Who Gets The Iron Throne Now That Viserys is Dead?
After many years of agony, King Viserys I Targaryen has finally surrendered to his disease and breathed his last.
It was a peaceful death following a heartwarming final dinner with his family where his wife, Queen Alicent, and his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, actually made peace. Alicent seemed to accept Rhaenyra as the rightful heir and future Queen.
But Viserys accidentally worsened matters on his deathbed. Believing he is talking to Rhaenyra, the king told his wife about Aegon the Conqueror's prophecy of the Prince Who Was Promised. Alicent believed that the dying king changed his mind and named their son Aegon as the new heir to the Iron Throne. To make further events even more tragic, just before her father's death, princess Rhaenyra left King's Landing for Dragonstone.
Who will occupy the vacant Iron Throne now that King Viserys is dead and for how long? To find answers, let's turn to the source, George R. R. Martin's book, Fire and Blood.
Before we go further, it should obviously be mentioned that massive spoilers for next episodes of House of the Dragon are ahead. You've been warned!
According to the book canon, in episode 9 of House of the Dragon, House Hightower will try to fulfill what they believe is a dying man's wish and place Aegon on the Iron Throne before letting Rhaenyra know about her father's death. This act will trigger the bloody and tragic Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
After finding out that Hightowers usurped the Iron Throne, Rhaenyra will declare herself Queen and begin to call her banners to press her claim. Westeros will be split between Rhaenyra's supporters and the greens of House Hightower, who will physically control King's Landing and the Iron Throne through self-proclaimed king Aegon.
The events of the war will involve a great deal of death and destruction. The key events will include Aegon being seriously injured and his brother Aemond becoming the Protector of the Realm. The conflict over Harrenhal will provoke the greens to leave King's Landing defenseless, which will give Rhaenyra and her husband, Prince Daemon, a chance to win back the King's Landing and the Iron Throne.
Thus, Rhaenyra will manage to sit on the Iron Throne. But just like Daenerys Tragarien 200 years later in Game of Thrones, Rhaenyra's reign as Queen will be brief. According to the book, Rhaenyra will occupy the throne for roughly half a year.
After Rhaenyra's death and the end of the Dance of the Dragons, it will actually be Aegon the Younger, Rhaenyra and Daemond's son briefly introduced to us in the episode 8 as a silver-haired baby, who will become the King and savior of house Targaryen alongside his brother Viserys. But that's the tale of a far future. For now, we are to brace ourselves for the Dance of Dragons, which according to George R. R. Martin will last for 3 more seasons.