Lord Corlys Velaryon has been introduced in House of the Dragon and a strong, hot-headed yet self-made man who is the Head of House Velaryon and husband of Princess Rhaenys, The Queen Who Never Was. He has spent years on the sea and gone on numerous voyaged to strengthen his Kingdom of Driftmark. So let us explore the backstory of this interesting character, his voyages and his future role during the Dance of the Dragons.

Who is Lord Corlys in House of the Dragon

Corlys Velaryon is known by many names. Husband of Princess Rhaenys, Master of Driftmark, the Sea Snake, head of House Velaryon and Lord of the Tides are a few titles that he has acquired over the years. During the King’s small council meetings, Lord Corlys makes his presence known as he voices his concerns over the situation in the Stepstones. Craghas Drahar aka the Crabfeeder was increasingly becoming a hurdle to Lord Corlys and causing losses to the Kingdom of Driftmark.

However, the King’s inaction led him to strike an alliance with the rogue Prince Daemon Targaryen. He is also disobeying the Kings as Viserys refused to marry his daughter Lady Laena and instead chose to marry Lady Alicent Hightower. He has already openly showed his disapproval over Princess Rhaenys not being Queen due to the patriarchal ways of society. Lord Corly is a passionate man who craves to see Velaryon blood on the Iron Throne.

Early Life

Lord Corlys started his journey on sea when he was just a young boy of six years. He crossed the Narrow seas with his Uncle and started his life of voyages. He took to the sea as if he was a born sailor and a natural at it. Eventually at the mere age of sixteen he became captain. As a captain he made his first journey from Driftmark to Dragonstone which was the ancestral seat of the Targaryens. He sailed to the free cities of Lys, Tyrosh and Myr, journeyed to Oldtown, Volantis, Lorath and Lannisport. In this way he spent most of his young life at sea and became a successful and famous mariner.

The Nine Voyages aboard the Sea Snake

If you’ve ever wondered why Corlys Velaryon is also known as the Sea Snake then here it is. Sea Snake is actually the name of the ship that he designed, created and constructed. He sailed the ship and embarked on 9 great voyages to Essos. During these voyages he doubled the wealth of his house by bringing a variety of treasures ranging from silks and spices to gold and jade. The voyages were not without sorrow and sacrifice as he lost his love and a lot of his crew on the second voyage. During the third voyage, he navigated the Thousand Islands in the Shivering Sea and became the first Westerosi to do so.

After becoming richer than the Lannisters or Hightowers could never even dream of, he established a new seat known as High Tide and stored his precious treasures there. Driftmark ended up with the largest navy and the most bustling and fruitful trading in all lands mainly due to the legacy and adventures of Lord Corlys Velaryon.

Future in House of the Dragon

As seen in the teaser for episode 3, Lord Corlys will be engaging in battle for the Stepstones along with Prince Daemon’s assistance. They will be facing off against the menacing and mysterious Cragas Drahar. We will also be introduced to Lord Corlys’ brother in this episode.

During the Dance of the Dragons, Lord Corlys will become a fierce and loyal ally of Princess Rhaenyra. He takes his place on her council. Corlys Velaryon becomes her biggest supporter by devoting his armies and fleets to her cause. He joined her at Dragonstone and eventually even commanded the forces at war. Lord Corlys plays an extremely important role in it all. He also gets the send off that a man of his stature deserves. After his death, he is buried under the ocean aboard the Sea Snake. He was honored by placing his body under the Iron Throne.

Though the show isn’t exactly following the books, Lord Corlys’ future is bound to be an exciting one. So, stay tuned!