The cold opening ofHouse of the Dragonseason 1, episode 1, “The Heirs of the Dragon” says in 101 AC the mighty Targaryen dynasty had ten adult dragons under its yoke. The then-king, Jaehaerys I had tragically lost both his sons, and therefore, it was pertinent to decide the future of the realm by naming a successor. Thus, Jaehaerys convened the Great Council at Harrenhal to decide on succession. A thousand lords arrived at the ruined castle and out of the fourteen claims heard that day, Jaehaerys' grandchildren, Princess Rhaenys, and her cousin, Prince Viserys' claims were taken seriously. In the end, the lords passed over Rhaenys and named Viserys as heir to the Iron Throne.
While Viserys I’s reign saw peace and prosperity, he was also responsible for seeding the war of succession between his firstborn daughter and decreed heir from Aemma Arryn, Rhaenyra, and firstborn son from Alicent Hightower, Aegon. This war is the focus of HBO’sHouse of the Dragon,and it differentiates the era of the mighty Targaryens from the later rulers. The Targaryen empire declined gradually after King Viserys I’s death in 129 AC. In contrast, his predecessor, Jaehaerys I was wise and ensured stability by keeping various strata and his subjects content. Jaehaerys inherited the conflict between the throne and the military order of the Faith which was caused byTargaryen marriage practices. He earned the moniker of Conciliator for quashing this Faith Militant Uprising and Wise for mending the fractures in the realm. Jaehaerys I Targaryen was the longest-serving monarch and here are his fifty-five years on the Iron Throne mapped.
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King Jaehaerys I Targaryen’s Reign
The Conqueror’s grandson, Jaehaerys ascended the throne after the death of his uncle, Maegor I in 48 AC. Jaehaerys like the previous Targaryen kings was a dragonrider, and he rode the Bronze Fury, Vermithor who as per the events ofHouse of the Dragonresides on Dragonmont. Jaehaerys possessed typical Targaryen features - purple eyes, silver hair, and a dignified stature and by the time the handsome Targaryen reached twenty-four, he looked “every inch a king.” As depicted inHouse of the Dragon, King Jaehaerys' looked dignified in his later years as well. The same cannot be said about his grandson,Viserys I who decayed awaydue to “the rot.” During his early years, Jaehaerys lived on Dragonstone with his sister, Alysanne, and their mother as hostages because his uncle, Maegor had usurped the throne of his elder brother, Aegon. But when Maegor’s mother, Dowager Queen Visenya passed away, the three of them fled Dragonstone with Jaehaerys' Vermithor and Alysanne’s Silverwing. Maegor the Cruel retaliated by torturing Jaehaerys' brother, Viserys to death at King’s Landing. As for Aegon, he was killed by Maegor in a battle, and thus Jaehaerys became the eldest son of the late King Aenys.
The events of Jaehaerys' ascension go something like this: he laidclaim to the Iron Throneand unified those who opposed Maegor’s rule. Lord Rogar Baratheon was the first to declare for Jaehaerys and with time, other great houses of Westeros such as the Lannisters, Tyrells, Arryns, and Tullys recognized his claim. Moreover, two knights deserted Maegor’s Kingsguard and joined Jaehaerys' cause. Finally, in 48 AC, Maegor mysteriously died and the fourteen-year-old, Jaehaerys took the throne. While his mother, the Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon acted as Queen Regent, and Lord Protector of the Realm and Hand, Rogar guided him, Jaehaerys was gifted in statecraft. Upon his ascension, Jaehaerys imprisoned some of Maegor’s followers, pardoned the lords and knights who served his uncle under certain conditions and executed those who assisted in Viserys' death. All of these moves indicated that Jaehaerys (whose older iteration is portrayed by Michael Carter inHouse of the Dragon) would embrace balanced statecraft.
An Abundance Of Heirs And The Great Council Of 101 AC
As the news of Jaehaerys' pardons spread, Maegor’s supporters who’d earlier fled King’s Landing rushed to swear fealty to him. He was crowned by the High Septon in Oldtown and more importantly, he was able to achieve peace with the Faith. He agreed to protect and defend members of the Faith but disallowed reinstating the Swords and Stars of the Faith. The Faith agreed to lay down arms and give up dispensing justice, and from then on, the throne became the only arbiter ofjustice in the realm. He also removed the bounties his cruel uncle had placed on the order of the Poor Fellows and Warrior’s Sons of the Faith and sent members of the Faith Militant who appealed clemency to the Night’s Watch.
In 50 AC, Jaehaerys reached the age of majority and formally began his rule. In 51 AC he and his sister-wife, Alysanne were wed in a public ceremony beforethe Iron Throne. Fearful of another militant uprising, Jaehaerys sent messengers throughout the realm to preach the Doctrine of Exceptionalism that he had worked out with the Faith. His reign also saw an abundance of heirs and Queen Alysanne gave birth to thirteen children in total, starting with Aegon, Daenerys, Aemon, Baelon, Alyssa, Maegelle, Vaegon, Daella, Saera, Viserra, Gaemon, Valerion, and Gael. That said, only nine survived and because the Old King outlived them all, he convened the Great Council of 101 AC (shown inHouse of the Dragon).
History speaks kindly of King Jaehaerys I, and Rhaenyra’s narration of the opening events ofHouse of the Dragonis a testament to the Old King’s wisdom. Grand Maester Benifer claimed King Jaehaerys who maintained peace, and ensured prosperity in the realm, was “learned as a maester and pious as a Septon” and Archmaester Gyldayn concurs. Queen Alyssa Velaryon who was Aenys' wife and Jaehaerys’s mother reportedly called the latter the best among her sons. Jaehaerys outlived his sister-wife, heirs, trusted advisors, and councilors, and during the last two years of his rule, Otto Hightower became the second most powerful man in the realm as he was named the Hand of the King. He ruled in the name of the king, while his daughter, Alicent Hightower catered to the Old King. Though this bit is missing fromHouse of the Dragon, Viserys mentions Otto served his grandsire Jaehaerys nobly in his final days.
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