Aegon would personally be exposing himself to the dangers of the battlefield, while Alicent insists Vhagar is needed to defend King's Landing from any retaliatory attack Rhaenyra might send to avenge her son Lucerys's death. Displeased, Aegon broods as Otto assures him their continuing diplomatic efforts will bear fruit, as tradition and historical precedent will bring more lords to his side.

Later that day, Aegon strides into the throne room, flanked by two knights of the Kingsguard and his cronies Martyn Reyne, Leon Estermont and Eddard Waters to preside over a session of court for the smallfolk. Reyne announces him as "Aegon the Magnanimous," baffling the King as to that particular word choice. The first petitioner is a shepherd called Jerard, who is clearly nervous at being before the King, for which Aegon gently reassures him he has no need to be. Jerard explains that the crown has taken a tenth of his flock, but this is a hardship now that summer has just ended. Aegon is willing to give him back his sheep, but Otto interjects that they recently started a tithe on all flocks in the Crownlands because their dragons need to eat more when they are more active in wartime or on patrol, and if Aegon returns one shepherd's flock, the rest will all want the same. Aegon still meekly asks if they could just give this one shepherd his flock back, because he came all this way and Aegon would appear callous to deny him, but Otto insists he must. Annoyed, Aegon has Jerard removed.

The next petitioner is a guildmaster, who explains the Velaryon fleet's blockade is disrupting shipments of salt from Essos needed to preserve food ahead of winter. Aegon dismisses the man by insisting he will soon send Vhagar to destroy the blockade. The third petitioner, a blacksmith named Hugh, asks that the city's smiths be paid in advance for their work, as their time is being taken up building scorpions to bolster the city's defenses, meaning they cannot take other work to support themselves. Aegon agrees, and overrides Otto's attempt to protest, insisting his cause's victory relies on the support of the smallfolk.

On his way back to his chambers after the court session, Aegon is intercepted by Lord Larys Strong. Larys obsequiously flatters the king by comparing his dealings with the smallfolk to the deft touch of his father and great-grandfather King Jaehaerys, and requests a private word. On a nearby balcony, Larys suggest Aegon might want to find a more forceful Hand than Otto, lest he is seen as his grandfather's puppet the same way Viserys was, giving Aegon pause.

Later that evening, Aegon lollops on the Iron Throne and drinks with his cronies, complaining that his grandfather and mother insist on smothering him, but praising Aemond's loyalty, as well as insisting he needs a new style, as none of the smallfolk know what "magnanimous" means, and he and his cronies bandy about potential new titles for him, oblivious to a pair of rat catchers passing through the throne room.

Later that night, Aegon's son, Jaehaerys, is murdered in retaliation for Lucerys. Upon being informed, a furious, grief-stricken Aegon smashes his father's model of Old Valyria to pieces, swearing vengeance on his son's killers, despite Martyn and Eddard's best efforts to calm him down. At a hastily convened session of the Green Council, a furious Aegon demands to know where his councillors were while their king was being threatened; when Tyland Lannister blithely asks if the king himself actually had been threatened, Aegon roars that he could easily have been the assassins' target, smashing Tyland's wine cup from his hand, before berating Criston for failing in his duties as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard to protect the royal family. Otto reassures Aegon they will find the person responsible, to which an astounded Aegon rages that Otto would consider the culprit is anyone other than Rhaenyra. He screams curses and insults at his half-sister, throwing a wine cup at the wall, before rounding on his mother, reminding Alicent she counselled him to spare Rhaenyra's life. When Larys interrupts to inform them that the City Watch have caught one of Jaehaerys's killers, Aegon declares he'll execute the man personally, but Otto countermands him and order Larys to interrogate the man further. Aegon is displeased, insisting they know their enemy, and when Lord Jasper Wylde insists they need to be sure Jaehaerys's murder was Rhaenyra's handiwork and not that of some unknown enemy, Aegon insinuates that any member of his council might be traitors.

When Otto declares his intention to spread word of the Prince's death across the realm to blame Rhaenyra for his murder, Aegon outright refuses, wanting no word of his son's murder to leave the Red Keep, leest he be seen as weak. Otto counters that Aegon is already seen as weak, prompting a furious outburst directed at him from the King. Once Aegon has subsided, Otto explains that the haste of his coronation and the devastation Rhaenys and Meleys wrought at the event is being seen as some by an omen that Rhaenyra should have been Queen. Grand Maester Orwyle concludes that Otto intends to brand Rhaenyra a child-killer to counter such whispers on the streets. Otto continues that he intends to give Jaehaerys a public funeral progress, attended by his grieving mother and grandmother, so the smallfolk and the realm can see for themselves. Aegon flatly refuses, appalled at the idea of making a public spectacle of his son's death, but Otto insists it would be an honored procession for Jahaerys, culminating with his cremation at the Dragonpit as befitting a Targaryen prince. Otto adds that the Great Houses who have declared for Rhaenyra might rethink their allegiances when they learn what she is capable of, assuring Aegon that allowing this will increase his support in the coming war. Aegon looks to his mother, who gently speaks in favor of the plan. Once Otto agrees the King should be spared attending such a spectacle, Aegon gives his consent.

