Quentyn Martell is a member of House Martell and is the second child of Prince Doran Martell, the ruler of Dorne. He is Arianne Martell’s younger brother and got fostered at Yronwood to settle the blood debt created by Prince Oberyn Martell after his duel with Lord Edgar Yronwood. Though detested by his sister, Quentyn had many insecurities and feared being a failure; this made him travel to Meereen to meet Queen Daenerys Targaryen, seeking a marriage alliance. However, after the incident at Daznak’s Pit, he tried controlling one of Dany’s dragons, leading to terrible consequences.
Quentyn Martell Details
- Name: Quentyn Martell.
- Titles: Ser, Prince.
- Aliases: Frog, Quent, Prince Frog, The Dragonrider, The Prince Who Came Too Late.
- Allegiances: House Martell, Windblown.
- Year of Birth: 281 AC at Sunspear.
- Year of Death: 300 AC at Meereen.
- Parents: Prince Doran Martell and Lady Mellario.
- Siblings: Arianne and Trystane.
- Culture: Dornishmen.
- Religion: Faith of the Seven.
- Hair Color: Brown.
- Eye Color: Brown.
Appearance and Personality
Prince Quentyn Martell is not a handsome man. He takes after his father in looks and is short with brown hair and eyes, a plain face, and a stocky build. Quentyn has a squared jaw, a high forehead, and a broad nose. He learned to speak the Ghiscari and Volantene tongues and is fluent in speaking and writing High Valyrian. Though kind, sensible, and well-behaved, Quentyn fears being a failure and strives for his father’s approval.
Prince Quentyn is a virgin; this makes him uncomfortable around girls. He got fostered at Yronwood and formed a tight bond with Cletus Yronwood, Lord Anders Yronwood’s son. Though he loves his family, Quentyn is oblivious to Arianne’s hatred, as she feels he is trying to snatch her birthright from her.
Biography
Quentyn was born at Sunspear, Dorne, to Doran and Lady Mellario. At a young age, he got sent to Yronwood to serve as a page and squire, as Oberyn Martell had killed Lord Edgar Yronwood in a duel using poison. Quentyn’s departure created a rift in his parents’ relationship as Lady Mellario felt Doran should not send her young son to an alien land.
On getting to Yronwood, Quentyn developed a crush on Ynys, Lord Ander Yronwood’s daughter. He became close friends with Cletus Yronwood, Ser Gerris Drinkwater, and Ser Willam Wells and had his first kiss with one of the Drinkwater Twins.
In 290 AC, Quentyn received a letter from his father, who told him to prepare to rule Dorne. When Arianne found the message, she grew resentful towards her brother as Dornish customs stipulated a daughter could become the ruler of Dorne. Doran later revealed he sent the letter to Quentyn, wanting him to become Dorne’s ruler, because he planned to make Arianne Viserys Targaryen’s wife.
Quentyn got knighted by Lord Anders after turning eighteen. With his fostering at Yronwood, few people knew about him in Dorne.
Relevance in A Song of Ice and Fire
A Game of Thrones
When Joffrey Baratheon gets crowned King after Robert’s death, Quentyn and his father Doran get summoned to King’s Landing to swear loyalty to the Iron Throne.
A Feast for Crows
Though people thought he was in the Boneway with Lord Anders Yronwood, Quenty secretly crosses the Narrow Sea. At Sunspear, his sister Arianne believes he is trying to hire the Golden Company to displace her from the position of heir. She makes a plot to crown Myrcella Queen according to Dornish customs. However, after the mission fails, her father tells her about the secret pact to marry her to Viserys Targaryen and how he sent Quentyn to Essos to meet Daenerys.
A Dance with Dragons
Doran sends Quentyn with maester Kedry, Ser Archibald Yronwood, Ser Gerris Drinkwater, Ser Cletus Yronwood, and Ser Willem Wells to Meereen to bring Queen Daenerys Targaryen to Dorne. Quentyn and his men disguise and travel aboard the Meadowlark, where they get stopped by corsairs. In a confrontation, Kedry, Willem, and Cletus get killed.
Quentyn and his men stay at Volantis as most captains refuse to take them to Slaver’s Bay because of the conflict between Astapor and Yunkai and the ban on the slave trade. Eventually, the group joins a band of mercenaries called the Windblown. After fighting in the siege of Astapor, the leader of the Windblown, the Tattered Prince, orders the Westerosi in his company to defect to Daenerys’s side, to be on the winning side in any case, and the turncloaks get found by Daario Naharis, the leader of the Stormcrows.
Daario brings Quentyn to Daenerys’s court and asks for an audience. He presents the secret pact signed by Ser Willem Darry, Oberyn, and the Sealord of Braavos concerning Viserys’s wedding to Arianne. Quentyn offers to be her husband, but Dany tells him about her upcoming wedding to Hizdahr zo Loraq. Ser Barristan Selmy tells Dany of his conviction that Quentyn’s arrival is good news. However, she disagrees.
The next day, Quentyn meets Daenerys, and she takes him to see Viserion and Rhaegal. Dany tells the Prince to return home as her court is not safe. When Daznak’s Pit gets reopened, a commotion occurs as Drogon appears. To prevent any destruction, Dany flies away with the dragon.
With Meereen on the verge of war, Ser Barristan Selmy advises Quentyn to return home, but the Prince refuses, stating he cannot return empty. He and his men disguise themselves as members of the Brazen Beasts and travel into the dragons’ pit. Once there, Quentyn tries to tame Viserion. However, Rhaegal bathes him in fire from behind, and both dragons escape captivity. Missandei cares for Quentyn, but he dies from his wounds.
Quentyn Martell: The Broken Prince
Quentyn Martell was a man who never deserved the fate he got. Raised in a foreign land, he tried all he could to be a son his father would be proud of. He was courteous and kind-hearted. However, as with the brutal world of Ice and Fire, he got caught in the unforgiving reality of politics. After failing to get an alliance with Daenerys, he tried taming her dragons because he felt doing so would make him worthy. However, he realized that reality is grim.
FAQs
Who is Quentyn Martell?
Quentyn is the oldest son of Prince Doran. He is Princess Arianne’s younger brother. When he was young, he traveled to Yronwood and remained a page and squire.
Did Quentyn know his sister hated him?
As he barely stayed at Sunspear, Quentyn never knew his sister hated him because she thought he wanted to take over her position. He only listened to his father, who wanted her to become the next Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
What happened to Quentyn?
After traveling to Meereen, Quentyn expressed his readiness to marry Daenerys Targaryen. However, she refused his offer. When Dany left Meereen on Drogon, Quentyn tried claiming one of her dragons, stating he had the blood of the Valyrians. However, he got burned and later died.
Will Quentyn’s death cause trouble for Daenerys’s claim to the Iron Throne?
Yes. There is a high chance that Quentyn’s death will destroy any room for a relationship with Dorne, one of the key supporters of the Targaryens. Prince Doran may eventually support Aegon VI Targaryen and abandon Daenerys’s cause.
