Rhaegar I Targaryen

Rhaegar I was the seventeenth member of the Targaryen dynasty to sit the throne. Unlike his father and grandfather, Rhaegar did not marry his siblings, instead taking Elia Martell to wife; together, they had three children. He declined to remarry following her death from an illness in 311 AC. He wore the crown of Aenys I, made of yellow gold and decorated with the faces of the Seven, inlaid in jade and pearl.

Rhaegar was well-loved among the smallfolk, and even after being crowned as King made regular trips to the streets of King’s Landing to play music and sing for the smallfolk, among the peasantry, Rhaegar became known as ‘The Singer-King’, with his own compositions becoming common in taverns across Westeros.

Early Life
Prince Rhaegar was the firstborn son of King Aerys II Targaryen and Queen Rhaella. He was born at Summerhall in 259 AC, on the same day as the great fire there. As a child he read obsessively, to the point that jests were made about his habits. He became a noted warrior later in life, although he did not initially seem inclined to martial habits. However, apparently by something he had read, Rhaegar became motivated to become a warrior.

At the age of seventeen, Rhaegar was knighted, and from all reports grew into a highly skilled and capable fighter, always distinguishing himself well at tournaments, although he seldom entered the lists - he never loved the song of swords the way that men like Robert Baratheon did.

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. Returning from a trip to Dorne, Rhaegar once visited the Connington seat of Griffin's Roost. His songs brought the castle's women to tears, while Lord Armond Connington sought House Targaryen's support against rival House Morrigen. Rhaegar's closest and oldest friend, however, was Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, trusting him more than Ser Barristan Selmy.

Rhaegar was born at a time when the Targaryen's had declined, and once he came of age, there was no sister, or anyone else of their bloodline, available for him to marry. King Aerys sent his first cousin, Lord Steffon Baratheon, to seek a bride for Rhaegar. Despite Valyrian blood still being present in Essos, Steffon could not find appropriate females of noble-enough birth for Rhaegar to wed.

After this in early 279 AC, Rhaegar was formally betrothed to the Dornish princess, Elia Martell, the younger sister of Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne. They married the following year in 280 AC, a lavish ceremony was held at the Great Sept of Baelor. Rhaegar and his new bride took up residence on Dragonstone instead of King's Landing. Rhaegar and Elia had their first child, a girl named Rhaenys, in 280 AC.

Elia and Rhaegar had a son they named Aegon. Elia, due to her delicate health, was bed-ridden for half a year after giving birth to Rhaenys and nearly died giving birth to Aegon, after which Rhaegar held great concerns for having children, and was advised by the Maesters not to attempt such.

However, Elia would not be deterred, and after a few years as her health seemed to improve, she longed for another child. After pressing Rhaegar for a number of months, he agreed, and in time Elia gave birth to Jaehaerys Targaryen, though the effort once again nearly cost her life, and she passed only a few years later.

Reign
The majority of Rhaegar’s reign was peaceful and, with the exception of the conflict with the wildlings north of the Wall early in his reign, relatively uneventful. Rhaegar was an adept ruler, and his willingness to compromise and serve as a mediator between his vassals of all ranks in all kinds of issues ensured that he was remembered not for his prowess as a warrior, but for his skill as a peacemaker.

Death
Though Rhaegar’s reign was largely peaceful, it came to a violent conclusion: his assassination at the hands of his younger brother, Prince Viserys, served as the catalyst for the War of the False Dragon. Waged between his killer and his heir, his son Aegon, it resulted in victory for the line of Rhaegar, which has sat on the Iron Throne since.