Why did Rhaella crown Viserys?

[A spoon of knife and fork]

I saw it mentioned that Rhaella crowned Viserys as soon as she received word that Rhaegar had died. I'm having some trouble understanding why.

I fully understand why Aerys would want to name Viserys his heir, of course. Aerys was deeply suspicious of Rhaegar and hated Elia and her kids who he considered filthy halfbreeds. But Rhaella? She should have hated Aerys. She never liked him, according to Barristan. Furthermore, he raped and abused her, and called her a whore in front of court. Why would she be loyal to Aerys' wishes rather than the wishes of her son the Crown Prince and the rules of succession? Was it because Viserys was older than Aegon?

What if the rebellion had turned out differently, and all of the Targaryens had survived except Aerys and Rhaegar. Would Rhaella still support Viserys as king over Aegon?

[Lord Varys]

Rhaella only crowned Viserys after Aerys' death which happened to coincide with Aegon's (presumed) death. But more importantly, he was her son, too, and with her on Dragonstone. Even if Aegon had survived there is no reason to assume that she would have preferred her grandson over her son, especially with Aerys already naming Viserys his heir.

[The silver dragon]

I saw it mentioned that Rhaella crowned Viserys as soon as she received word that Rhaegar had died. I'm having some trouble understanding why.

I fully understand why Aerys would want to name Viserys his heir, of course. Aerys was deeply suspicious of Rhaegar and hated Elia and her kids who he considered filthy halfbreeds. But Rhaella? She should have hated Aerys. She never liked him, according to Barristan. Furthermore, he raped and abused her, and called her a whore in front of court. Why would she be loyal to Aerys' wishes rather than the wishes of her son the Crown Prince and the rules of succession? Was it because Viserys was older than Aegon?

What if the rebellion had turned out differently, and all of the Targaryens had survived except Aerys and Rhaegar. Would Rhaella still support Viserys as king over Aegon?

probably.

Rhaella had a very close relationship with viserys.

it is said that Rhaella would do her at most to shelter viserys from aerys madness.

and another thing to look at is the fact that dany has stated "when viserys sold his mother's crown all joy had left him".

no you have to ask your self why did it leave him?

viserys had been begging, insulted and disrespected his entire life.

why would selling a golden trinket for money be the thing to make him snap?

unless you look at it for a different angle,

that the reason it made viserys go mad was not because it he had to sink so low.

but because that crown was the last remnant of his dead mother.

[A spoon of knife and fork]

Rhaella only crowned Viserys after Aerys' death which happened to coincide with Aegon's (presumed) death. But more importantly, he was her son, too, and with her on Dragonstone. Even if Aegon had survived there is no reason to assume that she would have preferred her grandson over her son, especially with Aerys already naming Viserys his heir.

Hm, I thought I read that Rhaella crowned Viserys after Rhaegar died, not after Aerys/Aegon died. I don't have a source, however.

[Failed to De-anon]

I always thought Rhaella crowned Viserys shortly before her death in childbirth and before Jon Darry was forced to flee with the children. Even if she hated Aerys, for her to crown Viserys before the current king dies makes no sense nor would it be recognized as anything by anyone. That holds true, even if the principle heir predeceased the king. That said, even if she was the type to throw over Aegon in favor of Viserys, which I don't personally buy, Aerys and Aegon died so closely together, so, in theory, she would only have Viserys to crown anyway.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Aerys and Aegon both died almost at the same time. Viserys was the only male left, as far as she knew. What other options did she have?

[A spoon of knife and fork]

Aerys and Aegon both died almost at the same time. Viserys was the only male left, as far as she knew. What other options did she have?

Yeah I thought that she had named Viserys heir before Aegon was dead. Guess I was wrong?

[Lost Melnibonean]

I missed where Rhaella crowned Viserys. Could you please point it out to me?

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

Yeah I thought that she had named Viserys heir before Aegon was dead. Guess I was wrong?

Aerys named Viserys heir after Rhaegars death. Rhaella and Viserys were send to Dragonstone after news of Rhaegars death reached KL, and on Dragonstone, they would learn of the Sack, and the deaths of Aerys and supposedly Aegon. We don't exactly how much time passed after learning that news until Rhaella crowned him, IIRC, but it wasn't long (see quote in post below). As far as she was aware, Viserys was the last male Targaryen left, and the loyalists, would they still be willing to fight, would need someone to fight for.

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

I missed where Rhaella crowned Viserys. Could you please point it out to me?

It is in the app

[Lost Melnibonean]

It is in the app

Well, that explains it. Don't suppose you could provide the quote or at least a little context? She probably wouldn't have known about the pisswater prince switcheroo anyway.

[Rhaenys_Targaryen]

Well, that explains it. Don't suppose you could provide the quote or at least a little context? She probably wouldn't have known about the pisswater prince switcheroo anyway.

I have it in my notes:

Following the Sack of King's Landing and the deaths of Aerys, Princess Elia Martell, and the presumed deaths of Rhaegar's children Aegon and Rhaenys, Viserys was declared king on Dragonstone. Nine turns of the moon later, however, the royal fleet was smashed in a storm, and at the same time Rhaella died while giving birth to Daenerys Targaryen, who was known thereafter as Daenerys Stormborn.

Thus, also shows it happened quite fast after Aerys' death.

[Lost Melnibonean]

I have it in my notes:

Following the Sack of King's Landing and the deaths of Aerys, Princess Elia Martell, and the presumed deaths of Rhaegar's children Aegon and Rhaenys, Viserys was declared king on Dragonstone. Nine turns of the moon later, however, the royal fleet was smashed in a storm, and at the same time Rhaella died while giving birth to Daenerys Targaryen, who was known thereafter as Daenerys Stormborn.

Thus, also shows it happened quite fast after Aerys' death.

The king is dead. Long live the king!

[Night's King Reborn]

For a queen who must have been shrewd and self-aware enough to survive a husband like Aerys, I am somewhat baffled by Rhaella's rashness in crowning Viserys on Dragonstone so soon after the Sack. Doing that was basically a siren drawing attention to her family when they were at their most vulnerable. A better move would have been to leave Dragonstone with Viserys and loyal retainers as soon as possible, then going to Braavos, Pentos, or Volantis and setting up a court-in-exile where she could give birth to Daenerys safely, get in contact with sellswords, and plan against the Baratheons as far away from King's Landing as possible. Or, hide innocuously in the Free Cities and renounce the Iron Throne completely, buying her children life.

[Black Dragons]

this is right with Aegon and Rhaegar died he was next in line (he was still her son and she love him and duty comes first with the Targaryens)

[Lord Varys]

Dragonstone was essentially pretty much impregnable until the storm completely destroyed the Targaryen fleet. There was no reason for Rhaella to abandon the ancient stronghold of her family. And we don't really know how much time passed between Dany's birth and Stannis' arrival/Darry's escape with the children.