Portrayed by Matt Smith

Current Status: Alive

Age: 51

Date of Birth: 81 AC

Origin: King's Landing

Episode Appearances: 9

First Seen: ‘The Heirs of the Dragon’

Last Seen: ‘The Black Queen’

BACKGROUND

Daemon Targaryen, born in 81AC, is a prince of the Targaryen dynasty and the younger brother of King Viserys Targaryen. He is a peerless warrior and is also a dragonrider whose mount is Caraxes, an older dragon know as the Blood Wyrm. Daemon is the grandson of King Jaehaerys Targaryen and heir presumptive to the Iron Throne. Ser Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, considers Daemon the greatest threat to the realm. An experienced and skilled fighter, he wields Dark Sister, the Valyrian steel sword of his grandfather's great aunt Visenya Targaryen. Unlike his older brother King Viserys, Daemon is - despite his great cunning - an unpredictable and impulsive rogue.

At the Great Council of 101 AC, Viserys was chosen by the lords of Westeros as the successor to King Jaehaerys, whose health had begun to fail and who had lost both his sons. Daemon supported his brother’s claim, as it would make Daemon the heir after Viserys. Daemon gathered a small army of sworn swords when it was rumored that Lord Corlys Velaryon was readying a fleet to defend the rights of his son, Laenor Velaryon. During the first nine years of his brother's reign, Daemon served on the small council, both as Master of Laws and later as Master of Coin. However, he was removed from those offices, both times at the insistence of Otto Hightower. The rivalry between Daemon and Ser Otto continued, as the Hand saw the prince as a threat if he were to ever become king, possibly a second Maegor the Cruel. Daemon in turn saw Otto as a dishonorable leech who wanted to rise as high as he could get, since his status as a second son would not allow him to inherit anything of his own. Most of the council sided with Otto in this conflict, but Daemon was always defended by his brother.

At some point King Viserys arranged a marriage for his younger brother, wedding him to Rhea Royce, the Lady of Runestone. Neither party was happy with this match, with Daemon disparagingly referring to his wife as his "bronze bitch". Daemon's personal coat of arms features the three-headed red dragon of House Targaryen, adorned with golden scales and within a border of golden fire. His helmet is adorned with the head and wings of a dragon.