Among the many tragic characters in House of the Dragon, few pay as high a price as Rhaenyra Targaryen’s sons. The civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons destroys almost an entire generation of the family and turns the queen’s heirs into direct victims of the conflict.

Born from two different marriages, Rhaenyra’s five boys meet very different fates. Some die young and violently. Others survive the war and ultimately shape the future of Westeros.

Warning: This article contains spoilers from Fire & Blood and future seasons of House of the Dragon.

How many children did Rhaenyra Targaryen have?

Rhaenyra had five sons.

Officially, her first marriage to Laenor Velaryon produced Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey Velaryon. Later, after marrying Daemon Targaryen, she gave birth to Aegon III and Viserys II.

In Fire & Blood, many characters question the parentage of the three eldest boys, who are born with dark hair. As we saw in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, however, not every Targaryen possesses the traditional silver hair, and the boys’ appearance alone would not necessarily be suspicious.

The series, however, takes a different approach. Because Laenor Velaryon is portrayed as a Black man with light hair, House of the Dragon removes any ambiguity and makes it clear that Ser Harwin Strong is the true father of Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey. Even so, Rhaenyra always recognized them as her legitimate heirs, and Viserys I never allowed the issue to be openly discussed.

When the scandal becomes impossible to ignore, Rhaenyra moves to Dragonstone with her family. Her absence from court allows Alicent Hightower and the Greens to expand their influence in King’s Landing, laying the foundations for the struggle that erupts after the king’s death.

Eventually widowed, Rhaenyra marries Daemon and has two more sons. A daughter, Visenya, is stillborn amid the shock caused by Viserys I’s death and Aegon II’s usurpation. From that moment on, the losses suffered by the princess — and later queen — continue to mount.

For the Greens, it is not enough to remove Rhaenyra from the succession. Her descendants must also be eliminated. Aegon II and Helaena have three children in the book (two in the series), but their male line eventually dies out. Aemond, meanwhile, fathers only a bastard son with Alys Rivers.

In the end, despite the bloodshed of the Dance of the Dragons, it is Rhaenyra’s bloodline that survives. And that is precisely why the fate of her five sons matters so much to the history of House Targaryen.

How does Lucerys Velaryon die?

Lucerys is the first of Rhaenyra’s sons to die.

In one of the most memorable scenes in House of the Dragon, the young prince is sent to Storm’s End to secure the support of House Baratheon. There, he encounters Aemond Targaryen, who is seeking the same alliance.

After leaving the castle aboard Arrax, Lucerys is pursued by Aemond on Vhagar. What begins as intimidation ends in tragedy when the largest living dragon ignores its rider’s commands and devours both Arrax and his prince above Shipbreaker Bay.

Lucerys’ death marks the true beginning of the Dance of the Dragons.

How does Jacaerys Velaryon die?

Rhaenyra’s eldest son and closest ally, Jacaerys, plays a crucial role during the war.

He helps secure alliances and becomes one of the leaders of the Blacks. His end comes during the Battle of the Gullet, one of the most devastating clashes of the entire conflict.

Riding Vermax, Jacaerys attempts to attack the enemy fleet but is struck by projectiles fired from the ships below. The dragon crashes into the sea, and the prince dies amid the chaos of battle.

His death is a devastating personal blow to Rhaenyra, who loses not only her heir but also the son she trusted most.

How does Joffrey Velaryon die?

Joffrey is still very young when the war nears its end.

During the Storming of the Dragonpit, when the people of King’s Landing turn against the dragons, the prince desperately tries to save Syrax, his mother’s dragon.

Without enough experience, he mounts the beast without permission and is thrown to the ground during the flight. The fall proves fatal.

Joffrey dies at the age of thirteen.

What happens to Aegon III?

Aegon III is one of only two sons of Rhaenyra to survive the Dance of the Dragons.

Still a child, he witnesses one of the most traumatic moments of the war: his mother’s execution at the hands of Aegon II Targaryen and Sunfyre.

Marked forever by the experience, Aegon grows into a deeply melancholic and traumatized ruler. He eventually becomes king after the war.

Known as “Aegon the Unlucky” and “Dragonbane,” his reign coincides with the final disappearance of dragons from Westeros.

What happens to Viserys II?

In the book, Viserys is believed dead during the Battle of the Gullet when the ship carrying him is captured. For years, everyone has assumed the boy has perished. In reality, he is kept alive in Essos and eventually returns to Westeros.

In House of the Dragon, Viserys and Aegon are not present at the battle, and it remains to be seen how showrunner Ryan Condal will handle their stories. However, both brothers survived the war.

As an adult, Viserys II becomes one of the most influential political figures of the Targaryen dynasty and eventually ascends the Iron Throne himself.

His reign is brief, but his influence on the family is immense.

Which of Rhaenyra’s sons survive?

Of Rhaenyra’s five sons, only two survive the Dance of the Dragons:

• Aegon III
• Viserys II

Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey all die during the war.

Which son of Rhaenyra becomes king?

Two of Rhaenyra’s sons eventually sit on the Iron Throne.

First, Aegon III succeeds Aegon II after the war. Years later, Viserys II also becomes king.

Ironically, although Rhaenyra herself is never officially recognized as queen in the historical records, every later Targaryen descends from her.

Daenerys Targaryen, Viserys III, Rhaegar Targaryen, and Jon Snow are all direct descendants of Rhaenyra. In the end, the war destroys almost all of her children, but it is the queen’s bloodline that survives.

And prevails.