Editing Triarch of Volantis (section)

==About==
[[File:Marc_Fishman_TriarchsElephant.jpg|The triarchs ride everywhere on [[elephants]] - by Marc Fishman © |thumb|300px|right]]
Volantis is ruled by three triarchs. They are neither kings nor princes, but instead are chosen by every freeborn landowner, regardless of gender.{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Free Cities: Volantis}}{{Ref|ADWD|6}} 

The triarchs are chosen from amongst [[Old Blood|the noble families]] who can prove unbroken descent from old Valyria, and will serve for a year, until the first day of the new year. The triarchs of Volantis are considered so elevated that they are not allowed to have their feet touch the ground during their year of service.{{Ref|ADWD|6}} 

The elections last ten days, with much campaigning and bribery.{{Ref|TWOIAF| The Free Cities: Volantis}}{{Ref|ADWD|27}} Volantis becomes filled with torchlight marches, speeches, [[mummer]]s and minstrels and dancers, [[bravos]] fighting duels for the honor of their candidates, [[elephant]]s with the names of would-be triarchs painted on their sides. Some candidates have [[slave]] girls and boys lay with voters to win votes.{{Ref|ADWD|27}} A former triarch can be re-elected.{{Ref|ADWD|27}}{{Ref|ADWD|33}}

There has never been a child triarch, in contrast to the child kings in [[Westeros]].{{Ref|ADWD|27}} As the three triarchs rule together, two triarchs can restrict the influence of the third triarch until the end of his term, should that be necessary.{{Ref|ADWD|27}}

The triarchs belong to one of two political parties: the [[Tigers (Volantis)|tigers]] and the [[Elephants (Volantis)|elephants]]. The elephants are the party of the merchants and moneylenders, while the tigers are old aristocracy and warriors. The elephants advocate trade and the tigers advocate conquest.{{Ref|TWOIAF| Ancient History: The Doom of Valyria}} Since the rise of the elephants at the end of the [[Century of Blood]], no more than one tiger has been named triarch at a time, the other two always being elephants.{{Ref|ADWD|14}} 

Some of the first elephants were women, one of whom, [[Trianna]], was returned four times. Volantis hasn't had a female triarch for three hundred years.{{Ref|ADWD|27}}