Corlys Velaryon's fate in House of the Dragon.
After the Battle of the Gullet, Corlys Velaryon had won one of the bloodiest sea battles in the history of Westeros, but victory came at a terrible cost.
The Triarchy destroyed Spicetown and burned High Tide to the ground, destroying every treasure Corlys had gathered from his voyages in the East.
After Rhaenyra captured King's Landing, Corlys pleaded for peace. He urged the queen to pardon her enemies and bring the war to an end, but Rhaenyra refused.
Then came the First Battle of Tumbleton, the betrayal of Hugh Hammer and Ulf White, and the deaths of countless loyal men.
When Rhaenyra ordered the arrest of Addam Velaryon under the suspicion that he was part of the betrayal, Corlys finally chose his family over his position. Corlys Velaryon secretly warned Addam, allowing him to escape.
For that act, Corlys was arrested, bound, beaten, and thrown into a black cell to await execution.
The moment word spread that the Sea Snake had been imprisoned, Rhaenyra's support began to crumble. Her forces, which were half made up of men loyal to the Sea Snake, deserted. Some even cut their way to the cells to try and free their liege. As the queen's rule began to collapse, Rhaenyra was left with no choice but to escape King's Landing.
After Aegon II returned to King's Landing, Corlys was freed and offered a full pardon in exchange for his loyalty. But the Sea Snake agreed only after demanding pardons for the remaining Blacks, Aegon the Younger's release, and the marriage of Aegon the Younger to Jaehaera.
When Aegon II rejected peace and instead called for the death of Rhaenyra's son, Corlys realized the war would never end while Aegon lived. So it was that one morning, Aegon II was found dead, poisoned by his own council.
When Lord Cregan Stark arrived in King's Landing, Corlys and the other members of Aegon's small council were accused of helping poison the king.
"Is that why you poisoned him, my Lord? Small wonder you are called the Sea Snake. You may slither this way and that, but your fangs are venomous. Aegon was an oathbreaker, a kinslayer, and a usurper, yet still a king. When he would not heed your craven's counsel, you removed him as a craven would, with poison. And now, you shall answer for it."
Shortly after Corlys was arrested by Lord Cregan Stark, he was spared a trial thanks to Baela and Rhaena persuading the young King, Aegon III.
After that, Corlys served as a regent for Aegon the Younger for one year. But in 132 AC, he collapsed on the Serpentine Steps and died at the age of 79.
Lord Corlys Velaryon, Lord of High Tide, the Sea Snake, the greatest sailor Westeros has ever seen, was finally laid to rest. His body was buried at sea, east of Dragonstone.