This is a listing of members of House Velaryon that appear in A Song of Ice and Fire. For their House of the Dragon counterparts, see here.
For the main character index, see here
For the main Crownlands entry, see here
For the main Narrow Sea entry, see here
House Velaryon of Driftmark
- "The Old, The True, The Brave"—Velaryon house words
An ancient house descended from old Valyria,note House Velaryon rules over Driftmark, the largest island of Blackwater Bay, from the castle of High Tide. Among their other holdings is the Castle Driftmark, their original seat before Lord Corlys Velaryon constructed High Tide. The town of Hull also serves as a major port on the island, once rivaling King's Landing for the amount of trade it saw.
It is sworn to the ruler of Dragonstone, having crossed over to Westeros from Valyria long before the Targaryens did. Because of their ancestry, the Velaryons are one of two Westerosi familiesnote who have an appearance reminiscent of members of the Targaryens. Due to their shared past, the Velaryons and Targaryens had close ties, with three women of House Velaryon becoming brides to members of House Targaryen and several women of House Targaryen marrying into House Velaryon. So many members of House Velaryon became the Master of Ships on the Small Council that it was often considered to be a hereditary office.
The Velaryons were the greatest opponents of the Hightowers before and during the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. (It is unknown whether the Velaryons' rivalry with House Hightower lasts to the present day as covered in A Song of Ice and Fire.) The entire house sided with the Blacks due to the marriage ties to Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen, and because Laenor Velaryon was Rhaenyra's first husband and the legal father of her eldest sons, House Velaryon almost became the ruling house. The most notable Velaryon living during these years was Lord Corlys Velaryon, "The Sea Snake." The Dance of the Dragons would greatly stifle the might and influence of the house, reducing them from being entwined with the royal family to being sworn to the holder of Dragonstone, never once regaining their former power.
During the War of the Five Kings (ca. ~300 AC), they were (and currently are) sworn to the cause of King Stannis Baratheon, remaining one of the few noble houses that did not defect to Joffrey following Stannis' defeat at the Battle of the Blackwater. Their sigil is a silver seahorse on an sea-green background. Their titles are Master of Driftmark and Lord of the Tides.
Tropes related to House Velaryon:
- Animal Motifs: Their sigil is a seahorse for a seafaring family, while emphasizing their connection to the Targaryens by virtue of Seahorses Are Dragons.
- Arch-Enemy: From the reign of Jaehaerys I until the Dance of the Dragons, the Velaryons were continually distanced from the Iron Throne due to the influence of House Hightower, despite extant familial connections. As a result, they formed a bloc with the Blacks (aka "those less related to Hightowers and more to us") which helped split the Targaryens in two. Though the warring houses almost exterminated each other, the Greens (and the Hightowers) prevailed, if only for a very short time.
- Color-Coded Characters: Like the Targaryens, members of House Velaryon often have silver-blond hair and purple eyes. These set them apart from the Celtigars, the other pre-Targaryen Valyrian descendants in Westeros, who did not inherit them.
- Cool Chair: The Velaryons sit on the Driftwood Throne, which legends say was given to them by the Merling King after House Velaryon made a pact with him.
- The Dragon: At the height of their power they were this to House Targaryen, particularly on the ocean.
- Dragon Rider: Because of their extensive intermarriage with the Targaryens, they were the only other Westerosi house whose members could ride dragons. There have been at least six Velaryon dragonriders.
- Famous Ancestor: Thanks to their long history with the Targaryens, the Velaryons have played key roles throughout the history of Westeros and produced many famous members.
- Valaena Velaryon was the mother of Aegon the Conqueror, Visenya and Rhaenys.
- Lord Daemon Velaryon was the first Master of Ships under Aegon the Conqueror, but was killed early in his conquest during a naval battle off the coast of Gulltown.
- Ser Corlys Velaryon was the first Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
- Heroic Bastard: The line of the Velaryons continued through Alyn Velaryon, an alleged bastard son of Laenor Velaryon — more likely of Laenor's father Corlys — who was legitimized by Rhaenyra I at his "grandfather" Corlys' request and then married his cousin Baela. Alyn's brother Addam was also a great hero during the Dance of the Dragons.
- Honor Before Reason: Despite the result of the Battle of the Blackwater, when it would be safer to bend the knee to the Iron Throne, House Velaryon stays true to its motto and remains loyal to Stannis.
- Impoverished Patrician: They haven't regained the fame and fortune they had during and before the Dance of Dragons, during which their fleet, seat, towns, and treasures were destroyed, in over a hundred and fifty years. Backing the Targaryens in Robert's Rebellion did them no favors once the Targaryens were overthrown, either.
- I Coulda Been a Contender!: If things went a bit differently, the Velaryons might have ruled the Seven Kingdoms. Through their marriages they almost got the throne legally from the Targaryens.
- The first time was the marriage of Corlys Velaryon and Princess Rhaenys that almost got them the throne, but was overlooked during the Great Council.
