Chapter Text
Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, first of her name, ruled Westeros from 132 AC to 169 AC, for a total of thirty seven years, tying for the second longest reigning monarch in history with King Aegon the Conqueror, second only to King Jaehaerys I.
Her reign is known by all historians to be a time of great prosperity and peace. The smallfolk bestowed many fond titles upon her, dubbing her the Dragon Queen, the Realm’s Reliant, the Queen who Cares, and more.
It is also marked as the shift into the Great Targaryen dynasty. Queen Rhaenyra, her son and heir Prince Jacaerys Targaryen, and her wife Queen Mysaria proved to be all immensely skilled in political negotiation.
Queen Mysaria, having been born in Yi-Ti and half YiTish herself, was able to forge a healthy relationship between Westeros and the ruler of Yi Ti, Emperor Bu Gai. Struggling for power and fighting against hundreds of princes ruling as they see fit, the Emperor formally entered into an alliance with Queen Rhaenyra. Over the years, the trade agreement between Westeros not only made Houses Targaryen, Velaryon, and Medara more wealthy than they’d ever been, but also allowed for more distribution of free food and shelter amongst the smallfolk. Rumor has it that Queen Mysaria insisted upon these provisions before she agreed to speak with the Emperor, and Queen Rhaenyra happily agreed.
In 154 AC, after years of lengthy negotiations, Queen Rhaenyra and Queen Mysaria, flew to Dorne upon her dragon Syrax to unify them under Targaryen rule. It is said that it was harshly resisted at first, with many smallfolk fearing that another war was looming around the corner. No one knows the nature of the negotiations, or what was said within the walls of the room they negotiated in, but what we do know is that Queen Rhaenyra and Queen Mysaria left with the greater prize.
Their great-grandson, Prince Daeron Targaryen, future king of Westeros, would wed Princess Mariah Martell of Dorne. His sister Daenerys Targaryen would wed Prince Maron Martell. In return, Ruling Prince Martell traveled to Westeros to kneel before the Iron Throne and swear fealty to his new Queen.
After the conquest of Dorne, Crown Prince Jacaerys set his sights on another prize- Lys, the place his mother Queen Mysaria grew up. The Crown holds the Stepstones, and a freely accessible and friendly port on Lys would do wonders for their new trade routes from Yi-Ti. He proposed to the Magisters that the Crown assume rule of Lys, but that they function similarly to Dorne and are self-sufficient. In return, the Crown would help them settle the issue of the Disputed Lands with their neighbors, Tyrosh and Myr. It took three more years of negotiations, but Queen Rhaenyra and Prince Jacaerys finally managed to get each city to agree on a deal.
Lys gained control over the majority of the Disputed Lands, abdicating to the Iron Throne and becoming part of the Seven Kingdoms, considered an extension of the Dornish kingdom despite sustaining their existing political structure. They are left to live and work as they see fit, but the Slave Trade is now banned- although of course, these things always find ways to resurrect underground.
Tyrosh was given a substantial section of land along the coast of the Sea of Myrth, and Myr was given a significant extension of their borders as well. This pleased the cities enough to quell any rebellion, although some say that it was really the sight of Queen Rhaenyra atop her dragon with her wife bringing lightning down upon the city streets that did it.
With these new alliances and conquests, House Targaryen became an undisputed power. Wealth grew quickly, and thanks to Queen Mysaria’s insistence on helping the smallfolk, they grew fiercely loyal and would report mere whispers of betrayal on the rare occasions someone would dare think of it.
Queen Mysaria Medara was the most beloved consort the realm has ever known. The White Witch, they called her, yes, but over the years she too was given many fond titles, just as her wife was. They called her the Kind Queen, the Maker of Miracles, the Mother of the Realm, all praising her compassion for the people and dedication to making their lives better.
In 167 AC, at the age of five and seventy, Queen Mysaria Medara passed away peacefully in her bed after a brief illness. The realm mourned along with her wife and children, with the funeral procession so widely attended that the city could not contain every visitor.
Queen Rhaenyra never recovered from the loss of her beloved wife. Those within the castle say it was evident that her soul had left with Queen Mysaria. She used her last two years of strength to ensure that her son’s ascension would be met with no issues before she died in 169 AC, at the age of two and seventy.
Their children went on to continue their legacy with honor and respect for their mothers’ work.
King Jacaerys Targaryen, first of his name, ascended the throne in 169 AC the day after his mother passed. His political prowess and alliances alone were enough to prove his worthiness to the throne already, but many believed he was the trueborn son of Queen Mysaria and Queen Rhaenyra after it was revealed that they had created children together, and that served to help quell any remaining claims of bastardry from lingering green loyalists.
Queen Baela Targaryen provided the king with four heirs, with their firstborn being a daughter. Upon King Jacaerys ascension, he officially declared that the male heir doctrine was over, with the firstborn child being named heir regardless of gender going forward. Princess Laena Targaryen was named Princess of Dragonstone, and the realm rejoiced.
King Jacaerys reigned from 169 AC up until his death in 187 AC, also of a peaceful manner due to old age. His reign was a continuation of the prosperity his mothers forged for the realm, and King Jacaerys did an excellent job in sustaining it. He was dubbed Jacaerys the Wise, known across the realm for his intellect. The people trusted him, plain and simple.
