The king of Westeros is traditionally styled as “King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men.” The First Men, while not Westerosi natives, arrived on the continent long before the rise of Valyria. The Andals and the Rhoynar, however, came as refugees, fleeing the oncoming Valyrian tide. The Andals had previously settled in the land known as Andalos in the northwest corner of Essos, while the Rhoynar came from a vast and beautiful civilization along the river Rhoyne. Eventually, the Valyrian Freehold surged westward and butted up against the Rhoyne. For a time, there was peace between the two peoples. But as the years marched on, the Valyrians’ desire for expansion grew more and more insatiable, and war eventually began.
The Andals were the first to flee the Valyrians. They crossed the Narrow Sea, where they proceeded to take Westeros from the First Men by force, establishing what we know as the Seven Kingdoms and introducing the religion of the Seven. The Rhoynar, in contrast, fought to the bitter end, and ultimately lost everything. The sole exception was Princess Nymeria of Ny Sar, who fled with her remaining people on 10,000 legendary ships. Eventually, they arrived in Dorne, whose citizens are still known for their Rhoynish blood and indomitable spirit.
