Difference between revisions of "Battle of the Blackwater"

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| result = Decisive victory for [[House Baratheon of King's Landing]]
 
| result = Decisive victory for [[House Baratheon of King's Landing]]
 
| colour_scheme =
 
| colour_scheme =
| combatant1 = '''[[House Baratheon of Dragonstone]]:'''<br>[[Crownlands]]
+
| combatant2 = [[File:Stannis sigil coat.png|33px]] '''[[House Baratheon of Dragonstone]]:'''<br>
*[[House Bar Emmon]]
+
 
*[[House Celtigar]]
+
[[Crownlands]]
*[[House Chyttering]]
+
*[[House Bar Emmon]]{{ref|asos|75}}
*[[House Farring]]
+
*[[House Celtigar]]{{ref|acok|65}}
*[[House Follard]]
+
*[[House Chyttering]]{{ref|asos|10}}
*[[House Massey]]
+
*[[House Farring]]{{ref|affc|Appendix}}{{ref|adwd|3}}
*[[House Velaryon]]
+
*[[House Follard]]{{ref|adwd|44}}
 +
*[[House Massey]]{{ref|adwd|7}}
 +
*[[House Velaryon]]{{ref|asos|25}}
 +
 
 
[[Stormlands]]
 
[[Stormlands]]
*[[House Bolling]]
+
*[[House Bolling]]{{ref|affc|44}}
*[[House Buckler]]
+
*[[House Buckler]]{{ref|adwd|44}}
*[[House Caron]]
+
*[[House Caron]]{{ref|acok|65}}
*[[House Connington]]
+
*[[House Connington]]{{ref|acok|65}}
*[[House Errol]]
+
*[[House Errol]]{{ref|acok|42}}
*[[House Estermont]]
+
*[[House Estermont]]{{ref|acok|52}}{{ref|acok|57}}
*[[House Fell]]
+
*[[House Fell]]{{ref|affc|Appendix}}{{ref|adwd|17}}
*[[House Gower]]
+
*[[House Gower]]{{ref|asos|54}}
*[[House Grandison]]
+
*[[House Grandison]]{{ref|adwd|44}}
*[[House Hasty]]
+
*[[House Hasty]]{{ref|acok|65}}{{ref|asos|Appendix}}{{ref|affc|27}}
*[[House Horpe]]
+
*[[House Horpe]]<ref name=TWOW>''[[The Winds of Winter]]'', [[Theon I (The Winds of Winter)|Theon I]]</ref>
 
*[[House Mertyns]]
 
*[[House Mertyns]]
*[[House Morrigen]]
+
*[[House Morrigen]]{{ref|acok|52}}{{ref|acok|62}}
*[[House Peasebury]]
+
*[[House Peasebury]]{{ref|adwd|42}}
 
*[[House Penrose]]
 
*[[House Penrose]]
 +
*[[House Seaworth]]{{ref|acok|58}}{{ref|asos|5}}
 
*[[House Selmy]]
 
*[[House Selmy]]
*[[House Staedmon]]
+
*[[House Staedmon]]{{ref|acok|65}}
*[[House Wensington]]
+
*[[House Wensington]]{{ref|asos|75}}
*[[House Wylde]]  
+
*[[House Wylde]]{{ref|adwd|61}}
 +
 
 
[[Reach|The Reach]]
 
[[Reach|The Reach]]
 
*[[House Florent]]
 
*[[House Florent]]
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*[[House Varner]]
 
*[[House Varner]]
 
*[[House Willum]]
 
*[[House Willum]]
[[Lys]]ene pirates<br>[[Myr]]ish sellsails
+
[[Salladhor Saan]]'s pirate fleet ([[Lys]]ene)<br>
| combatant2 = '''[[Iron Throne]]'''/[[House Baratheon of King's Landing]]:
+
[[Myr]]ish sellsails
 +
| combatant1 = [[File:Joffrey sigil coat.png|33px]] '''[[Iron Throne]]'''/ [[House Baratheon of King's Landing]]:<br>
 +
 
 
'''King's Landing garrison:'''
 
'''King's Landing garrison:'''
 
[[City Watch of King's Landing|Gold Cloaks]]<br>
 
[[City Watch of King's Landing|Gold Cloaks]]<br>
Line 51: Line 58:
 
[[Crownlands]]
 
[[Crownlands]]
 
