#bellegere otherys

[eliaism]

— children who look like their mothers

songs: “reflections” by the neighbourhood, “family tree (intro)” by ethel cain / aegon fc: toby regbo, rhaenyra fc: holliday grainger, jon fc: harry gilby, lyanna fc: olivia hussey, daenerys fc: elle fanning, rhaella fc: elizabeth mitchell, sansa fc: isolda dychauk, catelyn fc: charlotte hope, bellenora fc: kylie bunbury, bellegere fc: zethu dlomo-mphahlele, arianne fc: karen david, mellario fc: simone ashley / paintings: “night flight” by alvia alcedo, “a wolf” by jan fyt

Aegon III Targaryen and his mother, Rhaenyra Targaryen / Jon Snow and his mother, Lyanna Stark / Daenerys Targaryen and her mother, Rhaella Targaryen / Sansa Stark and her mother, Catelyn Tully / Bellenora Otherys and her mother, Bellegere Otherys / Arianne Martell and her mother, Mellario of Norvos

#aegon iii targaryen #rhaenyra targaryen #jon snow #lyanna stark #daenerys targaryen #rhaella targaryen #sansa stark #catelyn stark #catelyn tully #bellenora otherys #bellegere otherys #arianne martell #mellario of norvos #house targaryen #house stark #house tully #house otherys #house martell #a song of ice and fire #asoiaf #web weaving

[tonyloom]

Arya stark x The courtesans of Braavos

The Black Pearl of Braavos

"She was so lovely that the lamps seemed to burn brighter when she passed. She had dressed in a low-cut gown of pale yellow silk, startling against the light brown of her skin. Her black hair was bound up in a net of spun gold, and a jet-and-gold necklace brushed against the top of her full breasts."

A study of François Claudius Compte-Calix 'Ladies in the Park'. France, 19th century. 

#arya stark #art study #digital study #a song of ice and fire #braavos courtesan #asoiaf #asoiaf fanart #the black pearl #bellegere otherys #asoif fanart

[ironlily1413]

Bellegere Otherys (The Black Pearl of Braavos)

#fire and blood #house of the dragon #iron throne #art #house targaryen #bellegere otherys #black pearl of braavos #braavos

[arte072]

for @insomniarama 

here’s Arya with Bellegere Otherys aka The Black Pearl! Hopefully they’ll get to have some meaningful interactions in TWoW 🙏🤲🕯️

#bellegere otherys #arya stark #house stark #the black pearl #ASoIaF #A Song of Ice and Fire #artists on tumblr #digital art #illustration #my art

[wyattabernathyus]

Sketch: The Black Pearl of Braavos

#asoiaf #game of thrones #twoiaf #bellegere otherys #my art

[tenthmuseondine]

The Back Pearl of Braavos and 16th century Venetian Fashion:

There is a common consensus among fans that Braavos - a city sited on a group of small islands that are linked by bridges and walkways, divided by canals, channels and waterways of varying size - is heavily inspired by Italian mercantile/maritime republics, of which Venice is the most famous.

Furthermore, the canal-based, inter-connecting island architecture is not the only similarity between Braavos and Venice; both cities are famed for their courtesans.

Indeed in 16th century, Venice was famed for its many elaborately dressed and coiffed courtesans; Veronica Franco (1546–1591) is a famous example! She developed her position in Renaissance Venetian society as a cortigiana onesta (Honest Courtesan), known for her notable clientele, feminist advocacy, literary contributions, and philanthropy.

Her fictional parallel in ASOIAF could be Bellegere Otherys II - one of the famed courtesans in Braavos (the other being Daughter of the Dusk). We know Bellegere comes from a family of courtesans, bearing the title of Black Pearl of Braavos - a moniker borne by a descendant of Bellegere Otherys I, the first Black Pearl, a pirate queen who became a mistress of Aegon IV Targaryen.

The eldest bastard daughter of King Aegon IV and Bellegere, Bellenora Otherys, became a courtesan under the same name. Bellenora's descendants became courtesans as well, each eventually bearing the name "Black Pearl".

