House Tyrell

Defender of the Marches

High Marshal of the Reach

Warden of the South

> *"The Tyrells were never kings, though royal blood flows in their veins (as in half a hundred of the other great houses in the Reach)."*
>
> — Archmaester Yandel

**House Tyrell of Highgarden** is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, being Lords Paramount of the Mander and the liege lords of the Reach. A large, wealthy house, its wealth is only surpassed among the Great Houses by House Lannister, and the Tyrells can field the greatest armies. Additionally, if they call the ships of the Redwyne fleet, the lords of the Shield Islands, and the coastal lords, they can command a navy that equals if not surpasses the royal fleet of King's Landing.

Highgarden is an ancient seat of rule and the heart of chivalry in the Seven Kingdoms; the Tyrells style themselves 'Defenders of the Marches' and 'High Marshals of the Reach', and traditionally, they have been Wardens of the South in addition to Lords Paramount of the Mander. Their sigil is a golden rose on a green field, and their words are *Growing Strong*.

## Traits

Members of the family tend to have curly brown hair and brown eyes.

## History

### Kingdom of the Reach

Unlike most other Great Houses, the Tyrells never ruled as kings. Instead, they trace their line of descent through the female line to the legendary Garth the Gardener, the mythical first King of the Reach reigning in the Age of Heroes, and the son of the equally mythic Garth Greenhand. Members of House Gardener, the ruling house of the Kingdom of the Reach, periodically intermarried with lower ranking houses of the Reach such as House Tyrell.

The Tyrells served as stewards to House Gardener. Ser Alester Tyrell, the founder of the house, was an Andal knight and adventurer who showed such prowess at arms that he was named the champion and sworn shield of King Gwayne V Gardener, the last of the Three Sage Kings. Ser Alester's eldest son also became a notable knight, but died in a tourney. Alester's second son, Gareth, was of a more bookish bent and never achieved knighthood, choosing instead to serve as a royal steward. He and his son Leo performed their duties so well, the Gardeners made the office of High Steward hereditary. It is from Gareth that today’s Tyrells descend.

During the minority of King Garland VI Gardener, a member of House Tyrell ruled the Reach in his name as Regent.

When Lords Manderly and Peake instigated a civil war to see their respective wives, both daughters to the senile old King Garth X Gardener, succeed as Queen of the Reach, Ser Osmund Tyrell, the High Steward of Highgarden, led an alliance of twoscore houses to put down the rebels and reclaimed the ruins of Highgarden which had been sacked by a Dornish king and his raiders. Ser Osmund placed a second cousin of the late Garth X, who has been killed by the raiders, upon the new throne as King Mern VI Gardener.

Relying on the able counsel of Ser Osmund, and later Osmund's son Ser Robert Tyrell, and finally Robert's son Lorent Tyrell, King Mern ruled well, rebuilding Highgarden and doing much and more to restore the power of the Reach and House Gardener. Mern VI was so pleased with them that he gave Ser Robert the hand of his youngest daughter in marriage, thereby allowing the following generations of Tyrells to claim decent from Garth Greenhand. That was the first marriage between the two houses, and nine more unions followed in the passing centuries.

### Aegon's Conquest

Following the defeat and death of King Mern IX Gardener and his other kin at the Field of Fire during Aegon's Conquest, Harlen Tyrell, hereditary high steward of the Reach, surrendered Highgarden to Aegon the Conqueror. As a reward, Harlen was granted the castle along with dominion of the Reach as Lord Paramount of the Mander. As Wardens of the South they frequently warred with the Dornishmen, who remained independent. Harlen disappeared in the Dornish sands during the First Dornish War.

### Rule of the Conciliator

During the reign of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen, the Tyrells hosted the famed Tourney of the Field of Roses.

### The Dance of Dragons

As the Dance of the Dragons began, Lord Lyonel Tyrell was an infant, and his regent mother was judged likely to align the Reach with the House's 'overmighty' bannermen, the Hightowers, and the greens. However, House Tyrell decided to take no part in the war. The Tyrell bannermen, on the other hand, were split during the war, with men of the Reach fighting on both sides. Later Ser Ulf the White would attempt to claim Highgarden for himself, as House Tyrell had taken no part in the Dance and he believed they should be considered traitors.