After Aegon Targaryen’s conquest, there was over a century of peace in Westeros in which nothing at all went wrong. But now, Viserys Targaryen has created a succession crisis between his children, Rhaenyra and Aegon II. This video explains Aegon’s & Rhaenyra’s reigns during the Dance of the Dragons, the conflict currently being adapted into House of the Dragon. Is this the most disastrous period in Game of Thrones history? If you’re a Targaryen, then yes. If you’re a peasant in the Riverlands, also yes.
Music – “Above The Vast Clouds Of The Aquamarine Peak” by Quest Master: https://questmaster.bandcamp.com/album/lost-songs-of-distant-realms-volume-one
Map of Westeros by Tibstabs – https://www.deviantart.com/tibstabs
Art credits:
Aleksander Karcz https://www.artstation.com/aleksander-karcz
Bogus Kitten https://www.tumblr.com/tistenya-targaryen
Crazytom666 https://www.tumblr.com/crazytom666
Diego Gisbert Llorens https://www.artstation.com/diegogisbert
Doug Wheatley https://www.instagram.com/doug_wheatley/?hl=en
Elenya Art https://twitter.com/elenyaart
Elena Stripe https://twitter.com/elena_stripe?lang=en
Ertaç Altınöz https://www.artstation.com/ertacaltinoz
Fran Vegas https://www.artstation.com/franvegas
Fkaluis https://fkaluis.tumblr.com/
Frrrrenki https://twitter.com/frrrrenki?lang=en
Gary Gianni https://www.instagram.com/gary_gianni_art/?hl=en
Haiyo Art https://twitter.com/haiyoart?lang=en
Hristo Chukov https://www.artstation.com/chukov
Ivelina Ivanova https://www.artstation.com/nirnaet
John McCambridge https://www.artstation.com/john_mccambridge
Joshua Cairos https://www.artstation.com/joshuacairos
Jota Saraiva https://www.artstation.com/jotasaraiva
Kamil Winczewski https://www.artstation.com/seres
Kotneumann https://twitter.com/kotneumann?lang=en
Liam Peters https://www.shannonassociates.com/liampeters
Magali Villeneuve http://www.magali-villeneuve.com/
Marc Simonetti https://art.marcsimonetti.com/
Michael Komarck https://conceptartworld.com/artists/michael-komarck/
MV Renju https://www.artstation.com/renjuart
Naomimakesart https://www.deviantart.com/naomimakesart
Nutchapol Thitinunthakorn https://www.artstation.com/nutchapol
Pablo D. Hidalgo https://www.artstation.com/pablodhidalgo
René Aigner https://www.artstation.com/reneaigner
Riotarttherite https://www.instagram.com/riotarttherite/
Rudolf Hima https://www.artstation.com/rudolfhimawan
Thomas Denmark https://www.thomasdenmark.com/
Tomasz Jedruszek https://www.artstation.com/morano
Ted Nasmith https://www.tednasmith.com/
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
1:47 Aegon II
5:00 Rhaenyra
6:20 Pacts & Kinslaying
8:28 Rook’s Rest
10:52 Prince Regent & Dragonseeds
12:39 Gullet & Daeron the Daring
13:42 Fall of King’s Landing
14:31 Rhaenyra’s Reign
19:05 Riots & God’s Eye
21:49 Moon of the Three Kings
23:17 Aegon’s Final Reign
26:33 Last Words
#asoiaf #houseofthedragon #gameofthrones
source
I was just about to search this I'm rewatching right now and was wondering some details
How long will it be before season 2 of hotd?
It was Otto, Alicent and Viserys. Aegon and Rhaenyra were mere victims of the failure of their parents.
Such awesome quality videos. Subscribed for sure
Corlys was a horrible hand
Daemon mouth sync was pure gold bro
The Crusader telling it how it is. Fans will die on each of the factions hills spouting their virtues. Truth is both of them left the realm and their families in a ruined state. None of them were fit to be monarchs.
Great video, dood.
Keep up the great work Chris!