We can also assume that Bellegere is rather wealthy, owning her own barge and servants to pole her to trysts and when purchasing three cockles from Arya, who is disguised as Cat of the Canals, paying ten times what the cockles are worth. This wealth is directly reflected in her clothing!

"She was so lovely that the lamps seemed to burn brighter when she passed. She had dressed in a low-cut gown of pale yellow silk, startling against the light brown of her skin. Her black hair was bound up in a net of spun gold, and a jet-and-gold necklace brushed against the top of her full breasts." (TWOW, Mercy)

The aforementioned "low-cut gown" immediately brings to mind the 16th century gowns worn by Venetian courtesans!

Look at this art print of a Venetian Courtesan (Cortigiana Veneta) published by Pietro Bertelli in 1591.

Notice the incredibly low and exposed neckline of the gown!

It is important to mention, however, that not only courtesans dressed this way. Venetian noblewomen of the 16th century also bared their breasts in keeping with the fashion of the day.

For example, look at this art print of a Venetian Bride (Sposa Veneta), also by Pietro Bertelli. There is virtually no difference; perhaps that is why the civic authorities decried the courtesans' deliberately misleading resemblance to 'honest women.'

In some portrayals, the Venetian woman's neckline opens almost immediately below the breast!

In Dress of Venetian Women (Habiti delle Donne Venetiane) ca. 1591–1610, the engravings done by Giacomo Franco show ornately dressed courtesans and respectable women, all of whom sport very low cut bodices.

In the second plate we see a depiction of parentado, or the ritual presentation of a bride to her relations. Here, a bride in a richly embroidered dress wearing pearls and a bejeweled crown is presented by her ballerino, a dance instructor who prevented the woman from toppling over in her chopines, or platform shoes.

In conclusion, in depicting Bellegere Otherys - the Black Pearl of Braavos - I would most definitely illustrate her wearing a gown inspired by 16th century Venetian dress (worn by both courtesans and noblewomen). She'd look rather striking I think.

#asoiaf #Black Pearl of Braavos #Venetian fashion #16th century #bellegere otherys #fashion thoughts

[highgardenart]

Bellenora, Narha, & Balerion Otherys

“[Bellegere] gave birth to three children during the decade, two girls and a boy of doubtful paternity.”

#a song of ice and fire #game of thrones #got #asoif fanart #hotd #house of the dragon #asoiaf #fan art #digital art #house targaryen #house otherys #bellenora otherys #narha otherys #aegon iv #bellegere otherys #balerion otherys

[pixiecactus]

cat of the canals - bellegere otherys - meralyn - blushing bethany - assadora of ibben - lanna - the sailor's wife - yna

#i live and breath for women being nice and encouraging to arya #it's what she deserves tbh #also arya being friends with sex workers is a favourite of mine #a song of ice and fire #asoiaf #house stark #arya stark #bellegere otherys #meralyn #blushing bethany #assadora of ibben #lanna #the sailor's wife #yna

[nobodysuspectsthebutterfly]

@daenystheedreamer replied to the post “allyriadayne: will someone explain to me what the deal is with asoiaf lore?”:

#ok the bellegere thing has got to be grrm being horny right. he wants a princess from the summer islands right.

​(This is in regards to how TWOIAF in 2014 stated that Bellegere Otherys (Aegon IV's mistress) was the child of a Braavosi merchant's daughter and a male envoy from the Summer Isles, which was based on GRRM's notes that he'd given to E&L, but that same year when GRRM released Arya's "Mercy" TWOW preview chapter, he'd changed his mind and Bellegere was now the daughter of a Sealord's son and a Summer Isles princess; and because the books are "more canon" than TWOIAF, later editions were changed to fit:)

Anyway, I'm not sure it's just GRRM being horny that's the reason lol. There's probably a few reasons:

Bellegere has a Braavosi surname rather than a Summer Isles one, and Braavos isn't so feminist-forward that a child would have the mother's surname; and having her father's name further implies that Bellegere was not a bastard herself

There's certain racist connotations re a black man seducing an innocent backwater girl, even if he is a diplomat (or especially if?), which GRRM probably had second thoughts about

If Bellegere's Summer Islander parent educated her in the ways of their sexually free culture and religion, again the connotations are much more creepy if it's her father doing so rather than her mother (see also how the Black Pearl courtesan lineage is passed from mother to daughter)

So yeah, it's a bit hinky, but it's avoiding far greater hinkiness. When it's GRRM trying to balance problematic material (see also him thinking he should've made the Targaryens black and then going: "wait, black invading conquerers who do incest and have a streak of madness is also maybe not so good"), we've got to give him a little bit of credit, at least.

