New Ghis

New Ghis is an island city-state in Slaver's Bay, one of the surviving daughters of the Old Ghiscari Empire. Its legions, trained and armed in the same fashion as the Unsullied, are a formidable military force, though they are composed of free citizens serving three-year terms rather than eunuch slaves. During the war against Daenerys Targaryen, New Ghis allied with Yunkai, sending multiple legions to join the siege of Meereen.

Military Role and the Siege of Meereen

New Ghis contributed four legions to the Yunkish coalition besieging Meereen. Two legions were encamped across the Skahazadhan River to the north, while two more were positioned to the east, blocking the road to the Khyzai Pass. These legions fought alongside Yunkish slave soldiers and sellsword companies. At the Horns of Hazzat, two New Ghis legions fought beside the Yunkai'i against the Butcher King Cleon's forces from Astapor. Later, after the fall of Astapor, legions from New Ghis poured into the Red City, sealing the gates and setting the Temple of the Graces ablaze. The New Ghis forces also participated in the blockade of Meereen's harbor, with galleys from the island joining the Qartheen and Tolosi ships.

The Pale Mare and Weakening Position

Despite their military strength, the New Ghis legions were not immune to the devastating plague known as the pale mare, a bloody flux that swept through the siege camps. The disease took hold amongst the Tolosi and then spread across the river to the third Ghiscari legion, weakening the coalition's resolve and discipline. This internal threat, combined with the political instability among the Yunkish commanders, undermined the siege's effectiveness and created an opportunity for Meereen's defenders to consider a counterattack.

Significance

New Ghis represents the enduring military tradition of Old Ghis, adapted to the post-Valyrian world. Its disciplined legions provided the Yunkish alliance with its most reliable infantry, capable of standing against the Unsullied. However, the city's reliance on a citizen army and its vulnerability to disease, along with the fractious nature of the Ghiscari alliance, ultimately limited its effectiveness. The island's involvement in the war highlights the broader regional conflict between the slave-based economy of the Ghiscari cities and Daenerys Targaryen's abolitionist revolution.