Daenerys Targaryen: Education, Skills, and Transformation
Daenerys Targaryen, a prominent character in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, is the daughter of the Mad King. Her life is a testament to resilience, adaptation, and the pursuit of power amidst constant adversity. Her journey, marked by exile, hardship, and self-discovery, showcases a unique education shaped by experience and the acquisition of diverse skills.
Early Life and Education in Exile
Daenerys was conceived during Robert's Rebellion. Born on Dragonstone during a storm, earning her the moniker "Stormborn," Daenerys's early life was defined by exile. To escape Robert Baratheon's wrath after the Sack of King's Landing, the pregnant Queen Rhaella and young Prince Viserys were sent to Dragonstone, where Daenerys was born. Her mother died in childbirth, and she and Viserys were smuggled to Essos during the end of Robert's Rebellion. She and her brother Viserys lived as urchins. With her brother, she was taken into exile in the Free Cities by loyal retainers, including Ser Willem Darry. These formative years instilled in her a deep sense of displacement and a yearning for a home she had never known. After Darry died when Daenerys was five years old, she and Viserys spent the following years wandering the Free Cities.
Daenerys grew up in constant fear of being discovered and killed by agents of the Usurper King, Robert Baratheon. For most of her life, Daenerys has been under the care of Viserys, whom she fears, as he abuses her whenever she displeases him. During this time, Daenerys lived in constant fear of Viserys, who hit her when his temper was risen (in his words, whenever she "woke the dragon"). This abuse led to the development of her fearful, submissive, and furtive nature. This constant threat shaped her early education, emphasizing survival and obedience. Viserys's obsession with reclaiming the Iron Throne further influenced Daenerys, instilling in her a sense of destiny, albeit one initially defined by her brother's ambitions.
Marriage to Khal Drogo and Dothraki Education
Over a year after Illyrio welcomed the Targaryens into his home, Daenerys is betrothed to marry Khal Drogo of the Dothraki. Daenerys is sold by her brother Viserys and Illyrio Mopatis into a marriage with Khal Drogo, a Dothraki warlord, for an army for Viserys. Daenerys was initially not pleased with the arrangement and blurted out that she did not want to marry Drogo. Viserys insists that Daenerys will marry him, because, in return, Drogo will give Viserys the army he needs to retake their father's throne from Robert Baratheon. Her marriage to Khal Drogo marked a turning point in Daenerys's education. Initially a timid, obedient youth, Daenerys was forced to adapt to the harsh realities of Dothraki culture. This involved learning a new language, customs, and ways of survival. Daenerys learns the ways of the Dothraki, strengthening her relationship with her nomadic tribe. She learns the Dothraki language.
Daenerys seeks advice from Doreah, trained in the pleasure houses of Lys, on how to best please her husband. She seeks advice from Doreah, trained in the pleasure houses of Lys, on how to best please her husband. This tutelage, while unconventional, provided her with valuable knowledge about relationships and power dynamics.
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She is given a white mare by Drogo. Daenerys says the mare is beautiful and wants to thank Drogo, asking Jorah what the Dothraki word for 'thank you' is. Jorah tells her that there is no such word in their language. The Dothraki's warrior culture taught her the importance of strength, courage, and loyalty. Moving west with Drogo's khalasar, Daenerys observed and absorbed the Dothraki's leadership style, noting Drogo's authority and the respect he commanded. She learned to ride, to command, and to inspire, skills that would prove invaluable in her later conquests.
Daenerys discovers that she is pregnant with Drogo's child. She assuredly predicts that she will have a son, to Drogo's approval. Daenerys becomes pregnant by Drogo with her son, who is prophesied by the Dothraki to be the "Stallion Who Mounts the World". Daenerys eats the raw heart of a stallion before the eyes of the Dosh Khaleen, the Dothraki wise women, and names her unborn son Rhaego in honor of her late brother Rhaegar.
Political and Strategic Acumen
Daenerys's education extended beyond cultural adaptation to encompass political strategy and leadership. Daenerys befriends Jorah Mormont, an exiled Westerosi knight. At her wedding, she is given three petrified dragon eggs by Illyrio Mopatis. Ser Jorah Mormont, a knight of Westeros, brings books about the Seven Kingdoms and offers Viserys his service. Jorah Mormont, an exiled Westerosi knight, pledges his loyalty to Daenerys. Through interactions with Ser Jorah Mormont, she gained knowledge of Westerosi history, politics, and customs. His counsel provided her with insights into the complexities of the Iron Throne and the challenges she would face in reclaiming it.
