House of the Dragon: What is the Triarchy?
HBOWhile Aemond rules King’s Landing, his plan involves enlisting the Triarchy to Team Green during the ongoing war.
The suggestion is met with much disagreement by his Small Council in House of the Dragon Season 2 Episode 6. The Triarchy might not have dragons, but they’re a questionable group who help bring about death and destruction during the Targaryen Civil War.
With the Battle of the Gullet fast approaching, many will know just how much the Triarchy change the game. But for those who don’t it, might just be another group in the war that they need to keep track of.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Triarchy, including how the alliance formed and how it ended. (Warning: potential show spoilers ahead!)
Triarchy explained
The Triarchy was an alliance betwen Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh, which were part of the Free Cities.
They were also known as the Kingdom of the Three Daughters, or the Kingdom of the Three Whores.
The Triarchy ran from around 96 AC until 130 AC, not long before the end of the Dance of the Dragons.
The alliance first began after the Battle of the Borderland, when Tyrosh, Lys, and Myr united to drive Volantis from the Disputed Lands. After this, they entered their “eternal alliance.”
They were then led by Myrish prince Craghas Drahar into the Stepstones, where they cleared it of pirates and made the trade lanes safe.
For a while, the Seven Kingdoms didn’t take issue with the Triarchy, until the admirals began demanding more tolls. They would eventually enslave women and children, including Lady Johanna Swann, niece of the Lord of Stonehelm.
War for the Stepstones
The Triarchy engaged in the War for the Stepstones in 106 AC, but were defeated by Lord Corlys Velaryon and Prince Daemon Targaryen.
HBODaemon and his army defeated the Triarchy, before he eventually killed Craghas two years later. In 109 AC, Daemon had control of almost every part of the Stepstones, and was crowned King of the Stepstones and the Narrow sea.
In 110 AC, the Triarchy led a counterattack, aided by Racallio Ryndoon, a Tyroshi captain-general. The fighting continued well into 115 AC, even when Daemon returned to court and then to the Vale of Arryn after the death of his wife, Lady Rhea Royce.
The Triarchy in Dance of the Dragons
Knowing that the Triarchy were against Daemon, they were enlisted by the Greens during the Targaryen Civil War to move against Corlys and his blockade.
They were led by the Triarchy’s admiral, Sharako Lohar of Lys.
On their way to the Gullet, they intercepted the fleet transporting Rhaenyra’s sons, Aegon and Viserys. Aegon managed to escape to Dragonstone on his dragon, but Viserys was captured.
When news of this reached Prince Jacaerys Velaryon, he mounted his dragon, Vermax, and traveled to the fleet. The Battle of the Gullet then began, which resulted in the sacking of Spicetown and High Tide, as well as the death of Jace Velaryon.
However, by the time they’d reached Spicetown and High Tide, the Triarchy’s forces were so depleted and so many had died that they stepped away from the rest of the war.
How did the alliance end?
The Triarchy came to an end in 130 AC, when Sharako Lohar was killed.
It was first thought that his murder was at the hand of a rival for the love of Johanna Swann, but Tyrosh suspected that it had been an assassination by Myr. When a string of murders then followed, the Daugher’s War took place.
It was then that Pentos, Braavos, and Lorath joined forces to bring down the Triarchy for good.
For more Westeros history, check out our guides to Alys Rivers, Ulf the White, and Hugh Hammer. Don’t miss our House of the Dragon Season 2 release schedule, so you don’t miss an episode!