- The second time was during the Dance of the Dragons with Velaryons (on paper at least) being named Princes of Dragonstone, though their deaths robbed them of their victory.
- The Proud Elite: Along with the Targaryens, they are one of the few noble Valyrian lineages left. Hence, their name and motto. Unlike the Targaryens, however, they weren't dragonlords, though some individual Velaryons have been dragonriders.
- Rape, Pillage, and Burn: Driftmark was sacked during the Dance of the Dragons by the Greens, particularly the allied fleet from the Kingdom of the Three Sisters. Spicetown was burned down and never rebuilt, with most of its people being butchered. The castle of High Tide was put to the torch and all the servants killed as they tried to flee.
- Seahorses Are Dragons: The Velaryons have close ties to the dragon-riding Targaryens, with the two Houses having intermarried several times throughout history. Fittingly, their sigil is a seahorse.
- Shocking Defeat Legacy: The Battle of the Gullet during the Dance of the Dragons led to the Velaryon fleet getting destroyed, their castle sacked and Lord Corlys's treasures looted. They never recovered.
- Theme Naming: House Velaryon tends to use names that start with 'A', 'D', 'L', 'M' or 'V'; Aethan, Alyssa, Addam, Daemon, Daeron, Daenaera, Laena, Laenor, Larissa, Monford, Monterys, Malentine, Valaena, Victor and Vaemond.
open/close all folders
Lord Monford Velaryon
Lord Monford Velaryon
Head of House Velaryon, Lord of the Tides, and Master of Driftmark. He is one of Stannis Baratheon's supporters.
- Attack! Attack! Attack!: All the strategies he proposes to Stannis basically boil down to this, with little interest in the actual tactical situation. He even threatens to withdraw his support if Stannis doesn't attack somebody soon enough for his liking.
- The Captain: Commands the Pride of Driftmark, a silver-hulled warship.
- Hot-Blooded: He is extremely aggressive and eager to go to battle.
- Kill It with Fire: Burned to death by wildfire aboard his ship during the Battle of the Blackwater.
- Mauve Shirt: Shows up in a few scenes before being killed at the Battle of the Blackwater.
- The Proud Elite: He takes great pride in the history of his house, particularly their ties to the Targaryens. This pride causes him to shun Ser Davos Seaworth and his sons due to their lowborn origins. However, he is courteous enough to give Davos a polite nod when passing by him, something which only Lord Ardrian Celtigar also does, while all the other lords do not even acknowledge Davos's presence.
Lord Monterys Velaryon
Lord Monterys Velaryon
The young son of Monford and heir to House Velaryon.
- A Child Shall Lead Them: At six years of age, he becomes the new head of House Velaryon after his father's death.
- The Ghost: So far, he has yet to make an appearance.
- You Are in Command Now: He's the new Master of Driftmark and Lord of the Tides, though his age indicates actual authority may lie in a Regent or Lord Protector.
Aurane Waters
Grand Admiral Aurane Waters
The Bastard of Driftmark, The Lord of the Waters
A bastard of House Velaryon and half-brother of Lord Monford. He joins the Small Council as Master of Ships — though renaming the office as Grand Admiral — after being captured at the Battle of the Blackwater and allying with Cersei Lannister.
- Ambition Is Evil: His only goal appears to be gaining as much power and wealth as possible.
- Ascended Extra: Appeared once in A Clash of Kings and was mentioned in A Storm of Swords before becoming a major supporting character in A Feast for Crows.
- Bastard Bastard: Trusting him is not advisable in the least. Mind you, depending on how he later plays his hand, his backstabbing of Cersei could, in fact, pay off and get a paint job. It'll all depend on who ultimately winds up on the hot seat. Still: he's rather the cad.
- Beard of Evil: He's an amoral opportunist with a silver-gold beard — though he later shaves it at Cersei's insistence.
- Beauty Is Bad: His handsomeness is what draws Cersei's eye initially, and it quickly becomes clear that he is not a good guy.
- Deadpan Snarker: Spends most of his time on the Small Council snarking at the idiotic Yes Men Cersei has appointed.Harys Swift: He is dead, then? Ser Gregor?Aurane Waters: I would think so, my lord. I am told that removing the head from the body is often mortal.
- Didn't Think This Through: Cersei names him Grand Admiral in spite of being a bastard of House Velaryon... when they are still sworn to Stannis Baratheon.
- Even Evil Has Standards: He deeply disapproves of Loras Tyrell's tactics to recapture Dragonstone and the fact over a thousand men were killed as a result.
- He along with the rest of Cersei's council is somewhat disturbed when Cersei declares her intention of torturing Sansa Stark (a child) to death if she's captured.
- Four-Star Badass: Cersei names him Grand Admiral, which gives him command of the Royal Fleet.
- Heel–Face Revolving Door: He's on your side... until somebody puts the screws on him even slightly and he switches. Or, if he sees a better pay-off in just dumping you in it up to your neck.
- History Repeats: It's not the first time the Iron Throne lost their fleet due to them messing up with the Velaryons. Just as Rhaenyra messed up by imprisoning Corlys, Cersei Lannister messed up by naming Aurane admiral.
