Daeron II Targaryen

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Daeron II
House Targaryen.svg
DAERON II.jpg
Daeron II by Amok©
Monarch
Reign 184 AC - 209 AC
Full name Daeron Targaryen the Second of His Name
Titles
Predecessor Aegon IV Targaryen
Heirs
Successor Aerys I Targaryen
Personal Information
Aliases
  • Daeron the Good
  • Daeron the Falseborn
Born In 153 AC[1], at King's Landing[2]
Died In 209 AC, at King's Landing[2]
Family
Dynasty House Targaryen
Queen Mariah Martell
Issue Baelor "Breakspear" Targaryen
Aerys I Targaryen
Rhaegel Targaryen
Maekar I Targaryen
Father Aegon IV Targaryen
Mother Naerys Targaryen
References
Books

Daeron II Targaryen, known as Daeron the Good, was the twelfth Lord of the Seven Kingdoms from House Targaryen. His bastard half-brother, Daemon Blackfyre, challenged his rule and the result was a terrible civil war, the First Blackfyre Rebellion. The war was mostly won by his sons and his other half-brother, Brynden Rivers. Daeron died during the Great Spring Sickness in 209 AC.

Character and Appearance

Daeron was dignified. He was round-shouldered, with thin legs and a small pot belly. His kind thoughtful face had a certain quiet strength, though, and his eyes were clear and full of resolve. He wore the elaborate dragon crown of his father, King Aegon IV Targaryen.[3] On his coinage, he was depicted as clean-shaven.[4]

Daeron the Good was not a warrior by any means. He was a cultured, scholarly man who kept company with maesters and other learned men.[5]

History

Early life

Born on the last day of 153 AC during the last few years of the reign of King Aegon III, Daeron was the eldest son of Prince Aegon and Aegon's sister and wife, Naerys.

After the failed conquest of Dorne during the short reign of Daeron the Young Dragon, King Baelor the Blessed ascended the Iron Throne and later arranged the marriage of his cousin, Prince Daeron, to Princess Myriah Martell of Dorne as part of a dual marriage pact between the two kingdoms to make peace. King Baelor later officiated at the wedding ceremony. In 170 AC Daeron and Mariah had their first son, whom they named Baelor in Baelor the Blessed's honor. Three other sons would later follow.

Prince of Dragonstone

When his father became King Aegon IV Targaryen in 172 AC, Daeron became the heir to the Iron Throne and the Prince of Dragonstone. Daeron challenged much of Aegon IV's behavior. He became an obstacle to many of his father's schemes, most notably Aegon's plan to start an unprovoked war on Dorne. The king ignored Daeron's protests, built a massive fleet, and sent it to invade the Dornish coastin 174 AC. Daeron was relieved when the fleet was scattered and destroyed by a storm en route.

At about the same time, Daeron's mother, Queen Naerys, was suddenly accused of adultery and treason by Ser Morgil Hastwyck, trying to cast doubts on Daeron's parentage. The matter was settled when Prince Aemon the Dragonknight defended his sister's honor and slew her accuser in a trial by combat. According to the writings of Maester Kaeth in Lives of Four Kings, King Aegon had secretly started the rumors of Naerys's adultery. The king denied rumors he had used Morgil to instigate this tale so he would have reason to disinherit Daeron.

Late in Aegon's reign, after the deaths of Aemon and Naerys, Aegon began to make thinly-veiled references to Daeron's alleged illegitimacy, insinuating that Daeron was not his son, but the product of an illegitimate union between his wife Naerys and their other brother, Aemon. It was also rumored that Aegon planned to disinherit Daeron in favor of a bastard son, Daemon.[6]

Aegon never formally disowned Daeron. Accounts differ as to why, probably because to do so would have meant civil war. Chief among Daeron's supporters was House Martell, due to his marriage to Princess Mariah Martell of Sunspear.[6] Daeron spent most of the last years of his father's reign on Dragonstone with his wife and children.[7]

On his deathbed, the spiteful Aegon legitimized all his bastards, with those born to noble mothers being called the Great Bastards.[6]

