House Martell

## House Nymeros Martell

House Nymeros Martell, usually simply called House Martell, is one of the Great Houses of the Kingdom of the Iron Throne and the ruling house of Dorne. "Nymeros" indicates "of the line of Nymeria," referring to the union of the Martells with the Rhoynish warrior queen Nymeria around 700 BC. Prince of Dorne rules Dorne from Sunspear in southeastern Dorne.

The Martells of old used a spear as their emblem, while Nymeria and her Rhoynar used the sun as theirs. When Nymeria wed Lord Mors Martell, the symbols were combined into a gold spear piercing a red sun on an orange field. Their words are *Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken*. In appearance they are what Daeron I Targaryen considered salty Dornishmen, with dark eyes, dark hair in ringlets, and olive skin.

One branch of House Martell has betrayed the Kingdom of the Iron Throne and rules Yunkai under the banner of the Targaryens.

Before the Reclaiment War, a Dornish Princess was to be married to the King. Following the war, however, a member of House Yronwood was married to the King as thanks for Lord Yronwood's service. The Martell Princess married Lord Baratheon of Storm's End instead. This betrayal has lead to increased tensions between the Martells, their vassal, House Yronwood, and their liege.

## History

### Andal Invasion

House Martell was founded by Morgan Martell, an Andal adventurer who settled between the mouth of the Greenblood and the Broken Arm. Morgan led the defeat of the local First Men, including Houses Wade and Shell, establishing his rule over a strip of land fifty leagues long and ten leagues wide. They did not rule as kings, but were cautious vassals of kings from Houses Jordayne, Allyrion, and Yronwood, as well as petty kings of the Greenblood.

### Nymeria's War

At the time of the Rhoynish Wars, the Martells were one of the lesser ruling families of Dorne. At the time of the arrival of the Rhoynish warrior queen Nymeria, around 700 BC, the lands of the Martells were dwarfed by those of House Yronwood. Mors Martell, the Lord of the Sandship, saw an opportunity in the arrival of the Rhoynar, and took Nymeria to wife. Combining their strength, the two managed to unite all of Dorne under their rule in Nymeria's War.

The union of their peoples saw the Martells abandon many of their older Andal customs in favor of those of the Rhoynar. Nymeria named Mors Prince of Dorne instead of king, and their lands and title passed down to their eldest child, their daughter, regardless of Nymeria marrying again after Mors's death and giving birth to a male child. The Spear Tower and the Tower of the Sun, the towers of Sunspear's Old Palace, were built in the Rhoynish fashion.

### Targaryen Era

During Aegon's Conquest, Queen Rhaenys Targaryen confronted the aged Princess of Dorne, Meria Martell, at Sunspear. When Meria refused to submit to the Targaryens, Rhaenys departed Dorne. The Targaryens returned in 4 AC, starting the First Dornish War. When their forces arrived at Sunspear, Meria had vanished. King Aegon I and Queen Rhaenys Targaryen declared themselves victorious and left Lord Rosby as castellan of Sunspear as they returned to King's Landing. However, the Dornishmen quickly came out of hiding, retaking Sunspear. Lord Rosby was captured, and thrown from a window atop the Spear Tower by Princess Meria herself. In later phases of the war, the Targaryens burned every Dornish stronghold at least once, with the exception of Sunspear and its shadow city.

After nine years, the First Dornish War came to an end in 13 AC. When the elderly Princess Meria died, her son Nymor assumed rule over Dorne. Desiring peace, he sent his daughter Deria to King's Landing with an escort as an peace envoy. She brought with her the skull of Rhaenys's dragon Meraxes and a letter from Prince Nymor. Although at first determined to refuse the peace offer, Aegon agreed to it after reading Nymor's letter. During the remainder of King Aegon I's reign, the Martells and Targaryens remained on good terms.

King Daeron I Targaryen conquered Dorne in 158 AC when the Prince of Dorne bent the knee at the Submission of Sunspear. Rebellion continued until Daeron's death in 161 AC, after which his brother, King Baelor I, travelled to Sunspear and agreed to a peace with House Martell. This included a betrothal between Mariah Martell and Prince Daeron Targaryen. Mariah's brother Maron was Daeron's most important supporter, and upon Daeron's ascension, agreed to join Dorne under Targaryen rule. This became official in 187 AC, when Maron married Daeron's sister Daenerys.

During Daeron II's reign, Dornish influence at court increased, while Daeron's other lords began to grow dissatisfied with the concessions Maron had won during the negotiations. These complaints, among others, were reasons causing several lords to oppose Daeron II's rule during the First Blackfyre Rebellion.

In 273 AC, the Princess of Dorne took her younger children Oberyn and Elia to meet potential suitors. Their final destination was Casterly Rock, and despite learning of Lady Joanna Lannister's death while at Oldtown, they continued their journey. Lord Tywin Lannister ignored them for weeks. When the Princess of Dorne eventually broached the subject of marriage to him, both matches were brusquely refused. He claimed Cersei was meant to marry Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, and suggested the new-born dwarf Tyrion for Elia instead, which was taken as an insult. Shortly thereafter, at the age of sixteen, Oberyn was caught abed with Lord Edgar Yronwood's paramour. To settle the situation, the two fought a duel in which both took wounds. Edgar's wounds festered and killed him, causing rumors Oberyn's blade in the duel had been poisoned. To make peace between the two houses, Oberyn was temporarily exiled.

### Robert's Rebellion

In 279 AC, Elia was betrothed to Rhaegar, whom she married the next year. When Rhaegar won the tourney at Harrenhal in 281 AC, he passed over Elia to name Lyanna Stark the Queen of Love and Beauty. A year later, he apparently abducted Lyanna, sparking Robert's Rebellion. Prince Doran Martell, furious at Elia's mistreatment, was slow to lend aid to the Targaryens during the war, but eventually sent ten thousand men to fight for the throne at the Battle of the Trident. One of the casualties at the battle was Prince Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard. A fortnight later, Princess Elia and her two young children were brutally murdered by two Lannister knights, Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch, during the Sack of King's Landing.