When does House of the Dragon take place? Game of Thrones timeline explained

The timeline of House of the Dragon is much more complex than in the Game of Thrones. While the action of the adaptation of A Song of Ice and Fire took place over several years, the story of its spin-off is spread over several decades. The events of the first and tenth episodes of House of the Dragon are separated by more than 20 years! We clarify the exact presentation of the Targaryen dynasty saga timeline to avoid confusion caused by flashbacks and flashforwards.

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The series' plot is slightly different from the book's original, resulting in several timeshifts. The beginning of the modern era for the characters of the House of the Dragon is set by the campaign of Aegon the Conqueror. The years before the unification of Westeros are referred to as "Before the Conquest" (BC), while the reign of the Targaryens is "After the Conquest" (AC).

The action of House of the Dragon begins around 100 AC. The show centers on the final years of Viserys Targaryen's (Paddy Considine) rule and the events that led to one of the most violent periods in the history of Westeros - the Dance of Dragons.

House of the Dragon, Ryan Condal, Miguel Sapochnik, HBO, 2022

How long do the events of House of the Dragon last?

In conversation with The Official Game of Thrones Podcast: House of the Dragon George R.R. Martin admitted that the action of the first season of the series spans 28 years. The first episode starts with Viserys' coronation in 103 AC before transitioning to the year 110. That's when the real storyline of the series begins, depicting the emerging conflict among the Targaryen family members.

In the first episode, we see how Viserys's daughter, fifteen-year-old Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), is named heir to the throne. At that point, an enraged Daemon (Matt Smith) launched a campaign against his brother. Episode three takes the action three years forward and depicts Viserys' decision to marry Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey).

The plot of the third, fourth, and fifth episodes is set over the course of several months. The sixth episode brings significant changes. That's when there's a high-profile change of the main female characters, who in 124 AC are already adult women. From this moment on, Rhaenyra is played by Emma D’Arcy, and Alicent by Olivia Cooke.

The events of the seventh and eighth episodes are about five years apart. In the last episodes of the season, we follow Rhaenyra, in her thirties, on the eve of a civil war, which begins in the year 129 AC. It seems that the upcoming seasons of the series will center on the Dance of Dragons and intricately depict the downfall of the Targaryen house.

Games of Thrones, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, HBO, 2011

When does Game of Thrones start?

The ground for the events of Game of Thrones is prepared by the War of the Usurper, also known as Robert's Rebellion. The proper action of A Song of Ice and Fire adaptation begins in 298 AC when Ned Stark (Sean Bean) was elected hand of the king by Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy). Since the end of the Dance of Dragons in 131 AC to the beginning of Game of Thrones, 167 years have passed.

Given the huge time gap that separates the two series, don't expect too many cameos from the "old guard" in House of the Dragon. The second season of the gripping saga about the Targaryens will debut next summer.

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