Following Larys completing his interrogation of Blood, Aegon comes to Blood's cell and personally executes him with a mace. Following Jaehaerys's funeral procession, Aegon encounters his sister-wife Helaena on the stairs; the pair exchange a look but Aegon, not knowing what to say to her in the wake of their son's death, walks past her in silence.

At some point, Larys informs Aegon that Blood had an accomplice in killing his son one of the Red Keep's rat catchers. Unable to identify the guilty individual, Aegon orders every one of the castle's rat catchers executed and their bodies hanged from the city walls as a warning. An appalled Otto, upon learning of this, storms into Aegon's personal chambers and demands an explanation. When Aegon blithely admits to ordering the executions, Otto berates him as an idiot. Ser Criston Cole rebukes Otto for his disrespectful tone, but Otto stands by his denunciation of his grandson, as Aegon's brutal action has destroyed any goodwill and sympathy the Greens gained from the smallfolk following Jaehaerys's murder (along with Otto's hard work to win it), and ensured the Great Houses backing Rhaenyra who might have wavered will stand firm with her now they've seen Aegon is just as cruel and vindictive. Aegon, announcing his desire to "spill blood, not ink," fires back that at least he and Criston have acted in response to his son's murder, as opposed to Otto's "wailing and currying favor with the fishwives", to which a wary Otto asks what Criston has done. Aegon replies that Criston has despatched Ser Arryk Cargyll to Dragonstone, disguised as his twin, to infiltrate the castle and assassinate Rhaenyra. An appalled Otto castigates them both for not bothering to consult him or the Small Council with this ill-considered plan, which will only make them look like fools in their enemy's eyes. Otto rebukes Aegon for not being more judicious, forebearing and dignified like his late father.

"Fuck dignity! I want revenge!" Aegon insists, reminding Otto his father is dead. Otto agrees, noting that they are all poorer for the loss, and bitterly notes Viserys was right in believing Aegon unfit to be King. Angered, Aegon reminds Otto his father named him heir on his deathbed. Otto scoffs and sneers at his grandson, "Is that what you think?"

Outraged, Aegon orders Otto to resign his position as Hand of the King and hand his badge of office over to Criston Cole. Otto scoffs that Aegon wouldn't dare replace him, but a smirking Aegon makes it clear he is being serious; Otto was his father's Hand and an old man besides, whereas his new Hand "will be a steel fist". Otto warns Aegon he will regret this hasty decision, throws his badge at Criston's feet and storms out.

Personality

Aegon is a heavy drinker known to harass the women of the Red Keep. He is lazy and indifferent to his duties. As a teenager, he refused to behave as a prince is expected to. He also resents his mother's efforts to control his behavior and feels that no matter what he does in his life, his mother will never be happy or proud of him. As king, he is eager to prove himself as a leader. Despite seemingly having no regard for the bastards he fathered, Aegon loved his son Jaehaerys dearly, becoming devastated after his death, driving him to commit fully to war with Rhaenyra Targaryen.

Quotes

Spoken by Aegon

"Oh, it was just harmless fun."

―Aegon, to Alicent, about Dyana

"I did not ask for this. I've done everything you've asked me to, and I try so... I try so hard, but it will never be enough for you or father."

―Aegon to Alicent

"I have no wish to rule! No taste for duty! I'm not suited."

―Aegon, to Aemond, before his coronation

"My father never wanted this. [...] He had twenty years to name me heir and never did. Steadfastly, he upheld Rhaenyra's claim."

―Aegon, to Alicent, before his coronation

"I'll kill them! I'll kill them all! Traitors and villains! They dare strike at me! I am the king! I am the king! Traitors and villains! Fire from the sky. This is war! I declare war! I declare war!"

―Aegon upon hearing of the murder of his son Jaehaerys

"I wish to spill blood, not ink!"

―Aegon to Otto Hightower following his mass execution of the Red Keep's rat catchers

Spoken about Aegon

"The road ahead is uncertain, but the end is clear: Aegon will be king."

―Otto Hightower, to his daughter Alicent

"If Rhaenyra succeeds [Viserys], war will follow, do you understand? The realm will not accept her, and to secure her claim, she'll have to put your children to the sword. She'll have no choice. You know it! You're no fool, and yet you choose not to see it. The time is coming, Alicent. Either you prepare Aegon to rule, or you cleave to Rhaenyra and pray for her mercy!"

