- "For the origin of Valyria, you have to look back thousands of years into the past, with the birth of Khaetor, third of his name. The founder and First Emperor of the Khaetorian Empire. "
- ―Viserys Targaryen
Khaetor III of Qarth, commonly known as Khaetor the Great is an unseen character in Game of Thrones, being long dead before the start of the series. Khaetor was a legendary King of the ancient Essosi kingdom of Qarth and a member of the Phegeus dynasty. Born the illegitimate son of Leören the Second and his mistress Aphidas in Qarth thousands of years before the arrival of the First Men in Westeros, Khaetor succeeded his father, Leören II, to the throne at the age of twenty. He spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through Essos and northern Sothoryos, and by the age of thirty he had created the largest empire of the ancient world, stretching from Tyrosh to the Dothraki Sea. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered one of history's most successful military commanders.