In Game of Thrones, why is the House Targaryen coat of arms/sigil a three-headed dragon?
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3Everything about the Targs is about 3 so probably that.– TheLethalCarrotAug 30, 2017 at 9:58
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2Please explane more i did not understand– MouradAug 30, 2017 at 10:04
1 Answer
Because of their close ties with dragons, and because the founder of the dynasty, Aegon Targaryen, achieved the historic conquest of the Seven Kingdoms which involved using three dragons being ridden by himself and his two sisters.
From A Clash of Kings, book 2 in George R. R. Martins novel series, A Song of Ice and Fire, that the show is based on:
So many threes. Three fires, three mounts to ride, three treasons. “The dragon has three heads,” she sighed. “Do you know what that means, Jorah?”
“Your Grace? The sigil of House Targaryen is a three-headed dragon, red on black.”
“I know that. But there are no three-headed dragons.”
“The three heads were Aegon and his sisters.”
“Visenya and Rhaenys,” she recalled. “I am descended from Aegon and Rhaenys through their son Aenys and their grandson Jaehaerys.”
—A Clash of Kings, Chapter 63, Daenerys
In case you doubt Jorah's word, considering Martin's use of "unrealiable narrator", Martin makes this explicitly clear in the Appendix of the same book (A Clash of Kings):
The banner of the Targaryens is the banner of Aegon the Conqueror, who conquered six of Seven Kingdoms, founded the dynasty, and made the Iron Throne from the swords of his conquered enemies: a three-headed dragon, red on black.
—A Clash of Kings, Appendix, The Kings and their Courts: The Queen Across the Water
From the "House Targaryen" article on A Wiki of Ice and Fire:
As one of the forty dragonlord families of Valyria, the Targaryens were closer to dragons than other men. Aenar Targaryen brought five dragons with him when he moved from Valyria to Dragonstone, and Aegon I Targaryen and his sister-wives, Rhaenys and Visenya rode them to battle during the Conquest of the Seven Kingdoms in 2 BC - 1 BC.
—"House Targaryen", A Wiki of Ice and Fire
also
The three-headed dragon represents the Conqueror and his two sisters, Rhaenys and Visenya
—"House Targaryen", A Wiki of Ice and Fire
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1The symbolism of 3 goes further than this, they have 3 children etc. Or is that because of this initial event? Aug 30, 2017 at 10:08
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1Who is
they
in your one example there, @TheLethalCoder? The banner was established by Aegon Targaryen the first, and the explicit reason we're given is that it represents the three dragons (figurative dragons (the Targaryen siblings, and literal dragons, the creatures they rode on) responsible for conquering and uniting the Seven Kingdoms to be ruled by their dynasty. Aug 30, 2017 at 10:25 -
1I asked
Or is that because of this initial event?
which your answer is yes. No need to be snarky about it. Aug 30, 2017 at 10:27 -
2@TheLethalCoder Hm, there was a legit miscommunication - I'll apologise upfront for this: I truly had no intention of snarkiness or malintent, I promise. I am lied down on my bed, very relaxed, and I always enjoy discussing GoT with you everywhere on this site (especially in comments) - I legit was wondering which 3 children you meant, and had no hidden intent of malice - I actually thought you may have been referring to Rhaegar's 3 kids, of Aerys' 3 kids, and I only wanted to know which you meant. Aug 30, 2017 at 10:29
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1Fair enough may have misread your comment a bit. But I meant Rhaegars and some others, though I don't know the names as I'm not the best on the history. Aug 30, 2017 at 10:30