WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for House of the Dragon’s season 1 finale and George R.R. Martin’s book, Fire & Blood!One key line from Corlys Velaryon in House of the Dragon’s season 1 finale explains why his house lost its prominence before Game of Thrones. Despite House Velaryon being one of the three major families in House of the Dragon alongside the Targaryens and Hightowers, the original series fails to include even one Velaryon character. The family is still alive and ruling Driftmark during Game of Thrones, but their strength and power are almost nonexistent compared to their influence under Corlys Velaryon as the Lord of the Tides. House Velaryon’s strength quickly deteriorates after the Targaryen civil war, with Corlys Velaryon subtly explains why this is the case.
Corlys’ unyielding ambition may have given his family its wealth and power in House of the Dragon, but House Velaryon’s heedless aspirations also led to its downfall. From Vaemond Velaryon’s beheading to Laena’s tragic death and Laenor’s apparent murder, the Sea Snake has blamed his family’s demise on his costly desire for the Iron Throne. Consequently, Corlys tells Rhaenys in House of the Dragon’s season 1 finale that his pursuit for the Iron Throne ends now in the hopes that no more ruin comes to his family. It seems this truly became the case after House of the Dragon – to the point where House Velaryon is excluded from the power-hungry game of thrones.
What Happens To House Velaryon In The Dance Of The Dragons
House Velaryon arguably suffers worse than House Targaryen in the Dance of the Dragons. While the Velaryons are primarily loyal to Rhaenyra Targaryen, much of the seafaring family will die in the fighting. All three of Rhaenyra’s Velaryon heirs, Lucerys, Jacaerys, and Joffrey, die before the end of the war. Corlys’ wife Rhaenys Targaryen also dies fighting in the Battle at Rook’s Rest, which leads the Sea Snake to blame Rhaenyra for her death. Following Rhaenys’ death, Corlys is made Queen Rhaenyra’s Hand, with Prince Jacaerys Velaryon’s subsequent plan to find more dragonriders leading to House Velaryon’s future salvation.
When Jacaerys calls for men to master Dragonstone’s riderless dragons, two claimants are Addam and Alyn of Hull, the alleged bastards of Laenor Velaryon. While they’re implied to actually be fathered by Corlys, one of the boys is successful in mounting Laenor’s dragon Seasmoke. Corlys then requests for Rhaenyra to legitimize Addam and Alyn as Velaryons and name them heirs to Driftmark; while Addam dies in House of the Dragon’s war, Alyn survives and becomes Corlys’ successor. Although Corlys betrays Rhaenyra for Aegon II and later conspires to poison Aegon the Elder, Corlys miraculously survives the war when Rhaenyra’s son King Aegon III Targaryen and his Hand Cregan Stark spare him.
What Happens To House Velaryon After Corlys’ Death
Lord Corlys Velaryon dies from old age only a year after the Targaryen civil war ends, with his family’s legacy now in the hands of Alyn Velaryon. Proving himself to be a Velaryon, Alyn is an accomplished warrior and seafarer who eventually marries his cousin Baela Targaryen. With Baela, Alyn has several children and continues the Velaryon line on Driftmark. However, a few years after the war, Alyn gives a significant portion of House Velaryon’s wealth to the Lysene House Rogare in return for Prince Viserys Targaryen, the son of Rhaenyra and Daemon who had been missing for several years. House Velaryon’s wealth never fully recovers, with Alyn going missing at sea a few decades later.
It seems that as he wished, House Velaryon’s ambition and search for power dies with Corlys Velaryon. Following Alyn’s disappearance, House Velaryon maintains its role as the master of ships for many Targaryen rulers, but never regains the influence it held under Corlys’ leadership in House of the Dragon. By Game of Thrones’ timeline, House Velaryon has lost its ambition and simply serves as bannermen for Stannis Baratheon in the War of the Five Kings.
