Jacaerys Velaryon

The Prince of Dragonstone who forged alliances with the Vale and the North before he was killed by crossbow bolts at the Battle of the Gullet.

Jacaerys "Jace" Velaryon is the firstborn son of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and her husband Laenor Velaryon, appearing in George R. R. Martin's Fire & Blood and the novellas The Princess and the Queen and The Rogue Prince. While publicly presented as a Velaryon heir to secure an alliance, rumors persist that his biological father is Ser Harwin Strong due to Jace's dark hair and eyes. Born in 114 AC, he was formally named Prince of Dragonstone and heir at his mother's coronation, and became a key diplomat during the Dance of the Dragons, successfully securing alliances with the Vale and the North. Portrayed by Harry Collett in House of the Dragon, Jace is remembered for his diplomacy and for his death at the Battle of the Gullet, where he freed himself from his drowning dragon Vermax but was shot and killed by crossbow bolts.

Quick Facts

Series

A Song of Ice and Fire character; House of the Dragon

First

Literature:
The Princess and the Queen (2013)
Television:
"The Princess and the Queen" (2022)

Last

Television:; "Rhaenyra Triumphant" (2026)

Creator

George R. R. Martin

Portrayed by

Harry Collett; Leo Hart (child)

Gender

Male

Affiliation

The Blacks

Adapted by

Ryan Condal and George R. R. Martin (for House of the Dragon)

Lore & Background

Born in 114 AC to Rhaenyra Targaryen, Jacaerys grew into a strapping boy with dark hair and eyes, fueling rumors that Ser Harwin Strong was his true father—a suspicion shared by his rivals in House Hightower who mocked him and his brothers as "Strong boys." To prepare for war, Jace served as a squire, likely under the tutelage of his stepfather Daemon Targaryen. His diplomatic skills were pivotal when he traveled to the North at age fourteen, personally securing the Pact of Ice and Fire with Lord Cregan Stark. Although Archmaester Gyldayn dismisses rumors that Jace secretly married Cregan's half-sister Sara Snow, his success in the Vale and the North proved instrumental for the Black cause. Jacaerys proposed the 'Sowing of the Seeds', drafting anyone believed to have Targaryen blood to attempt bonding with the unclaimed dragons at Dragonstone.

Reader's Guide

Jacaerys Velaryon's journey is defined by his dual role as a statesman and warrior. He began as a diplomat, leveraging his status to win over Lord Cregan Stark and secure vital northern support for Rhaenyra. He then took on military leadership, proposing the Sowing of the Seeds because neither his dragon nor Baela's was big enough to challenge Vhagar. He also arranged for his remaining brothers to be sent away from Dragonstone: Joffrey to Gulltown with Rhaena Targaryen, and Aegon the Younger and Viserys to Pentos, whose convoy ran into the Triarchy fleet hired by the Greens. Jace died leading the new dragonriders at the Battle of the Gullet; without him overseeing them, Hugh Hammer and Ulf White later defected to the Greens, leading to the Blacks' devastating loss at Tumbleton.

Frequently Asked Questions

What role does Jacaerys play in the story?

He acts primarily as a skilled diplomat who secures crucial alliances with the Vale and the North for his mother's claim to the throne. Later he rides the dragon Vermax and leads the four new dragonriders into combat at the Battle of the Gullet.

Is Jacaerys Velaryon truly a Targaryen?

While legally acknowledged as Laenor Velaryon's son, widespread rumors suggest he is actually the biological child of Ser Harwin Strong because he possesses dark hair and eyes rather than silver-gold. This ambiguity regarding his parentage fueled political intrigue but did not stop him from being named Prince of Dragonstone.