Both House of the Dragon and its original series Game of Thrones are no strangers to curses and magic. The HBO fantasy drama series is the prequel to Game of Thrones, a fantasy universe where supernatural forces are at work. When talking about curses you can’t leave out the haunted castle of Harrenhal which has been a major landmark of strategic importance in both the shows.
With its fair share of tragedy, loss, and wreckage, the castle has existed before the time and era of both the shows. After appearing in several episodes and seasons of Game of Thrones, it has now appeared in the third episode of the recently released second season of House of the Dragon. Let’s find out the origin of Harrenhal, the tragedies it continues to witness, and what makes it cursed.
The origin of the castle of Harrenhal and how it gets cursed
The largest castle in Westeros, Harrenhald stands in the now war-torn Riverlands. Before Aegon’s Conquest, Westeros was split up and ruled by monarchs for ages. Harren Hoare was one such king who governed the Iron Islands as well as the Riverlands. Black Harren was the nickname given to the despot Harren because of his ruthlessness. He wanted a large stronghold to truly show off his might. The majority of his 40-year rule was devoted to building the biggest castle in the realm, Harrenhal. To build the enormous edifice, Harren pushed thousands of people to their deaths by draining the wealth of the Iron Islands and the Riverlands.
However, he couldn’t reign there for long. Though he claimed it to be indestructible, it was not made with dragons in mind. Aegon the Conqueror and his dragons invaded Westeros and landed in King’s Landing on the same day as Harren moved in. Aegon let loose his powerful dragons on Harrenhal, which ultimately resulted in the terrible deaths of Harren and every one of his children. Laying in ruins, its magnificence was reduced to molten stone and ashes.
Thereafter, whoever came to reign over the castle met tragic deaths early on in their lives along with their entire families not living over three generations. Aegon I Targaryen passed on the castle to Quenton Qoherys followed by House Harroway killed by King Maegor I Targaryen and then it was taken over by Rhaena Targaryen. Following her death, Harrenhal was granted to Bywin Strong and then to Larys. The massive castle was now witness to numerous bloodsheds and tragic deaths within its walls.
Harrenhal’s appearance in Game of Thrones
By this time, Daemon Targaryen rules Harrenhal. Daemon fought wars in the castle for a significant portion of the Dance of the Dragons. Before Roose Bolton acquired control of the castle during the War of the Five Kings, Harrenhal served as a crucial base for the Lannisters.
Despite its mention in the first season, Harrenhal was only depicted on the television in the second season. In Season 1, King Joffrey rewards Janos Slynt, the commander of the City Watch, with the castle in exchange for his betrayal of Eddard Stark. He never gets the chance to claim it because of his position in King’s Landing before Tyrion Lannister stands him to the Wall in Season 2. Tywin Lannister declares his intention to take over the castle with his army and use it as his forces’ headquarters in the Riverlands after the Lannisters lose in the Battle of Whispering Wood.
However, Harrenhal first appears on screen with the Lannisters’ capture of Arya Stark and Gendry Baratheon. Simultaneously, Tyrion offers Littlefinger lordship over the Riverlands and the castle in return for his assistance in setting Jaime Lannister free. Littlefinger receives Harrenhal as a reward from Joffrey for his help in ensuring the alliance between the Lannisters and the Tyrells. Though it doesn’t really help, since Littlefinger is well aware of the castle’s curse, he never enters it.
In Season 3, despite the Northern army’s invasion, Harrenhal remains under Robb Stark’s rule who leaves it to Roose Bolton and is later recovered by the Lannisters. But, after remaining unmentioned till Season 7, the castle witnesses the death of another of its leaders when Littlefinger, the last surviving member of his family, is put to death for his crimes in the season.
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Harrenhal’s appearance in House of the Dragon
Ever since the first episode, Harrenhal has served as the location of the Great Council, which is called by King Jaehaerys I Targaryen to decide on his heir. The castle served as Viserys I Targaryen’s coronation. At that point, Jaehaerys I Targaryen had given Harrenhal to the House Strong, namely Ser Bywin Strong, who subsequently bequeathed the castle to Lyonel Strong.
Soon, Strong and his successor Harwin Strong died in fire and the one behind him is shown as Larys in the show. And he became the next ruler of Harrenhal. Larys, who is akin to Littlefinger more than a century later, never enters the castle. As a result, Simon Strong, who is tired of Larys and ready to reject him for orchestrating his brother’s death, takes over as the new castellan.
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