Princess Elia Nymeros Martell, also known simply as Elia Martell was a Dornish princess from House Martell. She was married to the crown prince, Rhaegar Targaryen, and by him birthed Rhaenys and Aegon. Elia was raped and murdered by Ser Gregor Clegane during the Sack of King's Landing.

,,Justice is in short supply this side of the mountains. There has been none for Elia, Aegon or Rhaenys"

Appearance

Elia Martell was said to be beautiful, slender with black eyes, and a flat chest. She always had a delicate health, having been born a month premature. According to Barristan Selmy, she was a gentle, good, and gracious lady, but he also describes her as frail, due to her delicate health. He also says she was kind and clever.

History

Early years

Elia Martell was the fourth child and first daughter born to the ruling Princess of Dorne. She was born a month premature, and her older brother Doran did not expect her to live; she survived, however, though her health was always fragile thereafter.During her youth she was very close to her younger brother, Oberyn Martell

Marriage

When Elia reached the age of marriage, she and her brother Oberyn, together with their mother and their mother's consort, traveled from Dorne to several potential suitors for both Elia and Oberyn. Elia's mother had known Lady Joanna Lannister from the time they both served as ladies in waiting to Rhaella Targaryen. Despite having learned of Joanna's death in childbirth, in 273 AC, during their stay at Oldtown, the Martells travelled towards to Casterly Rock.

Several years later, Elia's mother was able to arrange her marriage to Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. In early 279 AC, Elia and Rhaegar were betrothed. They married a year later, in 280 AC, in a great ceremony at the Great Sept of Baelor in King's Landing. They moved to Dragonstone shortly after their marriage, where later in 280 AC, Rhaegar and Elia's first child, Rhaenys was born and only 2 years later Prince Aegon was born.

Their marriage — though not romantic — seemed happy, although Elia's health, which had always been problematic, remained fragile.Elia was bedridden for half a year after giving birth to Rhaenys, and giving birth to Aegon nearly killed her. Following Aegon's birth, the maesters told Rhaegar that Elia would bear no more children.

The Tourney at Harrenhal

,,... that was the tourney when he crowned Lyanna Stark as queen of love and beauty! Princess Elia was there, his wife, and yet my brother gave the crown to the Stark girl, and later stole her away from her betrothed. How could he do that? Did the Dornish woman treat him so ill? "

Elia attended the tourney at Harrenhal in 281 AC, during the year of the false spring, together with her husband, Rhaegar, and her father-in-law, King Aerys II Targaryen. Rhaegar won the tournament, and was to crown the Queen of Love and Beauty. However, he ed over Elia, and crowned Lady Lyanna Stark of Winterfell instead.Elia's reaction to the event remains unknown.

At the start of the next year, Rhaegar left Elia and their newborn son Aegon on Dragonstone, and took to the road with several companions. Not long thereafter, Rhaegar disappeared with Lyanna,and this event was one of the events which sparked Robert's Rebellion. According to Rhaegar's younger brother, Viserys Targaryen, Rhaegar was simply not happy with his marriage. He believes that, if Rhaegar had been happy with Elia, he would not have needed Lyanna. George R.R. Martin has described Elia's relationship to Rhaegar as "complex".

Robert's Rebellion

,, You raped her! You murdered her! You killed her children!"

Elia's elder brother, Doran Martell, had been furious at Elia's mistreatment, and thus was slow to lend aid to House Targaryen during the war. Preparing to battle the rebels, King Aerys II Targaryen threatened Elia's uncle, Prince Lewyn Martell, gracelessly reminding him that he held Elia and her young children. Lewyn took control of the ten thousand Dornishmen who had eventually been send to aid the Targaryens, and accompanied Elia's husband, Rhaegar, to fight in the Battle of the Trident. Lewyn and Rhaegar both died at the Trident, and King Aerys II Targaryen, due to his paranoia, believed that Prince Lewyn must have betrayed Rhaegar during the battle. As a consequence, he kept Elia and both of her children in King's Landing as hostages against possible Dornish betrayal.

,,If you die before you say her name, ser, I will hunt you through all seven hells!"

For most of the rebellion, House Lannister had remained neutral, but after the Battle of the Trident, Tywin Lannister and twelve thousand of his westermen approached the capital. King Aerys opened the gates to them, mistaking them for allied reinforcements. Instead they began to sack the city in the name of King Robert. Ser Jaime Lannister later recollected that as he himself was murdering Aerys to prevent the wildfire plot, Gregor Clegane and Amory Lorch were scaling the walls of Maegor's Holdfast, while Eddard Stark was leading his own forces through the city gates. Elia's daughter, Princess Rhaenys, was killed by Ser Amory after breaking the door down; he dragged the screaming toddler from under her father's bed and stabbed her over fifty times. Ser Gregor Clegane murdered Elia's son Aegon in front of her by smashing his head against a wall. He then raped and killed her by crushing her head.

,,In Dorne,she walked among vipers and none would bite her"