How Many Kids Rhaenyra Has In HOTD, Who The Father Is, & What Happens To Them

Warning: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon seasons 1, 2, and 3, as well as George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book. House of the Dragon‘s Rhaenyra Targaryen and her children play major roles in the Dance of the Dragons, the Targaryen civil war that shaped the country of Westeros. Be it in Game of Thrones or its spin-offs, it can be difficult to keep track of family lineages in Westeros, especially when it comes to the Targaryens. In George R.R. Martin’s books, Rhaenyra arguably has one of the most interesting succession storylines in Targaryen history; her legacy goes beyond the war she fought and extends to her children, two of whom end up on the Iron Throne.

As has been explored throughout House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra marries twice in her lifetime: first to Ser Laenor Velaryon, and then to her uncle, Daemon Targaryen. Rhaenyra has children with both of these men, though there are some wrinkles with the former, who, in House of the Dragon season 1, is revealed as homosexual. This meant that Rhaenyra’s heirs were actually bastards, which, in Game of Thrones‘ world, can mean a lot. As seen in House of the Dragon season 3, episode 1’s ending, though, her children continued to suffer tragic fates.

Rhaenyra’s initial plan was for her firstborn son to succeed her as Heir to the Iron Throne, whereas her second son was going to inherit Driftmark. However, things changed drastically as the Dance of Dragons went on. The Game of Thrones franchise has always conveyed that war only breeds death and tragedy. With all of that in mind, here are all of Rhaenyra Targaryen’s children in House of the Dragon, who their fathers are, and the fate that befalls each of them.

How Many Children Rhaenyra Has In House Of The Dragon

Throughout House of the Dragon, Rhaenyra Targaryen gives birth to six children. Three of these are Velaryon sons, though with a twist in the parentage. Two are full-blooded Targaryen sons, and one Targaryen daughter, the last of whom was stillborn. All other children were involved in House Targaryen’s Blacks versus Greens succession war, and most of them met tragic fates. The three Velaryon sons, Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey, were important in the first stage of the Dance of Dragons and were actually sired by Rhaenyra’s lover, Harwin Strong.

However, in order to keep the three as “legitimate” heirs, Rhaenyra and Laenor insisted they were the latter’s children. Nonetheless, the rumors were a core argument of the Greens in the prelude to the Dance of Dragons, as shown throughout House of the Dragon season 1. Eventually, Jacaerys and Lucerys were pulled into the Targaryen civil war, with Rhaenyra’s other three children too young to get involved at first. Sadly, this led to several changes in the line of succession.

Jacaerys Velaryon

Born in 114 AC, Jacaerys Velaryon is the firstborn son of Princess Rhaenyra and Ser Laenor, or Harwin Strong. Even early on, Jacaerys, commonly referred to as Jace, quickly proves that he is a valuable asset to the war effort against his uncle Aegon II. Jace flies as an envoy on his dragon, Vermax, gaining the support of the Vale, the Three Sisters, and the North, as shown throughout House of the Dragon‘s first few seasons.

When the Blacks began to be overrun by the Greens’ dragons, it was Jace who put forth the ingenious idea of offering ennoblement to any Targaryen bastard who could tame riderless dragons. Known as the Sowing of the Seeds and shown in one of House of the Dragon‘s best episodes, this effort resulted in new dragonriders ready to fight for Rhaenyra’s cause, including Hugh the Hammer, Ulf White, and a bastard half-brother of Laenor, Addam.

Being her oldest son, Jacaerys Velaryon was intended as Rhaenyra’s heir and Prince of Dragonstone. He is also betrothed to his cousin, Baela Targaryen, one of Daemon’s children with Laena Velaryon, Laenor’s sister. Tragically, though, as shown in House of the Dragon season 3’s opening episode, Jace dies in the Battle of the Gullet. Initially, Jace helped to burn the Triarchy fleet that ambushed the Velaryon blockade of King’s Landing, alongside Baela.

However, the unexpected arrival of Rhaena Targaryen, Baela’s sister, aboard a wild dragon known as Sheepstealer, resulted in a brief clash between Jace’s dragon, Vermax, Baela’s mount, Moondancer, and Rhaena’s uncontrollable beast. This allowed a Triarchy anchor to pull Vermax into the ocean, drowning the dragon and leaving Jace stranded. Despite trying to escape, Jacaerys Velaryon dies by crossbow bolt, pushing Rhaenyra into taking King’s Landing.

Lucerys Velaryon

As the second son of Rhaenyra and Laenor (Harwin), Lucerys, known as Luke, was raised as heir to Driftmark. Following the “death” of his father, who secretly escaped to Essos, Lucerys was expected to one day succeed Corlys Velaryon as the Master of Driftmark and head of the family. Like Jace, Luke is also betrothed to his cousin: Rhaena Targaryen, Baela’s twin sister. Before the war, Aemond Targaryen got into a fight with his nephews, which quickly turned bloody. This resulted in Luke taking Aemond’s eye, deepening the rift between both sides of the Targaryen family.

