If the Targaryen family tree were a Hollywood ensemble cast, the Dunk and Egg era would be the scrappy indie prequel nobody expected to matter — right up until it explains half of why the “real” story even happens. Let’s map the whole thing.
Setting the Scene
About 90 years before Game of Thrones, the Targaryen dynasty is in a weird, uncertain stretch — dragons are gone, the family is sprawling, and the throne’s future is anyone’s guess. Into this mess wanders a hedge knight named Dunk and his mysterious, suspiciously well-spoken squire, Egg. Neither of them knows yet that Egg’s family tree is about to do something dramatic.
The Family Tree, Branch by Branch
- King Maekar I Targaryen — the current king, and Egg’s father, a man with four sons and, initially, zero reasons to think his youngest matters much
- Daeron, Aerion, and Aemon — Egg’s three older brothers, each with their own storylines (one joins the Night’s Watch, one is, generously, “a problem”)
- Egg (Aegon) — the youngest, traveling incognito, learning what it’s like to be a nobody before becoming a somebody
- Dunk (Ser Duncan the Tall) — no blood relation, but arguably the most important supporting character in Egg’s entire life
The Domino Effect That Made a King
Here’s where the story earns its “unlikely” reputation. One by one, Egg’s older brothers are removed from the succession — through death, disgrace, or their own poor decisions — until the family tree does something it was never supposed to do: it hands the crown to the son nobody was watching. Egg becomes King Aegon V, and the whole “hidden prince learns humility disguised as a squire” arc suddenly reads less like a fun side quest and more like an origin story.
How This Era Connects Forward
This isn’t a stand-alone curiosity — it’s load-bearing. Aegon V’s line runs directly forward into the Targaryens everyone already knows:
Aegon V → Jaehaerys II → Aerys II (“the Mad King”) → Rhaegar, Viserys, and Daenerys
Which means every dramatic, dragon-filled moment from Game of Thrones has its roots in a squire nobody suspected was royalty.
Full Lineage Table
| Generation | Name | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maekar I Targaryen | King, Egg’s father |
| 2 | Daeron Targaryen | Egg’s eldest brother |
| 2 | Aerion Targaryen | Egg’s second brother |
| 2 | Aemon Targaryen | Egg’s third brother, later a Maester at the Wall |
| 2 | Aegon “Egg” Targaryen | Youngest son; later King Aegon V |
| 3 | Jaehaerys II Targaryen | Aegon V’s son and heir |
| 4 | Aerys II Targaryen | Jaehaerys II’s son — “the Mad King” |
FAQ
Is the Targaryen family tree with Egg different from the main show family tree?
It’s the same family tree — this is simply an earlier generation, roughly 90 years before the main Game of Thrones storyline.
Why does Egg’s story matter if he’s not in the show?
Because he’s a direct ancestor of Daenerys and Jon Snow’s line — without Egg unexpectedly becoming king, the entire later succession looks different.
What happened to Egg’s older brothers?
Each meets a different fate — plague, political ruin, and worse — clearing the way for Egg’s unlikely rise. It’s genuinely one of the more dramatic successions in the whole dynasty’s history.
Where can I see this generation visually?
Check our Knight of the Seven Kingdoms family tree hub for the full interactive diagram.