Aemond Targaryen – The One-Eyed Monster of Westeros Explained
Aemond Targaryen was undoubtedly the greatest warrior on the Green’s side—and it’s made many wonder if he should hold the Iron Throne.
Aemond Targaryen, the second-born son of King Viserys I, was one of the deadliest fighters in the Greens’ arsenal. Riding into battle atop the massive dragon Vhagar, even his missing eye didn’t slow him down. He was cruel, ruthless, and strong: everything the Greens needed. Had his ego not gotten the best of him, he likely would have taken the Iron Throne rather than his siblings.
Aemond Targaryen’s Childhood
Aemond was the second-born son of King Viserys I Targaryen by his second queen, Alicent Hightower. He had three older siblings: Rhaenyra, Aegon, and Helaena. When he was born, he was noted as significantly smaller than his older brother Aegon had been at the same age. However, he replaced his lack of size with the same measure of ferocity. He was said to be bold, willful, and hot-tempered. He poured all his time into swordsmanship training, and as he grew, he became a deadly warrior.
The birth of Aemond and his brother caused a bit of a stir at court. When Aegon was born, many believed King Viserys would change the line of succession from his daughter Rhaenyra to him. However, Viserys stayed resolute in his plan to pass the crown to Rhaenyra. This caused two factions to form in court, one who supported Princess Rhaenyra and one who supported Alicent Hightower and her sons.
This also caused a rift between Rhaenyra and Alicent, who had once been close friends. This rift trickled down to their children. Aegon and Aemond bore extreme dislike for their nephews, Lucerys, Jacerys, and Joffery. Aemond and Aegon resented their nephews for stealing what they believed was rightfully theirs, and in turn, they resented Aemond and Aegon for their bullying about their parentage. This all came to a head during the funeral of Laenor Velaryon, Aemond’s brother-in-law.
Aemond Loses an Eye and Gains a Dragon
When Aemond was ten, he and his family traveled to Driftmark to attend the funeral. Knowing that Aemond was desperate to claim his own dragon, King Viserys said they could travel to Dragonstone after the funeral. There, Aemond could acquire a young dragon or a dragon egg if he was bold enough. This annoyed Aemond, who was the only one of his siblings without a dragon. He resolved to bond with Vhagar, the massive dragon his sister-in-law/aunt Laena had ridden until her death. Knowing his parents would never allow him near the great beast, he approached her in secret.
Unfortunately, he was discovered by his youngest nephew Joffrey. Hoping to keep him silent, Aemond stuck him and threatened him to keep his mouth shut. When he screamed for help, Aemond shoved him into a pile of dragon dung and climbed on Vhagar’s back. The massive beasts broke free of her chains and flew high into the sky, attempting to dislodge the young Aemond. However, he holds on, and after she circles Driftmark twice, she lands and accepts him as her rider.
When he returned, he found that Joffrey’s screams had alerted his nephews, Jacaerys and Lucerys. They fight with wooden swords, and Aemond taunts them by calling them “Strongs,” alluding to their illegitimate heritage. Jacaerys grew angry and doubled his attack, but Aemond gained the upper hand and beat him savagely. Lucerys attacked Aemond with a dagger to save his brother, putting out his right eye. Though he bore a grudge for many years, he claimed later that an eye for a dragon was a fair trade.
Picking at the Wound
Aemond continued his swordsmanship training under Criston Cole, the Lord Commander of Viserys’s Kingsguard. Through this teaching, his natural talent, and his innate ferocity, he became one of the deadliest swordsmen in the Seven Kingdoms. He wore a leather patch to hide his missing eye, though he also occasionally placed a sapphire in the socket. Aemond maintained a ruthless hatred of his nephews and taunted them at every opportunity. At a festival celebrating King Viserys’s return to health, he toasted his nephews, calling them “three strong boys” and drawing attention to their lowborn features.
When King Viserys died two years later, Aegon II was named king despite his father’s wishes. This caused the rift in the court to grow into a full conflict. Battle lines were drawn, oaths were called to be kept, and the Dance of Dragons began.
Aemond Tips the Scales
Hoping to solidify their claim and gain allies for the war, the Green and Black factions sent emissaries to all the lords of the Seven Kingdoms. The Greens feared that House Baratheon would side with the Blacks, as the previous lord had supported Princess Rhaenys, who supported Rhaenyra’s claim. As such, Aemond flew Vhagar to Storm’s End to parlay with Borros Baratheon and offer to marry one of Borros’s daughters.
Shortly after Aemond’s arrival, Lucerys arrived on his dragon Arrax to plead Rhaenyra’s claim. Aemond attempted to taunt Lucerys, but his young nephew ignored him. However, when Aemond turned from taunts to threats, Lord Borros forbade them from fighting under his roof. He had his guards restrain Aemond so Lucerys could fly back to Dragonstone, having agreed to support the Greens. When Lucerys left, Borros’s daughter Maris called his manhood into question. Growing angry, Aemond asked for leave and pursued his nephew on Vhagar.
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High above the sea, Aemond and Vhagar assailed Lucerys, tormenting Arrax and driving Lucerys off course. Eventually, Vhagar killed Lucerys and Arrax together, and Aemond was avenged for the loss of his eye. However, this act of kin slaying was the spark that lit the fires of true war. Rhaenyra Targaryen took the murder as a declaration of war. Her husband, Daemon, swore to avenge Lucerys, offering Rhaenyra “a son for a son.” He contacted a pair of rat catchers in King’s Landing to kill Aegon’s son Jaehaerys. The nature of the killing was so brutal that it drove Helaena, Aegon’s sister wife, mad. With a single act of petty revenge, Aemond had signed the death warrant for hundreds of souls on both sides of the conflict.
Aemond at War
Aemond was dispatched to several battles across the Seven Kingdoms in the following years. He marched with his mentor Criston Cole to Rook’s Rest, hoping to punish the lords that had thrown their support behind Rhaenyra. Aegon himself rode to battle, and they met Princess Rhaenys and her mighty dragon, Melys. Though the pair exacted a heavy toll on the Green army, they were eventually slain by Aemond and Aegon. However, the king was severely wounded in the conflict. Some sources believe Aemond allowed his brother to be harmed and may have even attacked him himself. Whether this was a bid for the throne, another act of childish rage, or an unfounded rumor is unknown.
While Aegon recovered from his injuries, Aemond ruled as Prince Regent. He was as ruthless in kingship as in war, but he was effective. While Aegon had worn their father’s crown, Aemond wore Aegon the Conqueror’s iron and ruby crown. Some sources state that Aemond boasted that the crown looked better on his head than on Aegon’s. Which Aegon he meant is anyone’s guess.
Rhaenyra Targaryen, Queen of Westeros?
Book readers know what happens next and about the epic confrontations still to come in the War for the Seven Kingdoms. However, we don’t want to give TOO much away. You’ll have to wait for Season Three of House of the Dragon on HBO, hopefully out in late 2025. Until then, check out the first two seasons on HBO to relive all the high-flying, fiery action.
