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| “ | Your brother Rhaegar was the last dragon, and he died on the Trident. Viserys is less than the shadow of a snake. | „ |
| ~ Jorah Mormont to Daenerys Targaryen. |
| “ | Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly. And Rhaegar died. | „ |
| ~ Jorah Mormont to Daenerys Targaryen. |
| “ | He has a song. He is the prince that was promised, and his is the song of ice and fire. [stares directly at Daenerys from the future]. There must be one more. The dragon has three heads. | „ |
| ~ Rhaegar to his wife Elia Martell, speaking about a prophecy and their son. |
| “ | Rhaegar: My royal sire fears your father more than he does our cousin Robert. He wants you close, so Lord Tywin cannot harm him. I dare not take that crutch away from him at such an hour. Jaime: [angry] I am not crutch. I am a knight of the Kingsguard. Jonothor Darry: [snapping] Then guard the king. When you donned that cloak, you promised to obey. Rhaegar: [putting a hand on Jaime's shoulder] When this battle's done I mean to call a council. Changes will be made. I meant to do it long ago, but... well, it does no good to speak of roads not taken. We shall talk when I return. |
„ |
| ~ Rhaegar's last words to Jaime Lannister, before his death at the Trident. |
Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, also known as the Last Dragon, the Silver Prince, and The Prince That Was Promised, is one of the overarching protagonists of the A Song of Ice And Fire novel series and its television adaptation, Game of Thrones.
Being the firstborn of King Aerys II Targaryen and Queen Rhaella Targaryen, Rhaegar was the Crown Prince, heir to the Iron Throne, as well as the Prince of Dragonstone. He was the older brother of the last known surviving Targaryens, Prince Viserys and Princess Daenerys, who lived in exile after the rebellion. Rhaegar was married to Princess Elia Martell, and with her, he had two children, Princess Rhaenys and Prince Aegon.
While he was loved by many, he was also a man of controversy and is infamously known for his supposed abduction of Lyanna Stark, which sparked Robert's Rebellion/War of the Usurper, a civil war that brought the end of the Targaryen dynasty. During the climatic Battle of the Trident, Rhaegar was killed by Lord Robert Baratheon.
In the TV series, he was portrayed by Wilf Scolding, who also portrayed Vanis Tigo in Star Wars.
Appearance[]
Prince Rhaegar was tall and handsome, with dark violet eyes and the silver hair typical of the Targaryens and other descendants of Old Valyria. He was very intelligent and competent in every matter. Rhaegar was also considered a skilled musician and great knight, but he was somehow melancholic probably caused by "the shadow of Summerhall." The smallfolk were fond of Rhaegar.
Personality[]
Many in Westeros remember Rhaegar with respect, as they considered him a good man, though Robert Baratheon, in his hatred, vilified him and firmly believed he raped Lyanna Stark a hundred times. House Martell, most notably Prince Doran Martell, does not remember Rhaegar fondly, as they were furious by the fact that he had humiliated and spurned his wife, Princess Elia Martell, before leaving her. Ser Jaime Lannister remembered Rhaegar's voice and believed that he would have been a good king. Ser Barristan Selmy, who served three Targaryen kings, recalled that Rhaegar surpassed them all. His sister, Daenerys Targaryen, is often said to resemble him, while her brother, Viserys, who idolized Rhaegar, called him a great killer. It could also be said that Rhaegar and Viserys looked identical, but Rhaegar was taller and more beautiful.
Rhaegar may have had a habit of trusting the wrong people, as he personally knighted Ser Gregor Clegane with the highest honors and advised his father to seek aid from the former Hand Lord Tywin Lannister during Robert's Rebellion.
One of Rhaegar's greatest weaknesses was his fascination and obsession with the prophecy of the Prince Who Was Promised and the Three Heads of the Targaryen Dragon. At first he himself believed that he was that legendary hero and that the prophecy referred to his children, being convinced that he had to have three for it to be fulfilled, but since his wife could not have more children without being in danger of dying, Rhaegar eloped with Lyanna Stark (whom he was apparently in love with) in order to have the third child, which indirectly caused the fall of House Targaryen and the deaths of his wife Elia and their two children (at least their daughter Rhaenys).
Biography[]
Rhaegar Targaryen was born in 259 AC during the Tragedy at Summerhall, in which a great fire broke out in House Targaryen's pleasure castle of Summerhall, which resulted in the deaths of King Aegon V Targaryen, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Duncan the Tall, and many others. In his childhood, Rhaegar was bookish, which made him the target of jests. Though he never wanted to become a warrior, as he never had any martial habits, Rhaegar changed his mind due to something he had read, which motivated him into becoming a mighty warrior. He eventually became a knight at seventeen years old, and it was reported that he grew into a skilled warrior. During tourneys, Rhaegar would always distinguish himself from others, even though he doesn't want to enter the lists. He didn't appear to enjoy combat, unlike Robert Baratheon and Jaime Lannister.
