Essos

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Essos location on the Map of the known world

Essos is the largest of the three known continents in the world. It lies east of Westeros and north of Sothoryos and stretches from the Shivering Sea to the Summer Sea, and from the Narrow Sea to the lands surrounding the Jade Sea.

Essos shelters many different people and has a vast and varied geography. The name 'Essos' is not commonly known or used in Westeros. Terms such as 'beyond the Narrow Sea', 'the eastern continent' or simply 'the east' are more commonly encountered. It is also frequently referred to by the names of one of its constituent regions, such as the Free Cities or Dothraki Sea.

Geography

It is roughly the size of Eurasia with similar latitudinal and longitudinal dimensions. Essos is considerably larger than Westeros, though its true extent is unknown as no map of the entire continent currently exists. The north coast of the mainland is separated from the polar cap by the Shivering Sea. To the south, across the Summer Sea, lies the uncharted continent of Sothoryos. In the extreme east, across the Jade Sea, sit Asshai, Yi Ti, and the mysterious region called the Shadow Lands.

Essosi geography and climate vary greatly. Being separated from the polar cap of the Lands of Always Winter and located farther to the south, it is affected by winters to a lesser extent then Westeros. [1] The western coastline appears to be temperate in the north, becoming drier and hotter to the south, and is characterized by green rolling hills, the massive Forest of Qohor, and extensive island chains such as Braavos and Lys. The middle of the continent is covered by the flat grasslands plains of the Dothraki Sea and to the east, the arid wasteland of red sand where nothing grows known as the Red Waste. Beyond this desert, the city of Qarth sits beside straits that lead to the Jade Sea. The south is dominated by dry rolling hills and has a Mediterranean climate with a coastline along the Summer Sea connecting Volantis with the Valyria peninsula and the great inlet known as the Slaver's Bay.

See Also Map of the Free Cities from A Dance with Dragons and its locations.

Regions

Essos is divided into several regions, each of which are home to distinct cultural groups.

The Free Cities

The Free Cities are nine independent city-states, located on the western coast of Essos. Seven of the cities are coastal (Braavos, Myr, Pentos and Volantis) or island ports (Lorath, Lys and Tyrosh), lying on the Narrow Sea, whilst two others (Norvos and Qohor) are located inland. Except for Braavos, which was founded by refugee slaves, these cities are former colonies of Valyria; as such they retain elements of its culture. They are more developed and mercantile than the cities of Westeros, even King's Landing. Each of the Free Cities controls a certain amount of territory surrounding it, including smaller towns and villages. The region extends from the western coastline to the Forest of Qohor and River Rhoyne in the east, which separate them from the Dothraki Sea.

In the northwestern corner of this region, between Braavos and Pentos, are the Hills of Andalos, the ancient homeland of the Andals and according to legends the source of the Faith of the Seven.

The Dothraki Sea

Lying inland, east of the Free Cities, this vast grassland plains covers much of the Essosi inland. It's inhabited by the Dothraki people, a copper-skinned race of warlike nomads with their own language and unique equestrian culture. While the Dothraki do not trade, their slave raids are a driving force of the Essosi economy.

Valyrian peninsula

The Valyrian peninsula is a large headland extending south from Essos into the Summer Sea. Once the heartland of the Valyrian Empire and the location of the city of Valyria, it was partially destroyed in the Doom, with many islands formed, low lying areas flooded, and Valyria laying in ruin. The peninsula and the Smoking Sea that surround its remnants are considered to be demon-haunted and rife with poisonous fumes; with few exceptions, those who travel there seeking the ruins of Valyria or its treasures never return.

Slaver's Bay

South of the Dothraki Sea, east of Valyria, and west of Lhazar is Slaver's Bay. The region holds many small city-states and the three great slaver port cities of Yunkai, Meereen, and Astapor. The cities were built from the rubble of Old Ghis, an ancient rival of the Valyrian Freehold which crushed and superseded it thousands of years ago. The slaver cities are still connected to the Free Cities by the Valyrian road network. The city of New Ghis sits on an island in the Bay, but little has been revealed about it.

Lhazar

Lhazar is located south-east of the Dothraki Sea and north-east of Slaver's Bay. It is a semi-arid land of pastures and hills. The horselords consider its shepherding people as easy targets and good slaves, calling them haesh rakhi or "Lamb Men".

Qarth

Qarth is an ancient city in the distant east, beyond the 'Red Wastes', on the shores of the Jade Sea. It is home to warlocks and merchant princes. Its position makes it the gateway of commerce and culture between the east and west, such as the 'Free Cities' and 'Slaver's Bay', and more eastern lands such as Asshai, the Shadow Lands, and Yi Ti. Brimming with wealth, and priding themselves on their sophistication, the Qartheen engage in unending intrigue between the many powerful factions of their society.

People

Essos is home to a much larger and more diverse set of races and cultures than Westeros, descendants of old cultures ranging from the Andals, the Rhoynar, old Ghis, and Valyrian Freehold, including:

Unlike the Seven Kingdoms on Westeros, Essos is divided into many different sovereign regions and city-states and has no single government, ever since since the Valyrian Freehold fell almost four centuries ago.

Trivia

The continent used to be called the 'eastern continent' and 'Essos' was only mentioned by George R.R. Martin in mid-2008 on an interview[2] and latter officially confirmed.

References and Notes

  1. SSM
  2. The Citadel. "Asshai.com Forum Chat" (July 27, 2008) So Spake Martin

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