Elia Martell

Queen **Elia Martell**, also known simply Princess **Elia of Dorne** was a Dornish princess from House Martell. She is married to King Rhaegar I Targaryen, and by him birthed Princess Rhaenys Targaryen and the Crown Princes Aegon Targaryen.

She has two brothers, her older brother, Prince Doran Martell, and her younger brother, Prince Oberyn Martell, known as "The Red Viper."

## **Appearance and Character:**

Elia Martell is said to be beautiful, slender, with black eyes, and a flat chest. She has a delicate health, having been born a month premature, which did not permit her much travel in her youth.

Elia is a gentle, good, and gracious lady, but he also describes her as frail, due to her delicate health. She is also kind and clever, with a sweet wit. Like most women from Dorne she can be known to flirt on a occasion.

Elia is a very caring person, she cares very deeply for her family, Rhaenys and Aegon are the most important things in her world.

## **History:**

### **Early Life:**

Elia Martell was the fourth child and first daughter born to the ruling Princess of Dorne, and the second child to live past infancy. She was born a month premature, and her older brother Doran did not expect her to live, when he learned about her birth; she survived, however, though her health was always fragile thereafter. During her youth she was very close to her younger brother, Oberyn, to whom she was only one year apart.

Elia's mother had known Lady Joanna Lannister from the time they both served as ladies in waiting to Queen Rhaella Targaryen. Despite having learned of Joanna's death in childbirth, during their stay at Oldtown, the Martells traveled onwards to Casterly Rock. Oberyn believes that his mother had planned with Joanna to marry either Elia or Oberyn to one of Joanna's twins, Jaime and Cersei, since there had been an empty cabin on their ship, meant for someone of high birth. Waiting until it was decent, Elia's mother eventually broached the subject of marriage to Lord Tywin Lannister, first suggesting a match between Cersei and Oberyn, next a match between Elia and Jaime. Tywin refused both matches brusquely, informing her how Cersei was meant to marry Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, and suggesting the new-born Tyrion Lannister as betrothed to Elia instead, which was taken as an insult.

### **Marriage:**

Elia and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen were betrothed, and they married a year later, in a great ceremony at the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing. They moved to Dragonstone shortly after their wedding, Rhaegar and Elia's first child was born, Princess Rhaenys. When the baby was presented to Rhaegar's parents at court, Queen Rhaella embraced her granddaughter warmly, but King Aerys II refused to touch or hold the child and complained that she "smells Dornish". Rhaegar and Elia's first child, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen.

Elia's health, which had always been problematic, remained fragile. Elia was bedridden for half a year after giving birth to Rhaenys, and giving birth to Aegon nearly killed her. Following Aegon's birth, the maesters told Rhaegar that Elia would bear no more children.

Elia attended the tourney at Harrenhal, during the year of the false spring, together with her husband, Prince Rhaegar, and her father-in-law, King Aerys II Targaryen. Rhaegar won the tournament, and was to crown the queen of love and beauty. However, he passed over Elia, and crowned Lady Lyanna Stark of Winterfell.