Game of Thrones: Why is King Aerys II Targaryen called the Mad King? Explained

In the world of Game of Thrones, King Aerys II Targaryen is remembered as the Mad King. He was married to Queen Rhaella Targaryen and had three children: Daenerys Targaryen, Rhaegar Targaryen, and Viserys Targaryen. He was the sixteenth member of House Targaryen to rule from the Iron Throne.

He was initially known and loved for being a peaceful and just ruler. However, his rule was soon marked by paranoia and cruelty. Tywin Lannister, the Lord of Castelry Rock, was the hand of the king and also became his close friend and trustworthy advisor.

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The Tragic Tale of Aerys II Targaryen: From Promise to Paranoia

As shown in Game of Thrones, in the early years of his reign, Aerys II ascended the Iron Throne with optimism, offering hope to a troubled nation. His initial reforms and diplomatic efforts garnered widespread support, ensuring a future filled with progress and stability. However, beneath this promising exterior lurked heaps of darkness that would later consume the kingdom.

The king followed the tradition of the Targaryen family in Game of Thrones by marrying his sister Rhaella Targaryen. After the demise of his father and brother in the fire of Summerhall, Aerys became the second of his name.

As time passed, he became consumed by paranoia and experienced hallucinations seemingly as a result of family-related trauma, including Rhaella's miscarriages and stillbirths, and mental illnesses.

He grew distrustful of his advisors and subjects, alienating allies and sowing discord within his court. His descent into madness was further fueled by an obsession with wildfire, a destructive substance.

This solidified his reputation as the Mad King, as he hoarded caches of wildfire throughout King's Landing, oblivious to the potential consequences.

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Game of Thrones: Robert's rebellion against the Targaryens

Robert Baratheon played a significant role in the Game of Thrones series. He led House Baratheon and ruled over the Stormlands. Robert was close friends with Eddard Stark and was supposed to marry Lyanna Stark.

However, when Lyanna was supposedly taken by Rhaegar Targaryen, Robert started a rebellion against the Targaryens. After winning the rebellion, Robert served as the King of the Seven Kingdoms until he died. He was known for being a strong warrior, enjoying parties, and having complicated relationships, notably his marriage to Cersei Lannister.

On the other hand, the rebellion against Aerys II in the Game of Thrones changed everything in Westeros. Robert Baratheon led the same, fueled by his extreme anger over how Aerys was ruling. He got a lot of other important families to join him, and they attacked King's Landing.

Aerys II's rule came to an end after he was killed by his own guard, Jaime Lannister. His death wasn't avenged because Robert Baratheon pardoned Jaime after the war.

This marked the end of the Targaryen dynasty, which had ruled for three centuries. While Robert took the Iron Throne, the Targaryen lineage continued through Jon Snow, the secret son of Rhaegar and Lyanna, who was raised as Ned Stark's bastard son, and Aerys' two youngest children, Viserys and Daenerys, who fled to the Free Cities.

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Aerys II Targaryen, the mad king, had a major impact on viewers and the history of Westeros.