The Dance of the Dragons Timeline: A Complete Guide to the Targaryen Civil War

The Dance of the Dragons is the brutal civil war in Westeros, central to the narrative of House of the Dragon. This devastating conflict pits half-siblings, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and King Aegon II Targaryen, against each other for the Iron Throne. Their opposing factions, historically known as the Blacks and the Greens, tear the realm apart in a war fueled by ambition, misinterpretations, and tragedy. Both Rhaenyra and Aegon are children of the late King Viserys I Targaryen, but born to different mothers.

King Viserys’s reign, marked by both prosperity and familial discord, ultimately sets the stage for this bloody succession crisis. His first wife, Queen Aemma Arryn, Rhaenyra’s mother, tragically died during childbirth – a loss compounded by Viserys’s subsequent marriage to Alicent Hightower, daughter of his Hand, Otto Hightower. As depicted in House of the Dragon, Viserys’s death in 129 AC ignites the Dance of the Dragons, a series of escalating conflicts and betrayals that conclude with King Aegon II’s death in 131 AC. Understanding the Dance Of The Dragons Timeline is crucial to grasping the intricate plot and far-reaching consequences of this Targaryen civil war.

King Viserys’s Death: The Spark of Civil War

In House of the Dragon season 1, episode 8, “The Lord of the Tides,” King Viserys, on his deathbed, mistakes Alicent Hightower for his daughter Rhaenyra. In his delirium, he speaks of Aegon the Conqueror’s Prophecy, the Song of Ice and Fire, meant for Rhaenyra, his chosen heir:

Don’t you [Rhaenyra] remember… Aegon… [the Conqueror] His Dream. The Song of Ice… and Fire… It is true. What he saw in the North. The Prince That Was Promised… The Prince… To unite the realm against the cold… and the dark. It is you. You are the one. You must do this.

Alicent, misunderstanding Viserys’s words, believes he is retracting his support for Rhaenyra and instead naming their son, Aegon, as his successor. Taking his last words as a royal decree, Alicent answers, “I understand, my King.” This fateful misinterpretation becomes the primary catalyst for the Dance of the Dragons. While Princess Rhaenyra and her supporters, the Blacks, remain at Dragonstone, Alicent and her faction, the Greens, seize control in King’s Landing and crown Aegon II, challenging Rhaenyra’s claim and plunging the realm into war.

The Green Council’s Conspiracy

House of the Dragon season 1, episode 9, “The Green Council,” reveals the immediate aftermath of Viserys’s death. Alicent is informed of the King’s passing and swiftly seeks out her father, Otto Hightower. Their concern isn’t mourning, but controlling the flow of information, fearing Rhaenyra’s potential response.

Before dawn, Alicent and Otto convene the Green Council, an emergency Small Council session composed of loyal Greens. Ser Criston Cole stands by Alicent, alongside Master of Ships Tyland Lannister, Master of Laws Jasper Wylde, Master of Coin Lyman Beesbury, Grand Maester Orwyle, and Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Harrold Westerling. Only Lyman Beesbury and Harrold Westerling express dissent.

Otto proposes eliminating Rhaenyra and her family, a proposition Alicent rejects. She is shocked to discover the extent of Otto, Tyland, and Jasper’s pre-meditated conspiracy to usurp Rhaenyra. Lord Lyman Beesbury condemns their actions as treason, for which Criston Cole brutally murders him. Ser Harrold Westerling, disgusted, resigns his command. Despite Otto’s manipulations, Alicent asserts her authority, declaring herself in charge.

In the ensuing hours, the Greens consolidate their power. Lords Merryweather and Lady Fell are imprisoned for refusing to acknowledge Aegon. Lord Allun Caswell, who initially feigns allegiance, is arrested and executed. Princess Rhaenys is also held captive. Criston Cole and Aemond Targaryen retrieve Aegon from the Grand Sept and bring him to Alicent for his coronation. However, Ser Erryk Cargyll, witnessing the Greens’ treachery, defects, aiding Rhaenys’s escape and fleeing to Dragonstone with Viserys’s crown. Rhaenyra, now declared queen by her faction, holds war councils at Dragonstone, preparing for the inevitable conflict.

