House Velaryon appear as major characters in House of the Dragon, an old and noble family with strong ties to the ruling Targaryens and strong influence in court. However, the family is one of the few to have had very little presence in Game of Thrones, being new to viewers who aren't familiar with A Song of Ice and Fire.
As such, there is plenty that viewers might not know about the House. From the depths of their Valyrian roots and the many journeys they took to their continued presence within Westeros, the House did much to warrant recognition.
This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon.
10 They Were Archenemies Of House Hightower
At its most basic causes, the Dance of the Dragons was a succession crisis between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon Targaryen that escalated into open warfare. However, there was more than just the personal element to the war, there was a lengthy amount of history and tension throughout the entire continent that laid kindling for the spark.
In particular, there was the enmity between Houses Velaryon and Hightower. The Hightowers had long been trying to supplant the Velaryons as the house closest to the Targaryens, pushing the latter house away despite their extensive blood ties. With the Hightowers entirely supporting Aegon and the Velaryons entirely supporting Rhaenyra, they were two of the bitterest foes in the war.
9 They Were One Of Three Confirmed Valyrian Houses In Westeros
For the most part, the Valyrians operated far away from Westeros, instead dominating the eastern continent of Essos. The furthest they reached in any significant capacity was Dragonstone. Then, most of their power, influence, and ancient families died in the cataclysmic Doom of Valyria.
Although significant Valyrian heritage remains in Essos, the Velaryons are one of only three houses of Valyria confirmed to be in Westeros. The others are the famous Targaryens, the dynasty that unified the Seven Kingdoms, and the Celtigars of Claw Isle.
8 A Death Of One Of Their Members Guaranteed War
Although neither faction liked the other in the Dance of the Dragons, very few people were aiming to divide the entire continent in a horrific civil war. Instead, most sides wanted to posture and gain allies until the situation could be resolved diplomatically. However, the death of one of House Velaryon ended any chance of peace.
Lucerys Velaryon, one of Rhaenyra's sons, went to Storm's End on a diplomatic mission, only to be beaten there by his hated uncle Aemond Targaryen. Although Aemond was stopped from killing him in the castle, Aemond hunted Lucerys as soon as he left the castle, killing him with his dragon Vhagar. From that moment, war was all but certain.
7 They Still Existed During The War Of The Five Kings
The Velaryons lost a fair bit of power and influence in the Dance of the Dragons, but they weren't extinguished as a house. They would even go on to influence events before and during Game of Thrones, being an active military force in the War of the Five Kings.
As lords in Blackwater Bay, the Velaryons were sworn to Dragonstone, and so they supported King Stannis Baratheon's campaign for the Iron Throne. Even after the defeat in the Battle of the Blackwater, they remained loyal unlike many of Stannis' other supporters, heading north of the Wall to defeat Mance Rayder's army.
6 They Fled Valyria Long Before The Targaryens Did
The Doom of Valyria was an apocalyptic event. It ended the Valyrian Freehold as an empire and shattered the Valyrian peninsula, leaving it a cursed and dangerous place. The only Valyrians who survived were those who were not in their homeland at the time, including the few Valyrian houses of Westeros.
The Targaryens fled and occupied Dragonstone years before the Doom of Valyria due to a prophetic vision of the coming calamity. It isn't known why House Velaryon fled their homeland, only that they predated the Targaryens in Westeros by a long period of time. House Velaryon was well-established as the family took up residence.
5 Corlys Velaryon Explored The World
As a medieval society, Westeros had limited knowledge of the world around it. The Iron Throne maintained open diplomatic relations with the Free Cities of Essos' far west and traded with cities like Qarth, but their actual knowledge of the world was scarce. One of the most authoritative sources on the world was Corlys Velaryon, a major figure in House of the Dragon.
A gifted sailor from birth, Corlys went on extensive voyages that traveled further than most Westerosi ships, which made him and his house very rich. During these, he explored places like Qarth, the far eastern empire of Yi Ti, and the mysterious shadow city of Asshai - home of Melisandre from Game of Thrones.
4 They Suffered Heavily In The Dance Of The Dragons
The Dance of the Dragons was one of the bloodiest wars in Westeros' history, a continent that was no stranger to bloodshed. Although many houses suffered greatly, few suffered as big blows as House Velaryon. Neither faction truly won, but Rhaenyra's faction saw the most devastation, including the suffering of House Velaryon.
They suffered immense damage to their fleet, castles, and the towns under their sway, as well as losing a huge amount of riches. The house went from one of the richest and most influential in all of Westeros, their towns rivaling King's Landing for trade, to only one of the more powerful houses sworn to Dragonstone. House of the Dragon is unlikely to be kind to the family.
3 They Remained Loyal To House Targaryen Against Robert Baratheon
Despite rebelling against the Targaryen on the Iron Throne during the Dance of the Dragons, the Velaryons were not outright traitors. Instead, they remained loyal to Aegon III and his descendants, staying faithful servants to the Iron Throne. This extended to Robert's Rebellion, the war that took place before Game of Thrones.
While many houses joined Robert Baratheon, Ned Stark, and Jon Arryn in their war, House Velaryon remained loyal to Aerys II Targaryen and the Iron Throne. This was likely due to their extensive blood ties to the family, as well as being sworn to Prince Rhaegar's seat of Dragonstone.
2 They Never Owned Dragons
The major power of Valyria, aside from its huge size and immense wealth, was its dragons and Dragonlords. Many noble houses in Valyria were Dragonlords, able to ride the majestic creatures in combat. Not every notable Valyrian house rode dragons, however, as the creatures were always relatively rare. House Velaryon is one example of this.
Despite being an old Valyrian house, and one that held true to their bloodline, they were never among the top powers of Valyria. Even lower than the Targaryens, who were only a minor Dragonlord house, the Velaryons had no dragons of their own at any point in their history.
1 They Proved Decisive To The Downfall Of One Claimant In The Dance
The Velaryons were Queen Rhaenyra I Targaryen's fiercest and most powerful supporters for most of the war. Bonded by several marriages, they sought to use the war to defeat their Hightower rivals, lending immense military strength and their powerful fleet to Rhaenyra's cause.
However, they did not see the war through. As Rhaenyra grew more unpredictable, she demanded the arrest of all Dragonseed bastards following two defecting to Aegon's side, including ones with Velaryon blood. Corlys Velaryon was arrested for intervening, and the men and ships of House Velaryon slowly abandoned Rhaenyra. This ate at her power base and set her on the path to failure.