The Lannisters almost lose the Battle of the Blackwater inGame of Thronesseason 2, but Tywin Lannister begins a new chapter in the history of the Seven Kingdoms when he stands in the throne room with the Tyrells by his side. As one of the wealthiest Houses in Westeros, the Tyrells of Highgarden rule the fertile Reach that lies south of the Westerlands. So, in essence, they are neighbors to the Lannisters of Casterly Rock, and now second to them at the capital city of King’s Landing.
After the outbreak ofthe War of the Five KingsinGame of Thrones, House Tyrell, at first declares for the youngest scion of House Baratheon and Lord of Storm’s End, Renly. But when the middle Baratheon brother, Stannis has Renly assassinated by a shadow demon, the Tyrells decide to side with the Lannisters for two reasons. The Tyrell matriarch Olenna’s granddaughter, Margaery is Renly’s widow and nurses a burning ambition to become the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. Secondly, Margaery’s brother, and heir to Highgarden, Ser Lor Tyrell was Renly Baratheon’s lover. Margaery wants to strengthen her family, Loras wants to avenge Renly, and the Lannisters are looking for forces to fight their wars and allies to consolidate their rule.
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The History Of House Tyrell
The history of the Tyrells says that they rose from the order of the stewards and were catapulted into prominence during Aegon’s Conquest (reported to be an upcomingGame of Thronesprequel). Before them, the Kingdom of the Reach was ruled by King Mern IX Gardener who refused to yield to Aegon Targaryen and fought until the end. Mern and his entire line were burned alive inField of Fire, and one of his nephews succumbed to his wounds three days later. In the aftermath of the battle, Aegon marched to Highgarden where the castle’s High Steward, Harlen Tyrell bent the knee to him. As a reward, Aegon granted Harlen the seat of Highgarden and made him Warden of the South and Lord Paramount of the Mander. House Gardener was decimated in Field of Fire and in its place, House Tyrell was raised.
The Tyrells ruled the Reach as Targaryen vassals since the Conquest. They were quite wealthy at the outbreak of the War of the Five Kings. As a reward for supporting the crown against Stannis' attack, the Tyrells asked for a matrimonial alliance with the Lannisters, in that, King Joffrey be married to Margaery.Joffrey accepted but was poisoned at his wedding feastby Olenna Tyrell and Petyr Baelish. When Margaery discovered, Olenna maintained that under no circumstances would she have allowed her granddaughter to marry a man of bad reputation. She advised Margaery to entice Cersei’s youngest son, Tommen, and as seen inGame of Thrones, things went according to plan. Margaery and Tommen were married in the Sept, amid claps and thunders and the one who stood to lose from this marriage was Queen Mother Cersei Lannister.
The Tyrells helped the Lannisters defeat Stannis inthe Battle of the Blackwaterand thereafter provided aid in the form of troops, gold, and wheat to the crown. Uncomfortable with the fact that the Tyrells were quickly overtaking the influential circles in the capital and Margaery exerted control over her weak-willed son, King Tommen, Cersei empowered the High Sparrow inGame of Thronesseason 5 and set the religious fanatics on Loras and her. Cersei did so to drag the Tyrell name through the mud and to put them in their place.
The Alliance That Stole Olenna’s Future
While Margaery served her time and nudged Tommen to unify the crown and the Faith, Cersei was put on trial for “fornication, treason, incest, and the murder of King Robert.” In response, on the day of the trial, Cersei had the religious fanatics, Olenna’s son, Mace, and grandchildren, Margaery and Loras blown up inthe Sept of BaelorinGame of Thronesseason 6. The only remaining Tyrell, Olenna was given death by poison by Jaime Lannister after the Sack of Highgarden for allying with the usurper, Daenerys Targaryen. Before dying, however, Olenna admitted to poisoning Joffrey:
I’d hate to die like your son. Clawing at my neck, foam, and bile spilling from my mouth, eyes blood-red, skin purple. Must have been horrible for you, as a Kingsguard, as a father. It was horrible enough for me, a shocking scene. Not at all what I intended. Tell Cersei I want her to know it was me.
The Last War erased House Tyrell from Westeros, but the cunning Lannisters didn’t stop there. Jaime had the Tarlys empty the Tyrell granaries. He looted the harvest from the Reach and took the Tyrell gold. The Lannisters-Tarlys oversaw this transportation and the gold made it through the gates of King’s Landing. The grain wagons, however, were burned by Daenerys in the loot train attack that took place shortly after inGame of Thrones. Interestingly, this ambush took place at the crossing of the upper waters of the Blackwater, and semi-canon sources state that Aegon’s Field of Fire lies in the northern Reach near the Goldroad. In other words, House Tyrell was raised in the aftermath of Field of Fire and destroyed inthe Sack of HighgardeninGame of Thrones. As for Olenna, she bowed out with a bang, referencing the Rains of Castamere and admitting to killing Joffrey.
