The Curse Of Harrenhal Explained & How It Affects Game Of Thrones

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Fire & Blood.

Harrenhal was Westeros’ largest castle during Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, yet it was believed to be cursed. A castle as old as the Iron Throne, the construction of Harrenhal began roughly 40 years before Aegon Targaryen arrived in Westeros and became the sole monarch of the Seven Kingdoms. From the burning of the castle at the beginning of Aegon’s Conquest to strange deaths attributed to the ghost of Harren the Black during the War of the Five Kings, the “curse of Harrenhal” defined the castle for multiple generations.

By the events of Game of Thrones, inheriting Harrenhal had already become something to be worried about, even though the castle itself was massive and held a lot of power. Superstitions aside, Harrenhal was always a key location in times of war, especially due to how many men it could receive at any given time. For example, during the Dance of the Dragons, Daemon Targaryen spent a significant part of the war in Harrenhal. In the War of the Five Kings, Harrenhal was an important base for the Lannisters before Roose Bolton took over the castle.

What Happened To Harrenhal During Aegon’s Conquest

Harrenhal took 40 years to build and one night to fall.

King Harren Hoare, son of Halleck Hoare, dreamed of building a castle that would represent their power and influence over the Riverlands. Harren Hoare, also known as Harren the Black, would spend most of his life building the castle that would become known as Harrenhal. The construction took 40 years, and by the end of it, Harrenhal was the largest castle in all of the Seven Kingdoms. Ironically, it is said that the day Harren the Black took up residence on Harrenhal, Aegon Targaryen and his sisters arrived in Westeros.

Aware that the Targaryen and their dragons were going after the Seven Kingdoms, Harren assembled his men and refused to bend the knee. Even after several of Harren’s allies, including House Tully, switched sides and joined the Targaryens, Harren would not submit. Aegon Targaryen would have said to Harren that, should he not bend the knee, that would be the end of his entire house. Believing the Harrenhal was strong enough to resist not only a siege but flames, Harren the Black ignored Aegon’s warning and waited for the Targaryens to attack.

While Harrenhal was indeed more than capable of dealing with a siege, its thick walls were of no use against the flames of Aegon Targaryen’s dragon. Within just a few minutes, Balerion had melted Harrenhal. Walls and towers cracked, most people inside of it burned to death, and Aegon collected countless new melted swords for his Iron Throne. As Aegon the Conqueror hard warned Harren, House Hoare came to an end that day. Lord Quenton Qoherys was given the castle, which was now a reminder of what would happen to those who didn’t bend their knee.

Is The Curse Of Harrenhal Real? What We Know About Its History

Things usually don’t end well for those who inhabit Harrenhal.

Harrenhal’s curse is a combination of superstition and facts. Several houses have gone extinct that inhabited the large structure, but mainly due to the constant warring in the Seven Kingdoms. After Aegon’s Conquest, Harrenhal was given to House Qoherys, whose line ended after Gargon the Guest was taken from the castle and castrated. The extinction of House Qoherys saw Harrenhal transferred to House Harroway, who were systematically killed by King Maegor of House Targaryen. The end of the Harroway family began the talk of the curse.

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Harrenhal was then transferred to House Towers, which, despite not facing any great tragedies, was extinct when Maegon Towers died without heirs. The castle would then be inhabited by Rhaena Targaryen, the widowed sister of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen. The Black Bride Rhaena Targaryen spent her last years in the castle, and no misfortune fell upon her. Interestingly, Rhaena’s remains were buried in Harrenhal. Lord Lyonel and his son Harwin were killed in a fire in Harrenhal, the beginning of the end for House Strong. House Lothston also came to an end, with House Whent inheriting the castle.

How The Curse Of Harrenhal Impacts Game Of Thrones

Harrenhal first comes into play in Game of Thrones season 2.

In HBO’s Game of Thrones, Harrenhal’s reputation is fully established, and many characters note the curse throughout the series. As in the past, it passes through many hands and sees a disturbing number of deaths. Briefly held by Janos Slynt, Harrenhal becomes the base of operations for Tywin Lannister. Many are held prisoner in the stronghold, most notably Arya Stark. After Tywin abandons the fortress, it falls into the hands of the Northern army and is overseen by Roose Bolton. Bolton and his underlying Locke keep Jaime Lannister and Brienne of Tarth prisoner for a while until the two can escape.

When Arya accepted Jaqen H’ghar’s offer and hired the mysterious assassin who would later be revealed as one of the Faceless Men of Essos, the deaths of Chiswyck and Weese were attributed to “the ghost of Harren the Black.” Taking advantage of the superstition surrounding the castle, Arya essentially becomes the ghost of Harrenhal herself during that period. After the Battle of Blackwater, depicted in Game of Thrones season 2, King Joffrey Baratheon gives Harrenhal to Petyr Baelish. Although the castle now belonged to House Baelish, Littlefinger never actually inhabits Harrenhal.

How The Curse Of Harrenhal Impacts House Of The Dragon

Harrenhal is a key location during the Dance of the Dragons.

Harrenhal belonged to House Strong during most of the events of House of the Dragon, which covers the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons as depicted in George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. While the deaths of Lyonel and Harwin Strong are commonly attributed to the curse of Harrenhal, Fire & Blood strongly implies that this was a murder orchestrated by those who were aware of Rhaenyra’s relationship with Harwin. House of the Dragon season 1 makes it clear that Ser Laryn Strong orchestrated the death of his father and brother.

Ser Simon Strong was castellan of Harrenhal when Daemon Targaryen arrived there, hoping to bring as many swords as possible from Riverland into Rhaenyra’s cause. Simon Strong surrendered to Daemon, noting that he would never support Laryn Strong. Harrenhal became a symbol of Daemon’s strength and arguably the black’s most important castle during the height of the Dance. Prince Aemond and Ser Criston Cole would march to Harrenhal against Daemon, only to realize he was no longer there. Daemon and Aemond would eventually fight above the God’s Eye, one of the most important battles in the Game of Thrones universe.

House of the Dragon

Taking place about 172 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon tells the tale of the rise of the Targaryens, the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria. The popular HBO spinoff show first starred Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower before they were replaced by Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, who play the older versions of the characters. Also starring in the series is Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen) and Paddy Considine as Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys Targaryen.

Cast

Jefferson Hall , Paddy Considine , Fabien Frankel , Ryan Corr , Eve Best , Gavin Spokes , Graham McTavish , Steve Toussaint , Olivia Cooke , Sonoya Mizuno , Bill Paterson , Matthew Needham , Emma D’Arcy , Matt Smith , Rhys Ifans , David Horovitch

Release Date

August 21, 2022

Seasons

2

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