‘House Of The Dragon’: Why Are Targaryens Called The Blood Of Old Valyria?

Emma D'Arcy and Matt Smith in 'House Of Dragon'

‘House of the Dragon‘ has turned out to be one of the most successful shows of 2022. The show is set two decades before the events of HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones‘ and is based on George R. R. Martin’s 2018 book ‘Fire & Blood.’ It has so far received critical acclaim and impressive TV ratings.

Martin’s universe has several interesting characters and houses that are well-fleshed out. One of them is the House Targaryen which is the center of the prequel show. It is also called the blood of old valyria in the books. Let’s find out the reason behind this fascinating moniker.

Why Are Targaryens Called The Blood Of Old Valyria In ‘House Of The Dragon’?

The House Targaryen is one of the most powerful houses in Westeros. They are mostly known for their control over dragons. The moniker blood of old valyria is often used for them.

Valyrians also known as the blood of old valyria are referred for the people who are native to the Valyrian Peninsula, on the continent of Essos.

The Valyrian empire ruled the continent for thousands of years until the cataclysmic event called the doom collapsed the entire civilization.

They were the descendants of the House Targaryens hence the moniker was passed to them. The phrase “blood of the dragon” is also used to denote them as they were one of forty dragonlord at that time.

What Was The Doom Of Valyria?

Doom of Valyria, also referred to as the doom, was a catastrophic event of unimaginable proportion that took place around four hundred years before the War of the Five Kings.

It caused a total collapse of the Valyrian Freehold, which was in existence for five thousand years in Essos. It completely destroyed the city of Old Valyria in a day and wrecked most of the surrounding Valyrian Peninsula.

The destruction of its capital city in one day caused the fall of the entire Valyrian Freehold. It also led the House Targaryen to conquer the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros as they escaped with their dragons.

On the day of the doom, every hill in the region exploded, which even killed the dragons. Massive earthquakes destroyed everything while lakes boiled or turned to acid.