Who Would Be the Rightful Heir to the Iron Throne if Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen Die?

The title of theIron Throne in A Song of Ice and Fire, a series by George R.R. Martin, has been a subject of intense debate. If Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen were to perish, several key figures would emerge as potential claimants, each with their own rights and claims based on various lines of succession. This article delves into the intricate web of lineage and bloodline that could determine the rightful heir to the Iron Throne if Jon and Daenerys were no longer part of the story.

The Line of Succession According to the Targaryen Family

If Jon Snow (Aegon Targaryen) and Daenerys Targaryen were both alive, Aegon would be the prime heir. According to the Targaryen succession laws, Jon's claim is the primary one because he is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, the former Crown Prince, who was the true heir to the Iron Throne before his death.

Daenerys Targaryen, on the other hand, has a legal but not a true claim to the throne. According to A Song of Ice and Fire canon, the only way she could lay claim to the throne is if her brother Rhaegar and her father Viserys died without any surviving children. As Rhaegar fathered Jon with Lyanna Stark, Daenerys has a stronger legal claim than her siblings as the last surviving Targaryen heir.

Line of Succession if Rhaegar Were Alive

If Rhaegar Targaryen were alive and Jon Snow and Daenerys were dead, Rhaegar would be the rightful heir. Rhaegar, as the Crown Prince and son of the Mad King, had a constitutional right to the throne. This would generally rule out other potential heirs such as his children, Rhaenyra and Aegon II, because the law typically favors the current living and directly related descendants of former rulers.

Legitimacy and Bloodlines in the Targaryen Succession

The legitimacy and bloodlines of the Targaryens are crucial in determining who should sit on the Iron Throne. In canon, Aegon's claim is based on him being a trueborn son of Rhaegar Targaryen. Similarly, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Rhaegar's daughter with Elia Martell, would have a strong claim based on her Targaryen blood and parentage, though she would still rank below her legitimate brother Aegon.

Viserys Targaryen, Daenerys' brother, had a claim if he survived, but his claim would be further diluted by the survival of Jon Snow.

Baratheon Succession: An Alternative Line of Succession

The Baratheons, specifically Robert Baratheon and his descendants, also have a line of succession that could come into play if the Targaryens are no longer in contention for the throne. Under the Baratheon succession, which follows the laws of the realm after the fight for the Iron Throne, the line of succession would be:

Robert Baratheon (original King Robert Baratheon) Stannis Baratheon (Stannis Baratheon, Robert's younger brother) Renly Baratheon (Renly Baratheon, Robert's younger brother) Shireen Baratheon (Grandson of Renly, if he were to survive)

According to this line, if any of these individuals were alive and Jon and Daenerys had passed, they would hold the throne before them. If Shireen survives, she would marry Jon or his descendants to legitimize her claim, but the main claim would still be Shireen's as a Baratheon.

Innovations in Succession Rules: The Actions of Daenerys Targaryen

However, the show Game of Thrones introduced an alternative, more complex line of succession due to Daenerys Targaryen's actions in legitimizing Gendry. By legitimizing Gendry as a Baratheon, Daenerys elevated his claim above that of Jon Snow and Daenerys herself. This means that under the reformed rules, Gendry would have a stronger claim to the Iron Throne than either Jon or Daenerys, despite their Targaryen blood.

The reformed succession means that Jon and Daenerys would still be in the line of succession after any surviving Baratheons, but with a more diluted and secondary claim.

Summary of the Claimants

Given the above information, the potential claimants to the Iron Throne, if Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen were to die, are:

Rhaegar Targaryen: The Crown Prince and son of the Mad King, if he were alive. Aegon Targaryen (Jon Snow): The son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark, a true claimant based on his Targaryen lineage. Daenerys Targaryen: The last surviving Targaryen, with a legal but not a true claim if no other Targaryens survive. Rhaenyra Targaryen: Rhaegar's daughter with Elia Martell, with a strong claim based on Targaryen blood. Viserys Targaryen: Daenerys' father, if he were to survive. Shireen Baratheon: Daenerys' sister, if she remains alive and can legitimize her claim. Robert Baratheon, Stannis Baratheon, Renly Baratheon: Original Baratheon claimants, if they survive the conquest. Gendry Baratheon: A new claimant if legitimacy is granted by Daenerys, with possibly the strongest claim.

Each of these individuals has a unique claim based on their Targaryen lineage, their actions, and the reformed succession laws introduced in the show. The true heir to the Iron Throne would ultimately be determined by which of these claimants survives and can present a legitimate claim.