*[[House Brune of Brownhollow]]{{ref|ACOK|65}}
 
*[[House Brune of Brownhollow]]{{ref|ACOK|65}}
*[[House Brune of the Dyre Den]]<ref group="N" name=CrowlandHouses>The Crownland Houses of Brune of the Dyre Den, Byrch, Hayford, Hogg, Rosby and Rykker are not directly mentioned at Blackwater but as they are sworn directly to the Iron Throne it is likely they took part in the Battle or provided men to the City Watch.</ref>
+
*[[House Brune of the Dyre Den]]{{refn|group=N|name=CrownlandHouses|The Crownland Houses of Brune of the Dyre Den, Byrch, Hayford, Hogg, Rosby and Rykker are not directly mentioned at Blackwater, but as they are sworn directly to the Iron Throne, it is likely they took part in the battle or provided men to the City Watch.}}
*[[House Byrch]]<ref group="N" name=CrowlandHouses/>
+
*[[House Byrch]]{{refn|group=N|name=CrownlandHouses}}
 
*[[House Bywater]]{{ref|ASOS|19}}
 
*[[House Bywater]]{{ref|ASOS|19}}
 
*[[House Harte]]{{ref|ASOS|67}}
 
*[[House Harte]]{{ref|ASOS|67}}
*[[House Hayford]]<ref group="N" name=CrowlandHouses/>
+
*[[House Hayford]]{{refn|group=N|name=CrownlandHouses}}
*[[House Hogg]]<ref group="N" name=CrowlandHouses/>
+
*[[House Hogg]]{{refn|group=N|name=CrownlandHouses}}
 
*[[House Kettleblack]]{{ref|ACOK|59}}
 
*[[House Kettleblack]]{{ref|ACOK|59}}
*[[House Rosby]]<ref group="N" name=CrowlandHouses/>
+
*[[House Rosby]]{{refn|group=N|name=CrownlandHouses}}
*[[House Rykker]]<ref group="N" name=CrowlandHouses/>
+
*[[House Rykker]]{{refn|group=N|name=CrownlandHouses}}
*[[House Stokeworth]]{{ref||ACOK|57}}
+
*[[House Stokeworth]]{{ref|ACOK|57}}
  
 
[[Vale mountain clans]]
 
[[Vale mountain clans]]
*[[Black Ears]]
+
*[[Black Ears]]{{ref|ACOK|49}}
*[[Burned Men]]
+
*[[Burned Men]]{{ref|ACOK|49}}
*[[Moon Brothers]]
+
*[[Moon Brothers]]{{ref|ACOK|49}}
*[[Stone Crows]]
+
*[[Stone Crows]]{{ref|ACOK|49}}
  
 
'''Relief force (late battle):'''
 
'''Relief force (late battle):'''
[[Westerlands]], led by [[House Lannister]]
+
[[File:House Lannister.svg|30px]] [[Westerlands]], led by [[House Lannister]]
 
*[[House Banefort]]
 
*[[House Banefort]]
 
*[[House Bettley]]
 
*[[House Bettley]]
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*[[House Myatt]]
 
*[[House Myatt]]
 
*[[House Payne]]{{ref|ACOK|61}}
 
*[[House Payne]]{{ref|ACOK|61}}
*[[House Peckledon]]
+
*[[House Peckledon]]{{ref|ACOK|65}}
 
*[[House Plumm]]
 
*[[House Plumm]]
 
*[[House Prester]]
 
*[[House Prester]]
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*[[House Yarwyck]]
 
*[[House Yarwyck]]
  
[[Reach|The Reach]], led by [[House Tyrell]]
+
[[File:House Tyrell.svg|30px]] [[Reach|The Reach]], led by [[House Tyrell]]
 
*[[House Ambrose]]
 
*[[House Ambrose]]
 
*[[House Beesbury]]
 
*[[House Beesbury]]
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*[[House Webber]]
 
*[[House Webber]]
 
*[[House Wythers]]
 
*[[House Wythers]]
| commander1 = '''Force on land:'''
+
| commander2 = '''Force on land:''' ~16,000
 
*King [[Stannis Baratheon]]
 
*King [[Stannis Baratheon]]
 
*Ser [[Guyard Morrigen]]†
 
*Ser [[Guyard Morrigen]]†
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'''Fleet:'''
 
'''Fleet:'''
 
*Ser [[Imry Florent]]†
 
*Ser [[Imry Florent]]†
*Lord [[Salladhor Saan]]
+
*[[Salladhor Saan]]
| commander2 =  
+
| commander1 =  
 
'''King's Landing garrison:'''  
 
'''King's Landing garrison:'''  
 
*Lord [[Tyrion Lannister]] (WIA)
 
*Lord [[Tyrion Lannister]] (WIA)
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*Lord [[Randyll Tarly]]
 
*Lord [[Randyll Tarly]]
 
*Lord [[Tywin Lannister]]
 