- In-Series Nickname: The Bastard of Driftmark.
- Lust: For both power and sex. Cersei notes that he obviously wants her and catches him studying her a few times.
- Meaningful Name: "Waters" is the last name for recognized bastards born in the Crownlands. It's also rather apropos for a man who knows his way around ships and seas.
- Only in It for the Money: He joins Stannis as a sellsail, not out of loyalty to his family.
- Opportunistic Bastard: Literally. He attaches himself to Cersei after defecting and manages to get a position on the Small Council out of it. Then when Cersei is imprisoned by the Faith, he takes the brand new fleet and sets himself up as a pirate lord at Torturer's Deep on the Stepstones.
- Pirate: Sets himself up as a pirate lord after fleeing King's Landing, styling himself as Lord of the Waters.
- Replacement Goldfish: Is one of sorts to Cersei, as she is attracted to him because he reminds her of Rhaegar Targaryen, who she loved and had wanted to marry.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After Cersei gets imprisoned by the Faith of the Seven, Aurane flees King's Landing with the new ships he had built. Rumors of a new pirate lord styling himself "Lord of the Waters" indicate that he has likely gone pirate.
- Stop Being Stereotypical: Way to add to the general opinion that you can only trust a bastard to backstab you, mate. Even if he does manage to spin "was always on Team Targaryen" down the line, it's still going to take a lot of fast talking.
- Turn Coat: Gets captured during the Battle of the Blackwater and swears loyalty to King Joffrey, despite his nephew remaining loyal to Stannis. He then backstabs the Lannisters the second Cersei is arrested and goes pirate with the entire royal fleet.
- Underestimating Badassery: Averted: he recognises how dangerous and skilled the Ironborn are at naval warfare and that the current royal fleet will be no match for the Iron Fleet.
- What Beautiful Eyes!: Cersei notices he has gray-green eyes and thinks that they enhance his good looks.
- White Hair, Black Heart: "I'll just be taking all those nice ships you bankrupted Seven Kingdoms to build and turn pirate, all the while not bothering to try saving you at all... Bye, chumps." Yup, he counts.
Historical Velaryons
Lord Aethan Velaryon
Lord Aethan Velaryon
Aegon Targaryen's lord admiral and master of ships. Father of Queen Alyssa Velaryon and Lord Daemon Velaryon.
- All There in the Manual: Fire & Blood explains his relationship with the first and second Daemon Velaryon.
- Famous Ancestor: He's remembered in histories for fighting against the notorious Lysene pirate king Sargoso Saan.
- Four-Star Badass: He's lord admiral and master ships, thus commanding the royal fleet in the name of Aegon.
- Replacement Goldfish: He's (presumably) the successor of Daemon Velaryon, who died early in the Conquest, as master of ships. Fire and Blood reveals Daemon was his father.
- Take Up My Sword: Probably did this after his father Daemon died during the Conquest.
Lord Daemon Velaryon
Lord Daemon Velaryon
The Admiral of the King's Fleet during Maegor's reign. Fire and Blood reveals he was Alyssa Velaryon's brother and the grandfather of Corlys Velaryon.
- Dead Guy Junior: Presumably named after his grandfather of the same name who died in Aegon's conquest.
- Heel–Face Turn: Turned against Maegor when Jaeherys returned to Westeros.
- Number Two: To King Jaehaerys as Hand of the King.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Loses some of his children to the Shivers.
- Remember the New Guy?: Despite his important role on the small council, he's never mentioned before his Heel–Face Turn. Fire and Blood expands some of what he know.
- The Rival: Of Lord Manfryd Redwyne, who was Master of Ships during his tenure as Hand.
- Undying Loyalty: To Jaehaerys I.
Alyssa Velaryon
Queen Alyssa Velaryon
The daughter of Aethan Velaryon and a woman named Alarra Massey, she was Aenys I's wife and mother of his six children (Rhaena, Aegon, Viserys, Jaehaerys I, Alysanne and Vaella). After her son Jaehaerys became king, she became his Regent until he came of age, and was married to his Hand, Rogar Baratheon, afterwards (the two eventually had two children, Boremund and Jocelyn).
- Absurdly Elderly Mother: She gave birth to Rogar's children when she was in her late 40s — Boremund at 45 and Jocelyn at 47. Alyssa's eldest child, Rhaena Targaryen, was already an adult with children of her own when her younger half-siblings were born.
- All There in the Manual: Her name was revealed in the A World of Ice and Fire official app, and her character expanded upon in The World of Ice & Fire.
- Arranged Marriage: With Aenys.
- Awful Wedded Life: The argument with Rogar over what to do with Jaehaerys ruined any love between them, although Rogar did reconcile with her after Jaehaerys came of age.
- Death by Childbirth: Died after an emergency C-section during the birth of her daughter Jocelyn.
