Why did Illyrio give Daenerys the dragon eggs?

[Lady Blizzardborn]

Because it made HIM look good. The girl got something pretty, expensive, and most likely useless. Illyrio looked like a serious big shot (OMG he can afford to give away priceless treasures!). It helped reinforce the whole "I'm a Targ supporter" thing. And if they happened to somehow hatch, that would be cool too.

[Mithras]

Because in the end, they were just money and Illyrio has more than enough money. Furthermore, Drogo would expect wedding gifts somewhere in that price category.

This. Dothraki khals are known to see poor gifts as insult. Drogo would not expect less from Illyrio.

[Hodor knows]

I think Illyrio thought the eggs had a chance to hatch along with the two siblings. After ADwD I considered it a side-bet. He seems to have a few oars in the water.

[bent branch]

imo, the dragon eggs were given to Dany in the hope she would hatch them. Why Dany? (ASOS - Chapter 25):

When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone.

Yep, Daenerys "Stormborn" Targaryen was given the dragon eggs in the hope she would hatch them.

[oursisthefury69]

how is this always asked?

Because she's descended from a line of dragon rulers, its a lavish wedding gift with a personal significance coming from a wealthy man, also a better way to give her a means of eventually buying ships then just giving her a buncha gold and saying old it till its time

[Gibzit]

But for Illyrio it isn't "just gold", dragon eggs can be used to help Aegon's credibilty, can "just gold" do that?

[Nights Kings Queen]

But for Illyrio it isn't "just gold", dragon eggs can be used to help Aegon's credibilty, can "just gold" do that?

Dragon eggs wouldn't do anything in terms of credibility.

Eggs could easily be explained by him having rich friends, which would have to be true if aegon did in fact escape.

There isn't anything that can prove his legitimacy. Same way there isn't anything to prove Jon's legitimacy (except to readers). He just has to hope people will buy his story and fight for him.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Dragon eggs wouldn't do anything in terms of credibility.

Eggs could easily be explained by him having rich friends, which would have to be true if aegon did in fact escape.

There isn't anything that can prove his legitimacy. Same way there isn't anything to prove Jon's legitimacy (except to readers). He just has to hope people will buy his story and fight for him.

I know, huh? Blackfyre and Dark Sister will help, and Aegon the Conqueror's crown will help too. And when he rides Rhaegal, nobody will doubt that Aegon is a true dragonlord, and his namesake's descendant. Of course, as Illyrio explains to Tyrion, black or red, a dragon is still a dragon.

[Sullen]

Because money was no object and they were essentially just 3 pretty rocks

Exactly.

He also needed to have her trust for her to sway Drogo into sailing to Westeros.

[Nights Kings Queen]

I know, huh? Blackfyre and Dark Sister will help, and Aegon the Conqueror's crown will help too. And when he rides Rhaegal, nobody will doubt that Aegon is a true dragonlord, and his namesake's descendant. Of course, as Illyrio explains to Tyrion, black or red, a dragon is still a dragon.

Okay forgot about them, my mistake.

Yes these things would prove his parentage (to characters) but Dragon eggs wouldn't.

Edit- and if he were to get blackfyre the sword (i know this was in the original chapter) it wouldn't help.

Blackfyre ended up becoming a blackfyre sword. That would raise the question of is he really a targaryen. So if he did get Aegons sword and rode rhaegal those would add up to his targaryen falsehood. Because BF's are still dragonlords

[Lord Varys]

Dragon eggs are way too expensive to be given casually away the way Illyrio does. He supposedly got some profit out of the whole brokering of the marriage, but if he really had only three dragon eggs he would never have parted with them - even more so, if he had actually bought them (which would most likely have been much more expensive that the profit he got out of the marriage).

Not to mention that it is actually very unlikely Varys and Illyrio would give up dragon eggs if they were themselves of the blood of the dragon. After all, those of that bloodline are usually obsessed with dragons. But if Illyrio has additional - perhaps even more - eggs in store for Aegon it makes some sense to part with them.

Drogo gives no impression that he cares about the dragon eggs, nor would does it seem as if they are important to him or the whole deal. Illyrio claims they are from the Shadowlands - which means they have nothing to do with the Targaryens, and are thus not necessarily good gifts to make Dany look good or legitimate.

