Named after the first Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, Corlys Velaryon was born in 53
AC, descended from an ancient House of old Valyria who settled on the isle of Driftmark.
When the dragonlords of House Targaryen left their homeland and took up residence on the
nearby island of Dragonstone, the Velaryons became their allies and later their bannerman
following the doom of Valyria.
At the age of 6, Corlys Velaryon travelled to pentos with his uncle, and immediately
took to the life of a sailor, enthusiastically helping the crew with their labors as well
as learning to steer and navigate.
By the age of 16 he captained his first vessel, sailing the Cod Queen from driftmark to dragonstone
and as he got older led larger ships and longer journeys.
Travelling aboard the Summer Maid, he visited Volantis and the Summer Isles, after which
he boarded the Ice Wolf and went north to the shivering sea, exploring hardhome, lorath
and Ibben.
Though he was hoping to find a northern route to the Sunset Sea, he eventually turned back
due to icebergs and extreme cold.
However his most famous voyages were aboard the Sea Snake, where he earned his nickname,
as it was on this ship he made his fortune.
Visiting the wealthy city of Qarth, he became involved in far eastern trade, even braving
the dangers of the Jade Sea to visit Yi Ti, Leng and Asshai, trading in spices, silks
and other exotic goods.
Through these adventures he was able to amass a great fortune making House Velaryon the
richest family in Westeros, surpassing even the Lannister and Hightowers.
On his third voyage aboard the Sea Snake he went north into the Shivering sea once more,
becoming the first Westerosi to visit the secret city of Nefer and navigate the Thousand
Islands.
Then finally, during his final voyage, Corlys Velaryon loaded his fleet with gold, and travelled
to Qarth where he bought twenty additional ships to trade in massive quantities of eastern
goods.
Though not all these vessels survived the journey home, many did, ensuring the future
prosperity of his family.
After the death of his grandfather, Corlys became Lord of Driftmark, and was married
to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, daughter of prince Aemon, heir to the king.
As Lord of his House, he used his great wealth to build the fortress of High Tide to replace
Castle Driftmark and their hid much of his treasure.
Serving as Master of Ship for King Jaehaerys, Corlys tripled the size of the royal fleet,
and continued to build ships even after leaving the position.
As a result of his passion for crafting new vessels, those who worked on these projects
formed the village of Hull near High Tide, while Spice Town arose to attract traders
from the east.
After the death of Prince Aemon, Rhaenys was passed over despite being his only child,
in favor of the male claimant prince Baelon third born son of the king.
In 101 AC following the death of Baelon, a Great Council was called to decide the issue
of succession with Rhaenys as well as her children by Corlys, Laena and Laenor as candidates.
And while their son managed to gain a fair amount of support, the council chose ultimately
chose to set a precedent that the throne could not go to a woman or to any children of her
line.
And so Viserys, son of Baelon the fourth born was chosen over Laenor grandson of Aemon the
Secondborn.
Some have come to suggest Corlys was so determined to see his wife or son crowned he started
raising a fleet war but the council’s decision was confirmed by the king and so Rhaenys earned
the nickname the Queen that never Was.
Corlys then focused of his children, attempting to arrange strategic marriages that would
place the family nearer to the Throne.
In 105 AC, the now King Viserys I passed over Laena Velaryon to marry Lady Alicent Hightower,
who became Queen of Westeros.
Outraged by this insult, Corlys allied himself with Viserys younger brother Daemon Targaryen
and together they raised a mighty army and went about pursuing their own desires without
regard for the king.
Together they invaded the Stepstones, defeating the Triarchy of Essos, who’d committed various
transgressions against House velaryon.
After conquering all but 2 of the islands.
Corlys Crowned Daemon Targaryen, King of the Stepstones and the Narrow Sea.
In 114 AC relations with Viserys improved, when Laenor was married to Princess Rhaenyra,
First Born daughter of the king and heir to iron Throne.
Despite being a woman, Viserys was adamant that Rhaenyra be his heir and so the Velaryons
were at last positioned to take the Throne.
Together the couple had 3 sons, Jacaerys, Lucaerys and Joffrey.
Yet controversy surrounded the family as many believed Laenor was interested in men and
having a secret relationship with Ser Qarl Correy, meaning that his 3 sons were in fact
fathered by another, many suspected was Ser Harwin Strong.
