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Meereen

The Slaver's Bay and the location of Meereen

Meereen is the northernmost and the largest of the three great Slaver Cities of Slaver's Bay. It is ruled by the Great Masters, the heads of Meereen's slaving families, and its wealthiest of citizens live in stepped pyramids.^[1]

Meereen lies on the northeast coast of Slaver's Bay at the mouth of the Skahazadhan, where it flows from its origins in Lhazar through a range of sandstone mountains separating Meereen and the rest of Slaver's Bay from the red waste. ^[2] The Dothraki sea lies to the north, beyond the river. To reach Lhazar from Meereen one must pass through the Khyzai Pass.^[1]

The City

See also: Images of Meereen

Meereen is as large as Astapor and Yunkai combined. Like them it is made of brick, except here the bricks are of many colors.^[3] The streets are wide and the fighting pits are red.^[4] The city is dominated by the monstrous Great Pyramid.

Meereen's walls are high, studded with bastions and anchored by great defensive towers at every angle. The north wall of the city runs along the river bank of the Skahazadhan, the river that flows through the city. Its west wall runs along the shore of Slaver's Bay. Bronze harpy heads with open mouths top its gates, from which the Meereenese can pour boiling oil to deter attackers. Meereen draws its water from deep wells instead of the Skahazadhan into which the sewers of the city empty out.^[3].

The Great Pyramid is huge, eight hundred feet tall and topped with a towering bronze harpy. There are a score of lesser pyramids in the city, but none stand even half as high.^[3]

The Temple of the Graces is a huge structure topped with golden domes. It houses the priestesses of Meereen, called the Graces. They are divided into groups, each with a specific color and specialty. It lies to the west of the Great Pyramid.^[1]

The fighting pits are huge circular arenas built of many multicolored bricks. The largest and most extravagant in Meereen is Daznak's Pit.

Slaving Families of Meereen

The city is ruled by slaving families who keep their residences within the pyramids of Meereen. The greater and more powerful the families have larger pyramids.

Slavery

Meereen is renowned for trading in slaves. Slaves are used in every aspect of life: as guards, cleaners, fighters in the pits, and pleasure givers. Healthy young girls and boys under ten are especially sought after as slaves to be used in brothels.^[5]

Slavers in Meereen only cut off the testicles when making eunuchs, as opposed to Astapor, where they cut off both penis and testicles.^[6]

History

Meereen was a colony of the Old Empire of Ghis. Although Meereen survived the destruction of Old Ghis at the hands of the Valyrian Freehold, it was conquered by the Valyrians, who made it a center for the slave trade.

Copper is plentiful in the Ghiscari hills, but the metal is not as valuable as it had been when bronze ruled the world. Cedars once grew tall along the coast but grow no more; they were felled by the axes of the Old Empire or consumed by dragonfire when Ghis made war against Valyria. Once the trees had gone, the soil baked beneath the hot sun and blew away in thick red clouds. According to Galazza Galare it was these calamities that transformed her people into slavers. Without slaves Meereen has little to offer.^[7]

The Ghiscari language is largely forgotten now,^[6] and the modern Ghiscari speak dialects of Valyrian.^[8]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Ser Jorah Mormont advises Khal Drogo to drive his slaves to Meereen since it has suffered from a plague recently.^[5]

A Storm of Swords

The Great Masters scorch the earth around Meereen when they hear Daenerys Targaryen's army is marching on the city. The city is soon besieged by the forces of Daenerys.^[3] She takes the city by sending men through the sewers and battering down the eastern gate. After receiving news from Astapor, which has not fared well since its earlier capture, Daenerys decides to remain and learn to rule in Meereen instead of spreading her rule elsewhere.^[4]

A Dance with Dragons

Daenerys resides in the Great Pyramid after conquered the city, in large chambers at the apex of the pyramid.^[1] She abolishes slavery within the city, but the practice is continued in the hills where slaves still work on the estates of the wealthy.^[1]

Merchant ships from Westeros and the Free Cities are now few and far between, since the slave commerce and fighting pits are closed under Daenerys' rule.^[9]

While several of the Wise Masters accept the rule of Daenerys, an organization known as the Sons of the Harpy wage a shadow war against her, slaying small groups of freedmen, shavepates and Unsullied in the dead of night. Some suspect their mysterious leader, the Harpy, is Hizdahr zo Loraq, while others believe the Sons of the Harpy have no leader.^[1]

The armies of Yunkai surround the city. The ruling council of Meereen assumes command of the overseeing of Meereenese affairs when Daenerys flees from Daznak's Pit on Drogon's back.^[10] Headed by the Queen's Hand, Ser Barristan Selmy, they meet to discuss how to best deal with the Yunkish army.

The Winds of Winter

The second siege of Meereen commences.

Quotes

You stopped at Astapor to buy an army, not to start a war. Save your spears and swords for the Seven Kingdoms, my queen. Leave Meereen to the Meereenese and march west for Pentos.^[11]

– Jorah Mormont, counselling Daenerys Targaryen

A child departed Qarth, as lost as she was lovely. I feared she was sailing to her doom, yet now I find her here enthroned, mistress of an ancient city, surrounded by a mighty host that she raised up out of dreams.^[7]

– Xaro Xhoan Daxos, to Daenerys Targaryen

You will not make Meereen rich and fat and peaceful. You will only bring it to destruction, as you did Astapor.^[7]