Targaryen Dragon Count: An Exhaustive Overview
The Targaryen dynasty, renowned for their dragon-riding legacy, began with three dragons during Aegon's Conquest - Balerion the Black Dread, Meraxes, and Vhagar [1][3]. This number remained relatively small due to low fertility, with approximately 20 adult dragons existing at the time of the Dance of the Dragons, a Targaryen civil war, roughly 130 years after Aegon's conquest [1].
At the height of their power during King Jaehaerys I Targaryen's reign, the family had around 10 adult dragons, providing them with unmatched military and political strength [2]. However, dragons gradually declined in number due to natural deaths, wars, and internal conflicts such as the Dance of the Dragons, where many dragons were killed.
By the time of Daenerys Targaryen, dragons had been extinct for over a century until her three dragons - Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion - hatched, marking the return of dragons to the world after about 150 years without any [3].
Throughout their reign, the Targaryens are estimated to have owned between twenty and thirty dragons [4]. The hatching of Daenerys Targaryen's three dragon eggs centuries after the last dragons died in Westeros provides concrete evidence that dragons are not entirely extinct and that dragon eggs can still be viable under the right circumstances.
The decline and eventual extinction of the Targaryen dragons were due to a combination of factors, including their confinement within the Dragonpit, the Targaryens' own actions, and the changing political landscape [6]. After the Doom of Valyria, the Targaryens fled to Dragonstone, bringing their remaining dragons with them.
Daenerys Targaryen acquired three dragons in Essos, which hatched from eggs in a funeral pyre. These dragons played a crucial role in her conquest of Slaver's Bay and her journey to Westeros. Dragon eggs were also crucial to the Targaryens' efforts to sustain their dragon population, with Targaryen tradition involving placing a dragon egg in the cradle of a newborn Targaryen [7].
The size of the dragons born within the Dragonpit grew smaller over time, indicating a weakening of their bloodline [5]. Rhaegal and Viserion, equally powerful and majestic, were named after Daenerys' brother Rhaegar and brother Viserys, respectively [8]. Unfortunately, Rhaegal was killed by the Night King and resurrected as a wight dragon, and Viserion was killed by Euron Greyjoy during Daenerys' invasion of Westeros [8].
The increasing rarity and fragility of dragons in later generations may have deterred some Targaryens from risking the life of a dragon that was already vulnerable [6]. The last Targaryen dragon died during the reign of Aegon III.
The resurgence of magic in the world fuels speculation and intrigue about the future of dragons in Westeros and beyond, suggesting that the possibility of their return remains a significant element of the story [9]. The return of Daenerys's dragons to Westeros signaled a new era of conflict and upheaval.
References:
[1] The World of Ice & Fire, Volume 1, Aegon's Conquest: The True Story of the First Targaryen King. [2] The World of Ice & Fire, Volume 1, The Reign of the Kings. [3] A Song of Ice and Fire, A Dance with Dragons, Daenerys II. [4] A Song of Ice and Fire, A Dance with Dragons, Daenerys VII. [5] The World of Ice & Fire, Volume 1, The Targaryen Kings: From Aegon I to Aerys II. [6] Fire & Blood, The Targaryen Kings: From Aegon I to Aenys I. [7] The World of Ice & Fire, Volume 1, The Targaryen Kings: From Aegon I to Aerys II. [8] A Song of Ice and Fire, A Dance with Dragons, Daenerys VIII. [9] A Song of Ice and Fire, A Dance with Dragons, Daenerys IX.
Books delving into pop-culture, particularly sci-fi and fantasy, often paint a picture of the Targaryen dynasty founded on a small population of dragons during Aegon's Conquest. However, at the height of their power under King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, the family owned around 10 adult dragons, providing them with unmatched military and political strength. ('The World of Ice & Fire, Volume 1, The Reign of the Kings' and 'A Song of Ice and Fire, A Dance with Dragons, Daenerys VII')
