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who was the mad king in game of thrones

The Mad King in Game of Thrones is Aerys II Targaryen , the last Targaryen king to sit on the Iron Throne before Robert Baratheon’s rebellion.

Who the Mad King Was

  • Aerys II Targaryen was Daenerys Targaryen’s father and ruled Westeros before being overthrown in Robert’s Rebellion.
  • His increasingly cruel and paranoid rule earned him the nickname “the Mad King,” remembered with fear throughout the series.

Why He Was Called “Mad”

  • Over time, Aerys became obsessed with burning his enemies, stockpiling wildfire and shouting “burn them all” as his answer to any threat.
  • His brutality included horrific executions, such as burning nobles alive, which cemented his reputation as dangerously unstable.

How His Story Ends

  • During Robert’s Rebellion, Aerys planned to destroy King’s Landing with wildfire rather than let it fall to his enemies.
  • Jaime Lannister, then a Kingsguard sworn to protect him, killed Aerys in the throne room to stop the massacre, an act that earned Jaime the label “Kingslayer.”

Mini TL;DR: The Mad King is Aerys II Targaryen, Daenerys’s father, a once- promising ruler whose paranoia, love of wildfire, and brutal executions led to his death at Jaime Lannister’s hand.

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