Is Harrenhal Cursed? (ASOIAF History) 

Wherever Hoares go

“I wont let you turn Casterly Rock into your whorehouse!” “Silly father, the Hoares are dead!”

Of all the Lords of Harrenhal, Lord Janos Slynt had the most friends at court. Powerful friends.

"Pattahyer Baelish" lmao was so confused for a second

Im kinda surprised when you brought up the people that died in Harrenhal you didn't bring up the hundreds of riverfolk that died in its construction

That Claudius parallel is on point. Martin has mentioned in interviews that he is a fan of Robert Graves’ “I, Claudius”

Suppose the Isle of Faces does not want a major castle that close because it could eventually be a threat. Suppose the Isle of Faces has some kind of magical power.

The fact that you opened with Ozymandius is just insane, my favourite poem

Tysha Whent wherever Hoares go.

Ackchyually House Lothston losing Harrenhal during the reign of Maekar has something to do with Mad Danelle (another Witch Queen of Harrenhal figure like Alys Rivers). Eustace Osgrey states that Manfred Lothston proved treacherous in the first BF Rebellion and Danelle rides in with Bloodraven and his host of River Lords during the 2nd. If anything, House Lothston were part of Bloodraven's thousand eyes and one. Unless they sided with BF during the 3rd Rebellion, which doesn't seem likely given during their actions in the first 2, House Lothston must have done something else to fall out of favor with the Targs. My guess is something to do with Blood Magic.

The Hooooare is pregnant!

The true curse of Harrenhal: it leaves you house poor

The reason Bonifer Hasty supported Renly and then Stannis is because he is from the storm lands and they were his liege lords, and I assume he then cut ties easily because Stannis is a lord of light follower

Martin: * takes the time to describe the coolest fugging coat of arms ever featuring fire and skulls * Also Martin: * kills it off in two generations *

Great video, Quinn. One slight addition, if I may, though. The Temple of Claudius was destroyed at the start of the Boudiccan uprising against Roman rule, not as a result of the deification of the Emperor. It was the nearest symbol of occupation to the Iceni heartlands. London and St. Albans were also sacked. Great use of Ozymandias. I always think of Galadriel when I hear it. All shall love me and despair!

How did you get Bryan Cranston for the first bit damn

I live right near Colchester! There is a castle right next to the ruins that was built after they tore down the temple. I think it might've even been a castle that was there before the Romans tore that one down, can't remember. Eitherway, it's always sad visiting the castle, seeing how impressive the models and pictures of the temple looked...then seeing how dull the castle that replaced it looks in comparison. It's typical of history, but still, always feels a shame

That castle is cursed. There's something about it. If it were real, I wouldnt want to go anywhere near it. Someone put Aegon up to burning it down. I love the line, "when the sun sets your line ends..." GRRM being GRRM

I doubt Bonifer Hasty bedded Rhaella because that would be considered treason wouldn't it? And isn't he one of the people that says that 'Sins may be forgiven, crimes require punishment'.

If i were given lordship of Harrenhall the first thing I'd do would be build a nearby villa and live there instead. Then I'd have the outer walls pulled down and the grounds consecrated by the Seven and the towers converted into Westeros' largest Sept.

I prefer the Sopranos pronunciation of Hoare. Hoowah.

There's also a curse of infertility (maybe) in Harrenhal. All the Houses who owned it have died out either by violence or by lack of progeny. It may also extend to all those who live in that place. Pretty Pia, a peasant who has lived in Harrenhal her whole life, had been Hoared by half of at least two armies (Stark and Lannister). Aside from the obvious miracle that she escaped STDs as observed by Qyburn, Jaime has noted that she was most likely barren as she never gotten pregnant even after an occupation by two armies. Is this due to the circumstances of simply being born infertile, or a curse?

If it is cursed, the fact that it was probably built using Weirwood likely has something to do with it.