Daenerys invites Viserys to dinner, and provides fresh clothing in the Dothraki fashion for him. Viserys reacts angrily at being dressed in the "rags of savages" and strikes Daenerys. However, for the first time in her life, Daenerys fights back, hitting Viserys across the face with a heavy gold belt. Viserys grows jealous of Daenerys's popularity and becomes infuriated with Drogo's lack of urgency in launching an invasion, prompting him to threaten to cut Daenerys's unborn son from her womb. Drogo responds by killing Viserys with molten gold. The death of Viserys marked a turning point, forcing Daenerys to assume the mantle of leadership and to chart her own course.
Daenerys tries to convince Drogo to invade so their son might claim the Iron Throne, but the Dothraki do not trust ships and water their horses cannot drink. Now that Viserys is dead, Drogo does not feel inclined to honor the bargain. After an unsuccessful assassination attempt on behalf of Robert Baratheon, Drogo vows to Daenerys that he will conquer the Seven Kingdoms for her and their unborn son. However, during their journey, Drogo becomes comatose because of an infected wound incurred during a fight with one of his men. Daenerys desperately seeks the help of healer Mirri Maz Duur to save his life using blood magic. Mirri deceives Daenerys by using her unborn son's life as a sacrifice to heal Drogo but leaves him in a permanent catatonic state, forcing Daenerys to end her husband's life. Daenerys punishes Mirri by having her tied to Drogo's funeral pyre as she sets it alight. She also lays the three dragon eggs on Drogo's body and steps into the fire herself.
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The Birth of Dragons and the Rise of a Queen
The death of Drogo and the subsequent hatching of the dragon eggs marked a pivotal moment in Daenerys's transformation. Daenerys studies her dragon eggs. Daenerys studies one of her dragon eggs. Despite Illyrio's claim that they are now only stone, she ponders if they might be hatched by extreme heat, and places an egg on a brazier. Nothing happens, to her disappointment. She burns the priestess in Drogo's funeral pyre and climbs into the flames with her three dragon eggs. Daenerys with one of her newly-hatched dragons. The following morning it is revealed that she has survived, and three newly-hatched dragons are clinging to her body, the first three dragons in the world in a century and a half. The world hadn't seen a dragon in centuries until my children were born. The dragons became a symbol of her power and a source of her growing confidence. Daenerys started off with her hateful brother Viserys with no hope in the world.
Daenerys regards the dragons as her sons. Daenerys tries to feed her newborn dragons, but they refuse the raw meat she offers. Dany tends to Drogon, now the size of a small dog. Leading the remnants of Drogo's khalasar through the Red Waste, Daenerys arrives in the city of Qarth. There, she unsuccessfully appeals to the rulers of the city for aid in reclaiming the Iron Throne. She returns to Xaro's manse to find half of her men and servants slain and her dragons missing. Daenerys meets with the Thirteen again to ask for their help in retrieving her dragons. The warlock Pyat Pree claims responsibility and declares that her dragons are being kept in his temple, the House of the Undying. Daenerys travels to the temple, but Pree's magic separates her from Jorah and chains her to her dragons. She orders her dragons to immolate Pree. Daenerys confronts Xaro, who had conspired with Pree and Daenerys's servant Doreah to seize control of Qarth. Daenerys travels to Astapor, a city in Slaver's Bay. As she arrives, the warlocks of Qarth attempt to assassinate her, but Ser Barristan Selmy, who was Kingsguard to Aerys Targaryen, thwarts them; Daenerys accepts him into her service.
Daenerys experiences a vision of her deceased husband and stillborn-son. Daenerys arrives at the House of the Undying and is magically separated from Jorah and Kovarro. She finds herself in an empty circular room with many doors. She chooses one and opens it. She is presented with tempting visions. First the snowy, ruined throne room of King's Landing where she turns away from the Iron Throne. She then walks through the gates of the Wall surrounded by more snow, and into Drogo's tent. She finds Drogo and what would have been her infant son Rhaego. They talk about whose dream they are in, and Daenerys silently leaves after touching Rhaego's hair. She returns to the room with many doors and finds her dragons chained to a pedestal in front of her. Pyat Pree appears and explains that she and her brood are the sources of his restored magic. Daenerys is also chained by Pyat's magic. However, the young queen is unconcerned and simply regards Pree with a cool, almost lazy gaze. Daenerys and her dragons use fire to kill and escape Pyat. Daenerys knows that Xaro has betrayed her. She returns to his palace to confront him and finds Doreah in bed with him. She takes his key and uses it to open his Valyrian stone vault. She is surprised when it is empty but observes that this proves something can easily come from nothing. On her orders, Doreah and Xaro are locked into the empty vault to die, their pleas cut off by the closing door. The merchant, Xaro Xhoan Daxos, a member of Qarth's ruling council, the Thirteen, hosts her. Daenerys appeals unsuccessfully to the Thirteen to support her invasion of Westeros. These experiences taught her the importance of self-reliance and the dangers of trusting others.
