In 2022, HBO released House of the Dragon, which was a prequel series to the overnight success show Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon is based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. The series shows what happens during the Dance of the Dragons, where two brothers, Prince Eagon 2 and his half-sister Princess Rhyneara, lay claim to the Iron Throne based on inheritance and the Targaryen bloodline. Prince Eagon 2 was crowned a king; however, his half-sister, alongside her supporters and allies, kept manoeuvring to topple the king, who was naive and indulgent in hedonism. However, his younger brother, Prince Eamond, who studied history and philosophy and rides the largest dragon in the world, protected the realm with his dragon, destroying anyone who stood in the way. Yet, his aptitude sparks zeal to desire the throne himself, even if it comes to barbecuing his king in the process. In the show as well as in the novel, Eamond Targaryan is a character whose actions and mindset resonate strikingly with the ideas of Renaissance political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli. In The Prince, Niccolò Machiavelli argues that effective leadership often requires actions that might be considered immoral by conventional standards but are necessary to maintain stability and power. Specifically, Machiavelli advises that "with a few exemplary executions he will be more merciful than those who, through too much mercy, allow the kind of disorder to spread that gives rise to plunder and murder." Aemond Targaryen embodies this principle through his strategic deployment of violence. He infamously kills his nephew Lucerys Velaryon, ushering in the Dance of the Dragon, which ultimately leaves its mark on the Targaryen dynasty and leads to the vanishing of dragons. His calculations are a demonstration of power that strikes fear into the hearts of his enemies. For Machiavelli, it's better for a ruler to be feared than loved if they can't be both in order to maintain the realm: "Between fear and love, the former is much more efficient at preventing the hatred of the populace." Aemond instinctively mirrors this principle. He is a fearsome dragonrider who uses his formidable dragon Vhagar to wreak havoc on his nemesis. His half-sister with her supporters, allies and dragons could not dare to approach the capital, fearing Eamond and his dragon. However, this aura of fearsomeness wouldn't come without side effects; his mother feared him, his brother the king fled the capital after burning him and his dragon, and his sister foreshadowed his ultimate death, which sent him to the edge of insanity. He started to burn cities with small innocent folks.Moreover, Prince Aemond possesses another Machiavellian trait, which is the lion/fox strategy. Machiavelli famously argues that successful princes must emulate both the lion (force) and the fox (cunning), adapting their approach to changing circumstances. Aemond demonstrates this duality throughout his arc. He shows fox-like cunning in claiming Vhagar while the rest of the court mourned Laena Velaryon's death. He seized the strategic opportunity in this moment of collective distraction. Later, he displays leonine force when he relentlessly devastates his opponents using his dragon to secure the throne. This is the very embodiment of what Machiavelli calls 'virtù', which is the ability to shape destiny through decisive action and opportunism. All in all, he was man of action and enthusiasm, darin to act when its needed to protect his family and the throne.