Since Harren’s death, several families have, at one point or time, held the castle. Why does Harrenhal have the reputation it does? As promised, Harren the Black’s line was completely wiped out.įrom there, essentially every family in the Riverlands who hadn’t already pledged themselves to Aegon did just that. In response, Aegon pledged to end Harren’s line that very night, which he did when he flew into Harrenhal and used his dragon to burn the castle (at least the non-stone parts of it) and everyone in it. Harren elected to stay in his castle and wait it out, telling Aegon that “those walls are strong and thick” and that “stone does not burn” when reminded of Aegon’s dragon Balerion. Many of the families in the Riverlands, who had been invaded by Harren’s forebears, had little love for Harren and abandoned him for Aegon.Īccording to Fire & Blood, Aegon offered Harren mercy: If he bent the knee and pledged himself to Aegon’s cause, Harren would be allowed to rule over the Iron Islands and his sons after him. Harrenhal was supposedly impregnable, and it was to the castle that Harren the Black fled after losing a battle against Aegon the Conquerer and his forces. It took nearly 40 years to complete, depleted the financial resources of Harren’s citizens, and resulted in the death of thousands of men who worked on it. It’s Harrenhal, which Harren the Black (of House Hoare), a king who ruled over the Riverlands and the Iron Islands, had ordered to be built. The largest castle in the Seven Kingdoms isn’t the Red Keep, Winterfell, or Dragonstone. (If nobody recalls what Harwin looks like, they can’t say the Velaryon boys look like him, can they?) Harrenhal’s namesake’s very dramatic end Even Viserys (Paddy Considine) is suspected at one point he’d have more motivation than anyone to take out Harwin to shut down the rumors about the father of his grandsons. Larys is named as a suspect because his father and brother’s deaths mean that he now gets Harrenhal. Another is Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), who apparently wanted to take out someone vying for Rhaenyra’s attention.

One is Corlys Velaryon (as a way to enact revenge on Harwin for making a mockery of Laenor (John Macmillan) through Rhaenyra’s (Emma D’Arcy) sons. Westerosi history proves Larys right, and many suspects are put forward in Fire & Blood. It is said to be a cursed place, that it passes judgment on all who pass beneath its gates.”

“It was built in hubris by Harren the Black, someone who was into his own greatness. “You’ve heard the stories of Harrenhal, Your Grace,” Larys explained. Naturally, he expects an eventual reward for this gift. And Larys uses it to his advantage to cover up the kinslaying he-by extension of his minions-just committed and gives a horrified Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) the ability to bring her father Otto (Rhys Ifans) back to King’s Landing. That allows the question of how Harrenhal caught fire to remain a mystery, one which remained unsolved when chronicled in Fire & Blood. The men, who all had their tongues cut out in exchange for being saved from the gallows, cannot speak about their crimes. It’s Westeros’ version of the perfect crime.

Two kings to wake the dragon