House of the Dragon follows George RR Martin’s Fire and Blood novel. It also includes a section that details the Targaryen civil conflict or the Dance of the Dragons. We already met Rhaenyra Targaryen, who was named heir to the Iron Throne. Is Rhaenyra ever to be crowned queen of the Seven Kingdoms, however?
Rhaenyra declared herself queen of the Seven Kingdoms and was crowned the rightful heir to King Viserys. King’s Landing was hers, and she remained there for half a calendar year until her death. Aegon II, who seized her title as king of the Seven Kingdoms, declared that Rhaenyra would never be crowned queen.
Technically, Rhaenyra was not the queen of the Seven Kingdoms. She was fighting an open war against Aegon II at the time she was queen. She was not a queen after her defeat by her younger half-brother. Let’s now look at Rhaenyra’s story and how she became a queen who never ruled.
RHAENYRA QUEEN OF SEVEN KINGDOMS: Is it Possible?
House of the Dragon’s very first episode was clear. It was about how Westeros wasn’t ready to have a queen rule their kingdom. Because Cersei was also under the rule of King Henry VIII, Cersei was not unfamiliar with queens ruling Westeros. Daenerys Targaryen, her mother, returned to the Seven Kingdoms in order to reclaim her title as queen.
However, Princess Rhaenys wasn’t chosen by the Seven Kingdoms lords in an election that allowed Prince Viserys I as heir to King Jaehaerys. However, this was not true in terms of Fire and Blood. It was actually Ser Laenor Velaryon who completed Viserys.
No matter what the circumstances, the theme is about how women are often seen as background characters to men who are chosen to rule nations. This is what happened during King Viserys’ reign, when he didn’t have a male heir from his first wife. Viserys also named Princess Rhaenyra his daughter to prevent Prince Daemon from being crowned.
House of the Dragon’s first episode allowed us to see the Westeros lords swear their loyalty to Rhaenyra. We also saw Alicent Hightower becoming closer to King Viserys. The book says that she will be his second wife. Viserys will actually bear Viserys’ sons, Aegon II & Aemond.
We will be able to see how succession will unfold in the future. Rhaenyra was a royal until her death. Aegon II was elected king because of this.
Rhaenyra was also made the queen of Seven Kingdoms after she learned that Aegon II, the king chosen shortly after King Viserys I’s death, had been elected. This event was the catalyst for the Targaryen civil war, now known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Rhaenyra was indeed the rightful queen. She was the heir to the Iron Throne. But she had to win the war in order to be the ruling queen of Westeros. Aegon and Aemond fled from the capital after winning a decisive fight.
Rhaenyra was the only monarch of the Seven Kingdoms when she took control over the Red Keep and all of Westeros’ capital. King’s Landing loved Rhaenyra during her reign. She loved them more than Aegon II or his brother. She was concerned that her friends might betray her.
Rhaenyra put Lord Corlys Velaryon in prison, her most powerful friend. He had allowed his son to leave King’s Landing because he was one of the people the queen believed would betray her. King’s Landing was also hit by riots due to Queen Elizabeth’s increasing paranoia.
Rhaenyra was forced out of King’s Landing to return to Dragonstone where she was betrayed. Aegon II sentenced Rhaenyra to Sunfyre’s flames. The dragon devoured her six times after she had burned her.
A decree was issued by Aegon II denying Rhaenyra her rule as queen during his reign as legitimate king. It stated that they had been at war during her tenure as Queen. According to history, Rhaenyra wasn’t the ruling queen in the Seven Kingdoms.
WHEN DID RHAENYRA BECOME QUEEN OF SEVEN KINGDOMS?
Rhaenyra was made the Seven Kingdoms’ queen shortly after her father’s passing in 129 AC. So she was the Iron Throne’s only monarch.
Rhaenyra was capable of taking King’s Landing sometime around 130 AC. Because she held the Iron Throne only for half a calendar year, she was sometimes called the Half-Year queen. She was still at war with Aegon II and was unable to legitimize her reign as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
Although she took King’s Landing in 130 AC and sat down on the Iron Throne, she was not the ruling queen. Her half-brother Aegon II was still contested by the Queen. Aegon III, her child with Prince Daemon became the new king in spite of her death.