- Get Out!: Alyssa refused to go along with her husband Rogar Baratheon's plan to depose Jaehaerys in favor of Aerea, bluntly reminding him that he was Hand of the King at her pleasure, and that she was stripping him of that position. When Rogar expressed incredulity at this, to his shock, the rest of the Small Council backed Alyssa, telling him to leave King's Landing.Alyssa Velaryon: I am the Queen Regent. Until my son shall come of age, all of you serve at my pleasure. Including the Hand of the King. Your service no longer pleases me, Lord Rogar. Leave us and return to Storm's End, and we need never speak again of your treason.Rogar Baratheon: Woman. You think you can dismiss me? No. No.Qarl Corbray: Yes.
- Grew a Spine: Generally went along with what Rogar suggested during their marriage, but when the subject of Jaehaerys and Alysanne's marriage went towards deposing Jaehaerys in favor of Aerea, she stood up to him and made it clear she wasn't going along anymore.
- I Just Want to Be Loved: Like her first husband, Alyssa just wanted first and foremost to be loved, which also made her confrontation averse. Unlike Aenys, she gets less flack for it because she wasn't king.
- Mama Bear: After Maegor's fall, Alyssa wanted any prisoners who'd served his regime executed for their part in helping Maegor usurp and kill her sons. While Jaehaerys refused to execute all the prisoners, he did, as a concession to his mother, have anyone who helped Tyanna torture Viserys to death executed. When presented with the severed heads and hands of those responsible, Alyssa declared herself well pleased with the grisly tokens.
- Massive Numbered Siblings: Her children with Aenys (Rhaena, Aegon, Viserys, Jaehaerys, Alysanne, and Vaella) and with Rogar (Boremund and Jocelyn).
- Outliving One's Offspring: Vaella, Aegon, and Viserys all predeceased her.
- Screw This, I'm Outta Here: After Visenya's death, she fled King's Landing along with her children Jaehaerys and Alysanne, taking the sword Dark Sister with her.
Lord Corlys Velaryon
Lord Corlys Velaryon
The Sea Snake
- "Mayhaps the Seven have preserved me for this fight."
Master of Driftmark and Lord of the Tides during the reign of Viserys I and the Dance of the Dragons. Husband to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, the Queen Who Never Was, with whom he had two children, Laena and Laenor. He was famous for his many voyages across the known world, bringing back great wealth and knowledge to House Velaryon.
For the Court of Rhaenyra I, see here.
- Age-Gap Romance: He was 21 years older than his wife Rhaenys, but their marriage was happy for the most part.
- The Band Minus the Face: After his arrest by Rhaenyra Targaryen, all of his fleet and supporters abandoned the queen.
- Best Friends-in-Law: His best friend, Daemon Targaryen, married his daughter, Laena.
- Bold Explorer: He sailed further than any other Westerosi in history. He first tried to find a passage around the North, and later sailed all the way to Yi Ti and Leng. In total, he made nine great voyages, which were so famous Maester Mathis wrote a book entitled The Nine Voyages about them.
- Can't Kill You, Still Need You: When Tyland Lannister suggested killing Rhaenyra's son Aegon to deny the Blacks their remaining figurehead, a furious Corlys opposed the plan, berated the Greens as fools, and stormed out of the Small Council. When Borros Baratheon suggested killing Corlys for the insult, Larys Strong pointed out if they killed Corlys, his son Alyn and the Velaryon fleet would defect back to the Blacks in a heartbeat.Larys Strong: Kill the old snake and we lose the young one, and all those fine ships of his.
- The Captain: He commanded at least two ships. The first was the Ice Wolf, which he used to try to find a passage around the North but turned back after finding nothing but frozen seas and icebergs. The second was the Sea Snake, in which he sailed his most famous voyages around the world.
- Character Death: Of old age in 132 AC.
- Co-Dragons: To Rhaenyra alongside Prince Daemon Targaryen. Lord Corlys contributed more than half of Rhaenyra's army as well as the Velaryon fleet, thanks to which Rhaenyra controlled Blackwater Bay.
- The Conspiracy: He was one of several advisors of Aegon II who had him poisoned to end the Dance of the Dragons.
- Cosmic Plaything: The man suffers. His allegiance with House Targaryen costs him the lives of his wife, his son, his daughter, and three of his grandchildren. For his troubles his island gets pillaged, his castle gets sacked, and his hard-won treasures are either stolen by the invaders or lost in the fire. He gets imprisoned for treason, switches sides, and gets imprisoned for treason again by the side he switched to. Nevertheless, he manages to remain beloved and respected by the realm, and is one of the only direct participants in the Dance of the Dragons who comes out alive, even managing to die of old age.
- Dead Guy Junior: Named after Ser Corlys Velaryon, the first Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
- Defector from Decadence: Switches from the Blacks to the Greens after Rhaenyra orders the unjust execution of the loyal Dragonseeds and then has him put on death row for warning Addam. Later does this again after failing to convince Aegon to stand down and peacefully end the war, conspiring to assassinate him with Larys.
- Family Relationship Switcheroo: Legally, Addam and Alyn were the bastard sons of his son Laenor. Since it was an open secret that Laenor was homosexual, it is likely Corlys was the true father.