Rhaegar, thanks to his charisma, is known to have close relationships and friendships with many, such as his two squires, Myles Mooton and Richard Lonmouth, who are knighted by the latter. Jon Connington, the son of Lord Armond Connington, was also a close friend to Rhaegar, as the prince served as his squire. Rhaegar had visited the tallest tower of the castle of Griffin's Roost following a trip to Dorne, and his beautiful songs brought tears to the women in the castle. Rhaegar's closest friend, however, was Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, whom Rhaegar trusted more than Ser Barristan Selmy.
He likes to visit the ruins of Summerhall due to having a complex fascination with the castle and believing himself to be the legendary and prophesied Prince that was Promised, due to being born "amidst smoke and salt," which was in accordance with the prophecy. Having remembered the tragedy that had occurred at Summerhall, Rhaegar was both the happiest and saddest with this event. When he returned, he would sing songs of such beauty that left women in tears. Though Rhaegar was noted for being gloomy, bookish, and private, Cersei Lannister noted that at a tourney in Lannisport to honor the birth of Prince Viserys, the small folk cheered half as loudly for Rhaegar while Tywin Lannister cheered twice as much as for King Aerys. During the tourney, Rhaegar bested a dozen knights, including Ser Barristan Selmy, Gerion, and Tygett Lannister, but was eventually defeated by Arthur Daye during the champion's tilt. When Tywin offered to betroth his daughter Cersei to Rhaegar, the Mad King, in his paranoia, refused. During the tourney at Storm's End, Rhaegar was noted by Ser Barristan as having rode brilliantly, in which he defeated Lord Steffon Baratheon, Lord Jason Mallister, Prince Oberyn Martell, a mystery knight who is actually Simon Toyne, the leader of the infamous Kingswood Brotherhood, and finally Ser Arthur Dayne, after breaking a dozen lances. Rhaegar, however, was defeated by Barristan Selmy in the end, and the latter was named champion.
Marriage to Elia Martell[]
As Rhaegar was born at a time when the Targaryens had declined and there was no other sibling or anyone else of his bloodline that was available for him to marry, his father sent Steffon Baratheon, who is cousins with King Aerys, to seek a bride. Unfortunately, Steffon failed to find any appropriate women of noble birth for Rhaegar to marry, despite the fact that there is Valyrian blood in Essos. Eventually, in 279 AC, the latter became betrothed to Dornish Princess Elia Martell, the sister of Doran Martell, the ruling prince of Dorne. The two married a year later, in 280 AC, in a luxurious wedding ceremony in the Great Sept of Baelor. However, the Mad King did not attend the wedding due to his insanity and worsening paranoia, and he also forbade the young Prince Viserys from attending.
Birth of Rhaegar's children[]
Because of his strained relationship with his father, Rhaegar took up residence on the island of Dragonstone with Elia, where they produced their first child, a daughter whom they named Rhaenys. When they returned to King's Landing and presented their baby daughter at court, Rhaegar's mother, Queen Rhaella, warmly embraced her grandchild, though King Aerys rudely remarked that Rhaenys "smells Dornish." The Mad King's relationship with Rhaegar became more strained than ever. Rhaegar and Elia then gave birth to a son, whom they named Aegon, much later, but this caused Elia to become bedridden for half a year due to her fragile health, and she almost died. After his son's birth, Rhaegar was told by the maesters that his wife was unable to have more children. The prince corresponded raven messages with his great-great uncle Maester Aegon (formerly Aemon Targaryen). Aemon remembered that Rhaegar believed that Prince Aegon is the prophesied Prince that was Promised.
Tensions at court[]
After Tywin Lannister resigned as Hand of the King, the Mad King directed his paranoia and mistrust towards Rhaegar. Tensions became intense at court as members of the court became divided between factions loyal to King Aerys and Prince Rhaegar. Grand Maester Pycelle wrote to the citadel that the tensions and division at court strongly resembled those prior to the Dance of the Dragons and feared that a civil war would break out unless some accord could be reached to satisfy both factions.
Tourney at Harrenhal[]
When Lord Walter Whent announced a great tourney at the ruined castle of Harrenhal in the Riverlands, many believed that House Whent did it just to display their wealth and splendor, while others believed that the family was being supported by a "shadow host," as they lacked the funds to afford the prizes and rewards for the tourney, which were three times greater than what was offered by Lord Tywin Lannister during the tourney that honored Prince Viserys' birth. It is believed, and also by Varys, the Master of Whisperers, that the shadow host is none other than Rhaegar Targaryen himself, who financed and arranged the tourney in secrecy so that he could meet up with the lords of the Great Houses to discuss an arranging council as well as the removal of his father from the iron throne. This possibility is what made King Aerys decide to attend the tournament, and his declining presence shocked all within the castle.
