Why Did Viserys Targaryen Want Aegon To Be King?
Viserys Targaryen, the exiled Prince of the Targaryen dynasty, was the eldest child of King Aerys II and sought to reclaim his family’s throne by any means necessary. He maintained that he and his sister Daenerys were the rightful heirs to the Iron Throne, and his goal was to conquer Westeros and take the Iron Throne for himself and his sister. To do so, he wanted to use his brother Aegon, otherwise known as Young Griff, as a puppet king to help him fulfill his ambitions. But why did Viserys want Aegon to be king?
Aegon’s Claim to the Throne
The most crucial element of Viserys’ plan was Aegon’s claim to the Iron Throne. Aegon was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, and Lyanna Stark. This made him the rightful heir to the throne and gave Viserys an easier path towards claiming what he thought was his rightful legacy.
Aegon’s Legitimacy
In Westeros, legitimacy is everything, and Viserys had to create a challenger to the Iron Throne with a legitimate claim in order to give himself a chance of taking it. By using his brother, Viserys had a perfect candidate at his disposal who could prove and back up his claim. In addition, Aegon was still an infant at the time when Viserys had put his plan into motion, making it easier for Viserys to control him as an adult.
Military Support
In addition to a legitimate claim, Viserys wanted Aegon to be king in order to gain the support of powerful factions in Westeros. He wanted Aegon to be an iconic figure in order to gain the loyalty of powerful factions like the Iron Bank of Braavos and the Golden Company. By having Aegon on his side, Viserys had a better chance of taking the Seven Kingdoms by force.
Conclusion
Viserys Targaryen wanted Aegon to be king for multiple reasons. Firstly, Aegon had a legitimate claim to the Iron Throne and was still an infant, making it easier for Viserys to control him. Secondly, Viserys wanted to use Aegon’s popularity and reputation to gain powerful allies and supporters who could help him conquer Westeros. In the end, Viserys’ plan ultimately failed and Aegon’s claim to the Iron Throne was never fulfilled.
5. What made Viserys believe Aegon had a better claim to the Iron Throne than Daenerys?
Viserys believed Aegon had a better claim to the Iron Throne than Daenerys because he was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Elia Martell, who was the legitimate son of Aerys II Targaryen, the Mad King and rightful ruler of Westeros. Daenerys, however, was the daughter of Aerys II and the sister of the deceased Rhaegar. Viserys believed that because Aegon was the son of Rhaegar, he had a stronger claim to the throne than his sister Daenerys.
3. How did Viserys feel about Daenerys’ potential to become Queen?
Viserys initially had high hopes that Daenerys would marry a powerful man and use their resources to help him reclaim the throne. He ultimately viewed her as a means to an end to fulfill his ambition of reclaiming the Iron Throne. However, as Daenerys began to demonstrate her power as she formed her own army and won victories in battle, it became clear that Viserys was not comfortable with the idea of Daenerys becoming queen in her own right and supplanting him as the rightful heir to the throne.