Fire and blood

House Targaryen of Dragonstone is a noble family of Valyrian descent who once ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. The Targaryen sigil is a three-headed dragon breathing flames, red on black.[1][2][3] The house words are "Fire and Blood".[4] It eventually became the first royal house of the Seven Kingdoms, as House Targaryen of King's Landing. The only family of dragonlords who survived the Doom of Valyria, the Targaryens left the Valyrian Freehold twelve years before the Doom. They resided for more than a century at Dragonstone castle on Dragonstone island, until Aegon the Conqueror and his sister-wives, Visenya and Rhaenys, began the first of the Wars of Conquest in 2 BC. During Aegon's Conquest, the family built the Aegonfort in the new capital city of King's Landing. The Aegonfort was later torn down and replaced by the Red Keep, which remained their main seat for the duration of their dynasty, and which housed the Iron Throne. Their original castle was almost always given to the heir to the throne, the Prince of Dragonstone. The Targaryens eventually built the summer residence Summerhall, which has been given to several younger sons of the family over time. House Targaryen ruled as the Kings of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, the Lords of the Seven Kingdoms, and the Great House of the crownlands for nearly three hundred years. Lord Aegon Targaryen planned his invasion of Westeros from the Chamber of the Painted Table.[18] At the start of the Conquest, Aegon called bannermen and allies to Dragonstone, including the Velaryons of Driftmark, the Celtigars of Claw Isle, the Bar Emmons of Sharp Point, and the Masseys of Stonedance.[22] Aegon and his sisters, Visenya and Rhaenys, conquered six of the Seven Kingdoms, with only Dorne remaining independent. Ser Quenton Qoherys, the master-at-arms of Dragonstone, was named Lord of Harrenhal by Aegon. Aegon established his new seat, the Aegonfort, where he first made landfall at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush. The city of King's Landing, the new capital, eventually formed around it.[24] Aegon divided his reign between King's Landing, Dragonstone, and royal progresses throughout the realm.[The king raised his eldest son and heir, Prince Aenys at King's Landing, while Queen Visenya raised Aegon's younger son, Maegor at Dragonstone. In time, Maegor became known as the "Prince of Dragonstone".[16] In 35 AC, the Aegonfort was torn down in preparation for the construction of the Red Keep, so Aegon the Conqueror returned to his beloved Dragonstone. Two years later Aegon died from a stroke while in the Chamber of the Painted Table.[24] Vhagar burned the king's body in the castle yard.[16] Maegor remained the Prince of Dragonstone during the early years of Aenys I's reign, but after Maegor was exiled in 41 AC for taking Alys Harroway as a second wife at Dragonstone, Aenys established "Prince of Dragonstone" as a formal title by appointing it to his own heir, Prince Aegon.[25] At the start of the Faith Militant uprising, King Aenys I fled to the safety of Dragonstone, where he collapsed and died after hearing that his children, Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaena, were besieged at Crakehall. Aenys's body was burned at Dragonstone by Quicksilver, Vermithor, and Silverwing.[16] Maegor returned from his exile in Pentos, took Aegon's crown at Dragonstone, and claimed the Iron Throne. Dowager Queen Alyssa Velaryon, Aenys's widow, and her two younger children, Prince Jaehaerys and Princess Alysanne, fled from Dragonstone to Driftmark,[16] but they were later kept at Dragonstone by Dowager Queen Visenya.[26] Prince Aegon was killed by Maegor in the Battle Beneath the Gods Eye.[16] Following Visenya's death in 44 AC, Alyssa stole Dark Sister and escaped with her youngest children on Vermithor and Silverwing.[16] After being found dead on the Iron Throne in 48 AC, Maegor's body was burned in King's Landing and his ashes were interred on Dragonstone.[16]Seventeen male Targaryens ruled from the Iron Throne.[N 1] The dynasty ended with the death of Aerys the Mad King during Robert's Rebellion, in which the Targaryens were overthrown and replaced by House Baratheon. The two surviving children of Aerys II, Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen, fled into exile, and have resided in the Free Cities of Essos ever since.