After two years of waiting, House of the Dragon has returned with its third season, and it immediately unleashes the most devastating naval clash in Westerosi history: the Battle of the Gullet. Into this burning waterway sails a massive pirate fleet that shocks the world as the Triarchy, an alliance of rogue powers that has haunted Daemon Targaryen and Corlys Velaryon for decades.

Now, in the heart of the Dance of the Dragons, they ambush the Sea Snake’s blockade and turn the Gullet into a graveyard of ships and shattered ambitions.

But what exactly is the Triarchy, and who are these pirate captains striking at the very lifeblood of King’s Landing's trade?

The Triarchy is an alliance formed by three of the nine Free Cities of Essos: Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh. These cities are often referred to as the “Kingdom of the Three Daughters” due to their shared roots as colonial outposts of the fallen Valyrian Freehold. In Westeros, they are collectively known as the daughters of Old Valyria, bound by history as much as by ambition.

The alliance came together around 96 AC, roughly seven years before the events of House of the Dragon begin. Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh joined forces to defeat Volantis in the Disputed Lands, a conflict that reshaped regional power dynamics. Their victory allowed them to consolidate influence and extend control over key trade routes in the Narrow Sea.

In Season 1, Daemon Targaryen and Corlys Velaryon spent years fighting these forces, culminating in the death of the Crabfeeder, a moment that cemented a long-standing rivalry. That old conflict resurfaces in Season 3 through Sharako Lohar, who leads the Triarchy fleet aboard her ship, Prowess. Her personal pursuit of Corlys transforms a strategic strike into something far more intimate and dangerous. The past, it seems, has finally caught up with the present.

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And they have a pretty big role to play in the Battle of Gullet.

The Battle of the Gullet marks the Triarchy’s most decisive intervention in the Dance of the Dragons. What begins as a calculated naval ambush quickly escalates into a brutal clash driven by years of unresolved conflict. The Triarchy fleet launches a pincer attack on Corlys Velaryon’s blockade, which had been starving King’s Landing by cutting off vital supplies.

Sharako Lohar commands the Triarchy forces, with Tyland Lannister aligning with them as part of the Greens’ broader strategy. On the opposing side, Corlys and his son Alyn of Hull lead Rhaenyra’s fleet in a desperate attempt to maintain their hold. The result is a catastrophic engagement, with ships burning across the horizon and the balance of power shifting in real time.

The battle’s consequences are far-reaching. The death of Jacaerys Velaryon deals a severe blow to the Blacks, while the destruction at sea underscores the sheer scale of the conflict. In Fire & Blood, the aftermath fractures the Triarchy itself, as internal distrust between Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh leads to the collapse of their alliance and the outbreak of the Daughters’ War.

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What do you think about the Triarchy’s role in House of the Dragon and its impact on the Battle of the Gullet? Let us know in the comments.