House of the Dragon: Targaryen family tree explained for new Game of Thrones show

Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon is out now, showing the messy history of Daenerys Targaryen’s dragon-riding ancestors as they tear themselves apart over the Iron Throne.

Around 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the Targaryen house is at the height of its power ruling Westeros. With their squadron of dragons, no other house can challenge them.

Inspired by George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon will explore what happens when the dragon riders turn on themselves.

If you haven't read it – and, even if you have – you might need a guide to who’s who in the Targaryen royal family.

There’s a huge host of new characters to get to know, and everyone seems to have similar names, and then there’s the incest...

So here’s everything you need to know about the main members of the Targaryen family tree in the House of the Dragon, and how they relate to their Game of Thrones descendent Daenerys Targaryen.

The main patriarch of House Targaryen at the start of House of the Dragon is King Viserys (Paddy Considine), the fifth Targaryen ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.

The great, great, great grandson of Aegon the Conqueror, Viserys is considered generally a peaceful and just ruler.

In contrast is his younger brother Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), who is ambitious, reckless, and volatile. He is a fierce warrior and rides the formidable dragon Caraxes. Prince Daemon believes he is the rightful heir to the throne.

King Viserys’ firstborn child is Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy and Milly Alcock) with his first wife Aemma Arryn. She grows up without thinking she will rule – until her father King Viserys decides to name her as his chosen heir, and calls on the lords of the Seven Kingdoms to bend the knee to her.

King Viserys’ second wife is Rhaenyra’s childhood friend Alicent Hightower, part of an ancient and powerful Westerosi house. They have four children together: Aegon, Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron.

It is Viserys’ firstborn son Aegon Targaryen who many – including his mother and grandfather, Hand of the King Otto Hightower – believe should be the heir to the throne.

Westeros has never had a queen at this point in history. Which brings us to Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best). She is King Viserys' cousin, who is known as the queen who never was.

This is because a Great Council decided to skip her on the path of succession in favour of a male heir, Viserys. This sets a precedent, the effects of which have major ramifications in The House of the Dragon.

Rhaenys Targaryen is married to Corlys Velaryon (Steve Touissant), who is known as the Sea Snake. He is a legendary sailor, the Lord of Tides and Master of Driftmark.

The Velaryon House is an ancient and powerful one which dates back to Old Valyria – where the Targaryens came from. But, instead of dragons, this family became masters of the tides.

At the time of House of the Dragon, Corlys Velaryon commands the mightiest fleet in Westeros, and is a formidable opponent. Rhaenys Targaryen and Corlys Velaryon have two children together, Laena Velaryon (Savannah Steyn) and Laenor Velaryon (John Macmillan).

Laena rides the largest and most powerful dragon, the legendary Vhagar, while Laenor rides Seasmoke.

So, there you have it. It does get more complicated than that – but these are the core characters, their relations and their motivations as we embark on House of the Dragon.

Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones is a distant descendent of Rhaenyra Targaryen, who she has been compared to in the lead up to House of the Dragon.

As the new show takes place two centuries before Game of Thrones, there are more than a dozen Targaryen rulers between King Viserys I and Aerys II, Daenerys’ father (AKA the Mad King).

The Targaryen family tree gets a bit complicated due to the incestuous practice of marrying sister and brother, but Rhaenyra is something like Daenerys’ great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandmother.

Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) is the Mad King’s daughter with his sister-wife Rhaella. She is the youngest of their three children, after Rhaegar – Jon Snow’s father – and Viserys.

Aegon I was the first Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and the first King to sit on the Iron Throne.

Hundreds of years before House of the Dragon takes place, he conquered Westeros with his two sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys. The three brought the realm to its knees with their dragons Balerion, Vhagar and Meraxes.

After conquering Westeros, he made King’s Landing the Capital and moulded the Iron Throne from the swords of his enemies. The Targaryen dynasty we see in House of the Dragon are his descendants.

Below is a list of all 23 rulers of the Seven Kingdoms since Aegon the Conqueror. It includes characters which appear in House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. However, be aware there are some spoilers for Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon in the list.

- Aegon I Targaryen

- Aenys I Targaryen

- Maegor I Targaryen

- Jaehaerys I Targaryen

- Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine, House of the Dragon)

- Rhaenyra I Targaryen (Milly Alcock/ Emma D’Arcy, House of the Dragon)

- Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney, House of the Dragon)

- Aegon III Targaryen

- Daeron I Targaryen

- Baelor I Targaryen

- Viserys II Targaryen

- Aegon IV Targaryen

- Daeron II Targaryen

- Aerys I Targaryen

- Maekar I Targaryen

- Aegon V Targaryen

- Jaehaerys II Targaryen

- Aerys II Targaryen (The Mad King, father of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones)

- Robert I Baratheon (The Usurper, Mark Addy in Game of Thrones)

- Joffrey I Baratheon (Jack Gleeson, Game of Thrones)

- Tommen I Baratheon (Dean-Charles Chapman, Game of Thrones)

- Cersei I Lannister (Lena Headey, Game of Thrones)

- Daenerys I Targaryen (Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones)

House of the Dragon will be available to watch in the UK on Sky and NOWTV from August 22