What Are The Shortest Reigns On The Iron Throne?

House of the Dragon is all about succession of the Iron Throne. Today we will discuss the shortest reigns on the throne.

By Ishita Chatterjee
November 22,2022
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Warning: This article contains spoilers about George R.R. Martin’s Books

House of the Dragon is all about succession and legacy. The show begins with Viserys Targaryen getting elected as the new King after Jaehaerys Targaryen. Both the kings led long and peaceful reigns. But not all were so lucky. So here we have a list of the shortest reigns on the Iron Throne.

Baelor I Targaryen

Baelor I
Baelor I

King Baelor I Targaryen was the second son of King Aegon III Targaryen and Queen Daenaera Velaryon. He ruled for ten years and was known as Baelor The Blessed for his piety. In fact, he died because he prolonged his fasting and thus, starved himself to death.

Maegor I Targaryen

The Cruel Maegor
The Cruel Maegor

King Maegor I Targaryen was born to the conqueror Aegon I Targaryen and Visenya Targaryen. He was called Maegor The Cruel because of his barbaric reign that lasted very ominously six years and sixty-six days. He died after being impaled by a spike from one of the swords on the Iron Throne. The commonfolk said that the throne rejected him.

Aenys I Targaryen

Aenys I Targaryen
Aenys I Targaryen

King Aenys I Targaryen was born to King Aegon I Targaryen and Queen Rhaenys Targaryen. He was a weak and sickly person. Aenys I ruled only for 5 years and died at the age of thirty five after getting murdered by Maegor I Targaryen.

Daeron I Targaryen

Daeron I Targaryen
Daeron I Targaryen

King Daeron I Targaryen was born to King Aegon III Targaryen and Queen Daenaera Velaryon. He was called Young Dragon and ruled for just 4 years. He died at just eighteen years old in a Blackfyre battle after Dornishmen attacked his retinue.

Jaehaerys II Targaryen

Jaehaerys II Targaryen
Jaehaerys II Targaryen

King Jaehaerys II Targaryen was the second son of King Aegon V Targaryen and Queen Betha Blackwood. He was a physically weak king who often complained about being sick. Jaehaerys II died after barely sitting on the throne for three years. He died at thirty seven years of age after a presumed respiratory illness that had him complaining of sudden shortness of breath.

Aegon II Targaryen

Aegon II Targaryen
Aegon II Targaryen

King Aegon II Targaryen was the first born son of King Viserys Targaryen and Queen Alicent Hightower. He was locked in a war with his half sister Rhaenyra Targaryen over succession to the Iron Throne. He ruled for less than two years and fed Rhaenyra to his dragon Sunfyre. But he didn’t live long after that too as Larys Strong and presumably Corlys Velaryon poisoned him.

Joffrey I Baratheon

Joffrey Baratheon
Joffrey Baratheon

King Joffrey I Baratheon is the first son of King Robert Baratheon and Queen Cersei Lannister. But in reality, it is the Queen’s brother, Jaime Lannister, who is his father. He was a cruel king who was often called a False King. He ruled for less than two years and was poisoned by Lady Olenna Tyrell and Lord Petyr Baelish.

Viserys II Targaryen

Viserys II Targaryen
Viserys II Targaryen

King Viserys II Targaryen was the second son of Prince Daemon Targaryen and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. He ruled for only a year as King after his nephew Baelon I Targaryen’s passing. But it’s said that he actually ruled for fifteen years as the Hand.

This is because his elder brother Aegon III Targaryen had appointed him as the Hand. And he stayed in that position for his nephews Daeron I and Baelon I. So when his nephew, King Daeron I Targaryen went to war with Dorne (and died), and the next King Baelor I was more focused on prayers, he was the one actually ruling the kingdom.

He died due to a sudden illness. But multiple historians suggest that he was killed by his son Aegon IV Targaryen for the throne.

Rhaenyra Targaryen

Rhaenyra Targaryen
Rhaenyra Targaryen

Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen was the only child of King Viserys Targaryen and Queen Aemma Targaryen. She was locked into a battle of succession with her half-brother Aegon II Targaryen. During the war for the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra was able to sit on the throne for only about half a year. Callous decisions taken when the tide was in her favour led to her getting eventually burned to death by Aegon II’s dragon Sunfyre. Her death has been foreshadowed in the show too.

Do you think we forgot any? Let us know.