Bro we need books vs series characters comparisons and also your point of view for ending the books since George won't get to finish them, love this and great work buddy❤️

I think harrenhall will be where the final battle with the dead will be held, the isle of faces and the fact is a place that could support many big armies, could also be a way the curse of the place could be broken

I am now fully Bonifer Hasty pilled. he will lead a faith of the seven breakaway faction of the brotherhood without banners and deliver the riverlands for Danaerys

Starting this video with Ozymandias was quite a nice touch -- bravo!

Indint think Bonifer Hasty would be the father of Rhaegar, remeber that Rhaella was at most 14 years old when Rhaegar was born… she was basically a child bride forced to marry her brother to fufill a prophecy. Hasty might have been smitten by her, and Rhaella might have been friendly towards him but thats it.

Harrenhal is kind of like a Poland that doesn’t survive being stuck between large powers.

I always kinda thought the historical parallel for Harren and his Hall was Fulk Nerra III. He was also called Fulk "the black". He lived during 11th century in France. The count D'Anjou, he was one of the first lords to begin building castles in stone, and did so all throughout the Loire valley in France. At the time, the French monarchy was kind of weak as an entity, and no strong king would have allowed Fulk to build so many castles like this. But he supposedly worked thousands to death in the building of these castles, greatly expanding his power in the process.

I hope Harrenhal is were the tide of The Others is finally halted in some massive battle, I love the idea that Harren built it for that purpose.

That Petyr pronounciation jumpscare All jokes aside, great video!

I'd just like to say I enjoyed this video purely because you mentioned my hometown at 5:10. I had also thought of it when thinking about Harrenhal, you should visit some time.

0:00 that poem gives me nightmares I had to study it for English literature as part of an anthology of ~14 other poems. Makes me shudder

This is going to bug me to no end, so I have to mention it. in 60 AD in britan, there were no English, and no England. The Anglo-Saxons, later English, only migrated to Britian starting in about 400 AD. Britain at that time would have been populated by Brythonic Celts and some amount of Gauls who migrated. Also, during 60 AD, was Bouddica's Rebelion, which I feed would have bared a mention.

I always pronounce Petyr as Peter.

Curses, like prophecies can be interpreted so any set of circumstances to "fulfill" them. Take Larys, for example. Just because he had an agenda, did it deliberately, and used the curse as a cover-up doesn't mean the curse couldn't also have set things in motion. For example, you could say the curse caused Larys to be born with a club foot which sowed the sees of resentment and jealousy towards his father and brother and leading to what he eventually did.

The fall of House Qoherys always got to me. A Valyrian noble house, granted Harrenhall by Aegon the Conqueror himself... and the guy's son (or grandson) definitely took advantage of the "Right to the First Night" and fathered who knows how many Bastards. Yet, when his was... well, "taken out", he didnt ask the Targaryens to legitimize one of his Bastards to continue their House's bloodline. Maybe some of his Dragonseeds ended up on Dragonstone, who knows. Could even have a descendant of his end up riding one of the Dragons gifted out by Rhaenyra.

“Jamie told me the truth of it. She was a Hoar you see.”

no mention that harrenhal is named after the castle in beowulf?????

What if BloodRaven is still doing his thing and messing with things in Harrenhal? Maybe he played with the "curse" thing and maneuvered to guide the realm to his liking. There IS a Godswood in Harrenhal and in the Isle of Faces of course, so it seems that the Old Gods are very present there.

Watched this 10 times, good video mate

Nice touch with the intro.

thank u for sharing such talent with us ser

One thing about all the houses that died out is that they where all relatively new and weak houses that got rewarded Harrenhall after the last big event where the previous upstart living there lost it along with whoever their patron on the throne was losing the throne. Even if not because of a major war or civil war. In early dinasty building it only needs a relatively short series of inconveniences for a dynasty to fall if it isnt huge ancient and well connected. The Dynastys that took control of Harrenhal are a great contrast to the great ancient houses that all have 7 billion cousins to take over their castle if the main line suddenly dies out. If your house began only a hundred years it only takes a single battle/fire for them to be entirely iradicated. And if your power and prosperity comes primarily from whatever Ruler put you in charge of Harrenhall be ready to loose it the moment that Rulers grip on power loosens.

as you mentioned the real life influences of Harrenhall, could you mention more of it? my guess about the Heart Trees is that they might be based on the Jubokko yōkai from Japanese mythology.