#daenystheedreamer #asoiaf #asoiaf meta #bellegere otherys #the black pearl of braavos #braavos #the summer isles #the world of ice and fire #mercy #grrm #oh grrm

[nymerias-heart]

Bellegere Otherys

"The Black Pearl," she told them. Merry claimed the Black Pearl was the most famous courtesan of all. "She's descended from the dragons, that one," the woman had told Cat.

#asoiaf #valyrianscrolls #bellegere otherys #braavos #arya stark #asoiaf art #my art #she’s technically a relative to Daenerys 🤔🤔

[tonyloom]

The Black Pearl of Braavos and Arya stark

#bellegere otherys #arya stark #doodle #headcanon #asoiaf #the black pearl #a song of ice and fire #braavos

[maicrzs]

Courtesan Bellegere Otherys, the Black Pearl

"She's descended from the dragons, that one." The woman told her. "The first Black Pearl was a queen pirate. A prince of Westeros took her as a lover and together they had a daughter who grew up to become a courtesan. Her daughter succeeded her, and the daughter of this one succeeded her mother, until we got to the current one."

"Her real name is Bellegere Otherys, her mother was Bellonara, but the first Black Pearl was also called Bellegere."

A Feast For Crows - Chapter 34: Cat Of The Canals

Commissions are OPEN

(I only have the books in portuguese, so I had to translate myself the text, which might not be exactly how it is in the original English version, so keep that in mind.)

#bellegere otherys #asoiaf #asoiaf art #asoiaf fanart #arya stark #cat of the canals #house targaryen #game of thrones #house of the dragon #braavos

[tragedy-peanut-gallery]

what are your thoughts (and potential headcanons) about aegon iv's nine mistresses?

Ouffff well I gotta be honest I probably won’t have as many headcanons about them as I did for the daughters in law of Daeron and Myriah- but I’m more than happy to share my thoughts about them!

Falena Stokeworth

Thoughts: Groomer!!! Get lost lady you’re literally his dad’s age!!!!! Should’ve locked her up in Harrenhall and thrown away the key maybe!

Headcanons: Honestly I think canon already kind of spells it out for us given her age relative to his own, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she was preying on Aegon’s whole mommy issues deal in order to get into a relationship with him. Pain and suffering all around.

Megette

Thoughts: Honestly poor girl she deserved sooo much better :( pretty sure her whole deal was supposed to be another commentary on how nobility don’t actually give a shit about the smallfolk even when they’re lovers and all that, but goddamn I just feel bad for her :(

Cassella Vaith

Thoughts: Ngl another girl who deserved so much better- it’s kind of weird how they give her a description but not the other mistresses but hey who am I to judge- makes her easier to draw ig?

Headcanons: Oh she was absolutely psychologically tortured during her time with Aegon because that man is notttt capable of being nice to any woman. I imagine the reason she wasn’t married off after being returned home was because of how traumatized she was

Bellegere Otherys

Thoughts: Okay this may sound stupid as hell given all the shit I talked about Aegon prior to this but like…. Idc, I support her decisions in choosing one of the most rancid men in Westeros to be her lover. In her defense!!!! Pickings for royalty were very slim- her only other options were a former teen dad who’s still hung up on his ex wife and is always busy trying (and failing) to keep his nephews from dying, a member of the kingsguard who’s obsessed with his own sister, and Baelor, of course she was gonna go for Aegon! Bellegere can get the one exception because I think pirate women are really cool and tbh I think she’s also the only one who was with him for funsies before dropping his ass like a sack of potatoes when he got too annoying for her

Headcanons: Ngl I kinda like to think her daughter Nahra took up the whole trading/smuggling/pirating business after her, and Bellegere got to retire and chill in Braavos watching all the shit go down with the Blackfyre rebellions. Good for her <3

