Summary
Following the death of Maegor, Aenys's teenage son, Jaehaerys, takes the throne. Immediately after Maegor's death, Jaehaerys flies into King's Landing on the back of his dragon, Vermithor. Following his ascension, Jaehaerys pardons many of Maegor's supporters. He also receives the assistance of his mother Alyssa and Rogar Baratheon, who are, respectively, named Queen Regent and Hand of the King (top advisor). Moved by his display of forgiveness, other factions pledge their support to Jaehaerys. Rogar and Alyssa were married shortly thereafter, which leaves Jaehaerys feeling slightly insulted, as Rogar had not asked for his permission to do so.
Jaehaerys marries his younger sister Alysanne on Dragonstone in secret, much to his mother's displeasure, as she hoped he would marry someone outside of the family's bloodline. Rogar and Alyssa arrive and try to get the marriage annulled, but fail to do so. They return to King's Landing while Jaehaerys and Alysanne remain in Dragonstone. When he reaches the age of sixteen, Jaehaerys returns to King's Landing, patches things up with his mother, makes several changes to his small council, and pardons Rogar. He begins his reign under favorable terms, as he is well-liked and respected throughout the realm.
In the early part of Jaehaerys's reign, his wife gives birth to their first daughter, Daenerys. More children follow in these years, including Aemon and Baelon. In this time, Jaehaerys attempts to reform the law codes of Westeros, creating a singular legal system. He travels throughout the realm, in an attempt to make himself known to his constituents. He travels to Winterfell to meet with Alaric Stark, Warden in the North. Jaehaerys receives a cold reception, as he had canceled an early visit due to negotiations issues that had to be dealt with in King's Landing. Alaric takes him to the crypts beneath Winterfell and shows him the tomb of his brother Walton. He reminds Jaehaerys that the decisions he makes have repercussions and costs, as Walton lost his life putting down a rebellion within the Night's Watch started by men Jaehaerys sent north.
Jaehaerys goes on to have a long and prosperous reign of fifty-five years. Alysanne gives birth several more times, giving Jaehaerys thirteen children in total, though only nine live to maturity. He also begins construction on the kingsroad, a unified travel route that allowed for easy passage to all parts of the Seven Kingdoms. Later, Jaehaerys wins a quick victory against Dornish forces. Following the invasion of the stormlands, led by Morion Martell, Jaehaerys and his sons Aemon and Baelon swiftly defeat the fleet of Dornish ships, descending upon them on dragonback. This victory is cause for great celebration and solidifies Jaehaerys's already impressive reputation in the realm.
The later part of his rule is marked by various tragedies, as he loses several children, including Daella, Viserra, and Alyssa. Stricken with grief, Jaehaerys struggles immensely in these years and his relationship with Alysanne hits a rough patch, as she too is devastated by these losses. This divide grows deeper following an accident with their daughter, Saera. Jaehaerys learns that Saera has been involved with three knights and harshly rebukes her for it. She is unrepentant, so he punishes the knights in question, killing one of them in a duel. Saera escapes confinement and travels to Lys, where it is later discovered that she has become a prostitute. Both Jaehaerys and Alysanne are devastated by this loss, yet Jaehaerys refuses to try to locate or reach out to Saera, despite Alysanne's pleas. Jaehaerys's granddaughter Rhaenys weds Corlys Velaryon, Jaehaerys's Master of Ships. It is viewed as a good match as he is both wealthy and a capable warrior and sailor. Their wedding is regarded as one of the last happy days of Jaehaerys's reign.
In the final part of his reign, Jaehaerys deals with the question of succession. His son and heir Aemon dies in battle and he names his younger son, Baelon, as the new heir to the throne. This upsets Alysanne and Corlys, as he passes over the claim of Rhaenys, Aemon's eldest child. Alysanne leaves King's Landing for a time, before resolving things with Jaehaerys once more, with the intervention of their daughter Magella. Baelon dies of illness and Jaehaerys holds a council meeting to vote on who should be heir to the throne: Rhaenys's son, Laenor, or Aemon's son, Viserys. An almost unanimous vote selects Viserys, who Jaehaerys had preferred all along.
Alysanne dies and Jaehaerys becomes largely incapable of serving as king, becoming bedridden. Otto Hightower becomes Hand of the King, while his daughter Alicent reads to Jaehaerys and takes care of him. He dies at the age of sixty-nine and is mourned across the realm.
Analysis
This lengthy section of the book deals with Jaehaerys's approach to ruling in great detail. Where Maegor was impulsive and violent, and Aenys was weak and ineffective, Jaehaerys manages to toe the line, using force when necessary but almost always looking for alternative means of negotiation. In this way, he is shown to be the most thoughtful Targaryen ruler, as he wields power responsibly and gives careful consideration to the complexity of different matters. Instead of killing or jailing Rogar Baratheon for opposing him, he shows mercy, as he recalls how Baratheon kept him and his family safe during the terror of Maegor's reign. At the same time, when Dornish forces attempt to overtake the stormlands, he does not hesitate to fly into battle with Vermithor and show them the full force of his strength. In this way, the book frames his regency as one of balance and moderation.
Reconciliation is another major theme in this section of the book, as Jaehaerys travels all over Westeros in an attempt to get to know his subjects and draw the realm closer together. He takes other pragmatic actions to further unify the realm, including the construction of the kingsroad and the creation of a single law code. These governance projects show Jaehaerys's interest in creating order and stability in Westeros by bringing the various regions under a strong central government. This aspect of his reign not only demonstrates his success as king, but also speaks to his desire to improve Westeros as a whole. For this reason, Jaehaerys is nicknamed "the conciliator."
The question of succession plays an important role in this part of the book. Late in his life, despite having many children, Jaehaerys faces a succession crisis. His heir Aemon is killed in battle and he is forced to choose between his younger son Baelon and Aemon's daughter Rhaenys as the new heir. He picks Baelon, much to Alysanne's disappointment. Then, when Baelon dies, he is forced again to settle the matter and chooses Baelon's son, Viserys, over Rhaenys's son, Laenor. These difficulties indicate how fraught the matter of succession is in the book, as the validity of various claims became increasingly murky. It is also notable that this conflict occurs during Jaehaerys's very peaceful reign—indicating how even the most stable sovereignty can be undermined by an unclear line of inheritance.
Grief is also emphasized throughout this section. Jaehaerys and Alysanne lose many children as a result of illness and war. Each of these losses leaves them reeling, particularly towards the end of their lives, as they both outlive most of their children. While Jaehaerys is remembered fondly, his time on the throne is filled with personal tragedy as he and his wife endure the deaths of almost all of their offspring. When Alysanne dies, Jaehaerys is broken, as he is not only in poor health but feels he has almost no one left in his life.
This part of the book provides a very comprehensive portrait of Jaehaerys's long reign. It shows how he is characterized by his thoughtful but firm approach to ruling, as well as his attempts to create a more unified realm. At the same time, in its description of his personal life, this section also shows that his life was marred by personal tragedy and loss, prefiguring the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
