Daemon Targaryen and Rhaenyra Targaryen were half-siblings who married each other and had multiple children together. As two of the most prominent figures during the Dance of the Dragons, a Targaryen civil war over succession to the Iron Throne, Daemon and Rhaenyra’s marriage alliance and resulting offspring played a major role in the conflict. Their children’s claims to the throne were a central point of contention. So how many children exactly did Daemon and Rhaenyra have?
Quick Answer
Daemon and Rhaenyra had a total of six children together over the course of their marriage. Their sons were Aegon the Younger, Viserys, and Aemond. Their daughters were Visenya, Rhaena, and Baela.
Daemon’s First Marriage
To fully understand Daemon and Rhaenyra’s children, it is important to know Daemon’s marital history. Prior to marrying Rhaenyra, Daemon was married to Lady Rhea Royce of Runestone. Rhea was his first cousin, as she was the daughter of Daemon’s aunt. Daemon and Rhea had no surviving children, though it is speculated Rhea may have suffered stillbirths or miscarriages. Their marriage was not a happy one, with Daemon notoriously disinterested in his wife. After over a decade together, their marriage ended when Rhea died under mysterious circumstances in early 120 AC. Daemon was suspected to have had a hand in her death, though nothing was ever proven. Nonetheless, this freed Daemon to eventually marry Rhaenyra.
Marriage of Daemon and Rhaenyra
In 120 AC, Daemon and Rhaenyra were wed in a secret ceremony on Dragonstone. As uncle and niece as well as half-siblings by their father Viserys I Targaryen, theirs was considered an incestuous union by the Faith of the Seven. However, the Targaryens had a long history of incestuous marriages to keep their Valyrian bloodline pure. The two had long been drawn to each other, with hints of attraction that caused scandals at court. Upon their marriage, Rhaenyra was proclaimed Princess of Dragonstone and Daemon the Prince Consort. Daemon was 26 years Rhaenyra’s senior but nonetheless an invaluable match to strengthen her claim as heir to the Iron Throne. Their combined Targaryen lineage and dragonriding abilities made them a formidable power couple.
Rhaenyra’s First Three Sons
At the time of her marriage to Daemon, Rhaenyra already had three sons from her first marriage to Ser Laenor Velaryon. Her eldest son was Jacaerys Velaryon, born in 114 AC. Next was Lucerys Velaryon, born in 115 AC. Her youngest son was Joffrey Velaryon, born in 117 AC. Though fathered by Ser Laenor, the boys’ paternity was disputed, as Laenor was known to be homosexual with little interest in women. Many at court believed their real father was Rhaenyra’s lover, Ser Harwin Strong. Regardless of their actual paternity, Rhaenyra presented the three boys as legitimate Velaryon heirs. Daemon would help raise them and come to view them as his own sons after marrying Rhaenyra.
The First Daemon/Rhaenyra Child: Aegon
In 120 AC, less than a year after their wedding, Rhaenyra gave birth to her fourth son, the first child born to Daemon. They named him Aegon, in honor of Rhaenyra’s grandfather Aegon the Conqueror, founder of the Targaryen dynasty. As Rhaenyra’s eldest son by Daemon, the prince was given the title Aegon the Younger to distinguish him from his deceased uncle, Aegon II Targaryen. Aegon would grow up to become one of the major figures contesting for the Iron Throne, known as Aegon the Elder, after his uncle’s death.
Table of Rhaenyra’s First Four Sons
| Name | Father | Date of Birth |
|---|---|---|
| Jacaerys Velaryon | Laenor Velaryon (disputed) | 114 AC |
| Lucerys Velaryon | Laenor Velaryon (disputed) | 115 AC |
| Joffrey Velaryon | Laenor Velaryon (disputed) | 117 AC |
| Aegon Targaryen | Daemon Targaryen | 120 AC |
Three More Children: Viserys, Visenya, and Rhaena
Over the next five years, Daemon and Rhaenyra had three more children. In 122 AC, Rhaenyra gave birth to their first daughter, naming her Visenya. Their second son followed in 123 AC, named Viserys after his grandfather the king. Next came another daughter in 125 AC, named Rhaena. Sadly, Rhaenyra’s labor with Rhaena was extremely difficult, lasting several days, which left Rhaenyra bedridden for half a year. This put a major strain on her health. Nonetheless, she and Daemon now had a total of four healthy children together strengthening the claims of Rhaenyra and her sons to the Iron Throne.
