House Tyrell

**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 and Lords Paramount of the Mander. Members of the family tend to have curly brown hair and brown or golden eyes. Their sigil is a golden rose on a green field, and their words are "Growing Strong."

## History

### Kingdom of The Reach

**The Tyrells** 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 (indicating the House's origin amongst the Andal invaders thousands of years later). Unlike other Great Houses, the Tyrells never ruled as kings. The Tyrells were stewards to House Gardener, the ancient ruling line of the Kings of the Reach, who periodically intermarried with lower ranking houses of the Reach such as House Tyrell or House Florent.

Ser Alester Tyrell, the founder of the House, was an Andal knight and adventurer who became the champion and sword shield of King Gwayne V Gardener, the last of the Three Sage Kings. Ser Alester’s eldest son also became a notable knight, only to die in a tourney. His second son Gareth Tyrell was of a more bookish bent and never achieved knighthood, choosing instead to serve as a royal steward. He and his son Leoperformed 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 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.

### Targaryen Era

Following the defeat and death of King Mern IX Gardener and his other kin, at the Field of Fire during the War of Conquest, Harlen Tyrell, hereditary high steward of the Reach, surrendered Highgarden and was granted the castle along with dominion of the Reach as Lord Paramount of the Mander by Aegon the Conqueror. 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.

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. As the war progressed, the Tyrell bannermen were split, 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.

When Daeron I Targaryen, the Young Dragon, attempted the conquest of Dorne, Lord Lyonel commanded the army that invaded via Prince's Pass. After the initial victory, Daeron appointed Lord Tyrell as governor of Dorne. Lord Tyrell liked Dornish women and one night he pulled the rope that would signal for a wench to come to his bed, and a hundred scorpions fell from the canopy instead. His death sparked new revolts, and the conquest was undone in a fortnight.

During Robert's Rebellion, House Tyrell stayed loyal to King Aerys II Targaryen. Lord Mace Tyrell's forces achieved victory against Robert Baratheon at the Battle of Ashford, dealing the future king his only defeat of the war at the cost of Ser Quentin Tyrell's life. Mace likes to take credit for the success, but it was the van under command of Lord Randyll Tarly that put Robert to flight. Mace went on to besiegeRobert's brother Stannis at Storm's End, but bent the knee after the Targaryens were all but wiped out in the Sack of King's Landing. Robert Baratheon, king by conquest, forgave them and accepted them as sworn vassals.

### War of the Five Kings

Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, rides in the newly named Hand's tourney, defeating Ser Gregor Clegane but yielding the final tilt to Sandor Clegane after the Hound rescues him from the Mountain. He is upset when the Hand of the King, Eddard Stark, does not send him to bring Gregor to justice for pillaging the riverlands. As King Robert Baratheon lays dying, Loras supports Renly Baratheon's desire to take the crown before either Prince Joffrey Baratheon or Lord Stannis Baratheon can claim it, and flees the city with him when Lord Stark rebuffs Renly's request for his aid. Lord Mace Tyrell and his brothers (of which he has none), uncles, and sons (and Ser Loras specifically) are named among the nobles whom the new King Joffrey decrees must swear fealty to him or be attainted as traitors.

**House Tyrell** declares for King Renly. Margaery Tyrell is to be his queen, his ex-squire and secret lover Ser Loras the Lord Commander of his Rainbow Guard, and Lord Mace Tyrell his Hand. With the backing of the Tyrells and almost all of their bannermen, Renly has the strongest army in the War of the Five Kings. After a failed parley with his brother Stannis, Renly's host seems sure to win the coming battle.

The battle was short lived as the massive Tyrell/Baratheon host destroyed Stannis' host. What men were killed joined King Renly and his allies, wherein they hand over a beaten and bloodied Stannis Baratheon. King Renly and his allies decide to send Stannis Baratheon to The Wall to live out his days as a traitor. After defeating Stannis, King Renly moved to King's Landing, putting the massive city under siege. With help from House Redwyne to blockade the Blackwater Bay, they would starve out the city.

In the mean time, King Renly, Lord Randyll Tarly, and the Tyrell brothers move to meet Lord Tywin Lannister in the field while Mace Tyrell continues the siege on Kings Landing.