Reign

Upon learning of his father Aegon IV's death, Daeron departed Dragonstone for King's Landing. He chose to crown himself with his father's crown to quell the doubts and rumors about his parentage. Daeron acted swiftly to put to right many of the wrongs of his father's reign. He replaced the small council with his own men, typically selecting wise and capable councillors. Many noble Dornishmen and women flocked to his court, which served to give life in the Red Keep a foreign flavor, but this also alienated many of Daeron's other nobles and courtiers. It took a year to repair the City Watch of King's Landing, whose officers were just as corrupt as Aegon had been.[8]

Daeron II and Prince Maron Martell pay their respects to the statue of the late King Baelor the Blessed at the Great Sept of Baelor

Daeron did not stop there in his efforts to improve the things his father had corrupted or let rot in malign neglect. Daeron was always mindful of his duty to the realm and sought to stabilize it in the wake of his father's last decree. He could not undo the act, but he was careful to treat all the now legitimized bastards honorably and continued the incomes that their late father had bestowed on them. He paid the dowry Aegon had promised the Archon of Tyrosh for his daughter Rohanne of Tyrosh to wed Daemon Blackfyre when Daemon was only fourteen years old. On Daemon's wedding days, Dareon granted him a tract of land near the Blackwater so Daemon could build a keep. Some said he did this to assert his legitimacy and rule over the Great Bastards, others because he was kind and just. Whatever the truth, his efforts would prove sadly in vain. [8]

His marriage to Mariah Martell meant that a dornish princess was now the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Daeron and Mariah's marriage had been happy and fruitful and Daeron began negotiations with his good-brother Prince Maron to unite Dorne with the Seven Kingdoms. After two years of negotiations an agreement was finalized. Prince Maron was wed to Princess Daenerys in 188 AC and, a year later, the Prince of Dorne swore an oath of fealty before the Iron Throne. King Daeron raised Prince Maron to his feet to great acclaim, and together they went to the Great Sept of Baelor and placed a golden wreath before the statue of King Baelor the Blessed stating...

Baelor, your work is done[8]

Thereby Dorne joined to the Seven Kingdoms, finally uniting all of Westeros south of the Wall, two hundred years after Aegon the Conqueror first envisioned it. King Daeron the second of his name accomplished what Aegon the Conquerer and King Daeron I, who was his namesake, failed to do, and brought Dorne into the realm, and he did it peacefully.

To celebrate, Daeron founded a new seat in Summerhall, a new palace in the Dornish Marches. It was lightly fortified to represent the new peace. The peace, however, had won Prince Maron a few accords, and the Princes of Dorne had more privileges and rights than the other Great Houses. The head of Dorne was allowed to keep their royal title "Prince", Dorne was allowed to keep many of their own laws and could collect taxes for the Iron Throne with less oversight from King's Landing. This caused resentment with some of the other Great Houses.

Nonetheless, Daeron became known as Daeron the Good by the smallfolk and noble lords alike. He was seen as wise, just and kind hearted. While not a warrior and possessing a scholars physique, two of his sons became great knights and warriors. The eldest became known as Baelor Breakspear for the incident at the tourney to celebrate the wedding of Princess Daenerys with Prince Maron of Dorne, in which Baelor unhorsed Daemon Blackfyre in the final tilt. His youngest son, Maekar, also proved a formidable fighter. [8]

Blackfyre Rebellion

The Blackfyre Rebellion finally broke out in 195 AC and engulfed most of Westeros. The seeds of the rebellion had been planted years earlier, but it had taken time for them to finally bear fruit. There was no final insult, no great wrong that led Daemon Blackfyre to declare a war against Daeron.

If it truly was love for Daenerys, as some whisper, it is unclear why Daemon waited eight years before rebelling. Especially since his wife Rohanne had already given him seven sons and a daughter, while Daenerys had already had several children by Prince Maron. In truth, the war broke out because the seeds of Aegon the Unworthy's actions had found fertile ground and their poison still plagued the realm. Aegon hated the Dornish and many Lords and Houses who spent centuries at war with Dorne longed for the return of those days. Many great warriors looked on in dismay at realm no longer at war and did not like a peaceful, scholarly king who filled the court with learned men, Septons, Dornish and women. They looked at Daemon and saw a warrior. A score of lords and hundreds of knights with grievances against the Iron Throne sought out Daemon.

