The dosh khaleen

The dosh khaleen are the widowed khaleesis of the Dothraki khals, a council of elder women who reside in the Dothraki capital of Vaes Dothrak. They are the spiritual and legal authority of the Dothraki people, interpreting the will of the gods and the traditions of the khalasars. Their pronouncements on matters of law, prophecy, and the fitness of rulers are considered binding by the horselords, and they hold the power to legitimize or reject a claimant to the title of Khal of Khals.

Role and Authority

The dosh khaleen serve as the highest court of the Dothraki, judging disputes and upholding the ancient customs of the people. They are the keepers of the prophecies, including the legend of the Stallion Who Mounts the World, a prophesied khal who will unite the Dothraki and conquer the world. When Daenerys Targaryen was brought before them as the bride of Khal Drogo, the dosh khaleen examined her and declared that her son would be this prophesied stallion. Their word is law in Vaes Dothrak, and even the most powerful khals defer to their judgment.

Composition and Way of Life

The dosh khaleen are composed of all the widows of deceased khals. Upon the death of a khal, his khaleesi is expected to travel to Vaes Dothrak and join their number, forsaking the nomadic life of the khalasar for a settled existence in the sacred city. They live in a special palace and are treated with great reverence. Their primary duties involve prayer, prophecy, and the preservation of Dothraki culture. They are considered to be beyond the reach of the khals' power, and their counsel is sought in times of war, peace, and succession.

Significance in the Narrative

In the narrative of A Dance with Dragons, the dosh khaleen are referenced as a potential fate for Daenerys Targaryen. After the death of Khal Drogo, her brother Viserys feared she would be taken to Vaes Dothrak to live out her days with them. Later, when Daenerys is lost in the Dothraki sea, she recalls the dosh khaleen and the prophecy they made about her son. The institution represents a life of peaceful, but confined, spiritual authority, a stark contrast to the active, conquering role Daenerys has chosen for herself. The dosh khaleen embody the enduring, unchanging traditions of the Dothraki, a counterpoint to the chaos and change brought by the dragons and the wars in the Seven Kingdoms.