Sophia Michaels
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Watch out! This post contains spoilers.
The history of Westeros, the setting of the “Game of Thrones” universe, is a sprawling one, filled with great battles, great houses, and great (and, well, not so great) rulers. Between “Game of Thrones” and the prequel series, “House of the Dragon,” we’ve seen several kings and queens rise and fall at different points in Westeros’s history. As readers of George R.R. Martin’s novels know, however, that’s just a small sliver of the rich history that the author has created for his fantasy world.
Season one of “House of the Dragon” dug even deeper into the history of House Targaryen (the royal house that rules through most of Westeros’s revealed history). Whether you’re rewatching the prequel to prepare for season two (though it’ll be a while before it arrives), gearing up for the Jon Snow spinoff, or diving into the “Game of Thrones” universe for the first time, there’s never a bad time for a primer on every ruler we’ve met so far. From the kings we know very well (like Robert and Joffrey Baratheon) to those you might not be familiar with unless you’ve read all the extra books and bonus materials (like Aerys II “the Mad King” Targaryen, who only appeared in “Game of Thrones” for a split second), many stories are left to be told.
For the purposes of this history, we’re combining both the background from the books’ universe and the one from the TV show; in the cases where the TV world goes further than the books have, we’re following the onscreen timeline to its conclusion.
If you’re ready for spoilers on all the rulers of Westeros, keep reading for a complete primer on everyone who has sat on the Iron Throne so far.
