The Great Houses of Game of Thrones
By rowankaiser
House Targaryen
House Words: “Fire And Blood”
House Sigil: A three-headed dragon
Location: Prior to Aegon’s Conquest, Dragonstone. After that, King’s Landing was their capital. Currently, Meereen in Slaver’s Bay.
Status at the start of Season 5: Daenerys Targaryen is the only known, legitimate Targaryen heir left alive. With a small, elite army and three young dragons, she rules the city of Meereen. Although her goal is the reconquest of the Seven Kingdoms, she has also declared that she wants to stay in Meereen until she learns how to rule.
Role in the War of the Five Kings: Viserys Targaryen and his ally Illyrio Mopatis arrange a marriage between Daenerys and Khal Drogo of the Dothraki, with the intention of building an army to retake Westeros. Viserys pushes his claim intolerably far, and the Dothraki execute him. As they plan to invade for Daenerys’ sake, Drogo is wounded, and the maegi Mirri Maz Duur promises to heal him. Instead her treatment leads to his death as well as the death of his and Daenerys’ son. Mirri is burned alive, in a process that hatches three dragon eggs for Daenerys.
The new Mother of Dragons travels to Qarth, where she gains no traction, so then turns her attention to Slaver’s Bay. There she burns the city of Astapor and seizes its Unsullied in addition to declaring slavery ended. Her revolution proceeds to Yunkai and Meereen. At Meereen, she realizes that revolution is insufficient on its own, and halts her march in that city in order to learn how to rule. With her dragons growing out of control, she chains two of them, though the black dragon, Drogon, remains free.
Role in Robert’s Rebellion: The Targaryen heir, Rhaegar, apparently kidnaps Robert Baratheon’s intended, Lyanna Stark. The Stark lords petition the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, for her return, and Aerys has them publicly murdered, then demands Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon from their warden, Jon Arryn. All three houses rebel, starting the war.
House Tyrell and House Martell join the throne, but they’re unable to defeat Robert before he consolidates his forces. At the Battle of the Trident, Robert slays Prince Rhaegar and routs the Targaryen armies. Former Hand Tywin Lannister marches his troops to King’s Landing, claiming to be there to protect the city. Once there, they sack King’s Landing and kill the Mad King as well as Rhaegar’s wife Elia Martell and their children. Prince Viserys Targaryen survives at Dragonstone, alongside the newly born Daenerys Targaryen, both of whom go into exile in Essos.
History: After the Doom of Valyria, the Targaryens consolidated their power—and their dragons—at Dragonstone. Three hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones, Aegon the Conqueror swept over most of Westeros, conquering everything in the current Seven Kingdoms save Dorne, which was later incorporated via marriage. The dragons disappeared over time, but the Targaryens held the throne.
Profile: Before the Doom of Valyria, the Targaryens fled to Westeros, bringing dragons and a tradition of incestual marriage. Though exiled, they still believe themselves rightful rulers.
House Lord: Daenerys Targaryen
Heir: There is no known heir, and with Dany potentially barren after the spell cast by Mirri Maz Duur, there may not be.
Family Members: Viserys Targaryen (deceased), Daenerys Targaryen, Khal Drogo (deceased), Aemon Targaryen
Retainers: Jorah Mormont, Missandei, Barristan Selmy, Daario Naharis, Grey Worm, Illyrio Mopatis, Mirri Maz Duur (deceased), Doreah (deceased), Irri (deceased), Rakharo (deceased)
Notable Vassals: Every house in Westeros—-in theory.