Who Jeyne Arryn Is In HOTD & How She's Connected To Game Of Thrones

WARNING! This article contains major SPOILERS for House of the Dragon season 2, episode 5 and George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood book!Jeyne Arryn is introduced in House of the Dragon season 2, episode 5, with the Lady of the Eyrie playing an important albeit isolated role in the Dance of the Dragons. At the end of House of the Dragon season 1, Rhaenyra sent her eldest son Jacaerys as an envoy to treat with Lady Jeyne Arryn in the Vale and Lord Cregan Stark in Winterfell.

While Jace’s successful visit with Cregan was shown at the start of House of the Dragon season 2, episode 1, his time in the Eyrie was cut from the series, with the show waiting to debut Jeyne until Rhaena’s stay with her a few episodes later.

Rhaenyra has sent Rhaena Targaryen to watch over Joffrey, Aegon, Viserys, and a clutch of dragon eggs in the Vale in order to keep them safe during the war. Before Rhaena leaves with Aegon and Viserys for Pentos, she stays at the Eyrie with Lady Jeyne Arryn (Amanda Collin), who is a cousin of Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen through her late mother, Aemma Arryn. Jeyne pledges House Arryn’s loyalty to Team Black.

In season 3, Lady Jeyne is given a bit more to do, as Rhaena and Sheepstealer become an even bigger part of the story. Though she remains in the Vale and out of the fray, Jeyne's continued presence in House of the Dragon has kept the world feeling much larger.

Jeyne Arryn's Backstory

Born around the same time as Rhaenyra, Lady Jeyne Arryn has been the Lady of the Vale since she was only a child. According to George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood book, Jeyne’s father and older brothers were killed by Stone Crows, a mountain clan in the Vale, leading her to inherit the Eyrie at only three years old.

When she was a child, Lord Royce of Runestone ruled as her regent, with Jeyne’s claim also being unsuccessfully challenged by her male cousin Arnold Arryn. In response, Arnold and his descendants were disinherited from House Arryn’s succession.

Of course, House of the Dragon season 2 isn’t the first time that the show has visited the Vale. In season 1, Daemon kills Rhea Royce, his ex-wife, while secretly visiting the location as a ploy to make himself free to wed and potentially inherit her seat at Runestone. House of the Dragon season 1 didn’t directly include Lady Jeyne Arryn’s response to Daemon’s claim, which she rejected before forcing him to leave the Vale. Nearly two decades later, Jeyne finally returns, pledging her loyalty to Rhaenyra in exchange for a dragon to protect the Vale.

In season 3, Lady Jeyne is furious when Rhaena returns and reveals her responsibility for the tragic events at the Gullet. She demands that Rhaena leave the Vale but agrees to a compromise. Rhaena and Sheepstealer will remain hidden in the Vale, providing Jeyne's lands the protection she asked for in the first place. In return, Jeyne will pretend that Rhaena fled, and not tell anyone of her presence there.

However, by the end of House of the Dragon season 3, Rhaenyra discovers that Rhaena is Sheepstealer's rider. While she doesn't acknowledge House Arryn's involvement this season, it's very possible Lady Jeyne has to answer for her deception in season 4.

Jeyne Arryn's Role In The Dance Of The Dragons

During House of the Dragon season 2, Jeyne Arryn’s role is largely confined to hosting Rhaena Targaryen and Rhaenyra’s three youngest children at the Eyrie. In Fire & Blood, Rhaena becomes Jeyne’s ward. The book also reveals that the Vale is never directly attacked in the Dance of the Dragons, but unlike in the show, where she only offers gold, Jeyne does send forces to join the Queen’s army when Rhaenyra takes King’s Landing.

After the Storming of the Dragonpit, Jeyne offers to send troops again, but the crown lacks gold and ships to accomplish this. The Queen is also advised to flee to the Eyrie for safety, but instead goes to Dragonstone, where Rhaenyra's terrible fate awaits. Following Rhaenyra’s death, Jeyne sends troops to King’s Landing after refusing to surrender to Aegon II. When Rhaena successfully hatches a dragon in the Vale, the Black's cause is strengthened, and Lady Jeyne is credited as one of the people who helped bring about the end of the war.

What Happens To Jeyne Arryn

After the deaths of both Rhaenyra and Aegon II, and thus the Dance of the Dragons’ conclusion, Lady Jeyne Arryn serves on a council of seven regents to King Aegon III Targaryen, Rhaenyra’s eldest surviving son. When Aegon III’s official regent is decided, Jeyne returns to the Vale but dies only two years later of an illness while in Gulltown.

Having never married, Lady Jeyne Arryn is known in the histories as the Maid of the Vale, but it’s rumored in Fire & Blood that she had a lover in Jessamyn Redfort. Jeyne is succeeded as Protector of the Vale by her cousin Joffrey Arryn, whose ascension is unsuccessfully contested by other members of House Arryn.

Jeyne Arryn never had any children, so she’s a distant ancestor of Game of Thrones’ characters Jon and Robin Arryn. Her successor Joffrey Arryn, presumably Jon’s direct ancestor, is described as a distant fourth cousin to Jeyne. Therefore, it’s more difficult to pinpoint exactly how many generations in House Arryn that Jeyne is removed from Jon Arryn and his son Robin in Game of Thrones.

It seems likely that House of the Dragon's Jeyne is at least eight or nine generations removed from Hand of the King Jon Arryn, with their closest directly shared ancestor being another four generations further back.