The Dance of the Dragons truly erupts when Aemond Targaryen, in a fit of rage, pursues and kills his nephew Lucerys Velaryon and his dragon Arrax above Shipbreaker Bay. While the Assault on Harrenhal, Daemon’s strategic move to claim Harrenhal from Ser Simon Strong, a Green vassal, predates this event in lore, the tragic dragon fight above Shipbreaker Bay marks the undeniable point of no return in House of the Dragon’s narrative.

Following House of the Dragon season 1, Aegon is crowned in the Dragonpit before the populace. House Velaryon officially declares for Rhaenyra, and the Blacks secure pledges from Houses Celtigar, Staunton, Massey, Darklyn, and Bar Emmon, solidifying the battle lines for the Targaryen civil war.

Major Events in the Dance of the Dragons Timeline

Timeline of the Dance of the Dragons: Key Events

129 AC: Blood and Cheese – Retaliation and Horror

In response to Lucerys Velaryon’s death, Daemon Targaryen orchestrates a brutal act of revenge: the Blood and Cheese plot, executed by Mysaria. Two assassins, known as Blood, a former City Watch sergeant, and Cheese, a castle rat-catcher, infiltrate the Red Keep. They brutally murder Aegon II’s young son and heir, Prince Jaehaerys, in front of his mother, Queen Helaena. The assassins escape with Jaehaerys’s head, leaving Helaena shattered and deeply traumatized. This horrific act escalates the cycle of violence and deepens the animosity between the Blacks and Greens.

129 AC: Civil War in the Riverlands and the Battle of the Burning Mill – Regional Conflict

The Riverlands become a major battleground following the assassinations of Lucerys and Jaehaerys. House Blackwood, loyal to Queen Rhaenyra, invades the territories of House Bracken, who support Aegon II. Their forces clash in the Battle of the Burning Mill, where the Blackwood forces emerge victorious. Stone Hedge, the Bracken stronghold, has already fallen to the Blacks, leaving the Brackens with no refuge and forcing their surrender. Aegon II’s influence in the Riverlands weakens significantly as the region descends into civil war, demonstrating the widespread impact of the Dance.

129 AC: The New Green Hand – A Shift in Strategy

Frustrated by mounting setbacks, King Aegon II dismisses his Hand and grandfather, Otto Hightower. Aegon appoints Ser Criston Cole, the Lord Commander of his Kingsguard, as the new Hand. Cole’s approach is far more aggressive and militaristic than Otto’s calculated strategies, signaling a shift towards a more brutal phase of the war.

Despite his dismissal, Otto Hightower strengthens King’s Landing’s defenses and seeks alliances beyond Westeros, specifically with the Triarchy, former enemies of Daemon and the Velaryons from the War for the Stepstones. While Dorne remains neutral, the Vale and the North pledge allegiance to the Blacks. Key houses of the Reach, including Costayne, Mullendore, Tarly, Rowan, and Grimm, also side with Rhaenyra. The Greyjoys decline to support the Greens, leaving Otto to rely on the uncertain alliance with the Triarchy.

129 AC: Duel of the Cargyll Twins – Brother Against Brother

The Dance of the Dragons tragically divides the Cargyll twins of the Kingsguard. Ser Arryk remains loyal to his oath and King Aegon II, even condoning the king’s increasingly questionable actions. Ser Erryk, however, becomes disillusioned with the Greens and defects to Dragonstone, joining Rhaenyra’s Queensguard.

Criston Cole exploits this division, sending Arryk to Dragonstone disguised as Erryk with ambiguous orders, possibly to assassinate Rhaenyra or her children. This infiltration leads to a heartbreaking duel between the Cargyll twins, brother against brother, highlighting the personal tragedies within the larger conflict.

129 AC: Duskendale, Rook’s Rest, and the Deaths of Rhaenys and Meleys – Dragon Down

Under Criston Cole’s command, the Green forces sack Duskendale and execute Lord Darklyn, a staunch Rhaenyra supporter. They then advance to Rook’s Rest, the seat of House Staunton, laying siege to the castle.

