Warning: The following contains spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and A Song of Ice and Fire lore
Westeros has seen its fair share of kings. Of course, before Aegon the Conqueror, the realm was divided, with multiple rulers overseeing their respective territories. However, Aegon I ushered in centuries of Targaryen rule, with the first non-Targaryen finally sitting on the Iron Throne by the time Game of Thrones rolled around. Some monarchs are just. Others, not so much. Some kings ruled for a year, while others guided Westeros for decades. Unfortunately, more often than not, the realm would be subjected to a Maegor I, an Aegon IV, or an Aerys II (also known as the Mad King).
Thankfully, not every king was like the aforementioned terrors. Yes, heavy is the head that wears the crown, but these monarchs wore it well. They even made positive changes for their smallfolk, brought about peace, and put the kibosh on a few uprisings along the way. Here are the 10 greatest kings in Game of Thrones history, ranked from worst (remember, the bar is below the floor) to the best of the best.
10
Tommen I
Poor Tommen I. He never had a chance to harness his full potential. He could’ve flourished as the realm’s monarch had his rule not been cut tragically short. Sitting on the Iron Throne from his predecessor and brother’s death to his own death in 303 AC, Tommen was a kind and gentle soul – the opposite of the volatile Joffrey Baratheon and the manipulative Cersei Lannister. He worked tooth and nail to be a genuinely good king and maintain stability in Westeros. He would listen to his small council, particularly his grandfather, Tywin Lannister. Tommen’s shortcoming was that he was malleable and easily influenced by others, including his mother and his wife, Queen Margaery Tyrell. Unfortunately, Tywin’s death and Cersei’s scheming (which led to Margaery’s murder) fast-tracked his demise (in the show, at least).
9
Viserys I
Viserys I is another example of a well-intentioned king trying his best to bring peace to the realm. Throughout House of the Dragon Season 1, we saw those around him bicker incessantly regarding the topic of succession, which eventually morphed into all-out war, known as the Dance of the Dragons. Viserys’ daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen, was quite upset after he wed her best friend, Queen Alicent Hightower, and understandably so. His brother, Prince Daemon Targaryen, was always causing trouble. Viserys wasn’t the best parent, notably when his illness took hold. His reign was longer than Tommen’s, lasting from his ascension in 103 AC to his passing in 129 AC. Of course, following hot on the heels of the Old King means the expectations are through the roof. Still, Viserys’ time on the Iron Throne was relatively peaceful, and probably would’ve been more so if the animosity among his family wasn’t so fiery hot.
8
Jaehaerys II
Jaehaerys II, despite having the Mad King as his son, was quite the opposite of Aerys II. Ruling Westeros from 259 AC to his death in 262 AC, the most notable event in Jaehaerys’ reign was the War of the Ninepenny Kings. The end of the Blackfyre bloodline occurred during Jaehaerys’ rule, and he squashed the aforementioned rebellion underfoot, which lasted for about one year. A young Ser Barristan Selmy slew Maelys the Monstrous, the last Blackfyre Pretender. After the war, Jaehaerys named Barristan to the Kingsguard. This Targaryen king’s reign was short, but he put the Blackfyre threat to bed. Not too shabby for three years on the Iron Throne.
7
Robert I
Some kings rule with fire and blood, and then there’s Robert I – the fury. After 283 years of Targaryens sitting the Iron Throne, Robert broke that streak by staging his titular rebellion, which saw the end of Aerys II’s reign. While Ser Jaime Lannister slew the Mad King, Robert himself killed Prince Rhaegar Targaryen in the Battle of the Trident. After becoming king, Robert pardoned his enemies and Targaryen loyalists, even keeping Jaime in the Kingsguard and making Barristan the Lord Commander. He brought much-needed peace to the realm after the Mad King’s tumultuous rule. It’s quite an accomplishment to spearhead a rebellion against a tyrant, dethrone said tyrant, and save a kingdom in one go. Unfortunately, this is really Robert’s only crowning achievement, but it’s a damn big one. Compared to Joffrey, Robert’s a much kinder ruler (although the bar is, again, below the floor).
6
Maekar I
Remember Maekar? Yes, this cold, closed-off prince eventually became the King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men. (Here’s hoping we’ll see his tenure adapted for the small screen.) Sitting the Iron Throne from 221 AC until he died in 233 AC, the great-great-grandfather of Daenerys Targaryen wasn’t the most enthusiastic king, but his reign was peaceful. Since the crown wasn’t supposed to pass to him, Maekar assumed his becoming king was punishment for inadvertently killing his brother, Prince Baelor Targaryen, during the trial of seven between Ser Duncan “Dunk” The Tall and Prince Aerion Targaryen. Maekar died in battle during the Peake Uprising, going out as he lived: like a seasoned, hardened warrior.
