Dragonlords were the mightiest people in the known world before the Doom of Valyria. They were the dragonriders of the highest nobility in the Valyrian Freehold. As the Valyrian empire had about forty noble houses, the leader of each house was called a dragonlord. They had magical powers to create whips and horns for controlling fire-breathing dragons. Some dragonlords deemed themselves better than gods at the height of the empire’s power.
Appearance
Dragonlords were said to be some of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful, people known to humanity. They had silver-gold hair, pale skin, and eye colors of lilac, purple, or pale blue. Unlike the houses of Westeros, dragonlords never used heraldic banners and crests. The dragonlords deemed themselves a special breed of gods. Some believed they were invincible because of their dragons, and their innate desire to maintain their superior bloodline led to the Valyrian tradition of inbreeding.
Politics
The dragonlords contested for power among each other as there were forty Valyrian noble families. Though it is unknown if all houses had dragons, it was most likely the case as there were dragon riders with dragons. The dragonlords served as mighty generals for the Valyrian Empire, and they projected the Freehold’s power to the corners of the world. They also created the Free Cities of Lys and Tyrosh for their pleasure.
History
Before the end of the Valyrian Empire, Daenys Targaryen had a vision where she saw the destruction of the Freehold. The Valyrian dragonlords mocked Aenar Targaryen when he decided to move his family to the westernmost outpost of the Freehold. However, the volcanoes erupted, and the Valyrian Freehold, with most dragons, burned to death.
After the destruction of the Freehold, the remaining dragonlords in Tyrosh and Lys got killed in an uprising. One of the last remaining lords, Aurion, declared himself the emperor of the Valyrian Empire and led an army from Qohor to the ruins of Valyria. However, no one heard or saw him again.
After the death of the dragonlords, the people of Volantis deemed themselves the new Valyria and captured some of the Free Cities; this led to years of bloodshed called the Century of Blood. The war ended eventually with the help of the last true dragonlord, Aegon Targaryen. Later, Aegon and his sister-wives led an army with three dragons, Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes, to the continent of Westeros. He declared himself King and began a conquest of the kingdoms. After years of destruction, Aegon was named King at Hightower and built the Iron Throne in his new capital city, King’s Landing.
Many members of House Targaryen were called dragonlords, as during the Targaryen Civil War, Dance of the Dragons, there were brutal dragon fights between the Blacks of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower. The most intense was between Prince Daemon Targaryen and Aemond Targaryen.
Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire
A Game of Thrones
When Daenerys Targaryen stays at Illyrio Mopatis’s manse in Pentos, her brother makes a deal to sell her to Khal Drogo, the leader of the strongest Khalasaar. On the day Daenerys is to meet her new husband, Illyrio showers her with praises, stating she has the hallmarks of the dragonlords of the Valyrian Freehold, including purple hair and silver-gold eyes. Viserys, angry that his sister will marry a barbarian, states that the Dothraki are known to have weird pleasures like boys and sheep. Illyrio warns him to keep his tongue in check as it could be the difference between life and death.
Before her wedding, Viserys Targaryen tries taking his sister’s maidenhead. However, Illyrio places two guards by her door to prevent him from doing so. When he later speaks to her, he threatens to hurt her, saying she should not wake the dragon. After Dany marries Drogo, she gets pregnant with his child. While in Vaes Dothrak, Viserys gets killed for breaking the law. After an altercation with an assassin, Drogo promises Daenerys the Seven Kingdoms. However, he dies from a festered wound, and Dany walks into his funeral pyre with three dragon eggs she received as a wedding gift. She eventually comes out of the flames unscathed and with three new dragons.
A Dance with Dragons
While aboard the Shy Maid, Ysilla calls the dragonlords of Valyria the Lords of Fire. Tyrion talks to Young Griff, Aegon Targaryen, Rheagar’s son.
Relevance in Adaptation
In HBO’s Game of Thrones, Jon Snow became a dragonlord, riding on Rhaegal, one of Daenerys’s dragons, after he learned he was Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark’s son.
In House of the Dragon, the houses of Velaryon and Targaryen still have dragons of their own. After Alicent declared her son Aegon King, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen declared war on her, marking the beginning of a Civil War.
Dragonlords: A Forgotten History
At the height of the Valyrian Empire, the dragonlords deemed themselves stronger than gods. Their pride knew no bounds, and they felt they had to interbreed. However, all their legacy came crashing down with the destruction of the Freehold, and though they were one of the strongest people to exist, their history faded away.
FAQs
Were the dragonlords good people?
No. The dragonlords of Valyria were one of the vilest humans to walk the Earth. They believed they were above gods and treated others as a sub-species. The dragonlords also indulged in many evil practices like blood magic and incest.
What happened to the last dragonlords of Valyria after the Doom?
After the Doom of Valyria, Lys and Tyrosh killed the remaining dragonlords in their cities. Aurion declared himself emperor and gathered an army. He marched to the ruins of the Valyrian Peninsula, and no one heard from him or his army again.
Were the Targaryen powerful?
No. Though the Targaryens were among the ruling class of the Valyrian Freehold, they were a smaller house. They became the last noble house of Valyria after the Doom.
Who is the strongest known dragonlord?
King Aegon I Targaryen is one of the strongest dragonlords in known history. He rode Balerion the Black Dread and used him to conquer all of Westeros.
