Heavy is the Head that Wears the Crown

I can hardly think of something more suited to me than a medieval stage play set in one of my favorite fictional worlds. Starting April 14, 2026, tickets were available to "Game of Thrones: The Mad King" a stage play set during the Tourney of Harrenhal during the year of the false spring. This event basically sets the wheels in motion for the events of the main book series. I've always held more appreciation for the expansive world George R.R. Martin has built rather than the bleak depressing events of the main series. Some people like to say that G.R.R.M and his world aren't actually nihilistic and that the only reason that is the perception is because of the show; that strikes me as cope. The only thing that could potentially disprove that is the ending of the main series which we shall sadly never receive. However, I am quite well versed in certain aspects of this world especially its history and world building. After the announcement of the upcoming stage play, I decided it would be the perfect time to rank the top and bottom five of the kings to sit the Iron Throne in the world of Westeros' history. That being said, last place should be relatively obvious.

20. Aerys II Targaryen "The Mad King"- obvious indeed.

    
    

    Say what you will about some of the other terrible kings on this list, but at least they aren't responsible for the near extinction and banishment of the entire dynasty. Some believe it was due to the stress (and to be fair torture) he endured during his later years that drove Aerys insane, but even during his early years he proved himself a petty disloyal braggart not only as a king but as a husband and friend. But after the Defiance of Duskendale he was responsible for the execution of entire houses including houses Darklyn and with one exception Hollard. After the needless and needlessly cruel execution of Rickard and Brandon Stark, he asked Jon Arryn for the head of Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon successfully raising four of his seven (nine, whatever) kingdoms against him leading to Robert's Rebellion, which he wouldn't survive. But not before trying to kill every innocent man, woman, and child in King's landing out of pure delusion and spite. Hard to be worse than that, but one man came relatively close.

    

    
    

    19. Aegon IV Targaryen "The Unworthy" - This guy sucks.

    
    

    A vain, petty, opulent, lusting rat who doomed the realm to generations of pointless wars as soon as he realized he wouldn't be around for the damage. The man had nine long-term mistresses, and as you might assume (you might start to notice a trend) was a terrible husband, brother, and father. As the man was ruled by his vices he became too fat to walk and died sick in his bed. While on his sickbed he legitimized all his bastard children (of which he had many) which almost immediately led to the first Blackfyre rebellion. Aegon's first born bastard son, Daemon Waters (later Daemon Blackfyre), was publicly knighted by his father at court. His father also gave him the Valyrian Steel sword Blackfyre (for which he would later take as his last name) the sword of the Targaryen kings. After Daemon lost his war for the throne, his bloodline would continue to try to claim the Iron Throne by force leading to five different rebellions over the course of sixty years. Many died in these pointless wars mostly due to one man's pettiness.

    

    
    

    18. Joffrey "Baratheon"

    
    

    First, I will clarify that I will not be ranking Tommen on this list as his reign is not yet complete (although I doubt the poor boy will live long enough to do anything for the realm). But, for those who know the source material, the fact that Joffrey isn't the bottom of this list should be insane. However, Joffrey is only partially responsible for one costly war and not six so here we are. Joffrey is a spoiled monstrous tyrant partially responsible for the cruel deaths of his bastard siblings simply because they were barely a threat to his rule. He tortured his betrothed Sansa Stark including with the corpse of her honorable father who Joffrey executed despite agreeing to his outrageous demands. Some people felt bad when the boy choked to death on an incredibly painful poison from his wedding pie. Show fans likely have the awesome portrayal of Jack Gleeson to thank; I am not one of them.

    

    
    

    17. Aegon II Targaryen

    
    

    Despite being the ruling king during the Dance of the Dragons (a tumultuous Targaryen civil war), I don't have that much to say about "Aegon the Elder". A vindictive sulky man who only became king due to the scheming of unsavory people at court. Not even his execution of his half-sister Rhaenyra would stop her forces from putting her son on the throne. Aegon's wrath for those who supported his sister did nothing to stop the war which only ended when someone or many someone's loyal to him poisoned him in an attempt to dissuade enemy forces from executing them when the Red Keep was captured. Rhaenyra's son Aegon "the younger" (later called the dragonbane) would follow his uncle to the throne but would never recover from the trauma of seeing his mother burned alive by a dragon or his uncle cutting off his ear to serve as a warning to enemy forces.

    

    
    

    16. Maegor Targaryen "the Cruel"

    
    

    Maegor is the only person at the bottom of this list I can attribute something positive to. I can also only point to this one thing, however. Maegor is a spiteful, murderer who killed his nephew to become king and never had kids despite having six wives. His reign was plagued by opposition by the Faith of the Seven the predominant religion in the setting of Westeros who branded Maegor an abomination. After brutally putting down the faith's uprising, he outlawed religious groups from arming themselves among other restrictions, which is likely a positive. A positive Cersei Lannister decided to overturn following the chaos following the War of the Five Kings-a decision that cost her much.