*Lord [[Tywin Lannister]]
| strength1 = '''Force on land:'''
+
| strength2 = '''Force on land:'''
* 5,000 men of Stannis's original host, from the [[crownlands]], [[Lys]], and [[Myr]]{{Ref|ACOK|31}}
+
* ~16,400 cavalry mainly from the [[Reach]], and some from the [[Stormlands]] and [[Crownlands]]{{refn|group=N|Stannis originally had an army of five thousand men, but he claims to have twenty thousand men after Renly's death has caused a large part of his men to join Stannis. According to Davos, Stannis has “nearly twenty thousand” cavalry alone.{{ref|ACOK|58}} If true, this would mean Stannis had close to 25,000 soldiers in total, though Stannis claims to only have about 20,000 men immediately after Renly's death;{{ref|ACOK|42}} this would indicate that either Davos mistaken/rounding up, Stannis was rounding down, or that more men joined Stannis soon after he said he had 20,000. However, Tyrion states that four fifths of the cavalry present joined Stannis, which from a force of 20,000 would equate to 16,000 men, giving Stannis ~21,000 total when his original 5,000 are added, which lend credence to Stannis's figure ~20,000 being closer to the truth than Davos's ~25,000. Additionally, Stannis's force on land is referred to by Davos as being entirely mounted and better pace than an infantry force as a result;{{ref|ACOK|58}} since Stannis's original host numbered 4,600 infantry and 400 foot soldiers{{ref|ACOK|22}} before being joined by ~16,000 of Renly's cavalry, this would mean his force on land totaled 16,400 soldiers, with his original infantry being confined to his ships.}}
* ~15,000 cavalry mainly from the [[stormlands]], and some from the [[Reach]]<ref group="N">Stannis originally had an army of five thousand men, but he claims to have twenty thousand men after Renly's death has caused a large part of his men to join Stannis. According to Davos, Stannis has “nearly twenty thousand” men at the start of the battle (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 58|Davos III]])</ref>
 
 
'''Fleet:'''
 
'''Fleet:'''
~200 ships:<ref group="N">Stannis' fleet consists of ten battlelines of twenty ships (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 58|Davos III]]), bringing the total amount of ship to two hundred.</ref>
+
* ~4,600 infantry Stannis's original host, from the [[crownlands]], [[Lys]], and [[Myr]]{{Ref|ACOK|31}}
* 60 war galleys<ref group="N">The first three lines of twenty are made up of war galleys; Out of these sixty ships, at least nine are known to belong to the lords of the Narrow Sea (''[[Pride of Driftmark]]'', ''[[Bold Laughter]]'', ''[[Harridan]]'', and ''[[Seahorse]]'' from [[House Velaryon]]; ''[[Red Claw]]'' from [[House Celtigar]]. ''[[Swordfish]]'' from [[House Bar Emmon]]; ''[[Piety]]'', ''[[Prayer]]'', and ''[[Devotion]]'', commandeered from [[House Sunglass]])</ref>
+
~200 ships:{{refn|group=N|Stannis' fleet consists of ten battlelines of twenty ships,{{ref|ACOK|58}} bringing the total amount of ship to two hundred.}}
*  Myrish sellsails{{Ref|ACOK|17}}<ref group="N">Described as a smaller contingent "the smaller, slower Myrish contingent" (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 58|Davos III]]), indicating that the Myrmen definitely have less than sixty ships, possibly as few as twenty.</ref>
+
* 60 war galleys{{refn|group=N|The first three lines of twenty are made up of war galleys. Out of these sixty ships, at least nine are known to belong to the lords of the Narrow Sea (''[[Pride of Driftmark]]'', ''[[Bold Laughter]]'', ''[[Harridan]]'', and ''[[Seahorse]]'' from [[House Velaryon]]; ''[[Red Claw]]'' from [[House Celtigar]]; ''[[Swordfish]]'' from [[House Bar Emmon]]; ''[[Piety]]'', ''[[Prayer]]'', and ''[[Devotion]]'', commandeered from [[House Sunglass]]).}}
 +
*  Myrish sellsails{{ref|ACOK|17}}{{refn|group=N|name=Myrish|Described as a smaller contingent "the smaller, slower Myrish contingent",{{ref|ACOK|58}} indicating that the Myrmen definitely have less than sixty ships, possibly as few as twenty.}}
 
