Miniature of Princess Rhaenyra and the Iron Throne
I’m a big fan of RR Martin and that’s one of the main reasons I’m streaming HBO’s House of the Dragon as it hits the streaming platform. After watching four episodes filled with serious politics, a war, men burning dragons, a rogue prince, and a weak and incompetent king, I firmly believe that Rhaenya is an ideal candidate to succeed to the Iron Throne.
But why? Let’s see!
Rhaenyra Targaryen is the queen Westeros doesn’t want but needs
When a ruler strikes the right balance between freedom and security, a kingdom prospers. If the leader upsets this balance or is unable to maintain it for any reason, his government will likely be labeled as dictatorial, or the leader will be seen as incompetent and unfit to govern.
Lord Corlys informs Viserys several times during the pilot episode of the deteriorating situation at Stepstones. He begs him to stop the uprising before it gets out of hand. But Viserys cared more about the competition which was due to start in a few weeks.
It is likely that Viserys lacks the necessary administrative skills and tries to avoid getting his hands dirty by transferring the responsibility of managing the affairs of the kingdom to others. Whether high tower had not received such authority from his king, he could never have reigned. Viserys never attempted to implement regulations and rules that would have ended the instability that plagued King’s Landing, where violent crime was on the rise.
But Devil don’t care to set a bad example. He had always aspired to be a powerful member of the council, but his peers were suspicious of his extreme and uncontrollable aggression. Daemon aspired to be the Hand of the King, however, he had never shown the maturity and elegance necessary for such a role.
Daemon could be unpredictable, and not all of his decisions were the best. He lacked the humility essential to a successful leader. A crucial part of being born into royalty is caring about the people under your care. Daemon had a free-spirited nature. He was completely self-centered, only caring about himself and his own well-being.
We find out very quickly that Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen is someone who isn’t afraid to make big judgments and strategize. She interrupts a council meeting to add her two cents, but she refuses to back down. The triarchy should not be allowed to conquer and plunder cities, she advises her father. She felt that a show of power was needed. She didn’t want people to be oppressed on purpose, but rather to be kept informed and forced to follow the law.
It was then that Daemon and Rhaenyra’s ideas diverged. Daemon was pretty wild at times. He was ready to draw blood for apparently no reason. However, Rhaenyra only used violent restraint when absolutely necessary.
Rhaenyra doesn’t let anyone dominate her
As with the last simile, Rhaenyra has shown herself to be more dependable and trustworthy than her uncle and father by refusing to be misled by the opinions of others. Otto influenced the king’s judgment, making him doubt his own abilities. Due to this misunderstanding, he ordered Daemon to leave the king’s landing.
On the other side, Rhaenyra was able to hold on. To begin with, she was adamant about selecting a knight with combat expertise for the Kingsguard. Otto tries to convince her because he assumes she would be influenced. The king’s adviser was surprised when Rhaenyra refused to accept his reasoning and instead maintained her own. We know that Rhaenyra is neither a warrior nor a puppet. She was both bossy and submissive when the situation called for it. She wanted to take care of herself. It hopes to improve the quality of future political and strategic choices.
Using her own judgment, she refused to let the scavengers use the kingdom for their personal gain. On several occasions, the Iron Throne has made its intentions clear. It served as a reality check for its guardians, though they often failed to decipher the signs. Someone once said that a woman would never rule the Seven Kingdoms from King’s Landing, but the tides change.
