Editing Volantis (section)

==History==
===Foundation===
[[File:HBO Volantis season 2.png|thumb|350px|Volantis in supplemental Blu-ray content from ''[[Game of Thrones]]''.]]
Volantis is the oldest of the Free Cities, founded at some point after the destruction of the [[Old Empire of Ghis]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Arrival of the Andals}} It was the first colony of the [[Valyrian Freehold]], her "first daughter".{{ref|ADWD|27}} Established to protect the borders of the Freehold, Volantis was little more than a garrison protected by the [[Black Walls]] for a hundred years.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Free Cities: Volantis}} Wealthy Valyrians used this military outpost to take advantage of trade along the Rhoyne,{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Arrival of the Andals}} however, and settlements quickly grew on both sides of the river. Construction of the [[Long Bridge]] to cross the Rhoyne began under Triarch [[Vhalaso|Vhalaso the Munificent]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Free Cities: Volantis}}

===Rhoynish Wars===
Volantis grew powerful trading with Valyria and the Rhoynar, although the nearby Rhoynish city [[Sarhoy]] declined. This led to the lengthy [[Rhoynish Wars]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Free Cities: Volantis}}

In the [[Second Spice War]], the last of these wars, Volantis and three Valyrian [[dragonlords]] destroyed Sarhoy and sowed the ruins with salt to prevent the Rhoynish city from rising again.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: Ten Thousand Ships}} Prince [[Garin (prince)|Garin]] of [[Chroyane]] declared war and marched at the head of the biggest army Essos had seen. He won victories at [[Selhorys]], [[Valysar]], and [[Volon Therys]], where he faced a hundred thousand enemies, a hundred [[elephants]], and three dragonlords. After Volon Therys, the Volantenes behind the Black Walls asked the Freehold for help. The alliance between Volantis and the Freehold shattered Garin's host, and it is said the blood of the Rhoynar turned the great harbor of Volantis red as far as one could see.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: Ten Thousand Ships}}

===Century of Blood===
:{{main|Century of Blood}}
[[File:Mystique of the EastMartina Pilcerova.png|350px|thumb|Mystique of the East, by Martina Pilcerova © Fantasy Flight Games]]
After the [[Doom of Valyria]], the Volantenes considered themselves the heirs to the Freehold and rightful rulers of the world. They sent a fleet to claim the [[Valyrian peninsula]], but it vanished in the [[Smoking Sea]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Doom of Valyria}}

[[Tommen II Lannister]], [[King of the Rock]], stayed at Volantis on his way to Old Valyria during the [[Century of Blood]].  According to ''[[The Glory of Volantis]]'', Tommen promised half of what he would find to the [[triarchs of Volantis]] in return for their generosity and potential aid from their fleet. Triarch [[Marqelo Tagaros]] sent ships after Tommen the following year, but no sign of the king was found.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Westerlands}}

Those in Volantis were divided on how to achieve conquest against the other [[Free Cities]]. Those of the Old Blood favored war, whilst the moneylenders and merchants favored trade. These two factions became known as the tigers and the elephants, respectively. The tigers held sway for almost a century, and Volantis called for war upon the other cities, with the tigers leading the city into a great conflict with the other daughters. They were successful at first, taking control of [[Lys]] and [[Myr]]. When they tried to take [[Tyrosh]], however, [[Pentos]] joined the Tyroshi, and Lys and Myr rebelled. The [[Sealord of Braavos|Sealord]] of [[Braavos]] provided ships to aid Lys, and [[Argilac Durrandon]], the Westerosi [[Storm King]], joined the conflict and led a host into the [[Disputed Lands]]. It was Argilac's host who defeated a Volantene host which had been attempting to retake Myr.{{Ref|ADWD|14}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Doom of Valyria}}

[[Aegon I Targaryen|Aegon Targaryen]], Lord of [[Dragonstone]], accepted an alliance with Pentos and Tyrosh against Volantis, flew to Lys, and set ablaze a Volantene fleet preparing to invade the city. Volantis was further defeated at [[Dagger Lake]], where galleys from [[Qohor]] and [[Norvos]] destroyed much of the Volantene fleet which had been on the [[Rhoyne]]. Even [[Dothraki]] entered the conflict, falling upon the weakened Volantis.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Doom of Valyria}}

In the end, the Volantene faction favoring peace, the elephants, took power from the tigers, and the fighting was at an end.{{Ref|TWOIAF|Ancient History: The Doom of Valyria}}{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Free Cities: Qohor}}

===Recent History===
[[File:Triarch Horonno.jpg|thumb|350px|right|The execution of Triarch [[Horonno]], by Jordi Gonzalez Escamilla, as depicted in ''[[The World of Ice & Fire]]'']]
For the last three centuries, at least two of the three triarchs in power have been elephants.{{Ref|ADWD|8}}{{Ref|ADWD|14}} Triarch [[Horonno]], who had been returned as triarch for forty years, declared himself as triarch for life. In response, he was seized by rioters soon after, tied between two elephant animals, and torn apart.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Free Cities: Volantis}}{{Ref|ADWD|22}}

Volantis fought against the combined power of Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh, in the [[Battle of the Borderland]]. The victory of the three smaller cities over Volantis led to the start of the [[Triarchy]], in {{Date|96}}.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Free Cities: The Quarrelsome Daughters: Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh}}

Princess [[Saera Targaryen]], a younger daughter of King [[Jaehaerys I Targaryen]] and Queen [[Alysanne Targaryen|Alysanne]], ended her days in Volantis as the proprietor of a famous [[pleasure house]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Jaehaerys I}} [[Basilisk Isles]] [[pirates]] captured highborn maidens from the city sailing to Westeros to attend King [[Aegon III Targaryen]]'s [[Maiden's Day Cattle Show]].{{Ref|fab|Under the Regents - War and Peace and Cattle Shows}} During the reign of King [[Aerys II Targaryen]], Volantis was involved in a trade war against Myr and Tyrosh. Gold and arms were provided to them by the [[House Targaryen|Targaryen]] kings.{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Targaryen Kings: Aerys II}}

[[Harwyn Hoare]], visited Volantis before becoming [[King of the Isles and the Rivers]].{{Ref|TWOIAF|The Iron Islands: The Black Blood}} [[Doran Martell]], [[Prince of Dorne]], visited Volantis in his youth, while on his way to [[Norvos]].{{Ref|AFFC|40}} His younger brother, Prince [[Oberyn Martell|Oberyn]], fathered a bastard daughter, [[Nymeria Sand]], on a Volantene noblewoman of the old blood.{{Ref|AFFC|2}} King [[Aerys II Targaryen]] sent his first cousin, Lord [[Steffon Baratheon]], on an ultimately fruitless mission to seek a bride across the [[narrow sea]] for his son, Prince [[Rhaegar Targaryen]]. One of the places Steffon is known to have visited is Volantis, where he found the jester [[Patchface]], whose freedom he bought so he could bring him to [[Storm's End]].{{Ref|aCoK|0}}{{Ref|ACOK|5}}

When [[Daenerys Targaryen]] was a girl she and her brother, [[Viserys Targaryen|Viserys]], spent some time in Volantis when they were wandering from place to place.{{Ref|agot|3}} After leaving behind his wife, [[Lynesse Hightower]], and fleeing Lys, Ser [[Jorah Mormont]] ended up in Volantis for the best part of a year, owning nothing but his sword and the clothes upon his back.{{Ref|ADWD|27}} [[Hizdahr zo Loraq]] has also visited Volantis.{{Ref|ADWD|2}}