In 120 AC, a fire in Harrenhal killed Ser harwin, with some few suggesting that Corlys
may have had been involved, seeking retribution against the man who dishonoured his daughter.
Corlys other child Laena, married his old friend Prince Daemon and * the couple had
2 children in Baela and Rhaena Targaryen.
Unfortunately both of Corlys children would suffer tragic ends, with Laena dying from
childbirth and Laenor killed in a fight with Ser Qarl Correy.
Their widows Rhaenyra and Daemon Targaryen then marry each other soon afterwards.
In 126 AC, As Corlys was struck by illness, the issue of the inheritance of Driftmark
arose and was contested by his grandson, Rhaenyra’s 2nd son Lucaerys and Corlys eldest nephew
Vaemond Velaryon.
Rhaenyra’s first son Jacaerys was already set to inherit the Iron Throne after his mother
and so she wanted her second child to have a worthy inheritance as well.
And while Vaemon Velaryon may have had a fair claim to make he became overly aggressive
and declared that the Children of Rhaenyra could not inherit because they were born of
Harwin Strong and not Laenor Velaryon.
This violated a proclamation made by the King which forbade such rumors, and so Prince Daemon
killed Vaemond while the man’s wife and children had their tongues removed by order
of the king.
Corlys eventually recovered from his illness, just in time to face the Dance of the Dragon
Civil War, in which the kingdom fractured following the death of the king.
The Black faction supported Rhaenyra as heir while the Greens supporting Aegon II, firstborn
son of king, but secondborn child after Rhaenyra.
House Velaryon threw all their support behind Rhaenyra and used their fleet to blockade
Blackwater Bay, in order to cut off supply routes to the capital.
However the blockade fell after their defeat in the Battle of the Gullet, after the Greens
convinced the Triarchy to send a fleet and seek revenge against House Veleryon for the
war of the Stepstones.
After the loss, enemy forces burned High Tide, destroying much of the remaining treasure
Corlys had accumulated over the years.
Although the Blacks were making progress even taking King’s Landing, the death of Princess
Rhaenys during a dragon battle in the skies above Rook’s Rest, caused Corlys to begin
turning against Rhaenyra, believing she did not do enough to help save his wife.
But he was convinced to stay with them when he was named Hand of the Queen.
In order to regain the momentum in the war, the Blacks began training more dragonriders,
searching among the smallfolk for those with valyrian blood and seeing if any of them could
be paired with dragons.
Several were chosen, including Ulf the White and Hugh hammer, who eventually betrayed the
Blacks at the First battle of Tumbleton.
Becoming suspicious of the Dragonseeds as they were known, Rhaenyra ordered the arrest
of all those new dragonriders they were training.
However Corlys had grown close to Addam of Hull, the supposed bastard son of Laenor Velaryon.
Even naming Addam heir to Driftmark.
Rumors suggested the boy was actually Corlys bastard son, who’d been kept away from court
but was now being legitimized through a story about his deceased son Laenor.
And so the he warned his heir of the impending arrest, allowing him to escape aboard his
dragon Seasmoke.
Corly was arrested for his actions, but with so much of the Black Faction’s army and
fleet made up of men from House Velaryon, riots broke out in the streets of King’s
Landing, forcing the Queen to flee the city.
The Sea Snake was then freed by Green Faction supporters.
Corlys then became a supporter of Aegon II even joining his small council, when they
promised not to kill Rhaenyra’s son Aegon, and instead marry him to the King’s own
daughter.
Yet despite the ill fortune of the Blacks which included the death of Rhaenyra on Dragonstone,
the war was not over, as the Lord of Wintefell Cregan Stark marched with a massive northern
army on behalf of the deceased queen, determined to destroy the Greens of the south.
With defeat all but certain, Corlys advised Aegon to surrender and join the Night’s
Watch, but he refused.
And so fearing the wrath of the Northmen warriors headed their way, the King’s wine was poisoned
and he died before they reached the city.
Although the identity of his assassin was never discovered, Cregan Stark had 22 people
arrested as suspects including Corlys Velaryon.
Yet he was sparred punishment as Cregan Stark agreed to a pardon after a negotiation in
which he was betrothed and married to Lady Alys Blackwood.
Old Lord Corlys then went on to become the most influential of young King Aegon III’s
Reagants, until dying in 132 AC with his long and extraordinary life making him a legendary
figure in Westerosi history.