5
Daeron II
There’s a reason he was called “Daeron the Good.” Daeron II is the name of the reigning king in the TV show A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Despite being the son of King Aegon IV Targaryen, who was, at that time, the worst king the realm had ever seen, Daeron was a just monarch. He was more keen to wield his intellect than a sword. That intellect, along with his kindness, served him well. He surrounded himself with learned people, too. Daeron’s biggest accomplishment was finally bringing Dorne into the Westerosi fold, uniting the Seven Kingdoms. He himself wed Myriah Martell, and he arranged the marriage of his sister, Princess Daenerys Targaryen (not that one), with Myriah’s younger brother, Prince Maron Martell, solidifying Dorne’s folding into Westeros.
Daeron’s reign also saw the First Blackfyre Rebellion, during which his bastard half-brother, Daemon Blackfyre, challenged his rule. However, with the help of his sons taking to the battlefield, Daeron put that rebellion to bed. Besides that, Daeron’s reign was mostly peaceful.
4
Baelor I
Also known as Baelor the Blessed and Baelor the Beloved, Baelor I was the most pious of the kings in the Game of Thrones universe. Ruling from 161 AC until he died in 171 AC, Baelor devoted himself completely to the Faith of the Seven and eventually rejected his family’s penchant for incest. He pardoned his brother’s murderers and even forged a peace with the Prince of Dorne before his young cousin, the future Daeron II, would officially unite Dorne with Westeros. Baelor orchestrated Daeron’s marriage to Myriah. Later, the king had the High Septon dissolve his union with his sister, Daena Targaryen, to denounce the Targ’s incestuous ways. Baelor was very loved among the smallfolk because he regularly bestowed charitable acts upon them, such as giving everyone in the city bread.
He would often fast for religious reasons. Rumor has it that Baelor’s death came about from starving himself during one of his prolonged fasts, although another rumor claims that his Hand of the King and uncle, who would go on to become Viserys II, poisoned him. Baelor’s pride and joy, the Great Sept of Baelor, was finished after his death.
3
Aegon I
It’s the Targaryen king who started it all – Aegon the Conqueror. You can also call him Aegon I. While the “conquest” part of Aegon’s Conquest is giving “colonialism,” one cannot deny that Aegon united the realm under one banner. All it took was a massive dragon to get the multiple kings of Westeros to bend the knee to Aegon and his sister-wives, Queens Visenya and Rhaenys Targaryen. While he took control of Westeros and consolidated power to himself as the sole ruler, Aegon allowed the smallfolk to keep their traditions and religious practices. His reign saw the beginnings of the Red Keep, which was completed eight years after he died in 37 AC. Aegon also oversaw the construction of a grand sept on Visenya’s Hill.
Aegon I set the tone for the monarchs to come in Westeros, and while he wasn’t as beloved as Baelor I or Daeron II (or the next two entries on this list), he’s a crucial figure in Westerosi history. He accomplished a lot before and during his reign.
2
Aegon V
Little Egg, everyone’s favorite mouthy bald kid from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, eventually became king after his father’s death. He sat the Iron Throne from 233 AC to 259 AC. He also named the knight he formerly squired for, Ser Duncan the Tall, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Aegon V’s empathy, kindness, and curiosity as a child bled over into his rule as a king. He was universally beloved by the smallfolk. He made genuine strides in improving their lives, which most of the monarchs who preceded him didn’t do. Aegon received pushback from the lords and advisors around him over his reforms, so they often failed.
He also spent a good chunk of his reign squashing uprisings. Aegon wasn’t a fan of Targaryen incest, and he married someone outside the Targaryen family, Betha Blackwood. This impelled him to arrange marriages for his four children with those in the Great Houses of Westeros. (Fun fact: His son, Daeron, was betrothed to Olenna Redwyne, who eventually became Olenna Tyrell.)
Despite some turbulence during his reign, Aegon was an overall great ruler. However, in terms of the “greatest,” that descriptor belongs to another king on this list…
1
Jaehaerys I
No one else could be in the top spot but Jaehaerys I, also known as Jaehaerys the Conciliator. The Old King was the longest-reigning Targaryen monarch. He sat on the Iron Throne for a whopping 55 years, ascending in 48 AC and ruling until his passing in 103 AC. After the fire and brimstone inflicted upon Westeros courtesy of his predecessor, Maegor I Targaryen, Jaehaerys was a breath of fresh air. His reign wasn’t without conflict or troubles, but Jaehaerys kept the realm united for over half a century, and it flourished under his hand. He was well-spoken, kind, just, and chivalrous. He also made an effort to participate in the royal progresses across the realm with his queen, Alysanne Targaryen, by his side. The smallfolk loved him.
Jaehaerys worked hard to craft a game-changer for Westeros: a unified code of law. Alongside Septon Barth, Grand Maester Benifer, Lord Albin Massey, and Alysanne, Jaehaerys codified, organized, and reformed all the laws in the realm. While the work took multiple decades, it was an important milestone for the kingdom. Jaehaerys even fought and won a war in a single day without losing any soldiers who fought for the crown.
The Old King was an impressive figure, and his mostly peaceful reign was proof that Westeros can blossom with the right leader at the helm.
In your opinion, who are the greatest kings in Game of Thrones history? Let us know in the comments.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