I’ve always pondered on who would’ve made the better monarch, should each of them reign in peactime. I’ve leaned towards Rhaenyra, but both of them had very bad education in this specific matter. Also they did some crimes and treasons in their youth, so I’d say there is like a 51% versus a 49% each of them would be a good ruler. It all comes circling back to Viserys I, in the end.
Otto bears the blame for me, if it wasn't for him everything would have been better for sure. Probably still not fine, but definitively better for everyone
I wonder how dragon eggs were hatching before the dotd but after they stopped hatching despite the fact that 3 missing dragon could've lived a fue decade keeping magic alive in the world.
I'm team 'Everybody Sucks' but also I love all the Dragons and Helaena. Vhagar is best girl.
I think both Princess Rhaenyra and King Aegon the elder would have been an improvement over their father Viserys if they had ruled during peace time. I personally believe Aegon would have been a better monarch.
Aemond really fucked them by trying to get daemon coles army would never have been ambushed if he didn’t decide to stay in the river lands.
ngl Jacerys really did a good job if it wasn't for him blacks wouldn't have won
The greens perpetrated their fair share of nonsense but I'm pretty sure the hole in her chest killed your daughter there Meagor with teets.
There's this phenomena that Grr Martin creates with his writings such that he creates a scenario where each opposing character (which in this case Aegon and rhaenyra) are both right on who deserves to sit the iron throne aswell as giving the reader a chance to choose a side. But the trick here is None of them ( Aegon and rhaenyra) are in the right to rule westeros. Grr Martin knows this so its easier to kill off characters we've grown to like by progressing the plot.I think Martin has fallen into his own trap with the winds of winter. He's grown to understand the characters he's made and logically speaking, none of them are easier to kill making it harder to progress with the plot no matter how hard he tries to control their destinies. This is why it's taking so long. He writes an arc of a character then later questions himself wether it's what the character would do or not, then ends up throwing the sheet away or rewriting as he said himself.
I wanna say the fault lies with Otto Hightower and viserys. Viserys because he set Rhaenerya up for failure. Otto because he more or less pushed this conflict. Like if otto really wanted his family safe he could have just ya know. Married Allicent off to another noble house and not be worried about whats going on with the iron throne.
The dude was a second son and wanted power anyway he can. Even at the cost of the realm, his house, and his daughter.
Also the greens undermining viserys set the precedent for undermining the kings last words. By crowning Aegon despite the kings last wishes they basically allowed people to do whatever they wanted. This is more or less how cersei was able to get away with ripping up Roberts will in front of everybody. Despite his will being sealed. Because if aegon can be crowned despite the entirety of the realm and lords knowing and swearing to it. Then cersei ripping up some paper isnt a problem.
Tbh Rhaenys would have been a great ruler had she been given the chance. I honestly think Aemond and Helena would have been fine. Or Jace and Baela.
I blame this whole thing on Otto. If he hadn’t pimped his teenage daughter out to Viserys he wouldn’t have married her and she wouldn’t have given birth to Aegon! Also, Viserys should’ve just let Rhaenyra and Damon marry.
Both sides was right and wrong but you cannot deny Aegon was better at ruling then rhaenyra his Council been ruling the realm for years in peace
Absolutely loving your Targaryen King series!!!
i loved seeing those beautiful purple eyes in the intro, thank you
I believe Rhaenyra could've been an amazing queen, and though she did commit bad choices in her youth, that's all they are. they aren't morally unforgivable compared to other characters. She was also raised for the throne from a young age, even before being named, she was well loved and had the right temperament. However, it is known. Targaryen don't do well with loss, and I think it is sad to say that The Great Queen Rhaenyra we could've had, died with her sons.
Viserys and Otto to me were the real issue, Viserys was too oblivious to realize that not only did he have to prepare his daughter to rule but to prepare the kingdom and his other children as well, for her ascension. Like imagine if the man talked with Aegon, and the others throughout their lives; and instead of fighting they ruled together. Otto was a greedy bastard, who really tried and found out, like even Aegon had enough of him. The man succeeded and lost at his own plan.
Neither was a good choice.
Like the Targaryens up to that point had TWO Good Kings and Viserys, but his case is mostly because he had the luck of not screwing up while alive. Only Aegon I himself and Jaeherys were what can be called a Good King.
