House Martell

House Martell of Sunspear is a Great House of Westeros, ruling over the arid peninsular region of Dorne from their seat of Sunspear.

Originally a House of petty kings, they rose to become a Great House after Rhoynar refugees lead by Queen Nymeria arrived in Dorne. Mors Martell married Nymeria, united their Houses, and together conquered and unified Dorne.

House Martell resisted conquest by House Targaryen, the only Great House to do so. They maintained Dornish independence for nearly two centuries following Aegon's Conquest, before being peacefully brought into the Seven Kingdoms by King Daeron II Targaryen, through Prince Maron Martell's marriage to Princess Daenerys Targaryen in 187 AC.

House Martell nominally sided with House Targaryen during Robert's Rebellion, and mostly withdrew from political events following the conflict. Under Prince Doran Martell, Dorne remained neutral throughout most of the War of the Five Kings, drawing the ire of the radical Sand Snakes who remained fiercely opposed to House Lannister. In 303 AC, House Martell was overthrown and the Sand Snakes became the effective rulers of Dorne, aligning themselves with Daenerys Targaryen. Following the capture of Ellaria Sand in 304 AC, Prince Manfrey Martell re-established House Martell's authority, and ultimately bent the knee the House Baratheon following the conclusion of the Great War.

House Martell's sigil is a red sun pierced by a gold spear, on an orange field, and their House words are "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken".