House of the Dragon: Did Viserys change his mind about his successor?

In the House of the Dragon series, Viserys I Targaryen, also known as Viserys the Peaceful, ruled the Seven Kingdoms from 103 AC to 129 AC. He maintained peace established by his grandfather, King Jaehaerys I, and was a dragon rider of Balerion the Black Dread until the dragon's death.

Initially desiring a son as his heir, Viserys later named his daughter Rhaenyra as his successor after the death of his son Balon shortly after birth. This decision sparked the Civil War known as the Dance of the Dragons within House Targaryen.

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Who did Viserys name as his successor in House of the Dragon and why?

In the House of the Dragon series, King Viserys Targaryen faced a critical decision regarding his successor. After the death of his first wife Aemma and their son, Viserys needed to choose an heir. His brother, Daemon, appeared to be the obvious choice but Viserys made an unexpected decision and named his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, his successor.

This decision came as a shock to many as never in the history of Westeros, a woman sat on the iron throne. Despite the risks that might arise with being the first woman ever to sit on the Iron Throne, Viserys believed in Rhaenyra’s potential and trusted that she could rule the Seven Kingdoms.

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How did Viserys's choice affect the overall plot of the House of the Dragon?

Viserys Targaryen’s decision to name Rhaenyra as his heir had significant consequences in the plot of the House of the Dragon series. Rhaenyra’s gender challenged the traditional norms. Being the first woman in line for the Iron Throne, she faced opposition from people who believed that there should be a male heir.

Furthermore, Viserys I Targaryen’s marriage to Alicent created tension within the family. It strongly affected the relationship of Rhaenyra and Alicent and also the line of succession. In House of the Dragon, Viserys had three children with Alicent Aegon, Helaena and Aemond.

Their birth complicated matters as Aegon was now a potential rival to Viserys’s originally designated heir, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. When Viserys I Targaryen was on his deathbed, he fell victim to confusion. He mistakenly believed he was speaking to his daughter, Rhaenyra when in reality, he was talking to his second wife, Alicent.

Due to this confusion, Viserys discussed whether he believed in the prophetic dream of Aegon the Conqueror, " A Song of Ice and Fire ". However, Alicent thought that Viserys was talking about their son, Aegon and that he wanted Aegon to be his heir.

Alicent inclining towards the possibility of Aegon sitting on the iron throne, seized the opportunity. She declared Aegon as King in the Dragonpit, with her actions initiating the Targaryen Civil War, Dance of the Dragons.

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What effect did this conflict between Aegon And Rhaenyra have on the realm?

The eruption of the dance of the dragons divided the realm into two alliance groups: The Blacks and The Greens. The black supported Rhaenyra's claim to the Iron throne while The Greens supported Aegon's claim. The Blacks had Dragonriders and more dragons on their side as compared to The Greens.

During the conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons, the Blacks wore black, symbolizing House Targaryen, while the Greens wore green, associated with House Hightower. The Blacks were supported by the Starks, Arryns, House Celtigar, and Velaryons, along with houses such as Tarly, Merryweather, Oakheart, Rowan, Crabbe, and Mallister.

On the other side, the Greens were backed by House Hightower, led by Alicent, and received strong support from the Lannisters. Other houses aligning with the Greens included Lefford, Peake, Roxton, Reyne, Swyft, Crakehall, Baratheon, Fossoway, Redwyne, and Strong.

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House of the Dragon is available to stream on HBO Max.