Table of Daemon and Rhaenyra’s First Six Children
| Name | Date of Birth |
|---|---|
| Aegon Targaryen | 120 AC |
| Visenya Targaryen | 122 AC |
| Viserys Targaryen | 123 AC |
| Rhaena Targaryen | 125 AC |
Birth of Baela
In 127 AC, despite her fragile health, Rhaenyra gave birth to her sixth child by Daemon and her tenth overall. This daughter was named Baela. The pregnancy and birth took a heavy toll on Rhaenyra’s body, being at an older age and only two years after her previous difficult labor. However, Baela was a healthy baby, and her birth secured the Targaryen line. The girl proved to have a spirited and fiery personality to match her status as the daughter of two dragonriders. Along with her sister Rhaena, the princesses’ lives would be deeply shaped by the coming Targaryen civil war.
The War Begins
Not long after Baela’s birth, King Viserys I died in 129 AC. Although Rhaenyra had been formally declared his heir years earlier, Viserys’ son Aegon II illegally claimed the throne instead, supported by Ser Criston Cole of the Kingsguard. This sparked the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, with Rhaenyra and Daemon battling Aegon II and his allies for control of the Iron Throne. Though they struggled at times during the war, Rhaenyra and Daemon fought relentlessly to press the claims of their combined six children to the throne. The war would end tragically for most of their family.
Fates of the Children
Of the six children Daemon and Rhaenyra had together, only two outlived the war. Their sons Aegon the Younger and Viserys were both killed in the conflict. Viserys was caught fleeing King’s Landing on a ship that sank, while Aegon died fighting in the Storming of the Dragonpit. Rhaenyra herself was captured in King’s Landing and fed to Aegon II’s dragon while tied down. Her three Velaryon sons by Laenor predeceased her, all perishing as a result of the war.
However, Daemon and Rhaenyra’s two daughters managed to survive the Dance of the Dragons. Rhaena Targaryen was made a novice with the order of Silent Sisters after the war. She later married Lord Corwyn Corbray of Heart’s Home. Baela Targaryen proved herself a dragonrider every bit as fierce as her parents, helping defeat the Two Betrayers in the war. She wed Lord Alyn Velaryon and became mother to the next Lord of the Tides.
Legacy
Despite their tragic fates, the children of Daemon and Rhaenyra had a lasting impact on the future of House Targaryen. Rhaena’s son with Corwyn Corbray founded a cadet branch of the house that persisted for generations. Baela’s son with Alyn Velaryon continued the Velaryon name. Later Targaryen monarchs like Daeron II and Maekar I were direct descendants of Daemon and Rhaenyra through their daughter Rhaena. Their progeny played crucial roles in the Blackfyre Rebellions and other major events.
Though short-lived, the six children of Daemon and Rhaenyra secured the future of the Targaryens after the darkest days of their dynasty. Their blood helped maintain the royal bloodline for another century and a half until its end with the Mad King Aerys II. Despite the horrors of war they endured, the sons and daughters of this controversial Targaryen marriage alliance continued their family’s legacy.
Conclusion
In summary, Daemon Targaryen and Rhaenyra Targaryen had a total of six children together over the course of their marriage, four sons and two daughters. Their boys were Aegon, Viserys, and Aemond, while their girls were Visenya, Rhaena, and Baela. With Rhaenyra already having three sons by Laenor Velaryon, this gave them a combined total of nine children whose claims were central to the deadly Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. Though most of their children perished in the war, their two surviving daughters Rhaena and Baela ensured the preservation of the Targaryen bloodline and dynasty after the war ended. Despite its tragic cost, the partnership and offspring of Daemon and Rhaenyra secured the legacy of House Targaryen in the Seven Kingdoms for generations to come.