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Revision as of 19:00, 13 July 2017

Valyria
Ruined city
Fourteen Flames.jpg
Valyria illustrated by Ted Nasmith
Location Valyrian peninsula, Essos
Government Dragonlords, Valyrian Freehold (freeborn landholders)
Religion Mixed religions
Founded At least five thousand years ago.
Destroyed 114 BC, in the Doom of Valyria
Valyria is located in Slaver's Bay
Valyria
Slaver's Bay and the location of Valyria
1: Ruined city 2: Lands of the Long Summer 3: Smoking Sea 4: Oros 5: Ruined city 6: Tyria 7: Ruined city 8: Ruined city 9: Summer Sea
Topless towers of Valyria, from Game of Thrones

Valyria, also called Old Valyria, is a ruined city in Essos. It is a long-dead city of wonderment, and was once the capital of a great empire called the Valyrian Freehold. It was destroyed by a cataclysmic event known as the Doom of Valyria a century before Aegon's Landing. It is the ancestral home of House Targaryen, House Celtigar, and House Velaryon.[1]

Location

Valyria was located on a peninsula of the same name extending into the Summer Sea.[2][3] The Doom of Valyria shattered the peninsula, separating the city of Valyria from the Lands of the Long Summer by the Smoking Sea. The city of Valyria lies at the center of the largest surviving island, surrounded by cliffs where the island has broken away from the mainland. Valyria was connected by dragon roads to surrounding cities, such as Tyria.[4]

Architecture

Valyria is said to have had topless towers[5] and used sphinxes as decorations.[6]

Culture

A common racial characteristic among Valyrians appears to have been purple eyes and hair of silver-gold or platinum white. Valyria is said to still hold many treasures from before the Doom, such as Valyrian steel blades and items of magical power. It is said that the glass candles of Oldtown were brought there from Valyria a thousand years before the Doom.

History

Valyria was ruled by its dragonlords, led by two score rival houses that contested for power. House Targaryen, however, was not considered a powerful house.[7] At times the lords freeholder elected archons for temporary leadership.[8]

The Valyrians' empire, the Valyrian Freehold, first conquered the Old Empire of Ghis to the east across Slaver's Bay, as well as the Ghiscari colonies in the Basilisk Isles and Sothoryos. Seeking slaves for Valyrian mines, they then conquered and established colonies to the west and north after defeating the Andals and the Rhoynar in Essos.

Four hundred years ago, however, Valyria and its peninsula were shattered by the Doom.[9] The dragonlord Aurion declared himself Emperor of Valyria, but he and his host disappeared while trying to reclaim the city.[10]

Some years ago Gerion Lannister journeyed to Valyria to try to recover Brightroar, the lost Valyrian steel sword of House Lannister, and any other treasures that might have survived the Doom. He did not return and was presumed lost at sea.[11] At some point the tigers, a political party in Volantis, sent a fleet to reclaim Valyria but the ships vanished in the Smoking Sea.[12]

Recent Events

A Feast for Crows

Euron Greyjoy claims to have visited Valyria and recovered the dragon horn Dragonbinder,[13] but Lord Rodrik Harlaw is skeptical of Euron's boasting.[14]

Quotes

Petyr: Is there a man in your service that you trust utterly and completely?

Eddard: Yes.

Petyr: In that case, I have a delightful palace in Valyria that I would dearly love to sell you. The wiser answer was no, my lord, but be that as it may.[15]

- Petyr Baelish and Eddard Stark


Euron: I am the storm, my lord. The first storm, and the last. I have taken the Silence on longer voyages than this, and ones far more hazardous. Have you forgotten? I have sailed the Smoking Sea and seen Valyria.

Rodrik: Have you?

Euron: Reader, you would do well to keep your nose in your books.[14]

- Euron Greyjoy and Rodrik Harlaw


Moqorro: The sky is always red above Valyria, Hugor Hill.

Tyrion: Are we close?
Moqorro: Closer than the crew would like. Do you know the stories, in your Sunset Kingdoms?

Tyrion: I know some sailors say that any man who lays eyes upon that coast is doomed.[16]

Moqorro and Tyrion Lannister


At its apex Valyria was the greatest city in the known world, the center of civilization. Within its shining walls, twoscore rival houses vied for power and glory in court and council, rising and falling in an endless, subtle, oftsavage struggle for dominance.[7]

– writings of Yandel


It's safe to say that the Targaryens were the only nobles with dragons who escaped the destruction of Valyria.[17]

George R. R. Martin

See also

References and Notes

This page uses content from the English Wikipedia. The original content was at Across the narrow sea. The list of authors can be seen in the page history of Across the narrow sea. As with A Wiki of Ice and Fire, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.