Lord Staunton sends desperate pleas for aid to Dragonstone. Princess Rhaenys, riding Meleys, answers the call nine days later. However, Aegon II and Aemond ambush her. In the ensuing battle, Rhaenys and Meleys are killed, a significant loss for the Blacks. Aegon and his dragon Sunfyre are severely wounded, while Aemond and Vhagar emerge victorious. The Greens parade Meleys’s head through King’s Landing, attempting to terrorize the populace. Aegon recovers in the capital, while the wounded Sunfyre is left at Rook’s Rest to heal. Following this victory, Aemond is named Prince Regent and Protector of the Realm, solidifying his growing power.

Late 129 AC: The Dragonseeds and the Sowing – Riders for Unclaimed Dragons

Following the death of Rhaenys and the loss of Meleys, Jacaerys Velaryon seeks to bolster the Blacks’ dragon strength. He appeases Corlys Velaryon, Rhaenys’s husband, by naming him Hand of the Queen. Jacaerys then announces that the Blacks will attempt to claim riderless dragons, calling upon Targaryen descendants, known as dragonseeds, to attempt to mount them.

Jacaerys offers rewards and recognition, attracting individuals from all walks of life to Dragonstone to participate in the Sowing. Accounts vary, but many are killed or injured in the attempts to claim dragons. Four dragonseeds succeed: Addam of Hull, Nettles, Hugh Hammer, and Ulf White, significantly increasing the dragon count of the Blacks, though introducing unpredictable elements into the war.

130 AC: Battle of the Gullet – Naval Disaster and Loss

Jacaerys decides to send his younger half-brothers, Aegon and Viserys Targaryen, to Pentos for safety until Rhaenyra secures King’s Landing. Escorted by seven Velaryon warships, the princes sail on the cog Gay Abandon.

Meanwhile, the Triarchy, swayed by Otto Hightower’s diplomacy, pledges support to the Greens, dispatching ninety warships to break the Black fleet’s control of the Gullet. The Triarchy ambushes the Gay Abandon. Prince Aegon escapes on his dragon Stormcloud, but Prince Viserys is captured. The Blacks retaliate, launching a counter-operation in the Gullet. Four dragonseeds join Prince Jacaerys and Vermax, attacking the Triarchy fleet.

Despite destroying 62 Triarchy warships, the battle is a pyrrhic victory for the Blacks. Jacaerys and Vermax are killed, a devastating loss of leadership and dragon power. The Velaryon fleet retains dominance, but at a heavy cost, and the Greens have gained a valuable hostage in Viserys.

130 AC: Fall of King’s Landing – A Bloodless Takeover

While Aemond and Criston Cole lead Green forces towards Harrenhal, the Blacks seize the opportunity to strike at King’s Landing. Prince Daemon Targaryen arrives on Caraxes, and Rhaenyra Targaryen on Syrax, while Corlys Velaryon’s forces land in Blackwater Bay.

Queen Alicent is unable to effectively raise the alarm. Crucially, the Gold Cloaks, the city watch of King’s Landing, betray the Greens and side with the Blacks, remembering Daemon’s past command. The capital falls to the Blacks within a day, and Alicent surrenders. She and Helaena Targaryen are taken as hostages. Larys Strong aids Aegon II’s escape, but Otto Hightower and Jasper Wylde are executed for treason. Rhaenyra reclaims King’s Landing, but her victory is fragile.

130 AC: First Battle of Tumbleton – Betrayal and Green Victory

Targaryen and Hightower banners represent the opposing forces at the Battle of Tumbleton.

The First Battle of Tumbleton in the Reach marks a significant Green victory, aided by the treachery of the dragonseeds Hugh Hammer and Ulf White, known as the Two Betrayers. Ormund Hightower, Otto’s nephew, leads the Green army towards King’s Landing. The Blacks dispatch Ulf and Hugh to Tumbleton, a strategically important town and a key Black stronghold in the Reach, intended to buffer King’s Landing from Hightower forces.

However, Ulf and Hugh, riding Vermithor and Silverwing, betray the Blacks, turning on Tumbleton, setting fire to the town and its inhabitants. The Green forces then descend upon the ravaged town, further devastating Tumbleton in a brutal and dishonorable manner. This betrayal cripples the Black presence in the Reach and weakens Rhaenyra’s position.

