Lannister fleet
The Lannister fleet is a fleet in the service of House Lannister of Casterly Rock.
Contents
Composition
According to a semi-canon source, the fleet of the Lannisters is smaller than the royal fleet, the Iron Fleet, and the Redwyne fleet. George R. R. Martin has said the Lannisters have approximately twenty to thirty ships which can include cogs, carracks, war galleys, and even great dromonds armed with scorpions and catapults. The Lord of Casterly Rock can also call upon the ships of his bannermen to support his own fleet.[1]
History
King Tommen I Lannister built a great fleet and brought Fair Isle into the realm of the Kings of the Rock.[2] During the era of driftwood kings in the Iron Islands, King Gerold Lannister led his fleet in a raid on the islands. Gerold the Great took hostage a hundred ironborn and kept them imprisoned at Casterly Rock, and he hanged one whenever the ironmen raided his own lands.[3]
After the Doom of Valyria, King Tommen II Lannister sailed his fleet to Valyria in search of plunder and magic. The ships never returned, however, and the family lost Brightroar, their treasured sword of Valyrian steel.[4][2]
The Lannister war fleet supported King Aegon I Targaryen in his invasion of the Iron Islands after Aegon's Conquest.[5]
During the Dance of the Dragons, Dalton Greyjoy, Lord of the Iron Islands, led the ironborn in attacking the westerlands while Lord Jason Lannister was on campaign in the riverlands. The ironborn captured three-quarters of the ships within the harbor of the Rock and Lannisport, sank the rest, and burned the town.[6] Lord Alyn Velaryon was sent to subdue Dalton after the civil war ended, but the Red Kraken was killed at Faircastle prior to Alyn Oakenfist's arrival in the west. Alyn then left a third of his fleet under the command of Ser Leo Costayne to protect the westerlands. Since the Lannister fleet had not yet been rebuilt by 134 AC, Lady Johanna Lannister utilized Leo's ships when she retaliated against the ironborn.[7]
Lord Quellon Greyjoy kept most ironborn ships at home in the Iron Islands during Robert's Rebellion to protect against potential Lannister attacks.[8]
The burning of the Lannister fleet began Greyjoy's Rebellion against the Iron Throne in 289 AC.[9][10] Balon Greyjoy was eventually defeated by King Robert I Baratheon, however, and Lord Tywin Lannister rebuilt his fleet after the war.[1]
Gerion Lannister sailed Laughing Lion to Valyria in his ill-fated effort to find Brightroar.[4][11]
Quotes
The lords whose lands abut the coast of the Sunset Sea all keep a war galley or three about for coastal defense, and of course those shores are home to scads of fishing boats as well. The Lannisters have a larger and much grander fleet, but we're still only talking about twenty to thirty ships, perhaps.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 So Spake Martin: The Lannister Fleet, September 26, 1999
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The World of Ice & Fire, The Westerlands.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: Driftwood Crowns.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 32, Tyrion IV.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, Reign of the Dragon - The Wars of King Aegon I.
- ↑ Fire & Blood, The Dying of the Dragons - The Red Dragon and the Gold.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Red Kraken.
- ↑ The World of Ice & Fire, The Iron Islands: The Old Way and the New.
- ↑ A Clash of Kings, Chapter 24, Theon II.
- ↑ A Feast for Crows, Chapter 18, The Iron Captain.
- ↑ A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 33, Tyrion VIII.