Aegon the Conqueror is one of the most famous names in history of House Targaryen is essentially the history of Westeros in the era leading up to Game of Thrones, and there's a ton of fascinating lore to break down.
Aegon II from House of the Dragon and Jon Snow (officially named Aegon Targaryen) from Game of Thrones are both named after Aegon the Conqueror, as are many other characters in Targaryen lore.
Much of what's known about Aegon the Conqueror, or Aegon I Targaryen comes from Aegon's Conquest prequel TV series at HBO, which is currently in development.
Aegon I Targaryen Was The Conqueror & First Lord Of The Seven Kingdoms
Aegon Flew To Westeros And United The Seven Kingdoms
To understand Aegon I, it's important to quickly understand where he comes from. House Targaryen was a noble house from the Valyrian Freehold, a massive empire in Essos that accomplished wonders with the help of dragons, with whom they were closely bonded. Centuries before Game of Thrones, Aegon I's ancestor had a dream that foresaw Valyria's destruction, and the Targaryen family fled to the fortress island, Dragonstone, off the coast of Westeros. Years later, Valyria was destroyed by a cataclysmic event.
Prior to Aegon's arrival, Westeros was a land of seven divided kingdoms with a lengthy history of war between them.
Just under a century later, Aegon was born on Dragonstone. He claimed one of the largest dragons remaining in the world, Balerion the Black Dread, and flew to Westeros with the help of his sister wives and their dragons, forcing the divided continent to surrender to him, making him its first unified king. Prior to Aegon's arrival, Westeros was a land of seven divided kingdoms with a lengthy history of war between them. Under Aegon, the continent was finally united, and he established King's Landing and the Red Keep as its official capital.
The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros (Before Aegon) |
Ruling House |
|---|---|
The North |
Stark |
The Isles & the Rivers |
Hoare |
The Storm |
Durrandon |
The Rock |
Lannister |
The Reach |
Gardener |
The Mountain & the Vale |
Arryn |
Dorne |
Martell |
Why & How Aegon Targaryen Conquered The Seven Kingdoms
Aegon Foresaw The End Of The World In The Long Night
In Martin's books, the reason for Aegon's Conquest is unclear, but House of the Dragon adds motivation to his character in the form of "Aegon's Dream." Like his ancestor who foresaw the Doom of Valyria, Aegon the Conqueror allegedly foresaw an event called the Long Night, where White Walkers would invade Westeros from the North to bring an endless winter and the end of human civilization. Aegon believed that only by uniting Westeros under a unified Targaryen banner could the continent withstand such a threat.
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The conquest of Westeros relied mainly on Aegon's strength in dragon fire. He had a small army compared to the massive forces controlled by the likes of House Lannister, but having three enormous dragons at one's disposal made the Westerosi soldiers obsolete. While several houses died fighting, others, like the Starks of Winterfell, led by Torrhen Stark, surrendered to the Targaryen dragonlord and were granted positions of honor in the new Westeros.
Who Aegon Targaryen’s Sisters Were & What Happened To Them
Visenya & Rhaenys Were Aegon's Dragonriding Sister Wives
Aegon flew to Westeros to unite the continent along with his two sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys, both of whom he was also married to. Visenya was the older sister and first rider of the dragon Vhagar, whom Aegon married out of duty. Rhaenys was the younger sister who rode Meraxes, whom Aegon allegedly married out of love. Rhaenys died in the conquest of Dorne, after she and her dragon were killed by a scorpion ballista bolt. Visenya outlived her brother, continuing to enforce her son Maegor's ascendancy to the Iron Throne years later.
When Aegon Targaryen’s Conquest Took Place Compared To HOTD & Game Of Thrones
Aegon's Conquest Was Roughly 300 Years Before Game Of Thrones
Aegon's Conquest is actually an important date to know in the world of Game of Thrones, as it establishes the year count for the in-world calendar. So, the events of Game of Thrones happen roughly 300 years after Aegon's Conquest, meaning they occur roughly around 300 AC (After Conquest). Events before the Conquest use the backwards counting BC (Before Conquest), similar to how real-world historical dates are recorded. Therefore, Aegon's Conquest concluded in 1 AC.
House of the Dragon begins around 105 AC, with Viserys I Targaryen having recently begun his reign as king. The House of the Dragon timeline covers decades, though, and the Dance of the Dragons civil war that begins in season 2 is set at 129 AC. The Targaryen dynasty officially ends in 283 AC, at the end of Robert's Rebellion, meaning the Dance occurs a little less than halfway through the Targaryen reign.
Every Targaryen King Named Aegon |
Date of Reign |
|---|---|
Aegon I (The Conqueror) |
1-37 AC |
Aegon II (House of the Dragon) |
129-131 AC |
Aegon III |
131-157 AC |
Aegon IV |
172-184 AC |
Aegon V |
233-259 AC |
How Long Aegon Targaryen I’s Reign Last & What Happened To Him
Aegon Had A Long Reign As The First Targaryen King
Aegon the Conqueror lived for 37 years after he'd conquered the Seven Kingdoms, making him one of the longest-reigning rulers in his dynasty. His early acts included the establishment of King's Landing, the Red Keep, the Iron Throne, the Small Council, and the custom of having a Hand of the King, establishing the landscape of the world audiences are familiar with in Game of Thrones. Aegon named Lord Orys Baratheon his first hand, which is rather ironic given that Robert Baratheon would overthrow his dynasty centuries later.
He eventually died from a stroke on Dragonstone at age 63.
He spent years of his reign trying to grow accustomed to various Westerosi cultures and was a rather decent monarch in the grand scheme of things. Dorne, the last part of Westeros that had resisted his invasion, had still refused to give in, and he spent years of his reign fighting them in the First Dornish War. This conflict ended in peace, but Dorne still wouldn't the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros for a long time after.
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The final decades of Aegon the Conqueror's reign were peaceful, with him giving birth to his sons Aenys and Maegor, who would both become kings with vastly different reputations, following their father's death. He eventually died from a stroke on Dragonstone at age 63. He was succeeded by Aenys I, who was succeeded by Maegor I, with Aegon's line eventually ing down to Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones.
Based on George R. R. Martin's ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
- Cast
- Richard Madden, Hannah Murray, Sibel Kekilli, Julian Glover, Brenock O'Connor, Rose Leslie, Michael McElhatton
- Franchise(s)
- Game of Thrones
- Seasons
- 8
- Streaming Service(s)
- MAX