It was, however, his half brother Aegor Rivers, known as Bittersteel, who finally motivated Daemon to make his claim. The Blackfyre rebellion broke out with battles in the Westerlands, The Vale, The Reach and the Riverlands between those who supported the Black Dragon and those who supported the Red Dragon. The rebellion finally ended at the Battle of the Redgrass Field in 196 AC with the death of Daemon and his two eldest sons. Yet Bittersteel had escaped and fled across the narrow sea with Daemon's surviving sons. The Blackfyre Pretenders, as they were now known, would continue to trouble the Seven Kingdoms for generations to come. [8]

Later Reign

After the Blackfyre Rebellion, Daeron took lands, castles and hostages from those lords who fought for House Blackfyre as punishment. The rest of Daeron's reign was peaceful.

Daeron and Myriah Martell had four sons: Baelor, Aerys, Rhaegel and Maekar. Daeron's eldest son and heir-apparent, Baelor Breakspear, the Prince of Dragonstone, served as his father's Hand of the King during the later portion of his reign. Baelor served ably as Hand and many saw in Baelor a great man who would become a great King after his father. However, tragedy struck at the Tourney at Ashford Meadow in 209 AC that saw the death of Prince Baelor, accidentally slain by his own brother Prince Maekar.

King Daeron II died the next year in the Great Spring Sickness, along with two of his grandchildren: Princes Valarr and Matarys.[5] He was succeeded by his second son Aerys I Targaryen. Daeron had reigned for twenty five years, and most of the those years had seen peace and plenty for the realm.

Quotes about Daeron

The whole realm knew that the girl loved Daeron's bastard brother Daemon Blackfyre, and was loved by him in turn, but the king was wise enough to see that the good of thousands must come before the desires of two, even if those two were dear to him.[9]

- Doran Martell, to Balon Swann

Family

Ancestors

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aemma
Arryn
 
 
 
Viserys I
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alicent
Hightower
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daemon
 
Rhaenyra
 
 
 
 
 
Aegon II
 
Helaena
 
Aemond
 
Daeron
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Viserys II
 
Larra
Rogare
 
Daenaera
Velaryon
 
Aegon III
 
Jaehaera
 
Jaehaerys
 
Maelor
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aemon
 
Naerys
 
Aegon IV
 
 
 
 
Daena
 
Baelor I
 
Daeron I
 
Rhaena
 
Elaena
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daeron II
 
Myriah
Martell
 
Maron
Martell
 
Daenerys
 
Daemon
Blackfyre
 
Rohanne
of Tyrosh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
House Targaryen.svg
 
 
 
 
 
House Martell.svg
 
 
 
 
 
House Blackfyre 2.svg
 
 
 


Descendants

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Daeron II
 
Myriah
Martell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Baelor
 
Jena
Dondarrion
 
Aerys I
 
Aelinor
Penrose
 
Rhaegel
 
Alys
Arryn
 
Maekar I
 
Dyanna
Dayne
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Valarr
 
Kiera of
Tyrosh
[N 1]
 
Matarys
 
Aelora
 
Aelor
 
Daenora
 
Aerion
 
Daeron
 
Kiera of
Tyrosh
[N 1]
 
Aemon
 
Daella
 
Aegon V
 
Rhae
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stillborn sons
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Maegor
 
 
 
 
 
Vaella
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Unknown
descendants
 
House Targaryen.svg
 
Unknown
descendants
 
Notes:
  1. Kiera of Tyrosh was widowed when Valarr Targaryen died from the Great Spring Sickness; some time later she married his cousin Daeron.


References and Notes

  1. The World of Ice & Fire, Aegon IV.
  2. 2.0 2.1 George R. R. Martin's A World of Ice and Fire, Daeron II Targaryen.
  3. So Spake Martin: Targaryen Kings, November 1, 2005
  4. The Mystery Knight.
  5. 5.0 5.1 The Sworn Sword.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Aegon IV.
  7. The World of Ice & Fire, The Targaryen Kings: Daeron II.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 The World of Ice & Fire, Daeron II.
  9. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 38, The Watcher.