- Famous Ancestor: He is the most famous Velaryon in the house's history thanks to his voyages and general impact on the history of Westeros.
- Fiction 500: He was the wealthiest lord in the realm during his lifetime.
- Glory Days: His was the height of Velaryon power and influence. During his reign the Velaryons were richer than the Lannisters and Hightowers, the two proverbially wealthy families of the realm.
- Happily Married: To Rhaenys, despite some possible infidelity.
- I Coulda Been a Contender!: He would have been Rhaenys' king had she been given the Iron Throne. Given their experience, they would have been better regents than what came after. He did eventually get to reign informally after the war, as he was one of the regents of the child King Aegon III.
- Ignored Expert: After Rhaenyra's death, he advised the Greens to be merciful and offer generous peace terms to her supporters, fearing that carrying out reprisals would just enrage them. Unfortunately, Aegon II ignored him and started harshly punishing Rhaenyra's Crownland supporters... and when word of that got out, Rhaenyra's supporters in the North, the Vale, and the Riverlands decided to keep fighting rather than stand down and suffer the same, exactly as Corlys warned.
- Even before that, after Rhaenyra took the Iron Throne but the war continued to drag on, Corlys tried to convince Rhaenyra to offer terms to the Greens, namely pardon the noble houses who had backed Aegon II and force Aegon, his brothers, his wife, and his mother to join either the Faith or the Night's Watch. Rhaenyra ignored Corlys in favour of Daemon's advice, who advocated utterly destroying the Greens.
- In-Series Nickname: The Sea Snake.
- Kissing Cousins: While not brought up much, Corlys and Rhaenys were second/third cousins, since Corlys' grandfather Daemon Velaryon and Rhaenys' great-grandmother Alyssa Velaryon were siblings.
- May–December Romance: If he was indeed the one who had the affair with Matilda of Hull (and most likely, he was), they are an example, since he was forty-four years her senior. Judging by how she helped the Velaryons during the Dance and later brought Corlys's body to Driftmark for burial, it looks like the affair was indeed consensual.
- Named After Somebody Famous: He was named for Ser Corlys Velaryon, the first Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
- Not-So-Omniscient Council of Bickering: He was one of the regents on the Council of Seven who oversaw the early reign of King Aegon III. The council was often hamstrung by its members infighting or trying to quell the ambitions of one of its members. Corlys was the most powerful and influential of Aegon's original regents, holding the position until his death.
- Number Two: He's made Hand of the Queen by Prince Jacaerys.
- Old Soldier: A soldier who died of old age.
- Only Sane Man: The only one of Rhaenyra's followers to speak in defense of Addam, Alyn, and Nettles when Rhaenyra wants them arrested for being bastards — bastards being regarded as traitors by nature and Rhaenyra having been recently betrayed by two dragonseed bastards. He was also one of the few at Aegon II's side to point out the war was lost and there was no chance of defeating the Lads and Cregan Stark.
- Outliving One's Offspring: Both his (legitimate) children died before him. He also outlived Addam and Rhaenyra's three eldest sons, who were all legally his grandchildren (and in Addam's case, likely his actual son).
- Papa Wolf: He ferociously defended his legitimized bastard children against Rhaenyra after the actions of the Two Betrayers, insisting Addam and Alyn were loyal. When Aegon II threatened to execute his granddaughter Baela if Alyn failed to stop the Braavosi fleet transporting forces loyal to Rhaenyra from the Vale to assault King's Landing, Corlys responded by conspiring with Larys Strong to have Aegon assassinated within the hour. Before this, he offered a significant bounty on Ser Qarl Correy's head after Correy murdered Corlys's son Laenor in an argument and then fled without trace, and there are rumors that he arranged the fire at Harrenhal that killed Ser Harwin Strong, to get revenge on the man who'd cuckolded his son.
- Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: He warned Addam of his impending arrest, allowing him to escape King's Landing. Rhaenyra threw Corlys into the Red Keep's dungeon for this.
- Turncoat: After being freed from the dungeons of King's Landing by Aegon II when he reclaimed the city, Corlys served as one of his advisers for the rest of the Dance of the Dragons. However, he mostly advised Aegon that he had lost the war and should abdicate and take the black, and later possibly poisoned him alongside his other advisers in order to prevent the Riverlands and Northern army from sacking the city, ending the war without further bloodshed.
- Universally Beloved Leader: Despite the events of the Dance of the Dragons, Corlys was beloved by the realm, and upon his passing, he was laid in state under the Iron Throne for seven days while the realm grieved over his passing.
- What the Hell, Hero?: He is furious with Rhaenyra after she refused to aid Lord Staunton by taking her dragon to relieve the siege on his castle, leaving it up to Rhaenys to do so. She dies in the attempt, and his relationship with Rhaenyra is only repaired when Jace names him Hand of the Queen and heavily involves him in planning the next steps in the war.
- His second What the Hell, Hero? comes over Rhaenyra's order to execute all the Dragonseed riders, and by this time Jace is dead and thus unable to solve the issues between them.