At the beginning of the conflict between Rhaenyra and her half-brother, Luke was sent to Storm’s End on a mission to bring House Baratheon to the former’s cause. The mission ended in tragedy with Aemond Targaryen having arrived there first. House of the Dragon season 1’s ending shows Luke fleeing Storm’s End on Arrax, his still young dragon. However, he is pursued by Aemond on his dragon, Vhagar. Several misunderstandings later, driven by the bestial instincts of both dragons, Vhagar kills both Arrax and Lucerys, raising the political tensions between Rhaenyra and Aegon into all-out war.

Joffrey Velaryon

The youngest of Rhaenyra’s Velaryon/Strong-fathered children is Joffrey, who is named after Ser Laenor’s lover, Ser Joffrey of Lonmouth. Thus far in House of the Dragon, Joffrey has had a very small role. Due to his young age, Joffrey was unable to play a part in the early stages of the Dance of Dragons like his brothers, eventually rendering him Rhaenyra’s heir and the Prince of Dragonstone after their deaths. In House of the Dragon season 2, Joffrey was sent to the Eyrie for safekeeping, where he remains in season 3.

What will become of Joffrey is revealed in Fire and Blood, save for any changes House of the Dragon makes to the book. Eventually, Joffrey will try to take after his heroic brothers and prove himself a warrior. Towards the end of the war, likely shown in House of the Dragon season 4, Joffrey ran to fly Rhaenyra’s dragon, Syrax, without a saddle. Syrax, unfamiliar with her new rider, flung him off from a great height. Joffrey died from the impact before the citizens of King’s Landing dismembered him to take his possessions.

Aegon Targaryen

Aegon Targaryen is Princess Rhaenyra and Prince Daemon’s firstborn son together. He was born the same year as their marriage, in 120 AC. Distinctly referred to as Aegon the Younger to differentiate him from King Aegon, Aegon is characterized as a gloomy personality courtesy of the trauma he experienced during the height of the Targaryen War. Of course, this is yet to be shown in House of the Dragon, given Aegon’s still young age.

In Fire and Blood, though, and future seasons of the show, Rhaenyra will bid to protect her remaining children from the war, sending Aegon and his brother to Essos. Before crossing the narrow sea, their ship was ambushed by the Triarchy fleet, which almost ended in tragedy. During the riots in King’s Landing, Aegon the Younger is expected to witness the deaths of Joffrey and Syrax. Yet, the event that scarred Aegon the Younger for life was the death of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, who was burned alive and eaten by Aegon the Elder’s dragon, Sunfyre.

How this all plays out in House of the Dragon remains to be seen, but it will surely result in a recast for Aegon the Younger. Following Aegon II’s death and the end of the Dance of Dragons, Lord Corlys Velaryon installs Aegon the Younger as the new Targaryen King. Aegon the Younger was now King Aegon III. His reign was relatively peaceful, with the Seven Kingdoms united after the civil war. Eventually, he dies from an unnamed sickness and is succeeded by his son, Daeron I.

Viserys Targaryen

As is outlined in Fire and Blood, and could be in House of the Dragon‘s future, Viserys survives the aforementioned attack of the Triarchy on his and Aegon’s trip to Essos. The book claims that Viserys cleverly pretends to be a shipboy, finding his way across the sea to Lys, where he is taken in by the wealthy Rogare family. Viserys marries their youngest daughter, Larra, with word soon reaching King’s Landing that Viserys lived; Aegon III summoned his brother and appointed him Hand of the King.

Viserys served in the last years of Aegon III’s reign, as well as those of his sons, King Daeron I and Baelor I. His service was essential to the stability of the realm, as his kings were often indisposed with personal matters. However, by the time both of Aegon III’s sons died, they had failed to father heirs, leading Viserys to ascend the Iron Throne in 171 AC. Viserys’ reign lasted only a year before he died from a sudden sickness and was succeeded by his son, Aegon IV.

Visenya Targaryen

Princess Rhaenyra labored for three days to give birth to Visenya, who arrived a month before she was due. In House of the Dragon‘s season 1 finale, the heartbreaking moment in which Visenya is stillborn is shown. This compounds Rhaenyra’s grief, especially after the death of Lucerys, truly fueling her anger at the Greens. In this sense, Visenya certainly had a big impact on the wider story of House of the Dragon, despite not playing as active a role as her brothers and half-brothers.

Release Date

August 21, 2022

Network

HBO

Directors

Clare Kilner, Geeta Patel

Writers

Gabe Fonseca

• 

• 

  Fabien Frankel

  Ser Criston Cole