Lord Tywin feints and draws Lord Randyll Tarly out. During the battle, Loras and Renly are ambushed by Tywin's main forces and forced to pull back their forces, suffering significant losses. Renly, Randyll, and the Tyrell brothers regroup back at Kings Landing to continue with the siege with the city about to completely starve out. Knowing this, Tywin sends a last ditch effort to relieve the siege.

The ensuing battle was one of the bloodiest of the war. Lord Tywin perished during the battle, but not before delivering considerable damage to King Renly and his men. The siege ended with the Vale Clansmen opening the gates after being refused payment.

### Iron Island Invasion

Hardly had the victors settled into the capital before word arrived from the Reach - the Ironborn had taken the Shield Isles, as well as parts of the Arbor. Much of the Reach's strength immediately marches south, still worn from the battle for the city.

When the Reachmen arrive home they find much of the Western coast aflame, its crops stolen or spoiled, its people put to the sword or taken as salt wives and thralls. They rally once more, the fleets of the Hightowers and Redwynes defeating King Euron outside the Whispering Sound, and forcing him to retreat to the Shield Islands even as the Ironborn holdings in the Arbor and on the coast are retaken.

Euron regroups on the Shield Isles, sending word back to Pyke requesting more men. The Ironborn refuse, however, the machinations of Rodrik the Reader and Asha Greyjoy combining with his recent loss to undermine the rule of Euron Crow's Eye. Before he can abandon his conquests, however, the Redwyne fleet arrives to retake the Isles. In a battle known as the Battle of the Shields, the Ironfleet is broken, King Euron is slain, and the last of the Ironborn are thrown out of the Reach.

## Members of House Tyrell

* Lord Luthor Tyrell. Died after riding his horse off a cliff whilst falconing.
* Lady Olenna Redwyne. She is known as the 'Queen of Thorns.'
	+ Lord Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden, Defender of the Marches, High Marshal of the Reach, Warden of the South and Hand of the King.
		- Lady Alerie Hightower, his wife.
			* Willas Tyrell, his eldest son and heir. A cripple.
			* Lord Garlan Tyrell, his second son. Called Garlan the Gallant. Married to Leonette Fossoway. Titular Lord of Brightwater Keep.
				+ Lord Luthor Tyrell (301-354) *Died of the Bloody Flux.*
				+ Dianna Ashford
					- Lord Donnel Tyrell (318-361) *Died after a period of illness.*
					- Gwyneth Caswell
						* Sir Leo Tyrell (35), *Captain of the Oldtown City Guard*
						* Ser Osmund Tyrell (23)
						* Erren Florent
							+ Lyonel Tyrell (5)
							+ Lucas Tyrell (3)
						* Lord Harlen Tyrell (40)
						* Helaena Redwyne (38)
							+ Gareth Tyrell (19)
							+ Dorian Tyrell (17)
							+ Victor Tyrell (15)
							+ Jana Tyrell (13)
							+ Alerie Tyrell (11)
			* Ser Loras Tyrell, his third son. Called the Knight of Flowers. A brother of the Kingsguard.
			* Queen Margaery Tyrell, his daughter, wed to King Renly Baratheon.
	+ Lady Mina Tyrell, his sister. Married to Lord Paxter Redwyne.
	+ Lady Janna Tyrell, his sister. Married to Ser Jon Fossoway.
* Garth Tyrell, his uncle. Called 'Garth the Gross'. Lord Seneschal of Highgarden.
	+ Garse Flowers, Garth's bastard son.
	+ Garrett Flowers, Garth's bastard son.
* Ser Moryn Tyrell, his uncle. Lord Commander of the City Watch of Oldtown.
	+ Ser {Luthor Tyrell}, Moryn's eldest son. Married to Elyn Norridge.
		- Ser Theodore Tyrell, Luthor's eldest son. Married to Lia Serry.
			* Elinor Tyrell, Theodore's daughter. Handmaiden to Queen Margaery.
			* Luthor Tyrell, Theodore's son. A squire.
		- Maester Medwick, Luthor's second son. A Maester.
		- Olene Tyrell, Luthor's daughter. Married to Ser Leo Blackbar.
	+ Leo Tyrell, Moryn's second son. Called 'Leo the Lazy'. Studying at the Citadel.
* Maester Gormon, his uncle. A Maester.

## Quotes

* "In Highgarden there are fields of golden roses that stretch away as far as the eye can see. The fruits are so ripe they explode in your mouth - melons, peaches, fireplums; you’ve never tasted such sweetness."