Aegon was a Lazy drunk to much into screwing around, but he seems easy enough to control to SOME degree, problem is when he realises HE is the King and started to make decisions…. and even then, his father really did not screw up while alive. So maybe there was a chance?
Rhaenyra is more or less a disaster, she got three OBVIOUS bastards (And I stress the OBVIOUS part…. Lys is NOT that far away or actually DO Daemon, he was NOT that far away in the Books) and then married the very unstable and unpopular Daemon and during the Dance always picked the wrong choice. She is not politically savvy and is not easy to control like Aegon…she is the slightly worse option.
Pos traitors everywhere
If Rhaenyra rewarded Ulf the White and Hugh Hammer with marriage to the daughters of Rosby and Stokeworth, they would have been loyal and the Battle of Tumbleton would have been avoided and the blacks would win the war.
Aegon and Rhaenyra’s face off was literally Clown to Clown Communication, Clown to Clown Conversation
Daemon is the true winner with all of his 4 childeren surviving.
Both of them probably would’ve went on to become unremarkable rulers. I do think Rhaenyra would make the better ruler if her ascension was uncontested. Mainly down to Aegon being so unlikable.
I really want to see how season 2 handles Aemond’s return to Kingslanding following the Lucerys incident. Otto scorns him and his mom prays for the mothers mercy but Aegon celebrates.
Also based on the way they’ve treated Aemonds character in the show I think there will be more malicious intent behind Aemond and Vhagar’s actions at Rooks Rest
Rhenyra 'ruining everything' Targaryen
They made Aegon so lame whitewash Rhaenyra and Alicent, we did not even get to see Sunfyre or Dreamfyre
the dance isnt about who the rightful heir is, its about who your favorite war criminal is
This stands in sharp contrast to their real world counterparts matilda and Stephen, both of whom were great leaders.
In hindsight, Rhaenyra’s demise was not giving Rosby & Stokeworth to her dragonriders (HH & UW).
Lesson : Inspire loyalty amongst supporters through generosity, lavish gifts, and rewards lest they withdraw their support, or worse, support your rivals.
Anyone in Otto's place would have acted the same way. Corlys Velaryon would have been even more ambitious and opposed to Rhaenyra if Laena had married Viserys. Alicent did her duty towards her children and she is not responsible. The real culprit is Viserys. His decision to keep Rhaenyra as heir is the source of the problem, and nothing required him to do so. He decided to force the entire kingdom to swear loyalty to her, he decided to remarry, and he decided to disregard the usual rule of succession. Rhaenyra's stupidity and Daemon's ambition did the rest.
I really wished Vhagar didn't leave the fight of Rook's Rest unharmed, like not Sunfyre level of dmg but something, maybe hampered one wing or eye or something that helped Daemon at the battle of God's eye even if its just a little bit. This is totally personal bias I know.
Viserys should have married them, would have solved all problems.
I'd say the Battle of the Gullet wasn't lost by the Black, but it was certainly a pyrrhic victory.
I think Rhaenyra would’ve made the better ruler, she before the Dance was actually focused on her role, she didn’t have any of Aegon’s bad behaviors. Plus, I believe she had better councilors guiding her than Aegon had.
Honestly, disregarding all the elders and parents (Viserys, Otto, Corlys and the like), I'd say the Dance could've ended a few times before it did.
Neither sibling backed down. It was a war of essentially annihilation, and time and time again, peace was offered. Some out of desperation, some out of just being tired of war, others for the opportunites opened up, often via disaster.
House Targaryen and its allies/enemies all played a hand into the cascade/windfall of bad or misguided decisions that ended up being the second most bloody conflict Westeros has ever seen, second only to the first Long Night.
Overall, Rhaenyra made obvious mistakes, and Aegon's personal morals aren't to be all that admired. And in the end, the spilled blood of the Dragon just kept on pouring, since they didn't bother speaking much before the death of their father.
So divided since near the start, and across much of their lives. So, nothing much in terms of fond memories bound them together like a family typically would have amongst siblings.
rhaenyra shouldnt have had kids with ser strong.