#hopefully i'll remember to retroactively edit in links to the following parts if this essay

[hollowwhisperings]

The Average Life Expectancy of Targaryen Monarchs (& other studies in age): Part 1/?

In 300 years of rule, the Targaryen Dynasty of Westeros had 17 monarchs and 9 civil wars (crusades against Dorne not here included). Half of the 14* Targaryen monarchs did not live past 50: none lived to be 70. The longest reign for a monarch was 55 years: the shortest was half a year. This post will brush over the contents of each reign & ruler, looking instead at the mathematics of their lives. As with the post on Targaryen Sister-Wives of Westeros, the ages of concern will be of their times of marriage, of parenthood, of ascension to the throne, and at death. In this post, brief biographies of each monarch are given to show the line of succession & note causes of death. Following posts on averages will be made on: overall life expectancy and "natural" vs killed; ages when wed, willingly or otherwise; age of parenthood, with commentary on in/fertility and the nature of child marriages; age when crowned & the length of reigns (natural & "interrupted"), with thoughts on "kingliness" from a social, mathematical context. There may also be a Joke Post on "First Blood" and comparison posts on the life expectancies of monarchs vs consorts (& whether it can reflect on House Targaryen as a whole or Westeros in a bubble).

*Within these meta posts, Rhaenyra I & Aegon II are jointly considered the 6th "king" of Westeros. while i also refer to the conquerors Visenya & Rhaenys as monarchs in their own right, studies of them exist on posts regarding Queens, Sister-Wives &/or Consorts.

Monarchs of the Targaryen Dynasty, In Brief:

AEGON THE CONQUEROR, husband of his sisters VISENYA and RHAENYS. Father of Aenys I (by Rhaenys) & Maegor I (by Visenya). Ruled for 47 years with his sister-wives & Lord Orys Baratheon (alleged half-brother) as his hand. Died of "old" age.

AENYS I, husband of Alyssa Velaryon (a cousin). Father of 6 children, including Princess Rhaena, Jaehaerys I & Queen Alysanne. Died of illness, having ruled for 4 years.

MAEGOR I, husband of Ceryse Hightower (daughter of the High Septon), Alys Harroway, Tyanna of the Tower, Princess Rhaena (his niece & eldest child of Aenys I), Elinor Costayne & Jeyne Westerling. No issue. Found dead on the Iron Throne by Queen Elinor. Ruled for 6 years, 6 months & 6 days (not accounting for his time as his brother's Lord Hand).

JAEHAERYS I, husband of his sister Alysanne. Fathered 13 children, outliving all but 2. Died of "old" age after a reign of 55 years.

VISERYS I, husband of Aemma Arryn (cousin) then Alicent Hightower (daughter of his Hand). Had 1 surviving child by Queen Aemma & 4 more children by Queen Alicent. Died of illness after 24 years of rule.

RHAENYRA I, wife of Ser Laenor Velaryon (a cousin) then Prince Daemon (her uncle). Had 3 sons while wed to Ser Laenor, 2 more & a stillborn daughter by Prince Daemon. Was usurped by her younger brother upon their father's death, resulting in a civil war. Ruled from the Iron Throne for half a year. Killed.

6. AEGON II, husband of Helaena (his sister). Fathered 3 legitimate children and an unknown number of bastards. Ruled intermittently for 2 years. Assassinated.

7. AEGON III, husband of Jaehaera (daughter of his uncle, Aegon II) then Daenaera Velaryon (a cousin). Father of 5 (including Daeron I, Baelor I & Daena the Defiant). Ruled for 25 years (initially under regency) before dying of illness.

8. DAERON I, a boy king. Ruled for 4 years but spent most of them warring against Dorne. Killed at parley.

9. BAELOR I, husband of Daena the Defiant (his sister) until becoming king & his anulling the marriage. No issue. Fasted himself to death after a reign of 11 years.

10. VISERYS II, estranged husband of Larra Rogare. Father of Aegon IV, Queen Naerys & Ser Aemon the Dragonknight. King for little over a year but having ruled for ~30 as the Lord Hand of his brother & 2 nephews.

11. AEGON IV, husband of Naerys (his sister). Father of 2 legitimate children and many more bastards (including Daemon Blackfyre, Bloodraven, Bittersteel & Shiera Seastar). Ruled for 12 years before dying of illness.

12. DAERON II, husband of Myriah Martell of Dorne. Father of 4 sons, including Baelor Breakspear, Aerys I & Maekar I. Ruled for 25 years, dying abruptly during the Great Spring Sickness of 209 AC.

13. AERYS I, husband of Elinor Penrose (his cousin). Their marriage was unconsumated. Ruled for 5 years before dying of illness.

14. MAEKAR I, husband of Dyanna Dayne. Father of 6, including Aerion Brightflame, Maester Aemon of the Night's Watch, & Aegon V. Killed in battle after a reign of 12 years.

15. AEGON V, husband of Betha Blackwood. Father of 5, including Prince Duncan the Small, Jaehaerys II & Queen Shaera. Died at the Tragedy of Summerhall after a reign of 25 years.

16. JAEHAERYS II, husband of Shaera (his sister). Father of Aerys II & Queen Rhaella. Died of illness after a reign of 2 years.

17. AERYS II, husband of Rhaella (his sister). Only 3 of his children lived to maturity: Princes Rhaegar & Viserys, Daenerys Stormborn. Killed after 21 years of (his Hand Tywin Lannister's) rule, ending the Targaryen Dynasty.

(...though it IS true that House Baratheon has Targaryen heritage, renewed every few generations & thus present in the family of Robert Baratheon: as Kings Joffrey & Tommen are Robert's alleged children, they too are supposedly Targaryen. A Targaryen in blood is not a Targaryen in name, however, as evidenced by Robert's freely siring bastards despite simultaneously calling for the genocide of "dragonspawn")