During a great feast that night to mark the beginning of the tourney, Rhaegar sang a sad and beautiful song that caused Lyanna Stark, the daughter of Lord Rickon Stark, to start crying. When her brother Benjen teased her for it, she retaliated by pouring a cup of wine over his head. During the ten-day tourney, Rhaegar became champion as he seemed to be unstoppable, having defeated four knights of the Kingsguard. After winning the tourney, he shocked everyone present by naming Lyanna Stark his Queen of Love and Beauty, in which he used his lance to place a laurel of blue winter roses on her lap. This proved to be both controversial and scandalous, as Lyanna was already betrothed, and she was going to marry Lord Robert Baratheon. Seeing Rhaegar's action as an insult to his sister's honor, Brandon Stark, the eldest son of Lord Rickon Stark, attempted to confront Rhaegar, only to be restrained by the Kingsguard.
Robert Baratheon's further reaction to Rhaegar naming his betrothed queen of love and beauty is of much dispute; some believed that Robert laughed at this, claiming that the prince had only paid Lyanna her due; however, those who are closer to Robert claimed that the latter brooded over the insult and eventually became bitter and resentful, causing him to harden towards Rhaegar.
Abduction of Lyanna Stark[]
Ten leagues away from Harrenhal, Rhaegar seemingly abducted Lyanna Stark for mysterious reasons. According to a semi-canon source, he was aided in the kidnapping by two of the Kingsguard, Arthur Dayne and Oswell Whent. This had a strong negative effect on House Targaryen. When Brandon learned that his sister had disappeared, he rode to King's Landing with several of his companions. In the Red Keep, to his misfortune, when he demanded Rhaegar "come out and die," the prince wasn't present, and Brandon and his companions were arrested by King Aerys for treason. Lord Rickon Stark and the fathers of Brandon's companions were then arrested as well. Brandon and Rickon were then brutally executed by the Mad King, with Rickon being burned to death by Wildfire while his son choked himself to death on a cord as he desperately tried to rescue his father. Afterwards, the Mad King sent word to the Eyrie, demanding Lord Jon Arryn deliver him the heads of his wards/foster sons, Robert Baratheon and Eddard Stark. This soon resulted in Robert's Rebellion, in which Houses Baratheon, Stark, and Arryn rose in revolt.
Robert's Rebellion[]
Rhaegar was absent throughout most of the conflict, and it is believed that he spent time with Lyanna Stark in an old tower allegedly nicknamed by Rhaegar the "Tower of Joy" on the Red Mountains of Dorne. After the Targaryen royalist army was defeated in the Battle of the Bells, the Mad King sent Gerold Hightower, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, to retrieve Rhaegar, who then returned to the Crownlands, leaving Ser Gerold, Ser Arthur Dayne, and Ser Oswell Whent at the Tower of Joy with the task of guarding Lyanna. Leading his Loyalist army and aided by Ser Barristan Selmy, Rhaegar met the rebel army at a ford of the Trident. Engaging in an epic battle with Robert Baratheon, Rhaegar, despite wounding him, was slain when Robert used his war hammer to strike Rhaegar in the chest, scattering the rubies that are encrusted in the prince's armor. Prior to his death, the prince, with his last breath, said Lyanna Stark's name before dying. As he lay dead, soldiers from both the rebel and loyalist armies scrabbled in the river to search for the rubies. Rhaegar's death was a massive blow to the loyalist army, which broke and fled.
Rhaegar's heir, Prince Aegon, was subsequently passed over by King Aerys in favor of Rhaegar's younger brother, Prince Viserys Targaryen, whom his father named his heir. As he had heard of Rhaegar's death, the Mad King sent his pregnant wife Rhaella and Viserys to Dragonstone for their safety while he continued to keep Elia Martell and her children as hostages. During the sack of King's Landing by House Lannister, Elia, Prince Aegon, and Princess Rhaenys were brutally murdered at the hands of Ser Gregor Clegane, who killed both Elia and Aegon, and Ser Amory Lorch, who killed Rhaenys.
Trivia[]
- Rhaegar is considered one of the most complex and controversial characters in the entire A Song of Ice and Fire series due to his true morality constantly being called into question.
External Links[]
- Rhaegar Targaryen on the Heroes Wiki
- Rhaegar Targaryen on the A Wiki of Ice and Fire.
- Rhaegar Targaryen on the Game of Thrones Wiki
