Rhaenys Targaryen (daughter of Rhaegar)
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 Rhaenys Targaryen, by Rae Lavergne © | |
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| Title | Princess |
| Allegiance | House Targaryen |
| Race | Valyrian |
| Culture | Crownlands |
| Born | In 280 AC, Dragonstone |
| Died | In 283 AC, King's Landing |
| Father | Rhaegar Targaryen |
| Mother | Elia Martell |
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Rhaenys Targaryen was the daughter of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Elia Martell.
Contents
Appearance
Rhaenys looked like a Martell.[1]
History
In 280 AC, Rhaenys was born on Dragonstone.[2][3] After her birth, her mother was bedridden for half a year.[4] Rhaenys was presented at court by her father, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. Whilst her grandmother, Queen Rhaella Targaryen, embraced her warmly, her grandfather, King Aerys II Targaryen, refused to touch or hold her, claiming she smelled "Dornish".[3]
She had a small black kitten that she named Balerion, after the great black dragon of Aegon I Targaryen.[5] Princess Arianne Martell has been told that she held Rhaenys once, when she was too young to remember.[6]
During the Sack of King's Landing, Rhaenys hid under her father's bed, a floor above the nursery, where her younger brother, Aegon, and her mother, Elia Martell, were. She was discovered and dragged out by Ser Amory Lorch, who proceeded to stab her with "half a hundred thrusts."[7] Tyrion Lannister recalls hearing of other men-at-arms present during the murder, but he did not know their names.[8]
Tywin Lannister commanded the deaths of Rhaenys and Aegon to prove his loyalty to Robert Baratheon, although he himself claims to have been shocked at the brutality of their deaths. In Rhaenys's case, he believed Lorch, who tried to justify his savagery by claiming the girl kicked him and would not stop screaming, could simply have offered a few sweet words to calm her, and a pillow to suffocate her.[9]
After Rhaenys's and Aegon's deaths, Tywin Lannister presented their bodies to Robert clothed in red Lannister cloaks (to better conceal the blood).[10]
According to Maester Yandel, however, Rhaenys had been murdered in her bed. He states that there are some who say it had been done at King Aerys II's command, when he learned that Tywin Lannister had taken up the cause of Robert Baratheon. Others, according to Yandel, state that Elia killed Rhaenys herself, out of fear for what would happen to Rhaenys, should she fall into the hands of Rhaegar's enemies.[11]
Family
References
- ↑ So Spake Martin: A Number of Questions (August 26, 2000)
- ↑ George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Rhaenys Targaryen.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 61, The Griffin Reborn.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 58, Eddard XV.
- ↑ The Winds of Winter, Arianne I
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 12, Eddard II.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 66, Tyrion IX.
- ↑ A Storm of Swords, Chapter 53, Tyrion VI.
- ↑ A Game of Thrones, Chapter 45, Eddard XII.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Fall of the Dragons: The End.