- Wouldn't Hurt a Child: He was firmly opposed to the wishes of the Greens to harm or kill Rhaenyra's son Aegon.
Laena Velaryon
Laena Velaryon
First child of Corlys and Rhaenys. She was the second wife of Prince Daemon Targaryen and was the mother of twin daughters, Rhaena and Baela Targaryen, by him. She was said to have the beauty of her mother and the adventurous spirit of her father.
- Arranged Marriage: She was first set to marry the son of the Sealord of Braavos, but when the Sealord died, the son squandered the family's wealth and influence before arriving on Driftmark. Corlys kept postponing the wedding until Prince Daemon killed him in a duel. She married Daemon shortly thereafter.
- Best Friends-in-Law: She was close friends with Rhaenyra, who was married to her brother Laenor.
- Child Marriage Veto: Subverted, as she wasn't the one that challenged the marriage. She was one of the possible candidates to marry King Viserys I alongside Alicent Hightower when his first wife died. His council wanted him to marry her, but he chose Alicent because Laena was only 12-years-old, while Alicent was 18. House Velaryon was subsequently absent from their wedding for the slight.
- Death by Childbirth: She got childbed fever after giving birth to a malformed son who died an hour after birth. She suffered for three days before dying.
- Dragon Rider: She rode Vhagar, and she is noted to have loved flying for fun. Before her death, she tried to ride her one last time, but she collapsed on the tower steps before reaching her.
- Happily Married: Implied with Daemon. We hear nothing untoward about their marriage, even though he'd goaded and killed her previous betrothed in a duel (to be fair, Laena had no say in the marriage and her betrothed wasn't a great catch). Some believe Daemon genuinely loved Laena and there's some evidence to support this; when she died, Daemon personally carried her to her bed and kept vigil over her.
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: She was rather close to Rhaenyra, and they often visited each other.
- Kissing Cousins: Was the second wife of Prince Daemon, who's her first cousin once removed (Laena's mother Rhaenys was also Daemon's first cousin).
- Meal Ticket: Some claim that Daemon sought Laena's hand in marriage because of the social/political advances she brought. However, others believe he married her from love. Knowing Daemon, it could've been both.
- Outliving One's Offspring: She gave birth to a malformed baby boy, who died just an hour later. Three days later, Laena herself died.
- Passed-Over Promotion: Like her mother, she had this happen twice to her: she was one of the potential candidates for the Iron Throne at the Great Council of 101, but was not chosen; later on, she was considered a potential candidate for marrying Viserys I (chosen as King by the aforementioned Great Council), but he married Alicent Hightower instead.
Ser Laenor Velaryon
Ser Laenor Velaryon
- "My half brothers would be more to his taste."—Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen
Second child of Corlys and Rhaenys. He was the first husband of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, and the supposed father of her three oldest sons Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey. Mentioned as the father of both Addam and Alyn Velaryon.
- All Gays Are Pedophiles: Ser Criston Cole alleged that young boys were not safe around him. No proof of this is ever given, and it appears to be slander Ser Criston made up because of Laenor's sexuality. Indeed, both his rumored lovers known by name were knights, thus adult men.
- Arranged Marriage: To Rhaenyra, despite being gay.
- Character Death: He was killed by his friend (and likely lover) Ser Qarl Correy due to an unknown dispute between the two while they were in Spicetown. Ser Qarl escaped Driftmark and was never brought to justice for the murder.
- Dragon Rider: Rode Seasmoke.
- Kissing Cousins: Averted, since while he did marry his second cousin Rhaenyra, it's very likely that there was no intimacy in their marriage given that Laenor was gay.
- Knighting: He was knighted a fortnight before his marriage to Rhaenyra, having done nothing to earn the honor besides marrying into the royal family.
- Open Secret: His sexuality was well-known among the nobility, and added fuel to the allegations that his children were Ser Harwin Strong's and not his. And then their were "bastard sons" who pretty much everyone knew were actually his half-brothers.
- Passed-Over Inheritance: He would have been the Crown prince had his mother Rhaenys been chosen by Jahaerys I instead of Balon's line, and second, he would have been king had he been chosen by the Great Council instead of Viserys I. Neither happened.
- Passed-Over Promotion: He was one of the potential candidates for the Iron Throne at the Great Council of 101, but his support was rather small.
- Sexless Marriage: Most likely with Rhaenyra, as he was rumored to be gay, her children most likely were from another man, and both of them had lovers. It's implied they did at least like each other though, with Rhaenyra naming "their" son after Laenor's dead lover Joffrey.
The Velaryon Princes of Dragonstone
Jacaerys, Lucerys and Joffrey Velaryon
See Rhaenyra I's page Ser Addam Velaryon
Ser Addam Velaryon
A legitimized bastard from Driftmark formerly known as Addam of Hull, allegedly fathered by Laenor Valeryon on a lowborn woman called Marilda. He became Lord Corlys' heir after being legitimized, but died during the Dance of the Dragons.
