The Dark Truth of Rhaenyra's Children Explained House of the Dragon Lore

The Dark Truth of Rhaenyra's Children Explained A song of ice and fire/Game of Thrones/ House of the dragon Lore

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Backing Track
BONNIE GRACE
Last Breath of Freedom

[jonathanwhite]

GOT is all based off of the medieval world, and stockpiling children for love and practical purposes is something that we modern people don't really have an understanding of. At a royal level, it was absolutely necessary in order to ensure the safety of not only your family, but the entire country. At a peasant level, the more children you had the less likely you would end up as a homeless beger on the street if you became handicapped or if you made it to be too old to work hard labor. They loved their kids for sure, but there was a practical application to having them back then as well that we are blessed not to have to worry about now.

[heartlesslove]

She is not only one. Every targaryen woman did that, and women who married into targaryen blood too.

[arielvanmoos]

Sure, it's plausible. But also, having a lot of children was generally a thing in medieval times and Rhaenyra does seem to love them beyond their duty as her heirs, even if the dragon advantage surely has some relevancy.

[captainvalourous]

Well at least she loves them all to the bottom of her heart point that their deaths ( the Strong Boys ) contributed to the slow breakdown of her mental health which became one of the major factors that led to her losing the control of King's Landing.

[justme]

I honestly think she just enjoyed Harwin’s company at first. Maybe by Joffrey she realized the Hightower’s were a threat and that’s why she aligned with Daemon. Not only did they have two more (surviving) kids, but she also inherited two daughters, both of whom would eventually become dragon riders and their grandmother, who was also a dragon rider married to the captain of the biggest fleet in Westeros. The black side was ridiculously OP compared to the 3 green dragons. The only thing going for them is they are in King’s Landing and the people just really disliked the idea of a female heir. And Daemon’s plan to kill one of Helaena’s children early in the war was a huge tactical error. Nobody realized they were at war yet, the kids were so young, and Rhaenyra wound up riding into King’s Landing already being called “Rhaenyra the Cruel” because of it.

[thedemonhater]

This is absurd. Every single medieval lord tried to produce as many children as they could in order to have more avenues for alliances. Rhaenyra is doing what’s expected of her as heir to the throne— IE, making more heirs.

[bannerwolf]

strange that you consider that Rhaenyra could have such motivations for having had 6 children but not for Jaehaerys and Alyssane who had 13 children

[andidreyes]

Uh, or she was doing as she was raised to do. In that time frame, a lot of children meant a chance your bloodline succeeds you. As the heir of a throne, that's your main job first. Then ruling your country peacefully.

[PumpkinHoard]

Lol, "stockpiling children." You make it sound like she's got heaps of spares stacked up in a warehouse.

"What, Lukes dead? Daemon honey, go out to the shed and get me another Luke!" - Rhaenyra

[beebobox]

6 kids
"So many kids"

Yeah when I look at history books, people never had THAT many kids jeez.

[davidspooner]

Actually she pumps out five remember? The sixth one was a miscarriage so tragic

[warhammer]

I’m failing to see how that is a “darker” motivation? During the period before the dance there have never been so much dragons since the time of Valyria. Her having children is believed to be the cause of that, her and many Targaryen women that is. And when she is killed all the dragons after are deformed and small, then no dragons are hatched at all.

[killuaa]

rhaenyra in the books is pretty much different from the show. she loved dresses, jewelry and styled herself lavishly. you can say she's pretty much feminine in a traditional way and in the books she didn't have any issues with having 6 children. idk why they went the whole 'i don't to marry, i don't want have kids route' it also seems she enjoyed being with harwin and laenor because harwin was present when rhaenyra was giving birth and men are generally strictly not allowed in birthing chambers even husbands at that time.

[Milwaukhehe]

You can always spot the people who find any excuse to shit on Rhaenyra. Having children especially sons was part of her duty as the heir to provide heirs of her own which while securing her line of succession doesn’t make having children nefarious

[kirstybrown]

Also, the lack of contraception helped a lot, I can imagine. 🤣🤷‍♀️

[os]

Like, that's a valid theory, but i think its more about having really hot partners and no protection 😅

[lollypop]

Listen with a baby daddy as fine as Harwin. I woulda had a couple for him too 😍😍😍

[mattlahey]

I don't think she had kids as a tactical advantage. Thats just what married women did in Westeros. Pumped out kids till they couldn't. And she loved her kids fiercely.

[lesdieux]

Indeed ! And i do believe that it's true.

In the Book, Alicent Hightower is irritated by the fact the Black Team gets more and more dragons, while her side seems to have hard times to obtain one, so they just have to put their entire trust on Vaghar (dragon of her son Aemond).

Having more dragons have a big significance. It means your bloodline is made to rule. The green queen was bothered by the idea that the smallfolk see the black team as the actual real ruler of the seven kingdoms because of this.

[politecat]

Avenues for allies, dragons and continuation of the bloodline. Think about the Dance of Dragons. If Rhaenyra had stopped at her first 3 kids, she would literally have no one to continue her line after the war (seeing as her 3 first all end up dead by the end of the war).