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| “ | My Lord is kind to say so, but the victory belongs to Tessarion. | „ |
| ~ Daeron to Ormund Hightower. |
| “ | Little boys should be more mannerly when men are speaking. I think your father did not beat you often enough. Take care I do not make up for his lack. | „ |
| ~ Hugh Hammer to Daeron. |
Prince Daeron Targaryen, also known as Daeron the Daring, is a supporting character in the epic fantasy franchise A Song of Ice and Fire and a minor antagonist in the television adaptation House of the Dragon.
He is the youngest son of King Viserys I Targaryen and his second wife, Queen Alicent Hightower, as well as the youngest brother of King Aegon II Targaryen, Queen Helaena Targaryen, and Prince Aemond Targaryen. Daeron is the half-brother of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and is also the uncle of Prince Jaehaerys, Princess Jaehaera, and Prince Maelor. Daeron's dragon is Tessarion, who is also known as the Blue Queen.
During the Dance of the Dragons, he became the biggest threat to Rhaenyra's reign, ultimately only surpassed by the smallfolk population of King's Landing.
Personality[]
| “ | Yet the greatest threat to Rhaenyra's reign was not Aemond One-Eye, but his younger brother, Prince Daeron the Daring, and the great southron army led by Lord Ormund Hightower. | „ |
| ~ Archmaester Gyladyn |
Daeron was a handsome young boy and the most popular of the three sons of King Viserys I Targaryen and Queen Alicent Hightower. He was courteous, charming and clever, and known to be "the gentlest" and most honorable of his brothers. Daeron grew up in the shadow of his brothers, without receiving the constant pressure that Alicent put on her older sons that the Iron Throne should go to them instead of Rhaenyra. This made Daeron more accustomed to following orders than giving them.
Biography[]
Prince Daeron was born late in 114 AC, shortly after the birth of Princess Rhaenyra's eldest son, Prince Jacaerys Velaryon. As Queen Alicent Hightower and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen didn't get along with each other, King Viserys tried to make Daeron and Jacaerys share a wet nurse until they were weaned in hopes that they would not share the same hatred for each other as their mothers have. Unfortunately, however, Viserys' hopes were in vain as Prince Daeron, while growing up, developed a bitter rivalry with Jacaerys and his younger brothers, Princes Lucerys and Joffrey. When Daeron and his siblings were forced to spend more time with Rhaenyra's sons (such as joining in feasts, mastering arms, and studying under a maester together), this only made them and Rhaenyra's children hate each other even more.
When Daeron was six years old, he claimed the dragon Tessarion as his mount, though he didn't ride her immediately. In 126 AC, Daeron, now 12 years old, was sent away to Oldtown to squire Alicent's cousin, Lord Ormund Hightower, as well as serve as his cupbearer.
Dance of the Dragons[]
After Aegon II ascended the throne, even though Rhaenyra was declared her father's heir, the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons erupted, in which King Aegon and Princess Rhaenyra fought each other for control of the Iron Throne. During that time, Prince Daeron still remained in Oldtown as Ormund's squire. He then accompanied him and his army as they marched to aid the Greens, the supporters of King Aegon II. In the Reach, during the Battle of the Honeywine, the Blacks, who support Rhaenyra, were able to gain the upper hand over Lord Ormund and his army; however, as they were about to secure a concluding victory, the tides immediately turned when Daeron took to the skies on Tessarion, which forced the Blacks to retreat, though they suffered heavy losses as they fled.
For his act, he was hailed as a hero and earned his knighthood from Ormund Hightower, who knighted him with Vigilance, the Valyrian steel longsword of House Hightower. In addition, following the battle, Daeron was called "Daeron the Daring," though he insisted that Tessarion was the true hero. As a result of the actions of Daeron and his dragon, the Battle of the Honeywine became a significant blow to Rhaenyra and the Blacks, as the Greens' victory at the Honeywine ended all of the Blacks' offensive operations in the Reach.
Later, following the Battle of Rook's Rest, in which Aegon II was left injured and Aemond took over as regent, the latter sought to reclaim the ruined great castle of Harrenhal from his uncle Prince Daemon Targaryen, who is considered by Aemond to be the greatest threat to his regency. Full of arrogance and wanting sole glory, Aemond refused to seek help from Daeron, as he considered his youngest brother to be too young.
Ever since Rhaenyra took King's Landing and the iron throne, Prince Daeron became the biggest threat to the Blacks. He continued to remain with Ormund Hightower and his army, often acting as a scout. Houses Oakheart and Rowan and the Shield Islands of the Reach all surrendered to the Greens so as to avoid facing destruction at the hands of Tessarion. Having found out that his nephew Prince Maelor was killed in the town of Bitterbridge, Daeron refused to show mercy towards Lady Caswell, and he began sacking the town, with Bitterbridge being consumed by flames while hundreds of wounded refugees were killed in the chaos. The townspeople were cut down by the Hightower host or forcibly drowned in the river Mander.
In the aftermath of the sack of the market town of Tumbleton, Daeron names the Dragonseed Ulf the White, who betrayed Queen Rhaenyra, as Lord of Bitterbridge. However, Ulf and another Dragonseed, Hugh Hammer, who also betrayed Rhaenyra, refused to join with Daeron unless their demands were met.
As King Aegon II went missing following the fall of King's Landing and is believed to be dead, while Prince Aemond was killed by Daemon Targaryen at the God's Eye, Prince Daeron became the first in line to the Iron Throne. He was insisted upon by Lord Unwin Peake to be proclaimed Prince of Dragonstone, while others believed that Daeron should be crowned king. When Hugh Hammer arrogantly argued that he himself should be king of Westeros, this offended Prince Daeron, who responded by throwing wine in his face, causing an angry Hugh to threaten to beat him. The next day, Daeron and his men were outraged when Hugh returned wearing his own crown. When Lords and Knights called Caltrops began plotting to kill Ulf and Hugh, due to being offended by their arrogance, Daeron immediately gave his consent to the Caltrops, as they wished to not proceed without it.
Death[]
During the Second Battle of Tumbleton, Daeron died under unknown circumstances. One story that is mostly told claimed that a Sellsword from Myr named Black Trombo had cut him down with a Morningstar while the prince stumbled out of his tent with his clothes set alight, when the dragon Seasmoke, who used to be the mount of Ser Leanor Velaryon, began its attacks. A second account claimed stayed the same but stated that Daeron was slain by a man-at-arms who was oblivious to his victim's identity. The third account, which is accepted by Grand Maester Munkun and Archmaester Gyldayn, claimed that the cause of Daeron's death was when a burning tent collapsed on him. As of now, how Prince Daeron died remains a mystery, and his body was never identified. This caused several pretenders, during the reign of King Aegon III Targaryen, to take the opportunity to pose as Daeron but were proven to be impostors.
Quotes[]
| “ | You shall receive the same terms you gave my nephew Maelor. | „ |
| ~ Daeron to Lady Caswell |
Gallery[]
External Link[]
- Daeron Targaryen on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Daeron Targaryen on the Wiki of Westeros.
