is the Iron Throne the heir of Valyrian Empire

[Bearson]

No. The Targ kingdom of Westeros is historically more akin to how a Norse adventurer or chieftain took and settled a small territory (Rollo taking over Normandy), and his descendant conquering a kingdom. Except Aegon I Targaryan, unlike William the Bastard, actually had no marital claim to any parts of Westeros. Also, in the wiki it's referred to as the Valyrian Freehold, not the Valyrian Empire. Apparantly it was never a unified empire, and never had a unified ruler. It was more like a collection of city states, sending dragonlord's off to conquer land to settle as I understand it.

Also, the Targaryans gave up their old Valyrian gods and adapted the faith of the Andals, and in that they mostly resemble again the Norse settlers of Normandy - and Kiev -, who gradually abandonded their own culture and faith and adapted the customs and faith of the people they ruled.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

Firstly: Valyria was not an Empire.

Second: Valyrian customs (like incest and slavery) are not accepted in Westeros

Third: By their own words Targaryens are dragons. How can an animal reign over human?

Nobody denies that the Targaryens have the blood of old Valyria, and that they are the rightful owners of te IT.

I think that there are way too many people that deny that.

[Mithras]

Valyrian freehold was built upon the blood of slaves from all over the world. Thet deserved the Doom. Volantis is the political continuation of old Valyria and I hope Volantis is sacked never to rise again.

[The Mountain That Flies]

The only significant differences in Westeros pre-Conquest vs. post-Conquest was the consolidation of power in King's Landing and the existence of the Kingsguard. Literally every other part of Westerosi culture, which had existed long before the Targaryens arrived remains intact, with very little of Valyrian imports.

So, no. As people have said, Volantis is the closest thing to a successor to Old Valyria, and even they are a pretty weak imitation.

[The Merry Other]

Not to hijack the thread but I can't help thinking:

- Westeros = Britain

- Essos = Eurasia

- First Men = Ancient Britons

- Valyria = Rome

- Wo5K = War of the Roses

- Starks = Yorks

- Lannisters = Lancasters

- Dorne = Cornwall

- The Wall = Hadrian's wall

- Wildlings = Scots

- Ironborn = Vikings

- Dothraki = Huns

- Bravoos = Venice

- Volantis = Constantinople

- Ghiscari Empire = Persian Empire

- Summer Islanders = Africans

- Asshai = India

- Yiti = China? (name sounds Chinese for sure)

[Jon's Queen Consort]

- Starks = Yorks

- Lannisters = Lancasters

I agree with AM

Targaryens: Lancasters

Baratheons: Yorks

Lannisters: Woodvilles

Tyrells: Nevilles

The Starks are kind of their own thing.

Targs are Lancasters.

Baratheons are Yorks.

Lannisters are Woodvilles.

[The Merry Other]

@Jon's Queen Consort

IMO, Targs = House of Wessex; Bob (Baratheon) = Billy (the Conqueror). Incidentally, House of Wessex ruled England for 300 years, same as Targs ruled Westeros

[King Jaime Lannister]

Pretty good question...

It seems similar to many of the "Kingdoms" lead by Macedonian generals after the death of Alexander. The Ptolemys in Egypt even practiced incest to keep the bloodline pure.

[Catastrophe]

Nah, the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros kept their own culture and customs. The Free Cities (with the exception of Braavos, which was founded by escaped Valyrian slaves) are the cultural successors of the Valyrian Freehold, especially Lys (where the population is mostly of Valyrian descent) and Volantis (which is a direct political continuation of the Freehold).

[Ser Lepus]

The Valyrian FREEHOLD was a Republic of sorts, so no.

Of course, that may very well be beyond the understanding of 99.99 % of the Westerosi, They all seem to have real trouble understanding political systems different from their own: The Small Council treated Dany and Khal Drogo as if the dothraki cared about westerosi feudal "rights", Stannis and Selyse thought that the wildlings had a westerosi-style monarchy, and even Tyrion didn't seem to really understand how Volantene Triarchy works.