* sailed warships (carracks and lumbering great cogs){{Ref|ACOK|58}}
 
* sailed warships (carracks and lumbering great cogs){{Ref|ACOK|58}}
* 25 Lysene pirate galleys<ref group="N">The Lyseni Salladhor Saan commands his [[Valyrian]] and two dozen smaller galleys (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Prologue|Prologue]].</ref>
+
* 25 Lysene pirate galleys{{refn|group=N|The Lyseni Salladhor Saan commands his [[Valyrian]] and two dozen smaller galleys.{{ref|ACOK|0}}}}
| strength2 = '''King's Landing garrison:'''
+
| strength1 = '''King's Landing garrison:''' 7,000-8,000
* 5,700 [[City Watch of King's Landing|gold cloaks]]<ref group="N" name=goldcloaks>The city watch contains six thousand men, although only two thousand of these, who had received their gold cloak from Robert, are seasoned men (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 49|Tyrion XI]]). Three hundred gold cloaks later escort Petyr Baelish to Bitterbridge (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 36|Tyrion VIII]]), leaving only five thousand seven hundred.</ref>
+
* 5,700 [[City Watch of King's Landing|gold cloaks]]{{refn|group=N|name=goldcloaks|The city watch contains six thousand men, although only two thousand of these, who had received their gold cloak from Robert, are seasoned men.{{Ref|ACOK|49}} Three hundred gold cloaks later escort Petyr Baelish to Bitterbridge,{{Ref|ACOK|36}} leaving only five thousand seven hundred.}}
 
* ~800 sellswords{{Ref|acok|49}}
 
* ~800 sellswords{{Ref|acok|49}}
 
*[[Stokeworth]] and [[Rosby]] contingents{{Ref|ACOK|49}}{{Ref|ACOK|57}}
 
*[[Stokeworth]] and [[Rosby]] contingents{{Ref|ACOK|49}}{{Ref|ACOK|57}}
 
* 300 knights, squires and men-at-arms{{Ref|ACOK|49}}
 
* 300 knights, squires and men-at-arms{{Ref|ACOK|49}}
 
* 150 mountain clansmen (harassed Stannis's army during the march)
 
* 150 mountain clansmen (harassed Stannis's army during the march)
 +
* "Hundreds" of scorpions, catapaults, and ballistae manned by hundreds of engineers{{ref|ACOK|17}}
 
'''Lannister navy:''' 57+ ships
 
'''Lannister navy:''' 57+ ships
* 45 war galleys of the [[royal fleet]]<ref group="N">Stannis has ten lines of twenty ships, bringing his total to ~200; Stannis has four times more ships than Joffrey, giving Joffrey ~50 ships of the royal fleet. (The Baratheon forces would have no information regarding the trading vessels seized on Tyrion's command). However, unbeknownst to Stannis and his men, five of these ships (''[[King Robert's Hammer]]'', ''[[Seaswift]]'', ''[[Lionstar]]'', ''[[Bold Wind]]'', and ''[[Lady Lyanna]]'') have departed King’s Landing long before to escort Myrcella to Braavos(''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 41|Tyrion IX]]). When the Battle of the Blackwater takes place, they have not yet returned (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 58|Davos III]])</ref>
+
* 45 war galleys of the [[royal fleet]]{{refn|group=N|Stannis has ten lines of twenty ships, bringing his total to ~200; Stannis has four times more ships than Joffrey, giving Joffrey ~50 ships of the royal fleet. (The Baratheon forces would have no information regarding the trading vessels seized on Tyrion's command.) However, unbeknownst to Stannis and his men, five of these ships (''[[King Robert's Hammer]]'', ''[[Seaswift]]'', ''[[Lionstar]]'', ''[[Bold Wind]]'', and ''[[Lady Lyanna]]'') have departed King’s Landing long before to escort Myrcella to Braavos.{{Ref|ACOK|41}} When the Battle of the Blackwater takes place, they have not yet returned.{{Ref|ACOK|58}}}}
 
* At least a dozen vessels taken from traders{{Ref|ACOK|49}}
 
* At least a dozen vessels taken from traders{{Ref|ACOK|49}}
 
'''Relief force:'''  
 