130 AC: Fall of Dragonstone – Loss of the Targaryen Ancestral Seat

Moondancer, Baela Targaryen's dragon, prepares to defend Dragonstone in the face of attack.

Dragonstone, the ancestral seat of House Targaryen in Westeros and Queen Rhaenyra’s primary stronghold, falls to the Greens in 130 AC. The Fall of King’s Landing inadvertently sets the stage for this loss. Ser Alfred Broome, passed over for the position of Dragonstone castellan in favor of Ser Robert Quince, betrays Quince and murders him for the Greens.

Lady Baela Targaryen valiantly defends Dragonstone on her dragon Moondancer against Aegon II and Sunfyre. Moondancer is killed, and Aegon II suffers broken legs in the fight, rendering Sunfyre unable to fly. Baela is captured, and the Greens seize Dragonstone, a symbolic and strategic blow to Rhaenyra.

130 AC: Battle Above the Gods Eye – Clash of Titans

Prince Daemon Targaryen and Prince Aemond Targaryen finally confront each other in a legendary dragon duel above the Gods Eye lake, near Harrenhal. Riding Caraxes and Vhagar respectively, the two princes and their colossal dragons clash in a brutal aerial battle.

Both Daemon and Aemond perish in the fight, along with their dragons. The Battle Above the Gods Eye is a catastrophic loss for both factions, eliminating key leaders and two of the largest dragons in the war, further depleting Targaryen dragon numbers.

130 AC: Storming of the Dragonpit – Dragon Carnage

Following the suicide of Queen Helaena, grief and unrest engulf King’s Landing. A fanatical mob, led by a religious agitator known as the Shepherd, storms the Dragonpit. Prince Joffrey Velaryon attempts to intervene, riding Syrax to the Dragonpit, but is thrown from her back and killed in the chaos.

The mob, in their frenzy, slays five dragons within the Dragonpit, including Rhaenyra’s own dragon Syrax, who Joffrey had released from the Red Keep. This event, known as the Storming of the Dragonpit, decimates the remaining dragon population in King’s Landing, weakening both factions but particularly devastating the Blacks, who lose their queen’s dragon.

130 AC: Rhaenyra’s Death – Consumed by Sunfyre

Following the riots and the Storming of the Dragonpit, Rhaenyra, on increasingly poor advice, flees King’s Landing with her surviving son, Aegon (the younger). Unaware that Dragonstone has fallen, they are captured by Aegon II upon their arrival.

Rhaenyra is brought before Aegon II, and in a horrific act of vengeance, he feeds her to his wounded dragon Sunfyre. Prince Aegon II (the younger) is forced to witness his mother’s gruesome death, a trauma that profoundly impacts him for the rest of his life, instilling in him a deep aversion to dragons. Rhaenyra’s death marks a turning point in the Dance, effectively ending the Black claim to the throne.

131 AC: Aegon II’s Death – The End of the Dance

Aegon II reigns over a kingdom ravaged by war, facing widespread discontent and the advance of a massive army from the Vale, the Riverlands, and the North, led by Cregan Stark. Unwilling to concede defeat or seek peace, Aegon is poisoned by his own court in the Red Keep.

Cregan Stark arrives in King’s Landing and dispenses swift justice in the Hour of the Wolf, condemning key figures like Corlys Velaryon, Larys Strong, and Perkin the Flea. The Dance of the Dragons officially concludes with Aegon the Younger, Rhaenyra’s son, ascending the Iron Throne as King Aegon III. To unite the fractured Targaryen family, he is betrothed to Aegon II’s daughter, Jaehaera, symbolically ending the bloody kin strife.

House of the Dragon Season 2 premieres June 16 on HBO and Max, promising to bring these dramatic events of the dance of the dragons timeline to vivid life.

House of the Dragon

TV-MA
Drama Action Adventure Fantasy

Release Date August 21, 2022
Network HBO Max
Showrunner George R.R. Martin

House of the Dragon, HBO’s prequel to Game of Thrones, explores the Targaryen dynasty’s internal conflicts and power struggles centuries before Game of Thrones. Created by Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin, starring Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans, and Olivia Cooke.

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