[Sullen]

Dragon eggs are way too expensive to be given casually away the way Illyrio does. He supposedly got some profit out of the whole brokering of the marriage, but if he really had only three dragon eggs he would never have parted with them - even more so, if he had actually bought them (which would most likely have been much more expensive that the profit he got out of the marriag

Illyrio is one of the richest men on the planet, and the greatest Khal that ever was on his side by brokering the deal.

He could absolutely afford it.

[Gibzit]

Edit- and if he were to get blackfyre the sword (i know this was in the original chapter) it wouldn't help.

Blackfyre ended up becoming a blackfyre sword. That would raise the question of is he really a targaryen. So if he did get Aegons sword and rode rhaegal those would add up to his targaryen falsehood. Because BF's are still dragonlords

While Blackfyre alone might not mean anything, but if he can whip up Aegon's crown and some other Targ artifacts, it would really help.

[Lord Varys]

Drogo wasn't the greatest khal that ever was. Illyrio is perhaps the richest man in Pentos - and one of the richest men in the Free Cities - but there should people in the world who are much richer than he is (in Braavos, in Volantis, in Qarth, and in Yi Ti).

The question why Illyrio gave the eggs to Dany actually comes up again in ADwD, in Dany's last chapter. This is a vital plot point, and it will be discussed and eventually resolved in the story. Dany owes her dragons to Illyrio, after all, whatever his motives may have been when he gave the eggs to her.

[Gibzit]

I wonder if Dany will spare Illyrio eventually (if he is a Blackfyre), for giving her the dragons and all that.

[Lost Melnibonean]

Drogo wasn't the greatest khal that ever was. Illyrio is perhaps the richest man in Pentos - and one of the richest men in the Free Cities - but there should people in the world who are much richer than he is (in Braavos, in Volantis, in Qarth, and in Yi Ti).

The question why Illyrio gave the eggs to Dany actually comes up again in ADwD, in Dany's last chapter. This is a vital plot point, and it will be discussed and eventually resolved in the story. Dany owes her dragons to Illyrio, after all, whatever his motives may have been when he gave the eggs to her.

I got a gold dragon says it was a deux ex machina. :)

[Bright Blue Eyes]

But for Illyrio it isn't "just gold", dragon eggs can be used to help Aegon's credibilty, can "just gold" do that?

So what? Why do you assume Illyrio had just three?

Dragon eggs are rare and expensive, but in no way unique.

Illyrio is one of the richest men on the planet, and the greatest Khal that ever was on his side by brokering the deal.

He could absolutely afford it.

Don't forget that Illyrio was arranging that marriage on behalf of Pentos. I bet that most of it was paid with tax money :cool4:

[Mithras]

Illyrio is richer than all the Westerosi Lords but his incredible manse is a cesspool compared to Xaro Xoan Daxos' palace in Qarth.

[Suzanna Stormborn]

So what? Why do you assume Illyrio had just three?

Dragon eggs are rare and expensive, but in no way unique.

Don't forget that Illyrio was arranging that marriage on behalf of Pentos. I bet that most of it was paid with tax money :cool4:

Maybe he has more, but the purposes of these novels, I doubt any more will surface.

[Khal Shaggydog]

I was cracking up at the "price category" comment - but its true! Those are the flashy badass wedding gifts from the obscenely rich and dramatic Illyrio. Pretty rocks for a pretty girl. I see Varys and Illryio as the ultimate pragmatists in this world, this is one of the deal sweeteners that the two of them giggled over about how clever they are.

And to the person that implied that Blackfyre is now a "Blackfyre" sword - nope. There is no family name of Blackfyre, it is a bastard nickname, and it was carried on by generations of descendents, but they were all trying to take the IT and make themselves Targaryens. Blackfyre was AEGON's freaking sword, you ride into Westeros with the same name as the original conqueror and wielding his actual sword, no one is going to call you a Blackfyre.

Crackpot sidenote on the dragon eggs - recall that Illyrio hosted a massively fat red priest at Dany's wedding as well, and that he spoke of the Lord of Light as well. While he was most certainly playing the Aegon long game already by this time, he might have thrown the dragon eggs at Dany as a nod to the red priest prophecy regarding Dany...