'''Relief force:'''  
* ~50,000-70,000 Tyrell men <ref group="N">The host of [[Renly Baratheon]] is said to number a hundred thousand (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 17|Tyrion IV]]). Renly himself claims to have eighty thousand with him at Bitterbridge, while another ten thousand are with Lord [[Mace Tyrell]] at Highgarden (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 22|Catelyn II]]). The forces of House Tyrell make up the majority of Renly's forces. Renly's cavalry, said by Catelyn Stark to number ten thousand (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 33|Catelyn IV]]), accompanies him to Storm's End to lift the siege, while his foot, according to Stannis near sixty thousand strong (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 42|Davos II]]), remains at Bitterbridge when Renly goes to lift the siege of Storm’s End. As Renly previously stated that the total of his men numbered eighty thousand, either Catelyn was incorrect in her statement and Renly's cavalry actually numbered ~twenty thousand, or Stannis was wrong and Renly's foot actually numbered ~seventy thousand, or Renly had been exaggerating by stating eighty thousand while he actually had only seventy thousand men. The first option seems most likely, as Stannis, who originally had five thousand men (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 31|Catelyn III]]), has twenty thousand men shortly after Renly's death (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 42|Davos II]]), indicating that ~15.000 men from Renly's army have joined him. As only one fifth of Renly's knights did not join Stannis (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 36|Tyrion IX]]), the total of Renly's cavalry numbered ~18.750 men, nearing twenty thousand.<br>
+
* ~50,000-70,000 Tyrell men{{refn|group=N|The host of [[Renly Baratheon]] is said to number a hundred thousand.{{ref|ACOK|17}} Renly himself claims to have eighty thousand with him at Bitterbridge, while another ten thousand are with Lord [[Mace Tyrell]] at Highgarden.{{Ref|ACOK|22}} The forces of House Tyrell make up the majority of Renly's forces. Catelyn Stark says that Renly's cavalry includes at least ten thousand heavy lancers,{{Ref|ACOK|33}} and that it accompanies him to Storm's End to lift the siege, while his foot, according to Stannis near sixty thousand strong,{{Ref|ACOK|42}} remains at Bitterbridge when Renly goes to lift the siege of Storm’s End. As Renly previously stated that the total of his men at Bitterbridge numbered eighty thousand, this would make his cavalry at Storm's End 20,000 strong. As only one fifth of Renly's knights did not join Stannis,{{Ref|ACOK|36}} Stannis would have gained ~16,000 troops, bringing his total force to ~21,000.<br>
Of those who remain, some — chiefly those of [[House Florent]] — are put to death by Lord [[Randyll Tarly]] after Renly's death (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 42|Davos II]] and [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 44|Tyrion X]]). As House Florent can field two thousand men at best (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Prologue|Prologue]]), this would reduce Renly's foot to fifty-eight thousand at a minimum. A fifth of the knights that had accompanied Renly to Storm's End return to join the other forces from the Reach (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 36|Tyrion VIII]]), but how many of his ten (of fifteen) thousand cavalry had been knights is unknown. Mace Tyrell's additional ten thousand at Highgarden would bring the total to ~70,000 soldiers from House Tyrell.
+
Of those who remain, some — chiefly those of [[House Florent]] — are put to death by Lord [[Randyll Tarly]] after Renly's death.{{Ref|ACOK|42}}{{Ref|ACOK|44}} As House Florent can field two thousand men at best,{{Ref|ACOK|0}} this would reduce Renly's foot to fifty-eight thousand at a minimum. A fifth of the knights that had accompanied Renly to Storm's End return to join the other forces from the Reach,{{Ref|ACOK|36}} but how many of his ten (of fifteen) thousand cavalry had been knights is unknown. Mace Tyrell's additional ten thousand at Highgarden would bring the total to ~70,000 soldiers from House Tyrell.
<br>[[Petyr Baelish]] tells [[Joffrey Baratheon]]'s [[small council]] that Mace Tyrell can field fifty thousand swords (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 36|Tyrion VIII]]). According to Tyrion Lannister, some fifty to seventy thousand [[House Tyrell|Tyrell soldiers]] are in King's Landing vicinity after the Battle of the Blackwater (''[[A Storm of Swords]]'', [[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 38|Tyrion V]]).</ref>
+
<br>[[Petyr Baelish]] tells [[Joffrey Baratheon]]'s [[small council]] that Mace Tyrell can field fifty thousand swords.{{Ref|ACOK|36}} According to Tyrion Lannister, some fifty to seventy thousand [[House Tyrell|Tyrell soldiers]] are in the King's Landing vicinity after the Battle of the Blackwater.{{Ref|asos|38}}}}
* ~20,000 Lannister men<ref group="N">Tywin's host originally is 20,000 men strong (''[[A Game of Thrones]]'', [[A Game of Thrones-Chapter 56|Tyrion VII]]). Despite desertions and insurgency in the riverlands, and many minor sieges and skirmishes, he still has about the same number before the [[Battle of the Fords]] (''[[A Storm of Swords]]'', [[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 39|Catelyn V]]). Despite casualties during the battle, Tywin is later said to have twenty thousand swords in King's Landing (''[[A Storm of Swords]]'', [[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 38|Tyrion V]]), suggesting he either gained men or did not lose a significant amount </ref>
+
* ~20,000 Lannister men{{refn|group=N|Tywin's host originally is 20,000 men strong.{{Ref|agot|56}} Despite desertions and insurgency in the riverlands, and many minor sieges and skirmishes, he still has about the same number before the [[Battle of the Fords]].{{Ref|asos|45}} Despite casualties during the battle, Tywin is later said to have twenty thousand swords in King's Landing,{{Ref|asos|38}} suggesting he either gained men or did not lose a significant amount.}}
| casualties1 = [[#Notable Casualties|See below]]  
+
| casualties2 = [[#Notable Casualties|See below]]  
 
* 130-140 ships burned or wrecked.
 
