Who Are Daenerys Parents?

December 11, 2022 by Marjorie R. Rogers, MA (English), Certified Consultant

Daenerys Targaryen, born as Daenerys of the House Targaryen, is the daughter of King Aerys II Targaryen and his sister-wife, Queen Rhaella. She was born on Dragonstone during a storm that killed her mother. At just three years old, she and her brother Viserys were sent into exile to Essos to escape the wrath of Robert Baratheon, who had usurped the Iron Throne from their father.

For most of her life, Daenerys has been under the care of her brother, who has always treated her more like a possession than a sister. It wasn’t until she was married off to Khal Drogo that she began to gain some agency over her own life.

We all know who Daenerys Targaryen is on Game of Thrones, but what about her parents? Her father, Aerys II Targaryen, was the “Mad King” who was overthrown by Robert Baratheon. Her mother, Rhaella, died in childbirth along with her stillborn brother.

So who are Daenerys’s parents? Aerys II Targaryen was the last Targaryen king to sit on the Iron Throne. He was a cruel ruler who earned the nickname “The Mad King” because of his erratic and violent behavior.

He was eventually overthrown by Robert Baratheon and killed during the Sack of King’s Landing. Rhaella Targaryen was Aerys II’s wife and queen. She died in childbirth along with her stillborn son when Daenerys was just three years old.

Rhaella’s sister, Elia Martell, married Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and they had two children together: Rhaenys and Aegon (who were both murdered by Gregor Clegane during the Sack of King’s Landing).

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Who was Daenerys Targaryen’S Father?

The late King Aerys II Targaryen, also known as “the Mad King”, was Daenerys’s father. He was a cruel ruler who burned people alive with wildfire and had many enemies. His own brother, Jaime Lannister, killed him to prevent him from burning more people.

This act caused a civil war that eventually led to the downfall of House Targaryen.

How is Daenerys Related to Rhaenyra Targaryen?

In Game of Thrones, Daenerys is the last Targaryen. She is the daughter of King Aerys II Targaryen and his sister-wife, Queen Rhaella. Her father was mad and cruel, so her mother sent her away to live in exile with her brother Viserys.

When Viserys tried to sell her to Khal Drogo in exchange for an army, she took matters into her own hands and killed him. She then married Drogo and became the Khaleesi of the Dothraki. Drogo died shortly after their child was born, so Daenerys had to hatch dragons from eggs in order to fulfill a prophecy that would see her taking back the Seven Kingdoms from House Lannister.

She eventually did just that, but at great cost.

Who was Daenerys Father And Mother?

Daenerys’s father was the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen, who was deposed and killed by Robert Baratheon during Robert’s Rebellion. Her mother was Rhaella Targaryen, who died in childbirth along with Daenerys’s stillborn brother, Aegon.

How is Jon Snow And Daenerys Related?

Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen are related through Jon’s mother, Lyanna Stark. Lyanna was the sister of Ned Stark, who raised Jon as his own son after she died in childbirth. However, it is revealed that Lyanna was actually in love with Rhaegar Targaryen, and that Jon is their child.

This makes Jon the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, as he is the last surviving Targaryen.

How Daenerys is Connected To Rhaenyra & Daemon: House Targaryen Family Tree EXPLAINED

How is Rhaenyra Targaryen Related to Daenerys

Rhaenyra Targaryen is the firstborn child of King Viserys I Targaryen and his sister-wife, Queen Alicent Hightower. She is thus the older half-sister of Aegon II Targaryen, with whom she later fought a civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Rhaenyra was married to Laenor Velaryon, heir to Driftmark, with whom she had three children: Laena, Jacaerys, and Lucerys.

Rhaenyra’s father died when she was only four years old, making her brother Aegon II king. Her mother Alicent became regent on behalf of her young son. Rhaenyra and her siblings were raised at Dragonstone by their uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen.

When Aegon II came of age he wed his own sister-wife Helaena Mooton in an attempt to join their respective lines and end the practice of polygamy within House Targaryen (although it continued in secret). This union produced no children however which led to tension between the two sides of the family. The death of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen in 129 AC sparked a succession crisis since Jaehaerys had not designated a clear heir before his passing

Aegon II eventually named his son Aemond as heir over Rhaenyra based on primogeniture – that is, Aemond being born before Rhaenyra meant he had a better claim to the throne even though Rhaenyra was older overall. This decision caused great consternation among many powerful lords who felt that Rhaenyra should have been proclaimed queen instead due to her being firstborn regardless of gender (the Old Way). The matter escalated into open conflict when Aegon II tried to force through his declaration while Queen Helaena was pregnant with another child who could potentially displace Aemond as heir – leading some to believe that Aegon secretly wanted rid of both his wife and unborn child so he could marry Rhaenyra himself and beget more sons who would support him against his niece.

The resulting civil war – known as the Dance Of The Dragons – saw horrific bloodshed and many dragons slain on both sides. In the end, neither claimant emerged victorious and House Targaryen was left greatly weakened. It took nearly a century for them to recover from this devastating conflict.

Conclusion

In Game of Thrones, Daenerys is the daughter of King Aerys II Targaryen and his sister-wife, Queen Rhaella. Both her parents died before she was born; her father was killed in a rebellion led by Robert Baratheon, and her mother died in childbirth. She was raised by her older brother Viserys in exile, until he sold her to Khal Drogo in exchange for an army to reclaim the Iron Throne.