Why did Illyrio give Dany the dragon eggs?

[The Bastards Giant Friend]

41 minutes ago, Praetor Xyn said:

One interpretation would be that since the eggs supposedly came from Asshai, Bran's vision was a hint they were about to hatch.

Another is that Illyrio at least entertained the possibly of hatching dragons and stealing them. We know Jorah reported to Varys, hence Varys could give him orders from Illyrio. Before the eggs hatch, Jorah tries to direct Danaerys to Asshai numerous times, but once the eggs hatch he doesn't want to go there anymore. We can assume he was meant to direct her to Asshai on the off chance she might hatch dragons there.

He continues to suggest going east after the dragons are born. So I don't think they were trying to guide her to dragons

[Praetor Xyn]

2 minutes ago, The Bastards Giant Friend said:

He continues to suggest going east after the dragons are born. So I don't think they were trying to guide her to dragons

My mistake. I thought I remembered someone else wanting to go East and Jorah arguing against it after they hatch.

[Masha]

I believe that Illyrio had more than 3 Dragon eggs from whatever cache he had - either remainder from Blackfyres/Brightflames, stolen secretly from Dragonstone or found in Asshai or somewhere else. At the beginning of the books, there had been no dragons in the Planetos for over a hundred years, even the last attempt by actual Targaeryens (Egg) failed miserably. At that point, they are nothing more than super expensive rarity.

The reason Illyrio gave those eggs to Dany is because his plan involved her and her husband along with Viserys attacking Westeros and then having fAegon come to the rescue and usurp the throne. To get Drogo's armies into Westeros requires a lot of money and Illyrio fully expected Dany and Drogo to sell those eggs for that purpose. He didn't expect her to get attached to them and hatch them. They were supposed go to Vaes Dothrak, get married (by Dosh khaleen) and return to Pentos and rejoin Viserys. Viserys trip and death was unexpected. So was hatching of the dragons. Jorah's role was to protect Dany and if she and Khal Drogo get too settled, get them riled up at Robert again (aka poisoning plot). Then Jorah fell in love with her, got protective and the rest is history about his behaviour.

 

 

[The Bastards Giant Friend]

3 hours ago, Praetor Xyn said:

My mistake. I thought I remembered someone else wanting to go East and Jorah arguing against it after they hatch.

You aren't totally wrong. Eventually Barristan/Arstan suggests it but by then Jorah has switched his stance and says to go to slavers bay. But Jorah didn't change his tune right after the dragons hatch, at least one more time he suggests the East.

[Lost Melnibonean]

In Daenerys VIII, Game 64 and Daenerys X, Game 64, we see more evidence that Jorah was in league with Illyrio. When Jorah learned that Drogo was as good as dead his first thought was to make for a port to find passage (avoiding the Dothraki Sea) to Pentos. It wasn't until after Daenerys smothered Drogo and began erecting his pyre, believing she meant to throw herself on it as well, that Jorah suggested they go off together. But even then, after he swore to serve her, he was thinking about returning her to Pentos. 

In Daenerys II, Clash 27, Daenerys arrives in Qarth. This is Jorah’s first opportunity to report back to Illyrio since Drogo died and the dragonlets were hatched.

In Daenerys III, Clash 40, we see Jorah’s counsel to Daenerys after arriving in Qarth. . .

Quote

"I would be glad to leave this city, if truth be told," the knight said when she was done. "But not for Asshai."

So, Jorah is definitely not steering Daenerys to Asshai on behalf of Illyrio as some readers have suggested.

Quote

 

"Where, then?"

"East," he said.

"I am half a world away from my kingdom even here. If I go any farther east I may never find my way home to Westeros."

"If you go west, you risk your life."

"House Targaryen has friends in the Free Cities," she reminded him. "Truer friends than Xaro or the Pureborn."

"If you mean Illyrio Mopatis, I wonder. For sufficient gold, Illyrio would sell you as quickly as he would a slave."

"My brother and I were guests in Illyrio's manse for half a year. If he meant to sell us, he could have done it then."

"He did sell you," Ser Jorah said. "To Khal Drogo."

Dany flushed. He had the truth of it, but she did not like the sharpness with which he put it. "Illyrio protected us from the Usurper's knives, and he believed in my brother's cause."

"Illyrio believes in no cause but Illyrio. Gluttons are greedy men as a rule, and magisters are devious. Illyrio Mopatis is both. What do you truly know of him?"

 

Here, we should realize that Jorah is no longer working as Illyrio’s agent.

[A Ghost of Someone]

I saw the eggs as an extra exotic gift, as Dany actually was, to appease Drogo and the Dothraki so that they would not sack and rape Pentos. Also, note that we find out that Dany and Viserys were meant to die as it was also a means to an end. Aegon V (Young Griff) was their goal and there was no thought of dragons etc so they needed Dany and Viserys out of the way as well as distraction for the eyes of King's Landing while they were hoping to start a war in Westeros.