* 130-140 ships burned or wrecked.
 
* 30-40 war galleys scuttled upriver or harassing the Lannister-Tyrell supply lines, with no ability to link back to Stannis's remaining fleet  
 
* 30-40 war galleys scuttled upriver or harassing the Lannister-Tyrell supply lines, with no ability to link back to Stannis's remaining fleet  
Line 168: Line 176:
 
* Several thousand men-at-arms left behind for lack of space on Saan's fleet{{ref|adwd|66}}
 
* Several thousand men-at-arms left behind for lack of space on Saan's fleet{{ref|adwd|66}}
 
* Most of the ~15,000 Stormlanders and Reachmen who had previously supported Renly abandoned Stannis{{Ref|ASOS|4}} by the hundreds{{Ref|ASOS|10}}
 
* Most of the ~15,000 Stormlanders and Reachmen who had previously supported Renly abandoned Stannis{{Ref|ASOS|4}} by the hundreds{{Ref|ASOS|10}}
| casualties2 = [[#Notable Casualties|See below]]  
+
| casualties1 = [[#Notable Casualties|See below]]  
 
'''King's Landing garrison:''' Heavy
 
'''King's Landing garrison:''' Heavy
* 1,600 gold cloaks killed or deserted<ref group="N">Following the deaths from and the desertions during the battle, the city watch only contains some forty-four hundred men (''[[A Storm of Swords]]'', [[A Storm of Swords-Chapter 4|Tyrion I]]), where it had numbered six thousand before (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 49|Tyrion XI]]).</ref>
+
* 1,600 gold cloaks killed or deserted{{refn|group=N|Following the deaths from and the desertions during the battle, the city watch only contains some forty-four hundred men,{{Ref|ASOS|4}} where it had numbered six thousand before.{{Ref|acok|49}}}}
* Majority of the sellswords and knights/men-at-arms killed<ref group="N">Sandor Clegane loses half his knights and sellswords (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 59|Tyrion XIII]]). Tyrion Lannister leads another sally, which is nearly wiped out (''[[A Clash of Kings]]'', [[A Clash of Kings-Chapter 61|Tyrion XIV]])</ref>
+
* Majority of the sellswords and knights/men-at-arms killed{{refn|group=N|Sandor Clegane loses half his knights and sellswords.{{Ref|acok|59}} Tyrion Lannister leads another sally, which is nearly wiped out.{{Ref|acok|61}}}}
 
'''King's Landing navy:''' Heavy
 
'''King's Landing navy:''' Heavy
 
* 39+ royal war galleys{{Ref|AFFC|17}} destroyed, associated crews and marines all killed
 
* 39+ royal war galleys{{Ref|AFFC|17}} destroyed, associated crews and marines all killed
 
* All hulks, barges, skiffs, ferries, wherries, and rowboats destroyed
 
* All hulks, barges, skiffs, ferries, wherries, and rowboats destroyed
 +
'''Relief force:''' Minimal
 
}}
 
}}
  
The '''Battle of the Blackwater'''{{ref|ASOS|16}} is the largest battle in the [[War of the Five Kings]]. The battle is fought between the forces loyal to [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey I Baratheon]], the King on the [[Iron Throne]], and those loyal to [[Stannis Baratheon|Stannis I Baratheon]], the King in the [[Narrow Sea]]. After [[Siege of Storm's End (299)#Regicide|eliminating]] his younger brother [[Renly Baratheon|Renly]], a rival claimaint to the Iron Throne, Stannis gains the loyalty of nearly all of the [[Stormlands|Stormlords]] and advances on [[King's Landing]] by land and sea, intent on seizing the city and taking control of the Iron Trone.
+
The '''Battle of the Blackwater'''{{ref|ASOS|16}} is the largest battle in the [[War of the Five Kings]]. The battle is fought between the forces loyal to [[Joffrey Baratheon|Joffrey I Baratheon]], the King on the [[Iron Throne]], and those loyal to [[Stannis Baratheon|Stannis I Baratheon]], the King in the [[Narrow Sea]]. After [[Siege of Storm's End (299)#Regicide|eliminating]] his younger brother [[Renly Baratheon|Renly]], a rival claimaint to the Iron Throne, Stannis gains the loyalty of nearly all of the [[Stormlands|Stormlords]] and [[Reach|Reach lords]] and advances on [[King's Landing]] by land and sea, intent on seizing the city and taking control of the Iron Trone.
  
