101 A.C. — Old King Jaehaerys calls a Great Council to decide who will inherit the Iron Throne.
Ollie Upton / HBO
In the cold open of “House of the Dragon,” we hear Princess Rhaenyra (voiced in this scene by actor Emma D’Arcy) explain the preluding events to her direct family’s rule over Westeros.
She explains that King Jaehaerys had ruled for 60 years — overseeing peace in the realm — but his own oldest trueborn sons, Aemon and Baelon, had died tragically in the past decade. That left him with no direct heirs.
The two most prominent candidates for succeeding King Jaehaerys on the Iron Throne were his grandchildren, Viserys and Rhaenys.
“Jaheherys called the Great Council to prevent a war from being fought over his succession, for he knew the cold truth: The only thing that could tear down the House of the Dragon was itself,” Rhaenyra’s voiceover said.
The council voted and chose Viserys (who was the son of Baelon — the younger son of Jaehaerys) as heir to the throne.