―Otto, to Alicent, about Aegon and his siblings

Alicent: "You are nearly a man grown. How is it so that you could be so short-sighted? If Rhaenyra comes into power, your very life could be forfeit. Aemond's as well. She could move to cut off any challenge to her succession."

Aegon: "Then I won't challenge—"

Alicent: "You are the challenge! You are the challenge, Aegon! Simply by living and breathing! You are the king's firstborn son, and what they know, what everyone in the realm knows, in their blood and in their bones, is that one day, you will be our king."

— Alicent, to Aegon

"You're no son of mine."

―Alicent, to Aegon

"I would rather feed my sons to the dragons than have them carry shields and cups for your drunken, usurper cunt of a king."

―Daemon Targaryen

"Aegon Targaryen sits the Iron Throne. He wears the Conqueror's crown, wields the Conqueror's sword, has the Conqueror's name. He was anointed by a septon of the Faith before the eyes of thousands. Every symbol of legitimacy belongs to him."

―Otto Hightower

Otto Hightower: "Idiot!"

Criston Cole: "Beware how you speak to your King, my lord."

Otto Hightower: "The King is my grandson and my grandson is a fool! He's worse than a fool! He's murdered innocent men!"

— Otto Hightower and Criston Cole following Aegon's mass execution of the Red Keep's ratcatchers

"None were more surprised to hear of Prince Aegon's succession than Prince Aegon himself."

―Viserys Targaryen

Family

Paternal

Rhaena Targaryen Deceased

Aegon Targaryen Deceased

Viserys Targaryen Deceased

Jaehaerys I Targaryen1 Deceased

Alysanne Targaryen Deceased

Vaella Targaryen Deceased

Aemon Targaryen Deceased

Jocelyn Baratheon Deceased

Rodrik Arryn Deceased

Daella Targaryen Deceased

Baelon Targaryen Deceased

Alyssa Targaryen Deceased

Corlys Velaryon

Rhaenys Targaryen

Aemma Arryn Deceased

Viserys I Targaryen2 Deceased

Alicent Hightower

Daemon Targaryen

Rhea Royce Deceased

Daemon Targaryen

Laena Velaryon Deceased

Laenor Velaryon3

Rhaenyra Targaryen2

Daemon Targaryen

Aegon II Targaryen

Helaena Targaryen

Aemond Targaryen

Daeron Targaryen

Baela Targaryen

Rhaena Targaryen

Jacaerys Velaryon

Lucerys Velaryon Deceased

Joffrey Velaryon

Aegon Targaryen

Viserys Targaryen

Jaehaerys Targaryen Deceased

Jaehaera Targaryen

¹ Jaehaerys had thirteen children in all. For simplicity, only the direct ancestors of future generations are on this family tree and they are not in the exact order of birth. The thirteen children in correct order are: Aegon, Daenerys, Aemon, Baelon, Alyssa, Maegelle, Vaegon, Daella, Saera, Viserra, Gaemon, Valerion, and Gael.

² Due to the nature of their respective births and deaths, Baelon Targaryen, son of Viserys and Aemma, and Visenya Targaryen, daughter of Rhaenyra and Daemon, are not included on this family tree.

³ While Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey are officially Laenor's, he and Rhaenyra never had any biological issue. Their three sons were in fact fathered by Harwin Strong.

Maternal

Hobert Hightower Deceased

Lynesse Hightower

Otto Hightower

Alyrie Florent Deceased

Ormund Hightower

Gwayne Hightower

Viserys I Targaryen Deceased

Alicent Hightower

Son(s)

Aegon II Targaryen

Helaena Targaryen

Aemond Targaryen

Daeron Targaryen

Jaehaerys Targaryen Deceased

Jaehaera Targaryen

Behind the scenes

On March 30, 2022, HBO announced that Tom Glynn-Carney had been cast in the role of Aegon Targaryen for House of the Dragon. His character description for Season 1 reads as follows:

"First-born son of King Viserys."

His character description for Season 2 reads as follows:

"The first-born son of the late King Viserys. A dragonrider that now sits the Iron Throne, Aegon is eager to prove himself as a leader."

In the books

Aegon II Targaryen by Roman "Amok" Papsuev.©

Aegon's personal arms in the books has a black field, rather than green.

In Fire & Blood, Aegon II Targaryen was the first child of Viserys I Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. He had an older half-sister, Rhaenyra, and three younger full-siblings: Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron. He was known to have a short temper and was slow to forgive perceived slights or failures.