 
==Prelude==
 
==Prelude==
Line 202: Line 211:
  
 
===Attack on King's Landing===
 
===Attack on King's Landing===
The city itself is defended by some five thousand seven hundred [[gold cloaks]],<ref group="N" name=goldcloaks/> leavened with eight hundred mercenaries and three hundred knights, squires, and men-at-arms from the court and the surrounding [[crownlands]]. As acting [[Hand of the King]], command of the defense is taken by [[Tyrion Lannister]].{{Ref|aCoK|49}}
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The city itself is defended by some five thousand seven hundred [[gold cloaks]],{{refn|group=N|name=goldcloaks}} leavened with eight hundred mercenaries and three hundred knights, squires, and men-at-arms from the court and the surrounding [[crownlands]]. As acting [[Hand of the King]], command of the defense is taken by [[Tyrion Lannister]].{{Ref|aCoK|49}}
  
 
At the start of the battle, some small skirmishes arise within the city when some drunkards in [[Flea Bottom]] smash doors and climb into houses. Lord [[Jacelyn Bywater]] sends his [[gold cloaks]] to deal with them.{{Ref|ACOK|60}} When rich merchants and such gather in the square before the [[Red Keep]], asking for refuge in the castle, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister commands the gates be kept close.{{Ref|ACOK|60}}
 
At the start of the battle, some small skirmishes arise within the city when some drunkards in [[Flea Bottom]] smash doors and climb into houses. Lord [[Jacelyn Bywater]] sends his [[gold cloaks]] to deal with them.{{Ref|ACOK|60}} When rich merchants and such gather in the square before the [[Red Keep]], asking for refuge in the castle, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister commands the gates be kept close.{{Ref|ACOK|60}}
Line 239: Line 248:
 
==Hostages and casualties==
 
==Hostages and casualties==
 
[[File:John_Picacio_Tyrion.jpg‎|[[Tyrion Lannister]] during the Battle of the Blackwater ‎- © 2012 John Picacio|thumb|250px|right]]
 
[[File:John_Picacio_Tyrion.jpg‎|[[Tyrion Lannister]] during the Battle of the Blackwater ‎- © 2012 John Picacio|thumb|250px|right]]
===Highborn Hostages===
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===Hostages===
{{Columns|3|
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{{Columns|2|
* Lord [[Ardrian Celtigar]]
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* Lord [[Ardrian Celtigar]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Lord [[Alesander Staedmon]]
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* Lord [[Alesander Staedmon]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Lord [[Steffon Varner]]
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* Lord [[Steffon Varner]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Lord [[House Willum|Willum]]
+
* Lord [[House Willum|Willum]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser [[Eldon Estermont]]
+
* Ser [[Eldon Estermont]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser [[Mark Mullendore]]
+
* Ser [[Mark Mullendore]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser [[Tanton Fossoway]]
+
* Ser [[Tanton Fossoway]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser [[Donnel Swann]]
+
* Ser [[Donnel Swann]], gets ransomed and bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser [[Ronnet Connington]]
+
* Ser [[Ronnet Connington]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser [[Jon Fossoway]]
+
* Ser [[Jon Fossoway]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser [[Bonifer Hasty]]
+
* Ser [[Bonifer Hasty]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser [[Dermot]] of the [[Rainwood]]
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* Ser [[Dermot]] of the [[Rainwood]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* Ser  [[Timon]], "the Scrapesword"
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* Ser  [[Timon]], "the Scrapesword", bends the knee to Joffrey
* [[Josua Willum]]
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* [[Josua Willum]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* [[Elyas Willum]]
+
* [[Elyas Willum]], bends the knee to Joffrey
* [[Aurane Waters]]
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* [[Aurane Waters]], bends the knee to Joffrey
 +
* A bastard of [[House Florent]], remains defiant and is executed{{ref|acok|65}}
 +
* Ser [[Shadrich]] of the Shady Glen, ransoms himself
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 
===Notable Casualties===
 
===Notable Casualties===
 
====Lannister/Tyrell forces====
 
====Lannister/Tyrell forces====

Revision as of 22:52, 5 May 2018

Battle of the Blackwater
T Jedruszek BattleoftheB ship.jpg
by Tomasz Jedruszek. © Fantasy Flight Games
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date 299 AC
Place mouth of the Blackwater Rush and King's Landing
Result Decisive victory for House Baratheon of King's Landing
Combatants
Joffrey sigil coat.png Iron Throne/ House Baratheon of King's Landing:

