Rhaegar Targaryen, the Last Dragon is definitely one of the most epic characters in the Game
of Thrones universe.
Even though he’s dead, his actions still continue to influence the series.
Prince Rhaegar Targaryen was the eldest son of King Aerys Targaryen II, also known as
the Mad King and his sister-wife, Queen Rhaella.
He was the older brother of Viserys and Daenerys.
As heir-apparent, he was the Prince of Dragonstone and crown prince for the Iron Throne.
Rhaegar was born amongst the flames in 259 AC, during the Great Tragedy at Summerhall.
As a child, Rhaegar was a bookworm.
Although, he became a noted warrior later in life.
Apparently something he had read motivated him.
Rhaegar often liked to visit the ruins of Summerhall with only his harp and when he
returned he sang songs of such beauty they could reduce women to tears.
At the age of seventeen, Rhaegar was knighted, and from all reports grew into a highly skilled
and capable fighter.
However, men said Rhaegar loved his harp more than he loved his lance.
Rhaegar's squires were Myles Mooton and Richard Lonmouth, and after he knighted them they
remained close companions.
Jon Connington, whom he had squired with, was a good friend to Rhaegar as well.
His closest and oldest friend, however, was Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning,
whom he trusted more than Ser Barristan Selmy.
In 276 AC at the tournament in honor of Viserys's birth in Lannisport, Tywin Lannister offered
King Aerys to betroth the ten-year-old Cersei Lannister with Rhaegar, an offer which Aerys
refused.
When Rhaegar was born the Targaryen bloodline had decreased, and once he came of age, there
was no sister, or anyone else of the bloodline, available for him to marry.
So, in 280 AC, he married the Dornish Princess Elia Martell in a great ceremony at the Great
Sept of Baelor in King's Landing.
Rhaegar and his father's relationship was straining at this point, and he and his new
bride took up residence on Dragonstone.
Later that year, Rhaegar and Elia had their first child, a girl named Rhaenys.
Queen Rhaella embraced her granddaughter warmly, but King Aerys refused to touch or hold the
child and complained that she "smells Dornish."
In 282 AC, Elia and Rhaegar had a son they named Aegon.
Elia, due to her delicate health, was bedridden for half a year after giving birth to Rhaenys
and nearly died giving birth to Aegon, after which the maesters told Rhaegar that she would
be unable to have any more children.
Rhaegar believed his child Aegon to be the prince that was promised.
In 281 AC at the Tourney at Harrenhal, Rhaegar won the joust and he chose Lyanna Stark as
the new queen of love and beauty, placing a crown of blue winter roses in her lap.
The next year, Rhaegar supposedly abducted Lyanna, which triggered Robert's Rebellion
and the downfall of the Targaryen dynasty.
Rhaegar spent the beginning of Robert's Rebellion, also known as the War of the Usurper, with
Lyanna Stark at the tower of joy in the Red Mountains of Dorne.
Game of Thrones season 7 finale reveals that Rhaegar didn’t kidnap Lyanna and that they
were married in a secret ceremony in Dorne.
Aerys sent Gerold Hightower, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, to retrieve Rhaegar.
Leaving Gerold, Arthur Dayne, and Oswell Whent at the tower, Rhaegar returned to the crownlands
and took command of the Targaryen army after the defeat of his friend Jon Connington in
the Battle of the Bells.
Rhaegar met Lord Robert Baratheon in combat at a ford during the Battle of the Trident,
where the pair had a legendary duel in the raging rivers of the Trident.
Rhaegar, despite wounding Robert, was struck down with a massive blow from Robert's warhammer,
which scattered the rubies encrusted in Rhaegar's armor under the water.
While Rhaegar lay dead in the stream, soldiers of both armies scrabbled in the water to search
for the rubies.
The location was named the ruby ford thereafter.
Rhaegar died with Lyanna Stark's name on his lips.
His body was cremated, as is traditional for fallen Targaryens.
His wife Elia and their children were murdered by Ser Gregor Clegane and Ser Amory Lorch
during the Sack of King's Landing.
Amory dragged the screaming girl, Rhaenys, from under her father's bed and stabbed her
to death.
Gregor, whom Rhaegar had knighted, killed the infant Aegon by dashing his head against
the wall while his mother watched.
He then raped and killed Elia while still covered in the blood and brains of her son.
Lyanna Stark was found by Ned Stark, her brother, and Lord Howland Reed at Rhaegar's tower of
joy in Dorne.
Lyanna died of childbirth in the Red Mountains after Ned’s arrival.
Before she died, she passed his newborn son Aegon to Ned Stark and made him give a promise
to protect Aegon from Robert.
Ned raised Aegon Targaryen as his own bastard son, Jon Snow.