The Valyrian religion was practiced by the Valyrians in Essos throughout their vast empire, known as the Valyrian Freehold. The religion lasted for thousands of years within the Freehold, but was greatly diminished after the Doom of Valyria destroyed their civilization. House Targaryen, a family of Valyrian nobles who survived by fleeing to Westeros, also later abandoned the religion when Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters converted to the Faith of the Seven (largely as a political move).