Why did Illyrio give Dany the eggs?

[straits]

They weren't just 'gifts'. If the fat merchant didn't give Dany the dragons, GRRM would not be able to write Dany's storyline the way he is. I can't understand something with the biggest consequences in the series as just a gift. And this is Illyrio and Varys we're talking about.

[Golden Lion]

They weren't just 'gifts'. If the fat merchant didn't give Dany the dragons, GRRM would not be able to write Dany's storyline the way he is. I can't understand something with the biggest consequences in the series as just a gift. And this is Illyrio and Varys we're talking about.

They were just a gift. Illyrio and Varys couldn't have predicted Drogo, her son and Viserys would die. Makes no sense to give Dany three of the most powerful weapons in the world when she had an army of Dothraki. Unless of course, Varys and Illyrio didn't think the eggs had a snowballs chance in seven hells of hatching. Which is the case.

Doesn't really make sense to me to give 3 extremely extremely expensive presents to a "Queen" you don't really care for. Giving only one away, or saving them to give to Aegon when he finally invaded, or even giving them to Viserys (since he was the main targ at the time) all seem like better ideas.

Dragons eggs are worth a lot, I don't really see Illyrio gifting three of them away as a random fun wedding present. Even if he was 100% sure they would never hatch.

Illyrio wouldn't care about how much they're worth, he's hardly poor. He has money.

If Viserys wanted money then Illyrio would have given it to him to help him get the throne and get paid back ten fold.

The eggs being valuable is meaningless to Illyrio, I mean he bought them he knows how much they're worth. Money just isn't an object to him because he has it in abundance, so it is simply just a wedding gift.

And let's be honest, there is no doubt more stone dragon eggs out there. They're useless objects except to a few people who can revive them (something Illyrio didn't think possible or had completely ruled out when he gave them to Dany)

[King.In.Yellow]

So Illy was betting for

a) an unpredictable half-wit that anybody can see is not fit to rule.

b ) guy that was prepared (in part by Illy himself?) since early childhood to rule.

First try a), if all fails, try b ). Seems like solid plan to me. Why not go straight to plan b?

Illyrio suggested that Viserys stay behind in Pentos, probably anticipating that he'll do something to offend Drogo and the Dothraki. Viserys is a weak guy convinced that he is strong. That's a recipe for disaster in any case, to say nothing of sending said guy in the midst of 40. 000 bloodthirsty warriors.

If you're asking me, it is highly probable that Illyrio hoped Danearys would sway Drogo to her will (this transpired) and return as a true Khaleesi. He saw (no doubt) what a half-wit Viserys was and probably wanted to keep him away from the Dothraki. That would ruin any chance of the Dothraki allying with him (the Dothraki only follow the strong. Viserys is many things, but isn't strong).

[Stannis ftw]

And let's be honest, there is no doubt more stone dragon eggs out there. They're useless objects except to a few people who can revive them (something Illyrio didn't think possible or had completely ruled out when he gave them to Dany)

Tell this to your local diamond dealer, he will probably hand out his whole collection to you in realizing, lets face it, they´re useless :laugh:

[sifth]

I'm pretty sure Aegon was their plan B. The kid in all likelihood isn't even a Targ, so why use him if they have two legit heirs lying around

[ab aeterno]

I'm pretty sure Aegon was their plan B. The kid in all likelihood isn't even a Targ, so why use him if they have two legit heirs lying around

Possible reasons: a) They can control Aegon better than Viserys/Dany. b ) Aegon is a Blackfyre, and so is one of Varys or Illyrio, Illyrio's wife; c ) they genuinely believe that Aegon would make a better king; d ) They think it would be easier to begin a rebellion behind Rhaegar's then Aerys'.

[Runaway Penguin]

Ilyrio does not hesitate to go on multiple fronts at once. It seems he was surprised dany survived, however even if she was just an expendable pawn in Vary's and Ilyrios grand scheme, giving her the eggs just reinforced her bait value. Plus they were just pretty stones plus Ilyrio probably got them "for free" anyway.

EDIT:

I think Aegon is plan A. Kept for years in seclusion and training, while you flaunt around Viserys and Dany publicly (and have Varys inform on them regurarily King's Council... Heck, even the assassination attempt...)

[sifth]

Possible reasons: a) They can control Aegon better than Viserys/Dany. b ) Aegon is a Blackfyre, and so is one of Varys or Illyrio, Illyrio's wife; c ) they genuinely believe that Aegon would make a better king; d ) They think it would be easier to begin a rebellion behind Rhaegar's then Aerys'.

he's also only a little boy at the time and not fit to lead an army just yet; heck we don't even know if ADwD's Aegon is good at leading a rebellion yet. His Hand, Lord Jon C seems to be winning all of his battles for him and that guys living on borrowed time.

also remember that everyone still loved Robert at the time, so there was no use starting a war when you only have 1 of the seven kingdoms on your side

[Stannis ftw]

Possible reasons: a) They can control Aegon better than Viserys/Dany. b ) Aegon is a Blackfyre, and so is one of Varys or Illyrio, Illyrio's wife; c ) they genuinely believe that Aegon would make a better king; d ) They think it would be easier to begin a rebellion behind Rhaegar's then Aerys'.

