House Tyrell

House Tyrell is the second wealthiest house in Westeros behind the Lannisters. The Tyrells serve as the Lords Paramount of the Mander and Liege Lords of the Reach. They have the mightiest military force in Westeros and command bannermen with a fleet size equal to that of the Royal Fleet of King’s Landing. Their seat of power is in Highgarden. After King Robert Baratheon’s death, the Tyrells support Lord Renly Baratheon with the help of Ser Loras Tyrell. However, after Renly’s demise, they side with the Lannisters. Margaery Tyrell gets betrothed to King Joffrey Baratheon, but Lady Olenna Tyrell, her grandmother, learns of Joff’s character from Sansa Stark. She concocts a devious plan that leads to Tyrion Lannister’s arrest.

House Tyrell Details

• Name: House Tyrell.
• Sigil: A golden rose on a green field.
• Region of Power: The Reach.
• Founder: Ser Alester Tyrell.
• The Seat of Power: Highgarden.
• Titles: High Steward of Highgarden (formerly), Lord of Highgarden, Lord Paramount of the Mander, Defender of the Marches, High Marshal of the Reach, Warden of the South.
• Current Ruler: Lord Mace Tyrell.
• Heir: Willas Tyrell.

History

Origin

House Tyrell traces its roots through its female line to Garth the Gardener, the first King of the Reach during the Age of Heroes. The Tyrells continued intermarrying with the Kings of the Reach, and their ancestry intertwined. With their relationship with House Gardener, the Tyrells served as stewards.

Officially, House Tyrell came into existence with the arrival of Ser Alester Tyrell, an Andal knight so exceptional at using the sword that he got named the sworn shield of King Gawen V Gardener. The King made the title of High Steward hereditary to the Tyrells, and after losing his first son, Alester’s second child Gareth inherited the High Steward’s position.

Later, the Lords of House Manderly and Peake started a Civil War to make their wives, King Garth X Gardener’s daughters Queens of the Reach. However, Ser Osmund Tyrell, the High Steward, led a faction of forty houses against the rebels. He reclaimed Highgarden and placed Garth’s son Mern VI Gardener on the throne.

With Osmund and his son, Ser Robert Tyrell’s help, King Mern VI ruled exceptionally. He rebuilt Highgarden and restored the glory of the Reach. He was so pleased with Robert’s service that he gave his youngest daughter’s hand in marriage to the High Steward as a reward. The intermarriage between the Gardeners and Tyrells continued for centuries.

The Rise of Aegon and the Targaryen Conquest

During Aegon’s Conquest of Westeros, King Mern IX Gardener and his men got killed at the Field of Fire. With the King’s death, Harlen Tyrell surrendered to Aegon. As a reward, he received Highgarden and became the Lord Paramount of the Mander.

Harlen disappeared during the First Dornish War as clashes intensified between the Iron Throne and Dorne. During King Jaehaerys I’s reign, the Tyrells hosted the greatest tourney of the generation called the Tourney of the Field of Roses. The King later reconciled with the Faith Militant.

During the Dance of the Dragons, The Tyrells did not support the Blacks of Princess Rhaenyra or the Greens of Alicent Hightower. However, their bannermen supported different sides. When Daeron I Targaryen began another conquest of Dorne, Lord Lyonel Tyrell led the King’s army. However, he got killed.

Robert’s Rebellion

When Lord Rickard Stark and his son Brandon Stark got killed by the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, a rebellion against the throne began. The Tyrells fought against Robert, and Lord Randyll Tarly defeated Robert in the Battle of Ashford, forcing him to flee. Mace besieged Storm’s End causing Stannis Baratheon’s men to starve. However, Davos Seaworth, a smuggler, helped Stannis and his men by sneaking in food. Mace surrendered to Lord Eddard Stark after the Sack of King’s Landing by Lord Tywin Lannister.

Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire

A Game of Thrones

After Lord Jon Arryn’s death, Lord Eddard Stark becomes the Hand of the King. King Robert hosts the Hand’s Tourney in King’s Landing, and Ser Loras Tyrell attends. He gets in an altercation with Ser Gregor Clegane, and Sandor Clegane comes to his rescue. Loras and Renly try to remove Queen Cersei Lannister and replace her with Margaery Tyrell.

When Ned Stark learns of Cersei’s adultery, he confronts her, and she arranges her husband’s death. Loras flees King’s Landing with Renly, and when Ned tries to seize the throne, he gets betrayed by Lord Petyr Baelish. The Starks get killed, and Eddard gets beheaded in the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor. Loras convinces his family to crown Renly King, and they do.

A Clash of Kings

As the War of the Five Kings starts, Loras becomes the Lord Commander of the Rainbow Guard for Renly. His father, Mace Tyrell, becomes Hand of the King, and Renly gains control of the mightiest army in the Seven Kingdoms. However, he gets killed by a shadow assassin while preparing to stop the siege of Storm’s End.

After Renly’s death, Tyrion sends Petyr to create a new alliance with the Tyrells. He succeeds, and Lord Mace Tyrell joins forces with Lord Tywin Lannister to defeat Stannis Baratheon. Margaery gets engaged to King Joffrey Baratheon, and her brother Loras becomes a member of the Kingsguard.

A Storm of Swords

With the alliance, House Tyrell sends food to King’s Landing to alleviate the city’s problems; this makes Margaery extremely popular and loved. When she arrives in King’s Landing, the people cheer for her. Later, her grandmother, Lady Olenna Tyrell, the Queen of Thorns, invites Sansa for a meal and questions her about Joffrey. Sansa tells her the truth, and Olenna tells her of her plan to give her to Willas Tyrell. However, Petyr learns of the plot and tells Tywin, who weds Sansa to his son Tyrion. 

Joffrey and Margaery get married, and at their wedding feast, Joffrey dies after getting poisoned. Cersei accuses Tyrion of murdering her son, and he gets arrested. Meanwhile, Sansa escapes from King’s Landing, and Petyr tells her Olenna planned Joffrey’s death. Ser Jaime Lannister frees his brother Tyrion, and on his way out of King’s Landing, Tyrion sneaks into the Tower of the Hand and kills his father.

A Feast for Crows

When Tommen becomes King, his mother, Cersei, becomes the Hand of the King. She mistrusts the Tyrells, and her suspicion grows when Qyburn finds an ancient coin traced to the House Gardener of old. She begins a campaign against the Tyrells against the advice of her uncle Ser Kevan Lannister.

Margary and Tommen Baratheon marry at a small ceremony in the Red Keep. With his daughter’s wedding, Mace Tyrell leaves King’s Landing. Margaery and Tommen grow close, and she tells him how a King acts, infuriating Cersei. The new Queen continues growing in popularity among the smallfolk.

Cersei allows the High Sparrow to rearm the Faith leading to the formation of the Faith Militant. she then frames Margaery for fornication and has her arrested; this makes Lord Mace Tyrell march to King’s Landing. Cersei later gets arrested for adultery as Ser Lancel Lannister confesses.

A Dance with Dragons

Margaery gets released by the High Sparrow as the charge against her is weak. With Cersei imprisoned, Ser Kevan Lannister becomes Lord Regent. He makes Lord Mace Tyrell the Hand of the King and allows Cersei to perform the Walk of Atonement.

Relevance in Adaptations

In HBO’s Game of Thrones, the Tyrells were crucial in the politics of King’s Landing. After Cersei allows the formation of the Faith Militant, Margaery’s brother Loras gets arrested on charges of homosexuality. Cersei also gets arrested, but on the day of the trial, she does not attend. She plants wildfire beneath the Great Sept of Baelor. The resulting explosion kills everyone, including Margaery.

House Tyrell: The Lord of the Reach

Having the mightiest military and fleet, the Tyrells were crucial to the politics of the Seven Kingdoms. They were fiercely loyal and stayed true to their goals. Even though they came from small beginnings, their founding fathers created immense wealth and might.

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