Conquests in Slaver's Bay and the Challenges of Leadership
Daenerys's journey through Slaver's Bay marked another significant phase in her education. Seeking an army, Daenerys sails to Astapor in Slaver's Bay to purchase the Unsullied slave soldiers. She negotiates with Kraznys mo Nakloz, promising a dragon in payment, but she betrays the Good Masters and commands the Unsullied to kill the slavers. Daenerys frees the Unsullied and the slaves. Daenerys accepts Tyrion onto her council but exiles Jorah again. She negotiates with Astapori slaver Kraznys mo Nakloz to purchase an army of Unsullied, elite eunuch soldiers, in exchange for Drogon, and also obtains the services of Kraznys's translator Missandei. Upon completion of the transaction, she has Drogon burn Kraznys alive and orders the Unsullied to kill Astapor's masters and free the slaves. Daenerys and her army march on the neighboring slave city of Yunkai, which hires the sellsword company, the Second Sons, to defend it. The commanders of the Second Sons order their lieutenant, Daario Naharis, to kill Daenerys. Instead, Daario is smitten by her beauty and brings her the heads of his superiors, pledging the Second Sons' allegiance. Daario, Jorah, and the Unsullied commander Grey Worm infiltrate Yunkai, opening the gates for the Targaryen army to conquer the city. Daenerys marches on the last city in Slaver's Bay, Meereen, and seizes control of it by instigating a slave revolt. She decides to execute 163 Meereenese masters as "justice" for 163 slave children crucified on the road to Meereen. Daenerys learns that her council in Astapor has been overthrown and that Yunkai has returned to slavery. Because of this, Daenerys remains in Meereen to practice ruling. She also begins a sexual relationship with Daario. After discovering that Jorah previously spied on her on House Baratheon's behalf, she is enraged and exiles him from the city. Daenerys is later horrified to discover that Drogon has killed a farmer's child. Daenerys faces a new threat to her rule in the form of the Sons of the Harpy, a resistance movement made of agitated former masters. Her popularity with the freedmen wanes after she publicly executes one of her councilors, Mossador, for killing a captive Son. After the Sons kill Ser Barristan, Daenerys decides she will attempt to restore peace by reopening Meereen's fighting pits and taking the Meereenese noble Hizdhar zo Loraq as her husband. While attending a gladiator demonstration, Jorah, who has brought her the fugitive Tyrion Lannister to appease her, confronts her.
Daenerys frees the Unsullied and the slaves. She later conquers the city of Yunkai and gains the service of Daario Naharis, who commands a large mercenary company. These conquests provided her with practical experience in warfare, logistics, and governance. She learned to command armies, negotiate with foreign powers, and administer conquered territories.
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Despite her strong moral compass, she can deal ruthlessly with her enemies and those she believes to be conspiring against her. She is also disturbed by the prophetic warnings of Quaithe, a shadowbinder from Asshai. Daenerys's time in Meereen taught her the complexities of ruling and the challenges of maintaining order in a society undergoing radical change. She grapples with issues of justice, mercy, and the unintended consequences of her actions.
Skills and Abilities
Daenerys possesses a range of skills and abilities honed through her experiences:
- Linguistic Skills: She learned the Dothraki language and is fluent in High Valyrian and the common tongue.
- Diplomacy and Negotiation: She demonstrated skill in negotiating with slavers, mercenaries, and foreign rulers.
- Military Command: She commands armies and leads them in battle.
- Dragon Riding: She is able to ride and control her dragon, Drogon.
- Resilience: She has demonstrated a remarkable ability to withstand hardship and overcome adversity.
- Leadership: She inspires loyalty and devotion in her followers.
Faith in Herself
"I spent my life in foreign lands. So many men have tried to kill me, I don't remember all their names. I have been sold like a broodmare. I've been chained and betrayed, raped and defiled. Do you know what kept me standing through all those years in exile? Faith. Not in any gods. Not in myths and legends. In myself. In Daenerys Targaryen."
The Last War
During the Last War, Daenerys eventually succumbed to the madness of her ancestors after a series of personal losses, grief, and betrayal. Razing King's Landing despite its surrender, Daenerys seized power after killing Queen Cersei Lannister, along with countless common folk. Unable to be dissuaded from further destruction, she was assassinated by her nephew Jon Snow to prevent further carnage.
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