- Big Damn Heroes: He altered the course of the war by gathering four thousand men all by himself after being declared a traitor, and routing Aegon's army at the Tumbleton, saving King's Landing at the cost of his own life.
- Dragon Rider: Rode Seasmoke.
- Foil: To the Two Betrayers, Hugh Hammer and Ulf the White/Sot. They were both dragonseeds recruited by Rhaenyra, however Hugh and Ulf betrayed her at the First Battle of Tumbleton. However, Addam remained loyal to her despite her trying to arrest him for the Betrayers' crimes, and helped her forces win the Second Battle of Tumbleton.
- He has several parallels with the later Jon Snow, as a Heroic Bastard of the Targaryen bloodline whose existence was kept secret. It's unknown what exactly Jon will do in later books, but Addam ends up getting legitimized and bonding with a dragon. Like Jon's warging abilities, Addam apparently developed some connection with the Old Gods, given the tantalizing mention that he met with the Green Men on the Isle of Faces. Moreover, IF he actually was Laenor's son - which isn't outright impossible - that would technically make him the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, like Jon Snow (as Rhaegar's secret son). If the normal laws of male-preference primogeniture had been applied, Rhaenys should still have inherited rule instead of her cousin Viserys, and passed her claim on to her son Laenor (the only significant candidate against Viserys at the Great Council). Laenor's legitimized bastard son would then inherit the claim.
- Hero Killer: One account claims Addam killed Aegon II's brother Daeron at the Second Battle of Tumbleton.
- Heroic Bastard: Even after being declared a traitor by Rhaenyra, Addam was determined to prove his loyalty and refute the idea that all bastards were born traitors.
- Heroic Sacrifice: According to Archmaester Gyldayn, he fought the riderless dragons Vermithor and Tessarion during the Second Battle of Tumbleton to protect his men. He died in the process.
- Long-Dead Badass: Died in the Dance of the Dragons, long before the series.
- Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: Mushroom proposed the idea that Addam and his brother were actually fathered by their alleged grandfather, Lord Corlys, who had previously declined to acknowledge them to avoid angering Rhaenys. Despite most of Mushroom's accounts being wildly exaggerated, this one might actually be more plausible than them being Laenor's sons, since he was gay and had no sexual interest in women, not even his wife Rhaenyra.
- Shrouded in Myth: According to singers, after fleeing King's Landing to prevent his arrest, he flew to the Isle of Faces where he met the Green Men, the island's semi-mythic keepers.
- Undying Loyalty: To Rhaenyra's cause, even after she ordered his arrest. After his bones were returned to House Velaryon by House Blackwood, his brother Alyn had one word put on Addam's grave marker: "LOYAL".
Lord Alyn Velaryon
Lord Alyn Velaryon
The Oakenfist
A legitimized bastard from Driftmark formerly known as Alyn of Hull. Addam's brother. After Addam's death he became Corlys Velaryon's heir. According to the family tree in The World of Ice and Fire, he eventually married Baela Targaryen, with whom he had issue. Later in life, he was the lover of Princess Elaena Targaryen, who had twin bastard children (Jon and Jeyne Waters) by him. Jon later founded House Longwaters, of which Rennifer Longwaters, the chief undergaoler of the Red Keep, is a member.
- A Family Affair: Alyn was married to Baela Targaryen but maintained a relationship with her niece Elaena.
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: His marriage to Baela Targaryen was known to be quite tumultuous.
- Covered in Scars: He tried to tame the wild dragon Sheepstealer and the only thing he got was scars from the dragon's flame on his back and legs.
- Did Not Think This Through: His surprise attack on the Braavosi fleet allied with Racallio Ryndoon may have given him glory, but it also put the Iron Throne in hot water with Braavos, being forced to pay a large indemnity to the Free City and return the elephant meant as gift for the Sealord that Alyn had confiscated.
- Famous Ancestor: He is one of the most celebrated members of House Velaryon, with his role in the Dance of the Dragons and Daeron's attempted conquest of Dorne being well known.
- Four-Star Badass: He became an Admiral during the reign of Daeron I, the Young Dragon, serving as his Master of Ships and main military adviser. According to Stannis, he was the man who truly cemented Daeron's conquest:Stannis: Ships won that war, not goat tracks. Oakenfist broke the Planky Town and swept halfway up the Greenblood whilst the main Dornish strength was engaged in the Prince’s Pass.
- Generation Xerox: Like his "grandfather," Corlys, he was a widely respected war hero and for the most part happily married to a fiery Targaryen princess, but like his "grandfather," he also carried on an affair and sired two illegitimate children while still married.
- I Will Punish Your Friend for Your Failure: Aegon II threatened Alyn with this, insinuating that he would have Baela executed if Alyn failed to stop the Braavosi fleet transporting forces loyal to Rhaenyra from the Vale to assault King's Landing. Fortunately, Alyn's father (and Baela's grandfather) Corlys Velaryon orchestrated Aegon's assassination before the king could make good on his threat.