Yes. You can figure out reasons Aegon being plan B but Viserys being plan A was quite... weak.

[ab aeterno]

Yes. You can figure out reasons Aegon being plan B but Viserys being plan A was quite... weak.

Unless Viserys was just a feint to keep Robert's attention away from Aegon.

[sifth]

Yes. You can figure out reasons Aegon being plan B but Viserys being plan A was quite... weak.

not quite, if anything it shows you that Viserys was expendable to them, Danny too for that matter. It was only after Danny hatched the dragons that Illyrio started to show his support

[ab aeterno]

he's also only a little boy at the time and not fit to lead an army just yet; heck we don't even know if ADwD's Aegon is good at leading a rebellion yet. His Hand, Lord Jon C seems to be winning all of his battles for him and that guys living on borrowed time.

You can't really blame Illyrio for Tyrion ruining everything though. :P

also remember that everyone still loved Robert at the time, so there was no use starting a war when you only have 1 of the seven kingdoms on your side

I wouldn't say this is necessarily true. Before Robert's death you potentially have the Reach, Dorne, a number of houses from the Riverlands and maybe a few others. Add that to any forces Aegon brings and you would easily have more men than any of the kings during the Wot5K.

[AureliaC]

Doesn't really make sense to me to give 3 extremely extremely expensive presents to a "Queen" you don't really care for. Giving only one away, or saving them to give to Aegon when he finally invaded, or even giving them to Viserys (since he was the main targ at the time) all seem like better ideas.

Dragons eggs are worth a lot, I don't really see Illyrio gifting three of them away as a random fun wedding present. Even if he was 100% sure they would never hatch.

:agree: , even if dragon eggs do not legitimize a Targ, they are a fitting gift for a new Targ King. Unless he has other dragon eggs at his disposal, it doesn't make sense to give them to Dany as a wedding present instead of gifting them to Aegon, in what "Aegon" could perceive as a link to his family (I am assuming that if he isn't a Targ, he doesn't know it).

The only reason I could see for gifting the dragons to Dany is to close the door on old Targs and their entitlement to the throne given by their connection to dragons. Aegon will be king because he has been trained to become one, and thus he will rule for the people and not despite the people.

Still seems flimsy to me to give away the equivalent of a large army without some motivation.

[Golden Lion]

Tell this to your local diamond dealer, he will probably hand out his whole collection to you in realizing, lets face it, they´re useless :laugh:

Sort of missing the point aren't we?

Dragon Eggs are worth money, but what are they worth to someone who has extensive amounts of money? If the eggs were actual weapons, then Illyrio wouldn't have given them up.

The eggs hatching is a freak incident that no one would have predicted.

[Runaway Penguin]

Motivation: Dragons are symbol of Targs. Robert is afraid of Targs. Robert is having Dany and Vis followed. Varys informs him Dany marries a horselord with 40k screamers and got dragon eggs as a gift - not because of dragons, but to goad Robert even more into following her as the only posible Targ threat. She is expendable, either she drowns in the Dothraki sea (Ilyrio probaly thought that her assholish brother will not go well with the horselords) or she sells eggs and tries to invade Westeros, either way she'll keep Robert occupied.

All the while ex Hand tutors Aegon in secrecy and since Usurper's resources are focused on Dany, there is little threat of discovery.

[sifth]

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the original plan to eventually unite the armies of Dany and Aegon, before having the two cross the narrow sea and start their rebellion. Plus the man had no idea they would hatch, they were made out of stone at the time, ha ha ha

[ab aeterno]

If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the original plan to eventually unite the armies of Dany and Aegon, before having the two cross the narrow sea and start their rebellion. Plus the man had no idea they would hatch, they were made out of stone at the time, ha ha ha

It may well have been, but I don't think there has been any confirmation. They would also have had to deal with Viserys and Drogo somehow.

[sifth]

It may well have been, but I don't think there has been any confirmation. They would also have had to deal with Viserys and Drogo somehow.

I think someone in The Golden Company mentions that this was the original reason Illyrio sent her the ships

[ab aeterno]

I think someone in The Golden Company mentions that this was the original reason Illyrio sent her the ships

That is the intention as of AFFC/ADWD, but we don't know about the original intention ca. AGoT.

[Runaway Penguin]

I see it more like Ilyrio improvising as the situation changed (IE Dany floated from Dothraki sea with dragons).

"Okay, she's alive - let's get her to Pentos."

"Okay, so instead of going to Pentos, she started to mess up the Slaver's Bay - let's reunite the Targs there, with Golden Company, and let's send one Lannister as wedding gift."