3 Things You Need to Know About House of Targaryen

In the Game of Thrones, the Targaryens are the most important family.   A case can be made for the Starks, but while the Stark bloodline may be the ultimate saviors of the world, it is hard to argue that the most influential name in Westeros isn’t Targaryen. The story revolves around how a young Targaryen girl will become Queen of Westeros and save the known world. They are the most influential and powerful families ever to step foot on Westerosi soil, so it’s important to know as much about them as possible.

1.             THEIR REAL HAIR AND EYE COLORS

A lot of fans of the show aren’t familiar with the accurate depiction of the Targaryen family because the show doesn’t stress these details like the book does. The Targaryens traditionally have purple eyes and silver hair. Daenerys, the most prominent Targaryen we see, has the traditional look of a Targaryen, and is therefore further validated as the Targaryen queen who was foretold.

For some reason, the show abandoned the purple eyes of the Targaryen house, but their appearance is more important than you may think. Eye and hair color is stressed, both in the books and the show, as important in order to determine lineage. If you remember the book Ned Stark obtained in season one regarding the natural hair and eye color of houses who breed together, you will know that these facts are the foundations on which the incest allegations stand.

Another alleged Targaryen character who was not included in the show (more on him later) had to alter his appearance so that no one would suspect his lineage. Many people don’t realize how important these details are to the story, and therefore overlook the unique appearance that the Targaryens are meant to have.

2.             HOW THEY ESCAPED THE DOOM OF VALYRIA

If you’re a die-hard Game of Thrones fan, then you’re aware that the line of the Targaryens originated in Old Valyria. The doom of Valyria, an event that casts shadows over the entire plot of the series, was the cataclysmic demise of the most dominant country in the known world. Based on the stories that surfaced surrounding the doom, it sounds as if there was an earthquake and subsequent volcanic eruption that destroyed Valyria, but the Targaryens were the only family of dragonlords to escape with their lives.

Dreams and prophecies carry special weight in Game of Thrones, as characters seem to have relatively predicted paths that they are destined to follow. It was Aenar Targaryen’s daughter, Daenys, who had a dream that foretold of the doom that would descend upon Valeria. He took his family, slaves, and dragons to Dragonstone so that they would be safe from what was to come.

Twelve years later, the doom overtook Valeria. One of the dragons that Aenar took with him was Balerion, the great black beast that would go on to conquer the seven kingdoms.

3. THE STRATEGIC LOCATION OF THE ROYAL THRONE

Many don’t consider the history of the conquest and the seven kingdoms when they think of the geography of the region. In reality, there are concrete reasons why Aegon I Targaryen decided to make his home on King’s Landing. When he first sailed from Dragonstone with his three dragons and a small host, he landed at the mouth of Blackwater Rush (later titled “King’s Landing” for this very reason).

After he finished his conquest, many in the kingdom expected him to rule from Dragonstone or Oldtown, as those were some of his favorite places and bustling cities. Aegon, however, foresaw what others did not. He built a wooden hut on the tallest hill of King’s Landing and called it Aegonfort. He then ruled from this seat as he saw the development of a city under way.

Aegon knew that King’s Landing would soon overtake some of the other major cities in the kingdom, as it was a centralized location of his newfound kingdom and a fantastic place to initiate trade. The entirety of Aegon’s new kingdom was geographically altered by the creation of King’s Landing, and Aegon knew that his ancestors would put his vision for the city into action.

Credit: SR