The Great Houses of Game of Thrones
By rowankaiser
House Tyrell
House Words: “Growing Strong”
House Sigil: A golden rose
Location: Highgarden, in The Reach, the southwestern part of the Seven Kingdoms
Status at the start of Season 5: House Tyrell has allied with House Lannister to win the war in the South, and the two Great Houses share power in King’s Landing. Margaery Tyrell is assumed to be marrying King Tommen Lannister-Baratheon.
Role in the War of the Five Kings: Marriage to Margaery Tyrell and an alliance with the powerful lords of The Reach is one of the most important strategic moves in Westerosi politics. Renly Baratheon, encouraged by his lover, Loras Tyrell, is first to wed Margaery. The combined Baratheon-Tyrell forces march on King’s Landing until Renly is assassinated by Melisandre, before the marriage can be consummated.
Margaery is convinced by Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish that if she wants to fulfill her ambition to become queen, she should marry King Joffrey. The new alliance defeats King Stannis at the Battle of Blackwater, saving King’s Landing. During the preparation for the wedding Margaery and her grandmother, Lady Olenna Redwyne, discover Joffrey’s sadism from his fiancée, Sansa Stark.. With Littlefinger’s help, Olenna murders Joffrey, leaving Margaery free to marry King Tommen.
Role in Robert’s Rebellion: House Tyrell and the Reach stay loyal to Aerys Targaryen. Under the command of the famous general Randyll Tarly, they attack Robert’s forces, dealing him the only defeat of the war, but Robert successfully escapes. Following that, the Tyrell army besieges Robert’s keep at Storm’s End, but Stannis Baratheon keeps them at bay until Robert wins the war, and the Tyrells surrender.
History: House Tyrell were the stewards of Highgarden for House Gardener, who led the kingdom of The Reach against the Targaryen conquest. The Gardeners were wiped out at The Field of Fire, and Harlan Tyrell surrendered the keep to Aegon the Conqueror, for which he was named Lord Paramount and Warden of the South.
Profile: The Reach is one of the richest and most populous regions of the Seven Kingdoms, making House Tyrell one of the most conventionally powerful in Westeros.
House Lord: Mace Tyrell
Heir: Loras Tyrell (In the novels, another brother named Willas Tyrell is heir, but he seems to have been removed for the show)
Family Members: Olenna Redwyne, Mace Tyrell, Margaery Tyrell, Loras Tyrell
Retainers: None depicted
Notable Vassals: House Rowan, House Florent, House Hightower, House Tarly, House Redwyne, House Merryweather