Nah, I think Harrenhal is clearly based on Chataue de Coucy a now ruined castle that had that highest donjon (keep) in the Middle Ages that was over 160 feet tall (GRRM just took the one giant tower and turned it into five) as well as being described as being "overbuilt" with stairs and such larger that people of the day would have found normal (just like Harrenhal). In addition it's a main feature of Barbara Tuchman's book "A Distant Mirror" which he's citied as a influence on the series and house Coucy, which for a time rivaled the kings of France in power, died out in the 1300 a bit like the Hoares.

Massively overlooked point here is that the main reason it is purported to be cursed is because it was built with the labour of tens of thousands of enslaved Riverlanders who were often worked to death. It is also where the drama that set off Roberts Rebellion began.

Chad Roy Dotrice pronunciation

Finally we know where do Hoares go.

I believe the last battle will be fought in Moat Cailin, there was quite a lot of build up in the first book but nothing has really happen there.

The Hoooooaaaarrrrreee is pregnant

Thanks Grandmother ❤

Good opening poem. 👍

Did I just hear "puhtire"?

Aegon was nothing without Belarion, the King of the Sky descends on his vassals of earth.

How could it not be cursed when it was built at the cost of the lives of the Riverlanders

Some legends say that the line of House Hoare produced 69 Kings

Calling something the biggest castle in Westeros is really saying something. A RU-vidr who specializes in medieval weapons and castles actually estimated the size of Winterfell from the text. It dwarfs any real world castle to a ridiculous degree.

Lovely intro

I wish you good fortune in the wars to come

You shouldn't be so hasty about Bonifer🤷🏼‍♂️🤓😎✌🏻

So naturally, Rhaegar chose this as the place to plot out his coup if the theories are accurate.

At first i was wondering whether I clocked on one of schwifty's videos, that man loves his ozymandius Also, Bonifer Hasty is definitely Rhaegar's father. The only thing more hasty than his name, is his seed

It's not abt the curse it's a thing that you give as title to people coming up, cause you can't give a livable castle They can't settle for that

Maybe Bonifer stayed at bitterbridge and fought for Tywin on the blackwater.

Do the people of Westeros think Robert Strong is related to the Larys Strong Strongs?

Puh-tayer

do we really know lady shells whent die though? I hope she still live.

13:13 Didnt Tyrion think that making Littlefinger Lord of Harrenhal was a mistake from his father: once the war was done, this seat would make him one of the most powerful lords in Westeros?

I don't think it is cursed, rather it just can lead to downfalls by increasing people's egos when they get it, like with Qohorys. Or, their doom comes at their own actions like the Whents supporting the targaryens against the Tully's, their own kin, or Harwin getting his whole family killed due to his selfish and reckless fathering of strongs on Rhaenyra, as that is what causes the fire to be set on Harrenhal, and why Aemond later kills the Strongs. Qoherys died out because of the arrogance and greed of the last male Qoherys, constantly abusing his right to bed any lower mans bride, and didn't think he could be harmed, until he turned the riverland neighbours against him and was captured and killed by Harren the Red. Harroway was greedy, wanting to have their blood on the throne, so bringing Maegors attention on them and risking everything should she not give birth to a live child, and thus resulting in their doom by the mad and cruel and easily manipulated Maegor. House Towers got it by a melee and the lord was badly injured so could not sire a son, maybe just not lucky. House Strong got it's doom by Mr selfish horny Harwin siring 3 bastards on Rhaenrya and passing them off as true targaryen children and heirs to the throne, which led to the fire to remove Rhaenyra's allies in the Strongs and then Aemond targeting Harrenhal and the Strongs in anger at the strong bastards, likely due to Lucerys taking his eye. House Lothston just was a bit cuckoo and probably discovered some of Alys rivers old crap on magic, and lady lothston decided to try it and probably tried using blood magic to do something like hatch a dragon or make herself immortal. House Whent chose to fight for Aerys and Rhaegar over their own kin, their own nieces and nephew in the form of the Tully's, and thus lost everything as they spent far too much on the Tourney of Harrenhal, all males died in the war, and thus it was a matter of time before Harrenhal fell. House Slynt just goes because Janos turned on Lord Stark for more money, proving he was easily bribed, killed a baby and murdered bastard children without even speaking to the hand of the king first, showing how untrustworthy and undeserving he was. Plus he knows nothing of ruling so cannot be given such a prize. House Baelish has gotten it, but Petyr is about to overplay himself, trying to be lord paramount of riverlands, lord of harrenhal, lord of the Vale, and soon lord of Winterfell by putting Sansa on there as his puppet, and will die by his overambition and arrogance .