- In-Series Nickname: The Oakenfist or Lord Oakenfist, which he won after a major victory against pirates in the Stepstones.
- Kissing Cousins: He married his cousin Baela (who may have been his half-niece).
- Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe: If you believe Mushroom, his grandfather Corlys was actually his father.
- Military Maverick: Rather than wait for orders from Unwin Peake and his toadies, he took his fleet and attacked an anchored Braavosi fleet allied with Racallio Ryndoon, sinking or seizing dozens of ships in the process. This forced the Iron Throne to negotiate with the Sealord of Braavos to stop further hostilities.
- Never Found the Body: He disappeared at sea, and no trace of his fate was ever discovered.
- Odd Friendship: He became friends with the young Lord Lyonel Hightower. Considering both houses were at each other's throats merely a few years earlier, their friendship was quite unusual. He was also good friends (or perhaps more) with Princess Aliandra Martell, despite the antipathy towards Dorne, with the princess hosting Alyn twice at Sunspear.
- Papa Wolf: When the dragon egg Alyn had given to his daughter Laena produced a deformed and blind hatchling that proceeded to attack the girl, Alyn tore it off her and hacked the creature to pieces.
- The Rival: Of Lord Unwin Peake, who blocked Alyn from a spot on the Council of Seven regents of Aegon III and repeatedly attempted to send him on missions that would result in his death. Instead, Alyn continued to win victories and gain honors from the other regents, much to Peake's frustration.
- Uriah Gambit: Unwin Peake dispatched Alyn on what he hoped would be one of these, sending him to deal with Dalton Greyjoy when the Ironborn refused to cease attacking the coast of the Westerlands after the end of the Dance. Unfortunately for Unwin, Dalton was murdered in his sleep by one of his concubines, and Alyn's adventures en route to and from the Iron Islands only ended up garnering him more prestige at court.
Ser Vaemond Velaryon
Ser Vaemond Velaryon
Eldest nephew of Lord Corlys.
- Alliterative Name: Vaemond Velaryon.
- Alliterative Family: His children are called Daeron and Daemion.
- Fed to the Beast: After having his head chopped off, Rhaenyra fed his corpse to Syrax.
- Small Role, Big Impact: Mostly exists to make a legitimate point regarding the succession and highlight how Viserys is setting the groundwork for war. But he's also the maternal great-grandfather of two kings.
- Tongue Trauma: Not him, but his five nephews all had their tongues taken out on the order of Viserys I after they went to King's Landing to protest Vaemond's execution and repeated the allegation that Rhaenyra's first three children were bastards.
- Too Dumb to Live: Argued he should be the heir to Corlys instead of one of Rhaenyra's children because he believed that they were bastards. Unfortunately for him, he did this within easy reach of Rhaenyra's wrath, and she sent her husband Prince Daemon Targaryen to take care of him.
Daeron Velaryon
Daeron Velaryon
One of the two sons of Ser Vaemond Velaryon. He was married to Lady Hazel Harte, and father of Queen Daenaera Velaryon. He died when his ship sank during Alyn Velaryon's attack on an unsuspecting Braavosi fleet allied with Racallio Ryndoon.- The Captain: Of the True Heart
- Know When to Fold Them: Unlike his father and cousins, he and his brother Daemion chose to support Alyn as Lord of Driftmark rather than keep arguing about his parentage.
Queen Daenaera Velaryon
- See the Court of Aegon III article
Malentine and Rhogar Velaryon
Ser Malentine and Ser Rhogar Velaryon
Two younger nephews of Corlys Velaryon who made the same argument as Vaemond Velaryon about Corlys heirs, losing their tongues in the process. When Alyn Velaryon rose as Lord of Driftmark, they tried to murder the legitimized bastard, only to be stopped by the guards of Driftmark, who remained loyal to the memory of the Sea Snake and his chosen heir.- Did Not See That Coming: They clearly didn't expect that the guards of Castle Driftmark would remain loyal to the will of the late Corlys and support the Sea Snake's chosen heir.
- Reassigned to Antarctica: While Malentine was killed during the assassination attempt, Rhogar survived and managed to keep his head by taking the black.
- Tongue Trauma: They protested in the same way as their cousin Vaemond, and King Viserys I kept his word of taking their tongues. Because they lacked in words to press their claim, they tried to get rid of Alyn with swords instead.
Lucerys Velaryon
Lucerys Velaryon
Master of Ships during the reign of the Mad King.
- Four-Star Badass: As Master of Ships he commanded the Royal Fleet.
- The Man Behind the Man: Along with Qarlton Chelsted and Symond Staunton, he stoked Aerys' paranoia about conspiracies against him, particularly ones instigated by Prince Rhaegar. He did this in order to convince Aerys to disown Rhaegar and make Viserys heir instead, which would guarantee a regency Lucerys and the other advisers could run.
- One-Steve Limit: Averted. He has the same name as Prince Lucerys Velaryon.
- Professional Butt-Kisser: He's described by Maester Yandel as one of the lickspittles that surrounded the Mad King to benefit from his favor.
