If you’re trying to make sense of the House of the Dragon Targaryen family tree, you’re dealing with one of the most tangled stretches of the entire dynasty — a single family that split into two warring branches over who had the right to the Iron Throne. This page breaks down every generation from King Viserys I through the end of the Dance of the Dragons, so you can see exactly how each character connects.
Where This Fits on the Full Targaryen Family Tree
House of the Dragon covers roughly three generations, starting with Viserys I Targaryen and ending with the aftermath of the Dance of the Dragons civil war. If you want the complete dynasty from Aegon the Conqueror onward, see the full Targaryen family tree. This page zooms in specifically on the civil-war generation.
The Two Branches, Explained
The entire House of the Dragon story comes down to one succession dispute that split a single family in half.
Team Black (Rhaenyra’s faction):
- Rhaenyra Targaryen — Viserys I’s firstborn child, named heir
- Daemon Targaryen — Rhaenyra’s uncle, later her husband
- Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey Velaryon — Rhaenyra’s sons by Laenor Velaryon (their true parentage is one of the show’s most-searched questions — see the FAQ below)
- Aegon III and Viserys II — Rhaenyra’s sons by Daemon
Team Green (Alicent’s faction):
- Alicent Hightower — Viserys I’s second wife
- Aegon II Targaryen — Alicent’s eldest son, crowned king in a succession coup
- Aemond and Daeron Targaryen — Aegon II’s younger brothers
- Helaena Targaryen — Alicent’s daughter, married to her brother Aegon II
Both factions descend from the same man — King Viserys I — which is exactly what makes this the most-searched, most-confusing branch of the whole dynasty.
Generation-by-Generation Breakdown
Generation 1 — The King
Viserys I Targaryen ruled for over two decades and married twice: first to Aemma Arryn (Rhaenyra’s mother), then to Alicent Hightower (mother of Aegon II, Helaena, Aemond, and Daeron). His indecision about the succession is what triggered the war after his death.
Generation 2 — The Rivals
Rhaenyra Targaryen, his firstborn, was named heir in his lifetime — but as a woman, her claim was contested the moment Alicent’s son Aegon II was crowned instead. This is the core of the Dance of the Dragons.
Generation 3 — The Children Who Inherited the War
Rhaenyra’s sons (Jacaerys, Lucerys, Joffrey, Aegon III, Viserys II) and Aegon II’s siblings (Aemond, Daeron, Helaena) were drawn into open warfare, dragon-riding included, as children and teenagers — a detail that surprises a lot of people coming to this generation for the first time.
FAQ
Who won the Dance of the Dragons?
Neither faction “won” outright. Both Rhaenyra and Aegon II died before the war fully resolved. The throne ultimately passed to Aegon III — Rhaenyra’s son — making her line the one that continued the dynasty, even though she never secured the crown while alive.
Are Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey really Targaryens?
By blood, this is disputed in-universe — they’re widely believed to have been fathered by Harwin Strong rather than Rhaenyra’s husband Laenor Velaryon, though they carried House Velaryon’s name. This ambiguity is a major plot point, not an error in the family tree.
How is Daemon Targaryen related to Rhaenyra?
Daemon was Rhaenyra’s uncle (Viserys I’s younger brother) before becoming her husband. Targaryen intermarriage between close relatives, including uncle-niece unions, was standard practice for the family to preserve Valyrian bloodlines.
Who becomes king after the Dance of the Dragons?
Aegon III, Rhaenyra’s son, inherits the throne — earning the grim nickname “the Dragonbane” for presiding over the near-extinction of House Targaryen’s dragons during his reign.