Queen Laena Targaryen, first of her name, ascended the throne after her father’s death. She too continued the peace that her grandmother had forged across the realm. She had wed her brother Prince Rhaenon at age eight and ten, and they had three children together: Prince Daeron, later King Daeron I, Princess Daenerys, and Princess Shiera. Queen Laena ruled from 187 AC to 196 AC, when she died at the age of three and sixty.
King Daeron Targaryen succeeded his mother and continued the peace once more. He increased much of the already existing wealth from the trade alliances, and despite rumor that he was perhaps too soft on foreign influence, successfully fought and won a Tyroshi attempt to retake the Stepstones.
He had four children with Queen Myriah Martell: Prince Baelor, Prince Aerys, Prince Rhaegal, and Prince Maekar. His eldest son and heir, Prince Baelor, was killed in a trial of seven by his youngest brother Maekar, who always deeply regretted his death. King Daeron was eventually succeeded after his death in 209 AC at age seven and fifty by his second son, Aerys.
King Aerys I ruled from 209 AC to 221 AC. His reign was troubled with the Great Spring Sickness, war, and rebellion. He wed his cousin Queen Aelinor Penrose, but sired no children upon her, for he had little interest in much but reading, people say. His heir was first his brother Rhaegal, who died in 215 AC, then it was Rhaegal’s only son Aelor. Aelor died after a freak accident caused by his twin sister-wife, Aelora, who was also briefly recognized as heir before she committed suicide due to grief.
King Aerys I was finally succeeded by his youngest brother, Maekar, in 221 AC. King Maekar I ruled from 221 AC to 233 AC. He was married to Queen Dyanna Dayne, and had four sons and two daughters. His line of succession was strong, but due to a series of unfortunate incidents two of his eldest sons and eldest daughter died. When he was killed in battle in 233 AC he was succeeded by his fifth born child Aegon, after his older brother Aemon, who had become a Maester, refused the throne.
King Aegon II (Prince Aegon, son of Alicent Hightower, is regarded as an usurper in all history books and therefore is referred to as a prince) spent much of his reign dealing with harsh winter, but other than that it was widely peaceful. He was married to Queen Betha Blackwood and had five children with her. His first son gave up his claim to the throne after he wished to break his betrothal to Lord Lyonel Baratheon’s daughter. King Aegon II was succeeded by his second son, Jaehaerys, in 259 AC after an accident flying on his dragon.
King Jaehaerys II was known as a weak king with a short reign. The realm liked him, but often whispered that he was not the picture of strength they had come to expect from House Targaryen with their dragons and magic. He was married to his sister, Queen Saera Targaryen, and had two children with her: Aerys and Rhaella.
Prince Aerys and Princess Rhaella were betrothed by their father despite their wishes otherwise, but learned to love each other. Their first child was born the same year King Aegon II died and their father ascended the throne. In 262, barely three years on the throne, King Jaehaerys II died of illness at the age of seven and thirty.
His son ascended the throne and became King Aerys II. The early years of his reign were prosperous, and he showed much promise as a ruler. However, tragedy befell him and his wife after the birth of their first child, Prince Rhaegar. Their first daughter, Shaena, was stillborn. Their second son, Daeron, lived for only half a year, failing to thrive. They had one more stillborn child, and two more sons who died before they reached their first birthdays, Aegon and Jaehaerys.
Things stabilized once Prince Viserys was born in 276 AC, but only briefly. King Aerys was held captive during the Defiance of Duskendale, and upon his return was never the same. His behaviour grew increasingly erratic, and one day in 283 AC, he locked himself and his two sons in his chambers.
Paranoid and mad with grief from the losses of so many children, he attempted to light himself and his children up with wildfire, believing it would cleanse them of any evil curses that plague them. Prince Rhaegar, only 24, died saving his little brother from the flames. His father perished alongside him.
Prince Rhaegar had married Elia Martell, but due to his father’s behavior he had not yet gotten the chance to have children with her as he had to leave Summerhall to attend to him shortly after their wedding. This left Prince Viserys as the only remaining heir.
He ascended the throne at only the age of seven, known as The Boy King. His mother, Queen Rhaella, served as Queen Regnant until he turned eight and ten. Having been pregnant at the time of King Aerys II’s death, she gave birth to a daughter eight months later, Princess Daenerys.
King Viserys II was a cruel, violent king from the moment his mother relinquished power to him. Angry at the realm and blaming them for his father’s madness, he imposed horrific taxes and sent the City Watch to violently suppress any resistance. He would take his dragon and burn cities to the ground, and all throughout the world feared him.
The Targaryens from the non-ruling lines quickly became worried that he would single-handedly ruin the Targaryen Dynasty. They flocked to King’s Landing to surround Queen Rhaella and Princess Daenerys with support.
Princess Daenerys, on her 14th nameday, gave them the opportunity they needed to fight back against King Viserys when she did something no Targaryen had ever done before. While nurturing the latest clutch of dragon eggs, she had not one, but three dragons hatch for her and her alone. She named them Rhaegal, Viserion, and Dracarion, and all of the lords throughout the realm secretly pledged fealty to her as the Mother of Dragons.
King Viserys knew his time was up, and in an attempt to save himself and cling to power, he attempted to kill his sister and mother in 298 AC. This resulted in a battle in which brother fought sister, uncles fought aunts, and a messy fight eventually led to Viserys’ death and Daenerys’ ascension.
She became Queen Daenerys, first of her name, at four and ten. Her reign is ongoing, and well-documented to be one of prosperity and kindness. Long live the Mother of Dragons.