House of the Dragon is the prequel to the television series Game of Thrones (2011-2019). It is set 200 years before Game of Thrones. It follows the fortunes of the Targaryens, a noble family with the power to control dragons. 

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House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin’s 2018 novel Fire & Blood. The series chronicles the beginning of the end of House Targaryen. The events leading up to, and covering the Targaryen war for succession, are collectively known as The Dance of the Dragons. 

George R.R. Martin uses the terms BC (Before Conquest) and AC (After Conquest). Martin explained in a February 2022 blog post, that House of the Dragon takes place around 103 AC, right in the middle of House Targaryen’s reign. 

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The most prominent hint about where the series will begin is Martin’s reference to “The Rogue Prince ”, a short story that first appeared in an anthology book and was later added to Fire & blood. 

The ten-episode Game of Thrones spinoff’s trailer came out on July 20, 2022. The trailer featured the discussions around the succession of King Viserys, with one advisor, Otto Hightower, suggesting Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen—no queen has ever sat on the Iron Throne. In the trailer, Viserys says, “I will not be made to choose between my brother and my daughter.”

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Despite Viserys naming Princess Rhaenyra as his heir, Prince Aegon and his mother believe in patriarchal inheritance. The war that follows becomes The Dance of the Dragons. 

Viserys is described as a decent man, a good king who believes in duty. According to BBC News, the brutal forces of Westeros will contrive to crush that goal like Gregor Clegane crushes skulls. The Stark and Lannister family, who dominated Game of Thrones, will appear as bit players according to BBC News.