Aegon, named after Aegon the Conqueror, was born in 106 AC in King's Landing. He resembled his father in appearance and was considered handsome, though his eyes had a sullen look and his mouth was pouty. Like his father he had a mustache, though his was wispy while Viserys's was bushy.

From the moment of Aegon's birth, tensions began to fester in court and realm, as King Viserys was determined that his eldest daughter Rhaenyra would succeed him. Prince Daemon, Aegon's uncle, was cool towards him and his brother Aemond, supposedly because their births had pushed him further down the line of succession, though he would later become Rhaenyra's staunchest supporter. Queen Alicent and her father Otto Hightower were the loudest voices in favor of Aegon being the king's heir. Otto pestered Viserys about the issue so much that the king stripped him of his office as Hand of the King and named Lyonel Strong in his stead. When Alicent proposed a marriage between Rhaenyra and Aegon, Viserys, knowing the motive behind the suggestion, had Rhaenyra married to Laenor Velaryon instead. The respective supporters of Aegon and Rhaenyra became known as the "queen's party" and the "party of the princess."

At Viserys and Alicent's fifth wedding anniversary, the queen's party and party of the princess became known as the greens and the blacks for the dresses that Alicent and Rhaenyra wore to the opening feast.

Alicent's sons and Rhaenyra's sons were forced to spend time together and bond, but they did not get along well due to the sentiment that Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey had stolen their birthright, and the rumors that the three boys were bastards fathered by Harwin Strong.

Aegon claimed the dragon Sunfyre by the age of 13, and at some point took a three-headed dragon gold on black as his personal sigil in his dragon's honor. In 120 AC, Rhaenyra and Daemon had a son they named Aegon, which was perceived as a slight against the elder Prince Aegon intended to lessen the significance of his name and imply that he was less worthy of the Conqueror's name.

By the age of 15 he was a heavy drinker and a glutton, lazy and somewhat sulky. He was known to pinch and fondle any serving girl who strayed within his reach. At the same age he was married to his younger sister Helaena, who gave birth to the twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera a year later. Aegon also fathered numerous bastards during his marriage.

At a feast on the first day of 127 AC, Aegon took offense at Jacaerys asking Helaena for a dance. They argued and might have fought if the Kingsguard had not intervened. The same year Aegon and Helaena had another son named Maelor.

A week after the death of King Viserys, who had secretly been left to rot in his room during that time while the greens prepared for Aegon's coronation, Aegon was summoned to the small council. However, he could not be found in his chambers. According to Munkun's True Telling, the prince was "at his revels." According to the testimony of the fool Mushroom, he was found drunk and naked in a Flea Bottom rat pit where feral children fought for his amusement while he was being pleasured by a young girl. Septon Eustace, known to portray Aegon in a more favorable light, claimed that Aegon was found abed with a well-kept paramour, a wealthy trader's daughter. He initially refused the crown, but Criston Cole convinced him that he and his brothers would be executed if Rhaenyra should take the throne. According to Eustace this is the only reason Aegon agreed to be crowned.

Weary of the greens' secrecy, Aegon demanded to be crowned immediately. He was anointed with the holy oils by Septon Eustace and crowned with Aegon the Conqueror's crown by Ser Criston Cole in the Dragonpit on the tenth day of the third moon of 129 AC.

Upon hearing of Rhaenyra's rival coronation at Dragonstone, Aegon demanded her head as well as Prince Daemon's. Grand Maester Orwyle offered to go to Dragonstone and offer peace terms to Rhaenyra; Aegon initially accused Orwyle of disloyalty and threatened the Grand Maester with imprisonment in the black cells, but grudgingly conceded to Orwyle's proposal when Alicent and Helaena spoke in favour of it. Rhaenyra refused the greens' terms, and the war of succession that followed would later become known as the Dance of the Dragons.

Appearances

• – "And Now His Watch Is Ended" (mentioned)
• – "The Red Keep" (illustrated)
• – "The Kingsguard - Bronn" (mentioned)
• – "The Death of Kings" (mentioned)
• – "The Dance of Dragons" (mentioned)
• The Dance of Dragons (illustrated)
• – "The Hand of the King" (illustrated)
• – "The Last Dragons" (illustrated)
• – "Second of His Name"
• – "King of the Narrow Sea" (mentioned)
• – "We Light the Way" (mentioned)
• – "The Princess and the Queen"
• – "Driftmark"
• – "The Lord of the Tides"
• – "The Green Council"
• – "The Black Queen" (mentioned)
• – "A Son for a Son"
• – "Rhaenyra the Cruel"
• – "The Burning Mill"

Forthcoming

• – "A Dance of Dragons" (unreleased)

External links

• Aegon II Targaryen on A Wiki of Ice and Fire (potential spoilers for House of the Dragon)
• Aegon II Targaryen on The Official Guide