Summary

After Aemon died in battle, Jaehaerys named his brother Baelon successor rather than his daughter, Rhaenys, by Jocelyn. But in 101 AC, Baelon’s stomach burst open during a hunting trip. In order to determine the line of succession, Jaehaerys determined to hold a Great Council at Harrenhal in order to decide on the next ruler. The council discarded bastards and females and came down to Viserys, son of Baelon, and Laenor, son of Rhaenys and Corlys Velaryon. The council decided on Viserys in a landslide that seemed to suggest succession would never pass through a female.

In 103 AC, Jaehaerys died and Viserys ascended to the Iron Throne. Viserys was 26 and had married Aemma, who he shared a daughter, Rhaenyra, with. He made his wild younger brother, Daemon, Commander of the City Watch, though Daemon wanted to be...