Baelor Targaryen’s Death in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Officially Sets Up the Mad King, Robert Baratheon & Daenerys Targaryen

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The death of Prince Baelor Targaryen is the most heartbreaking moment in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and it significantly impacts the events of Game of Thrones. Baelor was a genuinely kind and honorable man, and as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, he seemed destined to be a wise and just ruler of Westeros. However, his brother Maekar tragically killed him, altering the course of history – and ultimately, the future we witness in Thrones. Please be aware that this contains spoilers regarding the fates of key characters from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

When Maekar killed Baelor, it created a tricky situation for the Targaryen family’s line of succession. Baelor’s oldest son, Valarr, became the heir, but he, along with his brother Matarys and King Daeron II, all died from the Great Spring Sickness within months. This meant Daeron’s second son, Aerys (who was not the Mad King), took the throne. Aerys also had several heirs who died before him, and surprisingly, the line eventually led back to Maekar – the very person who started this whole chain of events with his brother’s death, ultimately becoming king.

Things still weren’t simple, though. Two of Maekar’s eldest sons died before him, and his third son became a Maester, meaning he couldn’t claim the throne. Surprisingly, this meant the throne passed to his fourth son – Aegon V Targaryen, also known as Egg. He’s the ancestor of the Targaryens we see in Game of Thrones, and none of this would have happened if Baelor hadn’t died.

How Baelor Dying Leads To The Mad King, Daenerys, & Even Robert Baratheon

If Baelor hadn’t died, Aerys II Targaryen – often called the Mad King – likely wouldn’t have come to power, and the Targaryen dynasty might have continued for much longer, or at least ended differently. Aerys was Baelor’s grandson in the books (his son in the TV series), meaning the kind and popular Baelor, known as Egg, is actually the ancestor of one of the most ruthless and unstable kings Westeros has ever seen.

This naturally brings us to Daenerys Targaryen. As the daughter of the Mad King, she’s the great-granddaughter of King Aegon V if you follow the book’s family history, and simply his granddaughter according to the show’s version. Jon Snow, being the son of Daenerys’s brother Rhaegar, is Aegon V’s great-great-grandson in the books, and his great-grandson in the TV series Game of Thrones.

Robert Baratheon has one of the most fascinating family histories. Surprisingly, the leader of the rebellion against the Iron Throne was actually related to both the Mad King and Egg. His grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen, daughter of King Aegon V, giving Robert Targaryen blood. While his victory over Rhaegar was the main reason for his claim to the throne, his lineage also played a role, with the Maesters supporting him because of it. It’s also likely that none of this would have happened if Baelor hadn’t died, fundamentally changing the course of events in Game of Thrones.

The season one finale of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be available on HBO and HBO Max starting Sunday, February 22nd at 10 PM Eastern Time.

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2026-02-20 18:11