Viserys Targaryen and Robert Baratheon both reigned over periods of peace, but their actions contributed to the wars that followed their deaths.

Westeros has seen many kings over the course of its centuries-long history, but some were more consequential than others. Both House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones follow kings during eras of peace in Westeros. However, for various reasons, neither of these kings set up a secure foundation for the realm following their deaths. House of the Dragon‘s Viserys Targaryen inadvertently triggers a civil war that threatens to strip his family of their hallowed status. Game of Thrones‘ Robert Baratheon similarly allows resentment within his kingdom to fester as he overindulges up until the moment of his death.

From a general perspective, it is easy to see how these two Westerosi kings are very similar. However, in reality, their situations were much more complex, with years worth of animosity reaching a boiling point by the time both men died. What needs to be considered is not how similar they were, but how effective they both were in resolving their problems. In that, they were very different.

Robert Baratheon Was More Interested in Indulgence Than Ruling

Robert Baratheon was more interested in drinking, feasting, and hunting than ruling.
He never wanted to be king and deliberately ignored his responsibilities.

It is said many times throughout Game of Thrones that Robert Baratheon, while an excellent soldier and a great friend, was also a terrible king. Robert’s true worth in the greater workings of Westeros was always as a soldier instead of a politician. He would have been wonderful as a “Master of War” on the Small Council, but beyond that, his advice could only have been applied to wartime. As a king though, Robert had a great many failings.

The most obvious was his excessive use of the crown’s wealth. Robert was known for spending most of his time drinking, hunting, and having extramarital affairs. The number of times he actually participated in the management of his kingdom could be counted off on one hand, and it wouldn’t have required all five fingers. He allowed his kingdom to be run by men he neither liked nor trusted, save for his Hand, Robert Arryn — arguably his smartest appointment as king.

Once his surrogate father figure was dead though, Robert chose to name someone he trusted as Hand of the King, but still refused to learn from his mistakes. He lets Ned Stark investigate the death of Robert Arryn and does his best to clean up the mess that Robert made kingdom. Unfortunately, Robert was no more amenable to Ned’s advice than he was to Lord Arryn’s.

As a result, tensions between the Starks and Lannisters built to a breaking point until Cersei Lannister orchestrated his death to ensure that her secret affair with her brother would never be revealed. What followed was a war that destroyed many of the great houses of Westeros. It all could have been avoided had Robert decided to act like a king. Alas, he wanted to be anything else.

Viserys Targaryen Tried to Have Things Both Ways

Viserys Targaryen played an active role in ruling Westeros, and he legitimately cared about the well-being of his family.
His one mistake was failing to permanently settle his succession as King.

In contrast to Robert Baratheon, Viserys Targaryen was actually very involved in the running of his kingdom. He attended as many small council meetings as King of Westeros, took an active part in ruling, and was very involved in the growing tensions between the factions in his house. Unfortunately for Viserys, he was also a man who preferred that everyone like him, and as a result, he tried to satisfy both sides without firmly quashing any dissent over the matter of his succession.

Viserys’ troubles begin in earnest when he names his daughter Rhaenyra as his heir. The prospect of a queen sitting on the Iron Throne was always going to cause trouble, but it seems Viserys underestimated just how much the other lords of Westeros would be against this. Despite Rhaenyra’s claim being challenged on multiple occasions, Viserys never did anything to conclusively stamp out the resistance to her rule. He cajoled and threatened, but he never drew a hard line in the sand. Oaths made to him were not likely to be upheld after his passing, and as the finale of House of the Dragon‘s first season demonstrates, those lords quickly turned on Rhaenyra simply because they did not want to answer to a woman.

This isn’t to say that Viserys did nothing to try and stop the war that follows his succession. Had it not been for his delirium during his final moments, Queen Alicent would have never misinterpreted his last words, thereby preventing Aegon’s ascension to the Iron Throne — something Viserys directly acknowledged would likely have been a disaster. In fact, had their miscommunication not happened, there is a good chance that Viserys’ request for unity in House Targaryen would have succeeded.

Which King Was More Effective?

Viserys Targaryen was much more involved with the rule of his kingdom than Robert Baratheon, but he also played a larger role in the strife that followed his rule.
Viserys might have succeeded in his attempt to prevent a war, had it not been for a small accident.
Robert had years to solve his problems, but he wasted them.

When it comes down to it, the only thing that truly determines the measure of a king is how involved he is in the act of governance. Granted, the effects of a ruler’s involvement are to be considered as well, but in the case of Robert Baratheon and Visery Targaryen, it would seem that Viserys is clearly the better leader. He may not have craved the crown, but when he acceded to the Iron Throne, he took the responsibility of leading the country seriously. He also took part in the management of his kingdom, and by all accounts, he was a well-liked and respected king. While people may have complained about Viserys’ inability to settle the matter of succession, no one ever said he was ineffective as a king. Everything he did was done with the future of Westeros in mind, even if not everyone could understand the full scope of his vision.

On the other hand, Robert Baratheon had no desire to rule, nor would he address the problems of his own family. His grief over his lost love, Lyanna Stark, blinded him to the responsibility that was thrust upon him. In response, the leader of House Baratheon chose to spend his days indulging in every pleasure he wanted, preferring that blissful oblivion to actually facing reality and seeing what had become of his kingdom in the meantime. This isn’t to say that he was a bad person, but without a doubt, he was a bad king. His willful ignorance allowed a war to start right under his nose, and even towards the end of his life, he could not see how bad things had truly become thanks to his inaction.

When comparing Robert Baratheon and Viserys Targaryen, it’s clear that one acted like a king while the other acted like an irresponsible teenager. Viserys was undoubtedly flawed — he wanted everyone to get along, which was incredibly naive. However, he gave everything he had to make that dream a reality, and he very nearly succeeded. Robert only engaged with his kingdom when something caught his interest, such as satisfying his long-held grudge against House Targaryen.

Had Robert even an ounce of Viserys’ commitment to Westeros, he might have prevented the War of the Five Kings before it started, discovered the truth about Cersei’s infidelity, and saved the entire country a great deal of sorrow. The last great Baratheon had the chance to go down as one of Westeros’ most effective kings, but instead, he chose to bury his head in the sand.