How does King Viserys die in the House of the Dragon? One of the most asked questions after the impending deterioration of the health of King Viserys in The House of the Dragon is how King Viserys will die in the House of the Dragon.
As you all know, King Viserys’ death in George R.R Martin’s book Fire and Blood marks a significantly critical point in the books as this was the starting point of the Civil War, i.e. The Dance of the Dragons aka The fight for the throne between Aegon II Targaryen and his older sister Rhynera Targaryen.
So King Viserys’s death marks an important chapter in the book as well in the series? So how did King Viserys die in the House of the Dragon?
Well, let us find out the details below.
How does King Viserys die in the House of the Dragon? (Image Credit: HBO MAX)How does King Viserys die in the House of the Dragon?
King Viserys’s health is deteriorating from sitting on the Iron Throne and getting cuts from sitting on the throne.
As per the Targaryen tradition, if the Iron Throne often cuts a King, that means he is unfit to rule as the King.
This is a way of throne symbolizing that the ruler is unfit to rule the seven kingdoms.
In the books, many Targaryen Kings, such as Maegor I Targaryen, King Viserys Targaryen, and Aerys II Targaryen, all suffered from the cuts from the Iron Throne.
Still, the important thing to note here is that Viserys Targaryen sufferers from an unknown disease called “the swell and rot.”
So whenever Viserys Targaryen gets cut by the Iron Throne, his body does not recover; instead, it worsens, and he ends up cutting that part of his body.
Like in Episode 4 of the House of the Dragon, we saw King Viserys Targaryen’s two fingers removed due to a cut from the throne.
Although the Maesters in Red Keep tried numerous ways to mend these wounds of Viserys Targaryen, none of the methods was successful.
This disease, “the swell and rot” of The King Viserys I Targaryen, was the reason why he died at age 54 during his sleep.
But one thing to note here is unlike other Targaryens; King Viserys didn’t die while fighting in the battle or was murdered by some other Targaryen family.
Instead, he became ill due to this unknown disease, which marked the end of his reign as the ruler of the seven kingdoms.
When King Viserys I Targaryen died in the Red Keep, King Viserys I Targaryen’s death news was kept a secret, and his wife, Alison Hightower, hid this secret from the public.
But seven days later, upon discussing with the small council, the news of the King’s death was announced, and he was given a burning ceremony as per the tradition of the Targaryens.
King Viserys I Targaryen named his daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen his heir and successor of the Iron Throne.
Still, after King Viserys’s death, few Targaryens supported Aegon II’s claim to the throne rather than Queen Rhaenyra’s.
This created a civil war between the House itself known as the Dance of the Dragons, where The Greens, aka Queen’s party, the faction of House Targaryen loyal to the rise of Aegon II as King of the Seven Kingdoms, were opposed by The Blacks aka The Party of the Princess, the loyalists who supported the rise of Rhaenyra Targaryen as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
King Viserys I Targaryen’s death was just a starring of the Dance of the Dragon conflict. We believe by the end of Season 1 of The House of the Dragon, we will see the conflict beginning.
Also Read:
- House of the Dragons: Why Caraxes is Called The Blood Wyrm? and Who named Caraxes The Blood Wyrm?
- Who would Rhaenyra Targaryen marry in the House of the Dragons? Who was Rhaenyra Targaryen’s actual Lover?
- Caraxes, The Blood Wyrm: How strong is Caraxes Compared to the rest of the Dragons? And How did Caraxes die in the House of the Dragon?
- The House of the Dragon: How does Rhaenyra Targaryen die in the House of the Dragon?
- The House of the Dragon Episode 5: Who killed Dameon Targaryen’s wife, Rhea Royce? What happened at the Royal Wedding? Whom did Ser Criston Cole kill in the Royal Wedding and why? What happened to King Viserys?
- Alicent and Rhaenyra’s relationship: Why Alicent hates Rhaenyra?
- Does King Viserys die in House of the Dragon Episode 8? and How does King Viserys die in the House of the Dragon Episode 8?
- House of the Dragon Season 2: Will there be a House of the Dragon Season 2? How many seasons will House of the Dragon have? Is House of Dragons over? How many years will House of the Dragon cover?
