House Tyrell of Highgarden is one of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms, being Lords Paramount of the Mander and the liege lords of the Reach. A large, wealthy house, its wealth is only surpassed among the Great Houses by House Lannister, and the Tyrells can field the greatest armies. Additionally, if they call the ships of the Redwyne fleet, the lords of the Shield Islands, and the coastal lords, they can command a navy that equals if not surpasses any known Navy afloat today.
Highgarden is an ancient seat of rule and the heart of chivalry in the Seven Kingdoms; the Tyrells style themselves 'Defenders of the Marches' and 'High Marshals of the Reach', and have recently been named Wardens of the South in addition to Lords Paramount of the Mander by King Aegon I. Their sigil is a golden rose on a green field, and their words are "Growing Strong".
Culture
Traits
As a mix of First men and Andal blood members of the family tend to have curly brown hair and light brown eyes.
Customs
Like many who descend from or live among the Andal people, House Tyrell is steeped in the Faith and traditions of Knighthood and Chivalry, and though in recent years the ambitions of the Reachlords has in the eyes of some corrupted these great traditions, there is still a certain charm and elegance that house Tyrell and the Lords of the reach clad themselves in because of these traditions if not a genuine sense of care and responsibility for the people around them.
Tyrell
A golden rose on green
GROWING STRONG
Seat
Highgarden
Region
The Reach
Head
Lord Garland
Titles
High Steward of Highgarden (pre-conquest)
Lord of Highgarden
Lord Paramount of the Mander
Defender of the MArches
High Marshal of the Reach
Warden of the South
Heir(s)
Ser Donnal Tyrell
Overlord(s)
Targaryen of King's Landing
Vassal(s)
The lords of the Reach
Family Tree
History
Kingdom of the Reach
Unlike most other Great Houses, the Tyrells never ruled as kings. Instead, they trace their line of descent through the female line to the legendary Garth the Gardener, the mythical first King of the Reach reigning in the Age of Heroes, and the son of the equally mythic Garth Greenhand. Members of House Gardener, the ruling house of the Kingdom of the Reach, periodically intermarried with lower ranking houses of the Reach such as House Tyrell.
The Tyrells served as stewards to House Gardener. Ser Alester Tyrell, the founder of the house, was an Andal knight and adventurer who showed such prowess at arms that he was named the champion and sworn shield of King Gwayne V Gardener, the last of the Three Sage Kings. Ser Alester's eldest son also became a notable knight, but died in a tourney. Alester's second son, Gareth, was of a more bookish bent and never achieved knighthood, choosing instead to serve as a royal steward. He and his son Leo performed their duties so well, the Gardeners made the office of High Steward hereditary. It is from Gareth that today’s Tyrells descend.
During the minority of King Garland VI Gardener, a member of House Tyrell ruled the Reach in his name as Regent.
When Lords Manderly and Peake instigated a civil war to see their respective wives, both daughters to the senile old King Garth X Gardener, succeed as Queen of the Reach, Ser Osmund Tyrell, the High Steward of Highgarden, led an alliance of twoscore houses to put down the rebels and reclaimed the ruins of Highgarden which had been sacked by a Dornish king and his raiders. Ser Osmund placed a second cousin of the late Garth X, who has been killed by the raiders, upon the new throne as King Mern VI Gardener.
Relying on the able counsel of Ser Osmund, and later Osmund's son Ser Robert Tyrell, and finally Robert's son Lorent Tyrell, King Mern ruled well, rebuilding Highgarden and doing much and more to restore the power of the Reach and House Gardener. Mern VI was so pleased with them that he gave Ser Robert the hand of his youngest daughter in marriage, thereby allowing the following generations of Tyrells to claim decent from Garth Greenhand. That was the first marriage between the two houses, and nine more unions followed in the passing centuries.
Aegon's Conquest
Following the defeat and death of King Mern IX Gardener and his other kin at the Field of Fire during Aegon's Conquest, Orlan Tyrell, hereditary high steward of the Reach, surrendered Highgarden to Aegon the Conqueror. As a reward, Orlan was granted the castle along with dominion of the Reach as Lord Paramount of the Mander.
First Dornish War
As Stewards to the Gardeners and now Wardens of the South the Tyrells frequently warred with the Dornishmen, who remained independent during Aegon's conquest. When the time came for Aegon to turn his sights to the South Orlan was among the first to offer his men to the cause and the Reach provided easily the largest force of men of any Kingdom. Orlan proved a fairly skilled field commander and despite some losses to the harsh environment of Dorne itself the Reach remained relatively intact. Once the 'conquest' of Dorne was over however and Orlan was appointed the Govenor of Dorne, to remain and manage the rebellious elements of the region. Orlan disappeared in the Dornish sands at the end of the war, the only trace of him and the men that had remained in Dorne with him being their horses in the night markets of Sunspear some time later.
Recent Events
Seat and Holdings
Highgarden is a castle which serves as the seat of House Tyrell, the regional capital of the Reach, and the heart of chivalry in the Seven Kingdoms. It lies on the Mander where the ocean road meets the roseroad, making it an important crossroads.
Highgarden is located on a broad verdant hill overlooking the Mander. The castle is surrounded by three rings of white stone whose crenellated curtain walls increase in height. Between the outer and middle walls is a famous briar labyrinth which serves to entertain as well as slow invaders. The oldest towers, squat and square, date from the Age of Heroes. Newer towers are tall and slender, round fortifications dating from after the coming of the Andals.
The castle sept, which has rows of stained-glass windows honoring Garth Greenhand and the Seven, is matched only by the Great Sept of King's Landing and the Starry Sept. The castle's godswood contains three weirwoods known as the Three Singers. The palatial keep is decorated with statues and colonnades. Also within Highgarden's walls are groves, fountains, and courtyards. The castle's structures are covered in ivy, grapes, and climbing roses.
Highgarden is filled with flowers, singers, pipers, fiddlers and harpers. The stables have a fine selection of horseflesh, and there are pleasure boats to sail along the Mander. There are fields of golden roses that stretch as far as the eye can see. Fruits grown nearby include melons, peaches, and fireplums.
Notes
