House Velaryon

House Velaryon of Driftmark
The Old, the True, the Brave
Coat of arms	Aquamarine, a seahorse rampant argent
Seat	Driftmark
Head	Monterys Velaryon
Region	Blackwater Bay
Title	Lord of the Tides, Master of Driftmark
Overlord	House Baratheon of Dragonstone
Founded	Before 1 AL

House Velaryon of Driftmark is an ancient and proud house, with the blood of old Valyria in its veins. Velaryons, like the Targaryens, often have the Valyrian features of silver hair and purple eyes. They rule over Driftmark, the largest island of the Blackwater Bay. Their arms depict a silver seahorse on sea green. Their words do not appear in the books, but according to semi-canon sources they are "The Old, the True, the Brave".

History

House Velaryon was one of the Valyrian families sworn to The Conqueror when the Targaryens began their Wars of Conquest. Since then, Targaryen kings have chosen Velaryon wives for three of their princes. Among them, a lady of the house became the second wife of King Aegon III, and gave birth to Kings Daeron I and Baelor I. She was also an ancestor of the Blackfyre line through Daena the Defiant. Daena's sister, Elaena Targaryen had a love affair with Alyn Velaryon, her cousin. Their son Ser Jon Waters began a line of bastards who still remain in King's Landing, in the person of Rennifer Longwaters, a gaoler in the Red Keep.

The Velaryon House at the end of the third century

The known Velaryons during the timespan of the events described in A Song of Ice and Fire are:

• Lord {Monford Velaryon}, Lord of the Tides and Master of Driftmark. Burned with his ship at the Battle of the Blackwater.
  • Lord Monterys Velaryon, his son and heir. A young boy.

With unspecified familiar relationship to the main branch there is also:

• Aurane Waters, a young and handsome sellsail. Known as "the Bastard of Driftmark".

Historical Velaryons

• Daemon Velaryon, Master of Ships to Aegon the Conqueror during the War of Conquest.
• Velena Velaryon, Wife of Aerion Targaryen, Mother to Aegon the Conqueror Visenya Targaryen Rhaenys Targaryen

References in the books

A Song of Ice and Fire

• Lord Monford Velaryon answered Stannis' summon when he crowned himself king and called his banners.
• Stannis comments to Davos Seaworth his disgust about having to sup with his lords, among them Velaryon, whom he expects to threaten to take his levies home unless they attack at once.
• During the burning of the images of the seven gods from the sept of Dragonstone, Davos notices Lord Monford staring at Stannis instead of looking at the pyre, and wonders what he is thinking.
• Lord Velaryon’s contribution to Stannis' fleet is the Pride of Driftmark and her three sister ships named Bold Laughter, Harridan and Seahorse.
• When Stannis made public the accusations of Joffrey Baratheon being born from incest, Lord Velaryon stated that only steel would decide the matter.
• When Stannis besieged Storm's End during the War of the Five Kings, Lord Velaryon urged him to storm the castle walls as soon as possible.
• Lord Monford Velaryon burned with his ship at the Battle of the Blackwater. Before sinking, the Pride of Driftmark managed to take down two Lannister ships.
• When leading his sortie, Tyrion Lannister found himself surrounded with Balon Swann and Mandon Moore by a circle of Velaryon spearmen.
• The Bastard of Driftmark was made prisoner during the Battle of the Blackwater, and surrendered to King Joffrey.
• Aurane Waters reminded Cersei Lannister of Rhaegar Targaryen when she met him at the Red Keep.
• Regardless of his youth and Jaime's objections, Cersei named the Bastard of Driftmark the Master of Ships.
• As Master of Ships, Aurane proposed the construction of the dromonds, and also suggested to crew them with thieves and poachers.
• When Margaery Tyrell was accused of adultery, Aurane suggested setting the ships on the river to ease the turmoil. Once he got notice of Cersei's imprisonment he fled to sea and disappeared. Grand Maester Pycelle believed that he had the idea to set himself up as a pirate in the Stepstones.

Other Sources

• According to semi-canon sources Alyn Velaryon was a great admiral during the time of Daeron I. He had two children out of wedlock with his cousin Elaena Targaryen.