(Spoilers Extended) Was Alicent Hightower a good match?

I’ve seen it being said that Viserys I marrying Alicent was a wrong choice not just because of what happens after, but because she was objectively not a great match, as the daughter of a second son from a noble house that, although important, isn’t a great house.

I think this line of thinking underestimates the importance of House Hightower and Otto’s position specifically. House Hightower is a great house in all but name, they control the largest city in Westeros after King’s Landing and have massive influence in the Faith and the Citadel, arguably the most important institutions in the realm.

For the first century after the Conquest, the Hightowers served as the de facto great house of the Reach in the capital, with the Tyrells seemingly busy consolidating their power as Lords Paramount and uninterested in involving themselves in court politics. In fact, the very first Westerosi marriage within the royal family was to a lady of House Hightower, Ceryse Hightower, niece of the High Septon and first wife to Maegor.

Adding the importance of Otto’s position as Hand of the King, first to Jaehaerys and then to Viserys, his status as second son means very little.