Barba Bracken

Thoughts: I mean…. She’s a bitch, but tbh she kinda deserved better too. Even if she is meant to be a bad person, she was also just a teenager when Aegon began sleeping with her and was mostly pushed forward by her own dad, and its sad that she then continued the cycle of abuse to her own sister :(

Headcanons: I kinda like to think she and Daena had a very toxic frenemy-ship, that’s my main reasoning to explain why Aegor was so loyal to Daemon lmao

Melissa Blackwood

Thoughts: I mean, she’s one of Naerys’ only canonical female friends so she gets an automatic like in my books. And also kinda funny that the Bracken/Blackwood slap fight actually caused another Targ civil by just pushing their female relatives in front of a horny king. She absolutely deserved so much better

Headcanons: I refuseeee to believe she died in childbirth, in my head she’s also retired chilling in Raventree Hall with her daughters and occasionally got updates from Brynden about the war crimes he was committing <3

Bethany Bracken

Thoughts: Deserved so, SO much better. Mr lord Bracken sir I will see you in HELL!!!!!

Jeyne Lothson

Thoughts: Only thing I have to say is…. Absolutely gothic horror girlie because holy shit. My god. Was George intentionally writing her story to be horrifying or was it a weird fetish- I’m hoping to god it was the former. Anyways she absolutely deserved so much better than all the adults in her life

Headcanons: For added flavor aka more horror! I do headcanon her to actually be Aegon’s daughter, and I believe Danelle was either her daughter or granddaughter because- well, we do definitely need to sprinkle in some more cursed bloodline shit to the house that’s already doomed cause they’re living in Harrenhall, yippe :))

Serenei of Lys

Thoughts: Boring as hellllll that she died from childbirth like- COME ON!!! Let the lady die from implosion, or slipping on a banana peel or something!!! Also kinda sucks that we barely know anything else about her! I want the lore George!!!

Headcanons: Due to lack of lore, I’m stealing someone else’s previous headcanon that she’s actually a Hightower bastard because 1. Absolutely hilarious and is absolutely the level of hustling scam-artistry that I would expect during Aegon’s reign, and 2. Kinda explains her whole deal- why Jon even brought her to court, why we know nothing about her past, why she’s so distant and kinda secretive. Shout out to whoever came up with that headcanon cause that lives in my head rent free forever now

#asoiaf asks #am I really gonna tag all these ladies….. sure. fuck it #falena stokeworth #merry meg #cassella vaith #bellegere otherys #barba bracken #melissa blackwood #bethany bracken #jeyne lothson #serenei of lys

[starryrosebud]

I love how all the Hot girls/girlboss are descendants of Rhaenyra:

-Daena Targaryen

-Elaena Targaryen

-Daenerys Martell

- Shiera Seastar

- Bellegere Otherys ( The black pearl of Braavos)

- Arianne Martell

- Daenerys Targaryen (The most beautiful woman in the world🛐)

Rhaenyra’s blood is strong 😌✊

#asoiaf #targnation #rhaenyra targaryen #house Targaryen #daena targaryen #elaena targaryen #Daenerys Martell #shiera seastar #Bellegere Otherys #arianne martell #daenerys targaryen #she would be so proud of her girls🥹🥹🥹

[selkiewife]

A long time ago I remember someone in the asoiaf fandom had wanted to start a podcast dedicated to the sex workers of asoiaf. Did that ever get going? Does anyone know?

#asoiaf #a song of ice and fire #sex workers of asoiaf #satin of oldtown #sweets #alayaya #chataya #shae #merry #the sailor's wife #lanna #bellegere otherys #the courtesans of braavos #yna one-eye #blushing bethany #assadora of ibben #the sunset girl #saera targaryen #essie #sylvenna sand

[highgardenart]

Bellegere Otherys

“it was said that [she] had a husband in every port and that Aegon was but one of many.”

#a song of ice and fire #game of thrones #got #asoif fanart #hotd #house of the dragon #asoiaf #fan art #digital art #house targaryen #bellegere otherys #the black pearl