Rhaegar Targaryen was the son of King Aerys II Targaryen and the heir to his throne. He was considered the last great champion of the House of Targaryen, and was killed before the events of the Game of Thrones series started. Rhaegar had long, silver hair and indigo eyes, which matched with height and natural handsomeness gave him an appearance that many called ‘beautiful’. He was very skilled at practically anything that he tried, and was particularly renowned both as a warrior and as a musician. However, many who knew him described him as quiet, and he remained somewhat private despite his renown.
He was born on the day of the Tragedy at Summerhall, to which many attribute Rhaegar’s melancholy nature. He read obsessively as a child, and was likely motivated by a text that he read to become a knight at the age of 17. Although he was an incredibly skilled warrior, he did not like to fight so much as he enjoyed more peaceful pursuits. When Rhaegar came of the proper age to marry, there were no women his age of suitably noble bloodline. After a search undertaken by his father, he ended up marrying the Dornish princess Elia Martell. They had a daughter and a son before Elia’s health prevented her from being able to bear any more children. Elia and the children, along with Rhaegar’s father, were all killed by Ser Gregor Clegane and Ser Amory Lorch at the Sack of King’s Landing.
Rhaegar shows some romantic interest in Lyanna Stark, passing up his own wife to present her with the winter rose crown for the queen of love and beauty. Lyanna’s betrothed Robert Baratheon accuses him of raping her, but the accusations appear to be relatively unfounded.
Rhaegar is perhaps best known for starting the war commonly referred to as Robert’s Rebellion when he kidnapped Lyanna Stark. To this day, no one is certain why he took her. It is possible that Lyanna joined him of her own will and that they were in love. His father, the Mad King, joined him in declaring war on the Stark and Baratheon Houses and killing Lyanna’s older brother Brandon. At the Battle of the Trident, Lyanna’s fiance Robert Baratheon kills Rhaegar Targaryen in one-on-one combat with a blow from his hammer. Rubies scattered across the river from Rhaegar’s breastplate, and the crossing-place has been called Ruby’s Ford ever since.
After Rhaegar’s death, the opposing army went on to slaughter his entire family at the Sack of King’s Landing. This marked a great downfall of the House of Targaryen, as there was now no king and no heir to the throne.