The Targaryen dynasty was severely fractured by the 'Dance of the Dragons,' a brutal civil war (129-131 AC) fought between rival claimants to the Iron Throne, culminating in the near extinction of dragons.

Approximately a century after Aegon's Conquest, a succession crisis erupted following the death of King Viserys I Targaryen. His designated heir, his daughter Princess Rhaenyra, was challenged by his second wife, Queen Alicent Hightower, who crowned her own son, Aegon II. This conflict plunged Westeros into a devastating two-year war known as the Dance of the Dragons, pitting Targaryen against Targaryen, often with their dragons as weapons. The war resulted in immense casualties, including almost all the adult dragons, forever changing the balance of power and leading to the long decline of the Targaryen's unique advantage.