‘House of the Dragon‘ is the prequel to the well-known eight-season long ‘Game of Thrones‘. The show is based on the book ‘Fire and Blood’ by George R.R. Martin. He co-created the show with Ryan Condol and they say that it is “a faithful adaptation of the book.”
There is a gap of around 200 years in the timeline of the first episode of ‘Game Of Thrones’ and ‘House Of Dragon‘. The new show’s storyline is set 174 years prior to the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. As the title suggests, the events of the series focus on the Targaryens, the legendary Dragonriders, and their rule over the Seven Kingdoms. This newly released series of the Targaryen family dynasty also tells us the untold stories of legendary houses like the Velaryon.
House Velaryon’s Origins
House Velaryon and Targaryens have been allies from the time they both came to Westeros. This has Valyrian origin with a bloodline as old as that of the House Targaryen. Although they were not dragonlords, they were important to the trade and commerce of the Valyrian Freehold. They were almost certainly of a lower class nobility than the Targaryens so they made their mark on the world via the sea.
Corlys Velaryon, the ‘Sea snake’ comes from this house. “House Velaryon’s origins reach back to Old Valyria. More ancient even than House Targaryen according to some texts. But unlike the Targaryens, we were no dragonlords. For centuries, my house had to scratch out an existence from the sea with grit and luck,” Corlys once told Daemon Targaryen.
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Where Did House Velaryon Go In ‘Game Of Thrones’?
House Velaryon is certainly still alive during ‘Game of Thrones’ timeline, unlike many other historic families who went extinct by the end of the series. Although it is certainly strange that despite House Velaryon playing such an important role in ‘House of the Dragon‘, there are no characters from this family included in HBO’s ‘Game of Thrones‘. They were cut out of the show and don’t have a super significant role in ‘The Song of Ice and Fire‘ books either. When the Targaryens were at the height of their power, so were the Velaryons. Their family is at the center with them in the ‘House of the Dragon‘. During Alyn’s time as ‘Lord of the Tides’, House Velaryon lost most of its wealth and power. This occurred largely due to the deaths of the majority of its prominent family members.
The sudden fall of House Velaryon during ‘Game of Thrones’ timeline can be partially attributed to the fall of House Targaryen. The Velaryons and Targaryens were the closest of allies throughout Westeros’ history, especially at the time when both families had dragons at their sides. After House Baratheon became the royal family of Westeros, they took Dragonstone as one of their seats. House Velaryon was loyal to them instead, further losing more of their power in the arena without the Targaryens.
‘House of the Dragon‘ depicts the time when House Velaryon was at the height of its power alongside the Targaryens. This priorly prominent family was then reduced to just being the master of ships in ‘Game of Thrones’.
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