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| “ | The Lord of the Tides and his lady were still in mourning for their beloved daughter when the Stranger came again, to carry off their son. Ser Laenor Velaryon, husband to the Princess Rhaenyra and the putative father of her children, was slain whilst attending a fair in Spicetown, stabbed to death by his friend and companion Ser Qarl Correy. | „ |
| ~ Achmaester Gyldayn on Qarl Correy's murder of Laenor Velaryon. |
Ser Qarl Correy is a minor character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series and TV series House of the Dragon. He is a knight of lowborn birth and served House Velaryon during the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen. He was a good friend and companion of Ser Laenor Velaryon, the son of Lord Corlys Velaryon and the husband of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen. Qarl is also rumored to be one of Laenor's lovers before eventually becoming his favorite.
However, this rumored love wouldn't last, as Qarl mysteriously murdered Laenor after the two supposedly got into a quarrel at Spicetown. Qarl then disappeared entirely to never be seen again.
In House of the Dragon, he was portrayed by Arty Froushan.
Appearance[]
Qarl Correy is handsome in appearance.
Biography[]
Nothing is known of Qarl's past but he eventually became a knight at an unknown point and began his servitude to the household of House Velaryon of High Tide. Qarl also lived as a gambler.
As Ser Laenor Velaryon greatly favored handsome knights of his household and likely taking them as his lovers, Qarl Correy became his favorite following the death of Ser Joffrey Lonmouth, who died from wounds inflicted by Ser Criston Cole.
Qarl Correy after stabbing Laenor to death.
While attending a fair at Spicetown, Qarl stabbed Laenor to death for unknown reasons. When Laenor's father came to collect his son's body, he was told by some merchants that Qarl and Laenor had been quarreling loudly with each other until it escalated to the point where they drew blades. Qarl Correy had already fled while wounding several men who tried to stop him. Some claimed that a ship has been waiting for him offshore. Ever since Laenor's murder, Qarl is never seen again.
The circumstances and Ser Qarl's reason for killing his friend and companion is shrouded in mystery with several speculations:
- According to Grand Maester Mellos, Ser Laenor was murdered by one of his own household knights, rather than Ser Qarl, after a quarrel.
- Septon Eustace claimed that Qarl Correy killed Laenor out of jealousy because Laenor became enamored with sixteen-year-old squire, presumably because Laenor had grown out of Correy's companionship.
- The testimony of Mushroom, the court jester, claimed that Prince Daemon Targaryen had paid Ser Qarl to dispose of Laenor, arranged for a ship for Correy to on before eventually cutting his throat and throwing his body into the sea.
Despite these claims and speculations, there is no proof to support or confirm them. Seeking to avenge his son's death, Corlys Velaryon offered a reward of 10,000 Golden Dragons for anyone that could lead him to Qarl Correy or bring him to Corlys. Unfortunately, these efforts were in vain, as Ser Qarl had disappeared entirely and his current whereabouts and fate are unknown.
Trivia[]
- Qarl Correy's name could be a reference to Prince Corwin from Roger Zelazny's Nine Princes in Amber, who uses the alias "Carl Corey."
- In the House of Dragon series, Qarl didn't kill Laenor and their quarrel is all staged by Daemon Targaryen so he could become Rhaenyra's consort, while at the same time Laenor would achieve his freedom. Daemon then kills a servant before dressing him in Laenor's clothes and burning his body, so it could like Laenor was burned to death. Meanwhile, Qarl and Laenor secretly escaped from Driftmark together while undetected.
- This changed was questioned and criticized by some book readers, as by the official state religion of the Seven Kingdoms, the Faith of the Seven, Laenor being still alive would make Rhaenyra's marriage with Daemon invalid and unrecognizble, making all of their children bastards just like the "Strong" boys.
- While in the TV series House of the Dragon Rhaenyra—the wife of Qarl's victim—was supportive of Laenor's homosexuality and infidelity, in the novels and Fire & Blood she had no respect for him and held his homosexuality in contempt and embarassment, like the majority of the Westerosi society. She even suggested that Laenor was a pedophile who would've been more interested in her little half-brothers than her.
- Some book readers criticize and disapprove how overly supportive of Rhaenyra House Velaryon is in the TV series, despite the fact that the main Velaryons believe she did have Laenor murdered. In the novels, Corlys, his wife and overall his house were not fond of Rhaenyra due to how she treated and humiliated their house, and supported her for personal motives and desires, not revolving around her own benefit.
- Whether Qarl was Daemon and/or Rhaenyra's hired catspaw remains a mystery, as the only confirmed thing was that he was killed in public during a fair, with numerous witnesses watching. Many Westerosi and the Velaryons accused Daemon and Rhaenyra, in part because of Daemon's infamy and in part because of the fact that the two immediately and hastily married soon after Laenor's murder. If he was hired by Daemon, it is also possible that Qarl was silenced by Daemon to conceal the possible truth forever.
- Some book readers criticize and disapprove how overly supportive of Rhaenyra House Velaryon is in the TV series, despite the fact that the main Velaryons believe she did have Laenor murdered. In the novels, Corlys, his wife and overall his house were not fond of Rhaenyra due to how she treated and humiliated their house, and supported her for personal motives and desires, not revolving around her own benefit.
