George R.R. Martin is undeniably a masterful world-builder and character developer. With an extensive list of heroes, villains, underdogs, and dragons, Martin’s groundbreaking HBO franchise, Game of Thrones, details hundreds of names for fans to keep track of. Currently airing Season 2, the Emmy-nominated prequel series House of the Dragon continues to introduce more pivotal characters to the sprawling war between the Greens and Blacks. Episode 5, “Regent”, shows the political turmoil and unrest in the seven kingdoms after the bloody aftermath from the Battle at Rook’s Rest. Heavily present in this episode, the women are being undermined by war-hungry men. Rhaenyra Targaryen’s (Emma D’Arcy) small council expresses their wavering confidence in the Queen’s plans, while Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) is overshadowed by her second son Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), who takes over his bedridden brother’s seat as Prince Regent. Towards the end, however, Rhaenyra recalls the history of a very powerful woman in her family tree. Just who is Queen Visenya Targaryen, and why does she matter in House of the Dragon?

The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO series Game of Thrones. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, House of the Dragon is set nearly 200 years before Game of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.

Visenya Targaryen Helped Solidify Targaryen Rule Alongside Aegon the Conqueror

House of the Dragon focuses on several families with complex histories, but the Targaryen family tree is by far the most complicated to understand unless you start from the beginning. Queen Visenya Targaryen is a foundational figure in the lore of the A Song of Ice and Fire universe. According to the fantasy book Fire & Blood by George R. R. Martin, Visenya was born on Dragonstone and was the sister of Rhaenys Targaryen and Aegon I Targaryen, otherwise known as Aegon the Conqueror. The three siblings were all dragonriders: Aegon rode Balerion, Rhaenys rode Meraxes, and Visenya rode the Queen of all dragons — Vhagar.

Following Valyrian tradition, Visenya became one of the sister wives of Aegon I Targaryen with Rhaenys, and their combined strength led to the Ageon’s successful conquering of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms. Visenya Targaryen wasn’t just a wife during the Conqueror’s reign. Her political legacy is crucial to the background and unfolding events in House of the Dragon as she represents the first woman to establish the Targaryen dynasty on the Iron Throne. Per Fire and Blood, Visenya was a formidable warrior, wielding the Valyrian steel sword Dark Sister and a dragonrider of the fearsome Vhagar, one of the largest and most deadly dragons of her time.

Visenya Targaryen’s influence extended beyond her fierce skills on the battlefield. As a strong political figure, Visenya was known for her ruthless and pragmatic approach to governance and loyalty.Her marriage to her brother Aegon helped solidify Targaryen rule of Westeros through a combination of military might and political strategy. Aegon often trusted his sisters with the day-to-today governing tasks, but it was Visenya who invented the idea of the Kingsguard. The fearless Queen was also credited for taking command of the Vale’s seat of power, the Eyrie, by simply flying to the top of the mountain with Vhagar. The Queen Regent of the Vale didn’t blink an eye and surrendered peacefully. Visenya only had one son, Maegor I Targaryen, or Maegor the Cruel, who inherited much of her ruthlessness and determination, further impacting the Targaryen line.

Visenya Targaryen’s Fearless Legacy is Deeply Rooted in the ‘House of the Dragon’

In Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, Queen Visenya Targaryen is only briefly mentioned, but she has a major impact on multiple female characters due to her great deeds, not unlike Queen Nymeria. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) mentions Visenya as her heroine when she speaks with Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance) at Harrenhal in Season 2 of Game of Thrones. In the prequel series, the first mention of Visenya is spoken by Queen Aemma Arryn (Siân Brooke), the first wife of Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine). Aemma mentions to her husband that Rhaenyra believed her unborn sibling was a girl and that she had already picked out the name Visenya. The Targaryen queen is clearly a strong influence on Rhaenyra, who also named her stillborn daughter Visenya in Season 1.

In Season 2 Episode 5, “Regent”, Rhaenyra’s heir, Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett), finds his mother studying an old textbook featuring a drawing of Queen Visenya Targaryen. Rhaenyra speaks about Visenya as the first owner of Vhagar and Dark Sister, which are now both ironically owned by power-hungry men — Aemond as the rider of Vhagar and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) as the wielder of Dark Sister. Although Jace chafes at the idea of her mother using Visenya as an example as a ruler, it’s clear Rhaenyra wants to embrace some of her ancestor’s ferocity. She expresses frustration at not being taught how to fight like a man, and although it is not the custom to teach girls how to fight with a sword, Visenya is one of the rare examples in history of a warrior queen.

The values Visenya embodied: strength, ambition, and a powerful air of dominance, are reflected in the actions and motivations of her descendants. Her story provides essential context for the series’ events, particularly the importance of dragonriding and the unyielding Targaryen approach to rule. Understanding Queen Visenya’s role in Targaryen history helps viewers appreciate the intricate power dynamics and the weight of the Targaryen bloodline.

House of the Dragon is streaming on MAX in the U.S.