    

    
    

    5. Aegon I Targaryen "The Conqueror"

    
    

    This guy is good but not for the reasons Westeros remembers. Aegon the Conqueror is the man who forged Westeros. He turned the seven different kingdoms into one realm through "Fire and Blood" the words of House Targaryen. The Iron Throne of Westeros is made up of the melted blades of his enemies at the Field of Fire. His legend is what inspired his name to belong to five other kings in the dynasty. Is this what brings him into this top five? Not at all. See his war for the realm was a short one and only had two real conflicts that didn't harm Aegon at all thanks to his dragon. Balerion "the Black Dread" was the most massive Dragon in Westerosi history and did just about all of Aegon's heavy lifting. The part about Aegon that impresses me so is that after his conquest he ruled the realm for the rest of his life in peace and was the only king besides Jaehaerys (who isn't on this list due to his terrible fatherhood skills and mixed bag as a husband) to die of old age.

    

    
    

    4. Viserys II Targaryen

    
    

    Viserys only reigned as king for a year, so how did he become the third best king in Westerosi history? Because he actually ruled for fifteen years as hand of the king because his brother's sons were so inept. The brother to Aegon the Dragonbane, Viserys held the realm together as his nephews did a bit of damage to the realm. Daeron the Young Dragon had a pointless war with Dorne for the sake of ruling the entire continent that only accomplished Daeron's death as well as losing the crown of Aegon the Conqueror (an important piece of Targaryen legitimacy). His other nephew, Baelor the Blessed, is mostly remembered fondly by the world of Westeros, and he did do some good with his pious acts. The incredibly ornate and grand Sept in King's Landing is named after him (The Sept of Baelor). Despite all that he was absolutely insane. He locked his sisters in the Maidenvault, a comfortable prison where he wouldn't gain lustful thoughts about them. He also named a homeless child High Septon which is the Westerosi equivalent of the pope. During the reign of a foolhardy warrior and a pious madman the realm was held together by Viserys II, until his son Aegon the Unworthy poisoned him (probably).

    

    3. Aegon V Targaryen "The Unlikely"

    
    

    I must admit I am a bit biased; you could certainly argue that Viserys deserves to be above Egg, but I could also argue otherwise. Raised by Ser Duncan the Tall (who would eventually become Lord Commander of his Kingsguard) as his squire he more than any other Westerosi king understood the plight of the common man and did his best to give them more rights during his time in office. Unfortunately, his reign was plagued with wars including Blackfyre rebellions. There were also uprising from other Westeros lords who sought to gain more power from a weakening Targaryen regime. His children caused him many problems as they wanted to marry for love as their father did. Aegon only had that luxury as he was born the fourth son of a fourth son. When his first born would marry a common girl in secret and later his other two children would marry each other a number of Westeros houses who felt slighted among others who were against Aegon's goals of improving the rights of the commonfolk rose up in rebellion. While the loyalists would win this war Aegon would resort to desperate measures to keep the lords in line, this would culminate in the Tragedy of Summerhall when most of the Targaryen's would die in a terrible fire. Many theorize that the fire was caused by Aegon trying to raise dragons from stone using blood magic. Despite the tragic way his reign ended Egg did his best to make left better for people without the power to do so themselves.

    

    2. Aegon III Targaryen "the Dragonbane"

    
    

    So named for being the ruler during the death of the last (known) dragon, Aegon also had a great desire to piece the realm back together again after the Dance of the Dragons. A man who suffered from depression due to his childhood trauma involving his mother being burned alive in front of him by his uncle's dragon. This also played a part in him having no interest in keeping the dragons alive despite the immense power they gave the Targaryen's against all comers. He saw through much of the machinations of the royals around him as a young king and did his best to improve life for the small folk despite his many emotional turmoil's. He was known to have said "I mean to give the smallfolk peace and food and justice."

    

    1. Daeron Targaryen "the Good"

    
    

    You don't get an epithet like that for nothing. Daeron ruled following his terrible father Aegon the Unworthy and did a great job repairing the realm following the first Blackfyre rebellion. He did his best to achieve peace with his half-brother until Daeron married his sister to the Prince of Dorne. Daemon Blackfyre loved Daeron's sister and as such started a costly war because he couldn't get his way. Daeron was a loving father and husband to his wife Myriah Martell. The pair were married as a means to finally unite the continent and bring Dorne into the wider realm. A good man who kept the realm united through many wars may not sound all that glamorous, yet he remains the best king Westeros ever saw.