Dorne

**Dorne** is the large peninsula which makes up the southernmost part of Westeros, and is one of the constituent regions of the Seven Kingdoms. The lords of the ruling House Nymeros Martell style themselves "Prince" and "Princess" in the Rhoynish fashion.

## Geography

Dorne is the hottest region of Westeros. The region is rocky, mountainous, arid and dry, and features the only desert on the continent. Dorne is bordered by the Sea of Dorne to the north, the islands known as the Stepstones to the east, and the Summer Sea to the south. Stretched between them is the mountain range known as the Red Mountains, which separates Dorne from the stormlands to the north and the Reach to the northwest and west. There are two major passes, the Boneway and the Prince's Pass, which go through the Red Mountains to the Dornish Marches of the stormlands. The Prince's Pass leads to Nightsong, while the Boneway leads to Summerhall. Sunspear and the Water Gardens, both controlled by the ruling House Martell, are located in southeastern Dorne.

## History

### Early History

During the Dawn Age, the children of the forest referred to desolate Dorne as the Empty Land. The First Men settled Westeros by crossing the land bridge across the narrow sea called the Arm of Dorne. During their great war with the First Men, the children of the forest allegedly broke the Arm with the hammer of the watersin an attempt to stop them coming.

During the Andal invasion of Westeros, most Andals avoided Dorne, aside from adventurers such as the Ullers, Qorgyles, and Vaiths. The Allyrions, Jordaynes, and Santagars also established their own realms. The Martells defeated two First Men houses, the Wades and Shells, claiming territory near the mouth of the Greenblood.

### Targaryen Dynasty

Three centuries ago, Aegon I Targaryen claimed the Seven Kingdoms and invaded Westeros. During Aegon's Conquest, he subjugated each of the Westerosi monarchs one by one, except Dorne.Despite Dornish independence, House Targaryen continued to claim the Iron Throne's control over the land as part of the Seven Kingdoms.

With the death of his brother in 157AC, the Iron Throne passed to King Baelor I Targaryen, whose first act as king was to grant pardon to Dornish hostages. Baelor walked barefoot from King's Landing to Sunspear, personally escorting the hostages (who rode on fine horses) back home. The Prince of Dorne and Baelor came to an agreement regarding a peace. As part of the terms of the agreement, Baelor agreed to betroth his young cousin Daeron to Princess Mariah Martell, the eldest child of the Prince of Dorne. As both were still young children, the marriage took place later during Baelor's reign.

When Rhaegar disappeared with Lyanna Stark in 282 AC, not long after Aegon's birth, it started a chain of events leading to Robert's Rebellion, in which the North, and several houses from the stormlands and Vale (later joined by several houses from the riverlands) fought against the Iron Throne and House Targaryen. Prince Doran Martell was furious about the way his sister had been treated by Rhaegar. Consequently, he was slow to lend any aid to the Targaryens. Late in the war, Doran agreed to send ten thousand Dornishmen to fight in the loyalist army, under the command of his uncle, Prince Lewyn Martell of the Kingsguard, understanding that Elia, as the wife to the crown prince, would one day become queen, and that her son Aegon would one day be king.

### Baratheon Dynasty

Furious after King Robert I Baratheon proved to be accepting of the deaths of Elia and her children, Doran's younger brother Oberyn send messages all over Dorne in an attempt to raise a rebellion for Viserys Targaryen during the year after the rebellion. Lord Jon Arryn, Hand of the King, traveled to Sunspear to return Prince Lewyn's bones. There he spoke with Doran, ending all talks of rebellion.

## Houses

The principal bannermen of Dorne as vassals of House Martell of Sunspear are:

* House Allyrion, of Godsgrace
* House Blackmont, of Blackmont
* House Dayne, of Starfall
* House Fowler, of Skyreach
* House Gargalen, of Salt Shore
* House Jordayne, of the Tor
* House Manwoody, of Kingsgrave
* House Santagar, of Spottswood
* House Toland, of Ghost Hill
* House Uller, of Hellholt
* House Vaith, of Vaith
* House Wyl, of Wyl
* House Yronwood, of Yronwood