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Since the moment HBO announced A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to be a part of its roster in 2023, the Targaryens were put in the spotlight once again. And this time, the Targaryens were more visible than ever, thanks to the House of the Dragon, which gave us an insight into one of the most powerful families in the Seven Kingdoms.
An undeniably captivating saga, the Targaryens advanced from the fiery period of House of the Dragon to the morally ambiguous world of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. These two narrations, which are set in the midst of the most restless royal house of Westeros, are already more than a hundred years apart in the timeline created by George R.R. Martin.
The timeline of House of the Dragon is around 170-200 years before Game of Thrones, and it mainly traces back to the Dance of the Dragons, which is around 129-131 AC, and Game of Thrones starts in 298 AC.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place 80–90 years before Game of Thrones, during and after the rule of King Daeron II Targaryen, especially starting from around 209 AC. It is thus almost a century after the House of the Dragon events and about 90 years before Game of Thrones.
The two series present different epochs of Targaryen power and are divided by more than a hundred years in the fictional timeline of Westeros. The Targaryen lineage is the link between the two timelines and demonstrates the vastness of power, conflict, and prophecy.
The Targaryen line of power before A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Long before the saga of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms unfolded, King Aegon IV Targaryen, who later became infamously known as “Aegon the Unworthy”, reigned with scandal and extravagance, which would eventually cause permanent rifts within the family.
His rule (around 160–184 AC), narrated in The World of Ice and Fire and Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, witnessed the birth of the infamous “Great Bastards,” which were the illegitimate children of the Targaryens whose royal blood would result in conflicts lasting for decades.
The legitimate heir of Aegon IV, Daeron II, was from his wedlock with Naerys Targaryen. Nevertheless, Aegon IV’s numerous love affairs produced illegitimate children, whom he later accepted as his own on his deathbed. This caused a great disturbance in the already turbulent land and an ensuing conflict.
Brynden Rivers (later called Bloodraven), Daemon Blackfyre, and Aegor Rivers (nicknamed Bittersteel) were some of them. Daemon’s claim as a legitimate son and challenge to the throne led to the Blackfyre Rebellion, which was the main civil strife in Westeros during the early 200s AC.
After King Aegon IV’s death, Daeron II Targaryen, who would later be known as “the Good,” took over the Iron Throne. A man of diplomacy and wisdom, Daeron II brought together Dorne and the kingdom of his father through marriage and treaty rather than war, thus putting an end to the unrest of his father’s reign. His reign, which paved the way for a more admirable time, is the backdrop to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
King Daeron II’s generation and the age of peace
In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, King Daeron II Targaryen married Princess Myriah Martell of Dorne, thus forming a union between the two dynasties. They had four sons, namely Baelor "Breakspear," Aerys, Rhaegel, and Maekar, who each could be said to exhibit one of the many sides of the Targaryen character.
Baelor was the epitome of knight and lover, Aerys was the more mystical one, Rhaegel was considered to be unstable or sickly, and Maekar was the powerful and skilled fighter.
Daeron II's half-brother, Brynden "Bloodraven" Rivers, one of the Great Bastards who was legitimized by King Aegon IV, was a trustworthy and skilled spymaster. Later on, he became the magical Three-Eyed Raven in the broader legendarium, who is familiar to the viewers of Game of Thrones.
The time of Daeron II's rule in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is characterized by stability and peace in Westeros, though interpersonal competition and subtle tensions still linger. This political intricacy creates a conducive atmosphere for The Hedge Knight and the Dunk & Egg stories, which begin around 209 AC when Daeron II is still on the throne, but his successors are already grappling with issues related to legacy, power, and the shifting of times.
Prince Baelor “Breakspear” and the Ashford tragedy
Prince Baelor, the firstborn of King Daeron II, was both the Hand of the King and the Prince of Dragonstone. His wife was Lady Jena Dondarrion, and they had two sons, Valarr and Matarys Targaryen. Unfortunately, both infants succumbed to the Great Spring Sickness soon after Baelor's death, during which the disease ravaged the population.
Baelor is remembered for his truthfulness, nobility, and cleverness. He was among the knights who supported the title of Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and also one of the champions in the trial by seven that followed the confrontation between Dunk and Prince Aerion Targaryen. This incident occurred at the Tourney at Ashford Meadow in 209 AC.
During the melee, Baelor, who was advising Dunk’s team and was fighting bravely, was accidentally hit on the head with a mace by his brother Maekar, and he died instantly.
Baelor's death had a profound impact on the Targaryen succession. His death at the trial of Ashford Meadow not only brought the line of his younger brother Maekar closer to the throne but also indicated a change in the political power of the kingdom's ruling family.
This incident is a major theme in the tale of The Hedge Knight, the first novella of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, also referred to as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Prince Maekar’s branch: The future of the Targaryen line
With Baelor dead, Aerys childless, and the uncertain status of Rhaegel led to Maekar, the fourth son, being the next legitimate heir. Maekar was a warrior and lord (Prince of Summerhall) with experience and, therefore, a suitable choice as ruler.
Maekar Targaryen was the main character of the Dunk & Egg stories. A strict and seasoned warrior prince, Maekar tied the knot with Dyanna Dayne of Starfall, thus connecting the family with one of Dorne's oldest clans. Their children are the ones who represent the most important periods in Targaryen history:
Daeron "the Drunken": He was approached by the dreams of dragons, which were very much like the prophetic visions that Targaryens used to have.
Aerion "Brightflame": A person full of himself and very cruel, his arrogance takes him to his early death.
Aemon Targaryen: An intellectual who relinquishes all his rights to the crown, later on becoming Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch, a character in Game of Thrones.
Aegon "Egg" Targaryen: The simple and merciful; he becomes Duncan's squire and ultimately King Aegon V Targaryen ("Aegon the Unlikely").
Daella and Rhae Targaryen: Maekar's daughters, who are involved in the family's story in a minor but emotional capacity.
It is through Maekar's lineage that the Targaryen saga makes a transition from an era of royal splendor to the silent strength of Aegon and his mentor, Dunk.
Events and legacy of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place in the year 209 AC, during King Daeron II Targaryen's reign. By then, the dragons have become extinct, and the politics of the court have completely changed, and the realm is now ruled by chivalry and court decisions instead of fire.
The central character of the story is Dunk, a hedge knight of low status known as Ser Duncan the Tall, who is assigned to serve the youngest grandson of Daeron II, Aegon “Egg” Targaryen. Their bonds of friendship constitute a complete turn from the previous generations of Targaryens, characterized by their proud arrogance and hot-headedness, as the current one expresses in friendship and equality.
The novellas depicting Dunk & Egg (The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight) unravel the background of events that paved the way for the short reign and sorrows of King Aegon V (Egg), eventually leading to his tragic death at the Tragedy at Summerhall around 259 AC, which left a serious mark on the Targaryen dynasty. This tragedy was tied to the destruction of the dragon hatching, which ultimately led to the extinction of the dragons in Westeros.
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The passing of Aegon V occurs before his three grandsons, including Aerys II (the “Mad King”) and Rhaella, mother of Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones. This succession binds together the intricate and politically charged histories spanning both House of the Dragon, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and Game of Thrones.
The Dunk & Egg saga is indicative of that pivotal moment in history when the Westerosi dragons' divine fire became almost extinct and, human morality and power plays, though still very weak, took center stage. This period slowly connected the fiery little wars of the House of the Dragon to the more sinister, yet political intrigues of the Targaryen reign of later years.
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