AS the battle for the Iron Throne looks set to turn into all-out war in the coming episodes, there's plenty of talk of the old Targaryen rulers of Westeros.
If you're finding all the history a bit confusing, all the background is right here. But be warned! Season 7 spoilers are coming...
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Who was the 'Mad King' Aerys Targaryen and why was he overthrown?
Aerys Targaryen is the "Mad King" who was overthrown by Robert Baratheon in a civil war that took place around 17 years before the first book or episode of Game of Thrones.
He was the last Targaryen to sit on the Iron Throne after three centuries of rule by the family.
His rule was benevolent at first but the Mad King is legendarily cruel. During his reign he became increasingly paranoid and murderous, using wildfire to burn his enemies alive - as there were no dragons in Westeros then.
Although the Mad King's cruelty is now legend, this is not what caused Robert Baratheon to lead a rebellion against him.
In fact the rebellion started because Aerys's son and heir, Prince Rhaegar, "abducted" Ned Stark's sister Lyanna, leading Houses Stark and Baratheon to rebel. They were later joined by other houses and won a decisive victory over House Targaryen.
The decisive moment in the war saw Aerys's own hand Tywin Lannister join the rebellion against him. While Jaime Lannister got his "Kingslayer" nickname when he put his sword through the king he had sworn to protect as a Kingsguard.
Since the Mad King was overthrown there's been very little stability in the seven kingdoms as myriad dynasties vie for power - from the Lannisters, to the Baratheon brothers, to his own descendants.
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Who are the other Targaryens?
Fans will be interested to know that the Targaryen dynasty interbred to keep their bloodline pure and make their powers more potent.
Daenerys's mother Rhaella Targaryen was also her father's sister, while her brother Viserys once commented that had Daenerys been older she would likely have been betrothed to Rhaegar.
The interbreeding also had the unfortunate side-effect of accentuating the madness that ran in the family - as Cersei Lannister pointed out that half of the Targaryens went mad.
After Robert Baratheon usurped the Iron Throne and vowed to destroy House Targaryen there aren't many descendants left.
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King Aerys was killed by Kingslayer Jaime Lannister after being betrayed. His wife Rhaella was murdered as well.
Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, heir to the Mad King who "abducted" Lyanna Stark and started the war, was killed by Robert in battle.
His wife Elia Martell and children Rhaenys and Aegon were killed by The Mountain, Gregor Clegane.
Game of Thrones viewers have met Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen on-screen. They are the Mad King's children, and siblings to dead Prince Rhaegar.
Aemon Targaryen became the Maester to the Night's Watch, and was not involved in the civil war as he was at Castle Black. He was uncle to Aerys and great uncle to Daenerys before dying peacefully at The Wall.
After Viserys was murdered by the Dothraki, Daenerys is the last surviving Targaryen - in theory.
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Is Jon Snow a Targaryen?
He's already the King in the North, but Jon Snow could end up being the King of Everything if his true heritage gets out.
Ned Stark told everyone that Jon was his illegitimate son, but it turns out he was just trying to protect his nephew, as Robert Baratheon had sworn to wipe out the Targaryen dynasty.
Jon is actually the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen, making him Daenerys's nephew and Sansa and Arya's cousin.
And Gilly's night-time reading during season 7 episode 5 revealed that Rhaegar and Lyanna were actually married, making Jon the legitimate heir to the Targaryen dynasty, above Daenerys - though he bent the knee to his aunt in episode 6.
Perhaps more importantly for the immediate future is how this will affect the obvious romance developing between Jon and his aunt, Daenerys.
We've seen weirder incestuous couples - like the Freys, Craster, and the Lannister twins - but not ones we were actually kind-of rooting for.
