The origins of House Martell, masters of the Dorne, are shrouded in mystery. To this day, only speculation and theories can describe how the Martells came to be. The most popular of these accepted theories involved a young Andal knight by the name of Enlil, who arrived around 6000 BL with the many hordes of Andal that arrived to settle within the Fingers. Enlil was a smith during the winter seasons and a renowned hunter during the warmer seasons. The young Andal would prove himself worthy of knighthood during the beginning phases of the war against the Kings of the First Men. He would earn the name Redspear for having a crimson spear that always hit its mark against the bronze armored soldiers of the First Men.
Enlil followed Ser Arryn and his mighty host to besiege the Mountain Kings of the Vale. Over the course of the campaign, Enlil would become a commander of a small contingent of warriors that had proven themselves well under his banner. During the final battle against the Griffin King, Enlil and his troops had to scale the cliff side to climb up to the Eyrie. Though it was a hard task and many fell to their deaths climbing, Enlil did not give up and continued to climb. However, by the time of his arrival, the Griffin King was dead, pierced by the weapon of his opponent, Ser Arryn. Upon that day, the knight Aryts Arryn became King of the Vale. Enlil, however, was not rewarded any partitions of land for his services. This lingering gesture would become a motive for the young Enlil to move further south.
As time went on, the young Andal knight would fight throughout the known lands of Westeros. He fought alongside those who conquered the Westerlands, the Reach and finally the Stormlands. All who had forgotten the services done by Enlil, who remained an unrewarded and wandering knight. However, fortuned turned its face in Enlil’s direction when a dispute rose in the lands of sand and sun, the Dorne. A great fight had broken out in the farthest southern province of the future Sunspear, a city of minor purposes at the time, but one that attracted Enlil to it. Two major houses were fighting over who would succeed the empty throne of their deceased King. This feud had already taken innocent lives and was close to breaking out elsewhere. But peace came when Enlil arrived. Enlil mediated the matter between the two houses, repairing their former ties and bringing the sense of brotherhood once more to the city. The young Andal proved to be a great man of word, sword and ability that awed the people of Sunspear. Through his selfless actions, Enlil was nominated as King of Sunspear. This was the transformation that began the Martells. Upon the moment that Enlil ascended the throne, his mind was opened to one of the Seven, the Crone. The Crone spoke words of wisdom that would prove to be the beginning of a new Kingdom in the Dorne. Enlil would rise from his throne and renounce his old name, thus proclaiming himself, Daryus Martell, King of the Sand and Sun. The two houses that had aided his rise would become known as the future House Jordayne of the Tor and House Allyrion of Godsgrace.
Daryus would set forth to carve a new realm for his people, one that would unite the Dorne as one kingdom under one banner. Daryus married a native to the province, one who belonged to a powerful merchant family. His connections helped not only expand capital of Redspear (Sunspear), but build a great kingdom forged of gold and blood. Daryus would die only thirty years later, a man known as the Unbowed King, one who refused to be the subject of anyone but himself and the Seven. Between the reign of Daryus I and Daryus II, there would be few great kings and many who managed to hold the throne for the many generations to come.
One of the many great kings was Enlil, Second of His Name, who assumed the name of their founding father and began the First Southern Crusade against the Kingdom of House Dalt. This ensured the conquest of Planky Town and expelled the Dalt's forces across the river and fortified the first of the Martells conquests. Enlil II would reign from 4982 - 4936 BL, dying at the age of 66 years old. In the year of 3668 BL, the ascension of King Maalik IV "the Defender" sat upon the throne in one of Martell's darkest hours. The Yronwoods had invaded through the Tor and captured Godsgrace, endangering the capital of Redspear. Maalik prayed the Seven for almost two months before he was enlightened with their answers. Maalik would lead the small forces of the Martells and break the massive Yronwood forces at the Battle of Greenblood and once more in the Scourge. Maalik would push the Yronwoods as far as possible, freeing the Tor from their overlordship and ensuring that Yronwood's would remember their lesson well. The Defender would die at in 3608 BL after reigning for sixty years after receiving a mortal wound during a hunting session. A promising King assumed the throne in 2154 by the name of Enlil VII, the Scourge of the Desert. Many revolts happened during Enlil VII's reign in support of his popular younger brother, the future king Tyberion III. However, Enlil VII crushed every rebellion by force. He burned rebellious villages, hung conspirators and filled the dungeons with suspects and collaborators. Towards the end of his reign, Enlil was paranoid and mad, disbanding the courts and assuming complete power. The Restoration Wars in 2094 began when Tyberion III returned from his self-imposed exile with a massive army from various supporters he had met during his times of wandering. When Enlil VII amassed his armies to strike at his younger brother, his commanders broke camp and allowed Tyberion to enter the realm, capturing his elder and insane brother, drowning him in the Greenblood river. Many political and military prisoners were released and restored to their positions. Tyberion III, the Enlightened King would began a reign of revival and a peak of political prowess. He would reign from 2090 BL to 2011 BL, his death a day after his 99th birthday, the longest living Martell King in history.
After Tyberion III, there would be no great kings for the next century or so. It wasn't until the reign of Daryus IX, who would become known as the Unbent King, a man who refused to kneel before anyone but the Seven, that the Martells would begin to expand to greater boundaries. His reign expanded the territories of the Kingdom to Godsgrace and Ghost Hill, one of the Martell's major consolidation efforts that began with his reign. The Unbent King would manage new systems of trade and coin, ensuring a stable economy for future generations. He would also stabilize the frontiers and military, beginning a new system of promoting commanders through meritocracy instead of nobility. He would be a highly criticized, but greatly respected King for his innovations that would aid in the reign of his grandson, Mors Martell. Daryus IX would die only after a reign of thirty years, after the completion of his new palace. His infant grandson, Mors, would come to power and become known as one of the greatest Kings of the Sands and Sun.
Though Mors was crowned as an infant, it was the regency of his grandmother, Dowager Queen Allyria and the able administration of Lord Gulian Allyrion that ensured the rise of Mors. It was at first believed that Mors was born to be a reckless child, beating those who dared to rise to his stature. As a teenager, the young Martell was intrigued by politics and the military. This desire to learn would be done under the mentorship of Lord Allyrion, a man who had a trusted friend of Mors’ father and one of proven abilities. By the time of his full adult hood, Mors was a completely changed Martell. He had handsome features and a strong, noble heart. The young Martell had a knack for tactics and politics, similar to the abilities of Daryus I. Mors stabilized trade and economy of the small Kingdom, then thrusted the realm into war. Mors Martell secured Godsgrace after a major rebellion by their former house and installed House Allyrion as their Lords to ensure the city's loyalty. His next big expansion extended as far as the Tor where House Jordayne was installed and ensured that the city would become an important source of trade for the Martells. Mors became known as the Unbroken King, a man of awe-inspiring abilities and one who brought the Kingdom of the Sands and Sun to its greatest extent to date. His reign would last a full seventy years before death took Mors in his sleep. It is through these three great kings, Daryus I, Daryus II and Mors I that the Martell’s motto would come be known. It is through these three noble men that the Kingdom was forged and built upon the sands, to marvel future glories to come. His grandson, Oberyn, known as the Scorpion would ascend the throne in 700 BL as the favored heir. And that is where our story continues… |
Redspear and the Tor, Seats of House Martell
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Originally Posted by achudnow
Zeus is meeting in the courtyard in the evening. Note bold letters in two posts above.