You can't really say Daenerys will focus mainly on KL. She might, due to her lack of experience. However, KL isn't as important as the Reach and Riverlands as those are more strategic in controlling the continent, itself. Control them and you can choke off KL.

We have to establish that curses are even possible before ascribing to a single location that a place is cursed. Statistically, shouldn't we expect one place to have more 'odd' occurrences than other places? Likewise, we'd expect some places to have less odd occurrences and others to have the 'normal rate' of odd occurrences, whatever that is. Magic clearly exists, but are curses apart of this magical system? How does one become cursed? How does a place become cursed? Can we find other areas that meet these same conditions and also display the same attributes as 'cursed?' This would establish that cursing people or places is legit and the constant characteristics of a curse being established would do well to create legitimacy in the ability for curses to be made real

If the vale army actually does anything Harrenhal will be their first location to pass, lead by the "true" lord of Harrenhal. Definitely don't think it will be safe

Somebody has been watching Succession

At some point in history, the Hoare was pregnant

Did Rhaella like Bonifer before she was married? Wasnt she married at like 12? She had Rhaegar at 13- wtf happened?

House Whent went Batty and flew away.

I found out couple days ago that in the show they deal with the Others first and then continue doing feudalism. To me that is maybe the dumbest thing the show did. I hope that Dany and her story come before or during the long night

Love the video but gotta work on the Petyr Baelish pronunciation 😅

I don't understand why Harrenhall is so cursed (apart from magic and sheer bad luck) it is in the center of the Seven Kingdoms and at the nexus of many of the land trade routes. It should be rich but somehow it is not

I take the Poem of Ozymandius as a Prohecy, an actual one. Meerly as statement of inevidability, one day a Man a Human will aspire to his crown. And in their lust for the Crown of Ozymandius so to do they yern for his Kingdom of Ash and Dust even if only subconsiously. Ozymandius is the one who would rule a kingdom of soot before he saw another sit upon that chair, this is deeply but sadly a Human action. One day, in the mist of time uncounted someone will want that crown that Kingdom that throne and they will be willing to sacrifice all simply to posess it. Lust, Greed, Envy and Pride are like that no? Ozymandius is a Title to be Earned, one that will stand above every Great and every Terrible before.

TRY to become KIng as Stannis in the AGOT mod for CK3, i think You`ll like it.

Hoaresbane umber shall tear down harrenhall stone by stone.

Damn Hoares

I am Shay the funny Hoar!

Tell me more of these glorious Hoares!

Harrenhalll is still the largest cast by far.

If Harrenhal is so cursed, just give it to the Others, then humanity is guaranteed to win

Yeah, a LOT of peoples sons and grandsons were going to hold onto the seat with all its rights and properties until the end of time🤷🏼‍♂️🤓😎✌🏻

Harranhall is less of a castle and more of a whole city

I LOVED THIS! Harrenhal i find SO intriguing!😁

Sansa could end with Harrenhal with all her Mad Danelle parallels

Bros before Hoares

I'm guessing you listen to the audiobooks with how you specified Petyr Baelish's name is pronounced lol, there doesn't seem to be any canonically correct way to say it when you look into it

Oh Pe-tyre!

Black hoares

8:17 Tywin's death had nothing to do with him holding Harrenhal, he was already in King's Landing. If this counts as evidence for Harrenhal being cursed then all castles and keeeps are cursed as well, because everyone who ever held them has died

Ozymandias >>>>>

pronounced Peter