All 18 Targaryen monarchs in Game of Thrones history, ranked worst to best
17. Maegor the Cruel
The son of Aegon the Conqueror and Visenya Targaryen, Maegor usurped the throne from the true heir, his nephew Aegon the Uncrowned. Maegor is regarded as one of the worst kings in Westerosi history on account of his authoritarianism and disregard for traditions. He was a cunning warrior who enjoyed violence, cruelty and dominating his opponents. Although he did not initially possess a dragon, after his father Aegon died, Maegor bonded with Balerion the Black Dread, which effectively made him the most powerful man in the realm.
Due to his illegitimate coronation and insistence on taking multiple wives, Maegor was constantly at odds with the Faith of the Seven. During a Trial of the Seven with the Faith Militant, Maegor defeated his enemies but was put in a coma for about a month. When he awoke, he mounted Balerion and burned the Sept of Remembrance to the ground. He also threatened to burn the main Sept in Oldtown if the Faith did not stop pestering him about his marriages.
Aegon the Uncrowned openly disputed Megor’s by leading a rebel force to King’s Landing on his dragon Quicksilver. Maegor easily dispatched of his nephew with Balerion, securing his rule for the time being.
One of the few good things Maegor did was oversee the completion of the Red Keep. However, even this feat was tainted with dishonor, as Maegor had all of the builders executed when the castle was finished to keep knowledge of its hidden passages secret.
Maegor created a lot of enemies during his six-year rule Eventually, the lords of Westeros had enough and threw their support behind Jaehaerys Targaryen, the last surviving grandson of the Conqueror. Facing enemies from all corners, Maegor retired to the throne room one night after planning with his war council. He was found the next morning impaled on the Iron Throne with his wrists cut. The circumstances of his death will never be known, but given how unpopular Maegor was, it is likely someone murdered him.
The only reason Maegor is not 17th on this list is because he was succeeded bythe greatest king in Westerosi history, but we’ll get to him later.