King's Landing garrison: Gold Cloaks

Crownlands

Vale mountain clans

Relief force (late battle): House Lannister.svg Westerlands, led by House Lannister

House Tyrell.svg The Reach, led by House Tyrell

Stannis sigil coat.png House Baratheon of Dragonstone:

Crownlands

Stormlands

The Reach

Salladhor Saan's pirate fleet (Lysene)

Myrish sellsails
Commanders
King's Landing garrison:

Relief force:

Force on land: ~16,000

Fleet:

The Battle of the Blackwater[42] is the largest battle in the War of the Five Kings. The battle is fought between the forces loyal to Joffrey I Baratheon, the King on the Iron Throne, and those loyal to Stannis I Baratheon, the King in the Narrow Sea. After eliminating his younger brother Renly, a rival claimaint to the Iron Throne, Stannis gains the loyalty of nearly all of the Stormlords and Reach lords and advances on King's Landing by land and sea, intent on seizing the city and taking control of the Iron Trone.

Prelude

Convinced that Joffrey Baratheon is not King Robert I Baratheon's son, Stannis believes his claim to the Iron Throne is the true one. However, he lacks the strength to attack King's Landing, as few Houses are sworn to Dragonstone and the rocky, volcanic islands surrounding Dragonstone have a sparse population, and the men of the stormlands have given their support to his younger brother Renly, the Lord of Storm's End, who has proclaimed himself king as well. Additionally, Renly has taken Margaery Tyrell to wife, which has earned him the support of the men from the Reach as well.[43] On Dragonstone, the red priestess Melisandre tells Stannis of two futures she has seen in her flames; One in which Stannis is defeated in King's Landing by his brother Renly, and one in which he sails to Storm's End, where his brother shall die, and his men will flock to Stannis.[17]

Stannis arrives in the stormlands with his five thousand men and lays siege to the coastal fortress Storm's End, the seat of his younger brother, Renly.[31][44] Renly is at Bitterbridge with his army when news reaches his camp. He splits his forces and rides with some twenty thousand cavalry to Storm's End to break the siege.[38] After a failed parlay in which neither brother will yield, the battle is set at dawn.[38] However, that night Renly is killed by a shadow assassin summoned by Melisandre.[32] With Renly dead, the majority of the host that had accompanied him to Storm's End swears their allegiance to Stannis.[28] House Florent and both branches of House Fossoway also defect to Stannis, but a fifth of Renly’s knights returns to Bitterbridge with Ser Loras Tyrell.[28] The siege continues, as Storm's End's castellan, Ser Cortnay Penrose, refuses to yield the castle to Stannis[28] because he fears for the safety of King Robert's bastard son Edric Storm.[17] To end the siege quickly, Ser Davos Seaworth smuggles Melisandre under the castle by boat, where she summons another shadow to assassinate Cortnay.[17] After Cortnay's death, the castle yields, leaving Stannis free to advance on King's Landing.[33][45]

Sixty thousand men from Renly's army are still encamped at Bitterbridge, and when news of Renly's death reaches them,[17] fighting breaks out between Stannis' supporters and Renly's loyalists led by the vengeful Loras Tyrell. Parmen Crane and Erren Florent – the two knights sent by Stannis to retrieve the army for him[17] – are taken prisoner,[21] while Lord Randyll Tarly seizes the supplies and puts many men, mostly Florents, to death.[33] In King's Landing, the small council of King Joffrey decides to attempt to make an alliance with House Tyrell by offering to marry Joffrey to Margaery. Petyr Baelish, representing King Joffrey I,[28] travels to Bitterbridge and wins the allegiance of House Tyrell. Riders are sent north to warn Lord Tywin Lannister of Stannis's threat to the capital.[46]

Meanwhile, Robb Stark attacks the westerlands, hoping to lure Lord Tywin Lannister, who had been residing at Harrenhal with his twenty thousand men, away from King's Landing while King Stannis attacks the city from the south. Stannis's victory would mean the end of King Joffrey I, Queen Cersei, and acting Hand Tyrion Lannister, breaking Lannister power.[46] Tywin begins his march west,[47] but Lord Edmure Tully, unaware of Robb's plan,[46] refuses to allow the Lannisters to cross the Trident without giving battle and places an army of eleven thousand men at the key fords along the Red Fork.[47] After several probing attacks, Lord Tywin attempts to force a crossing in a dozen places. Unable to cross the river, Tywin is forced to retreat.[45] This delays Tywin just long enough for riders out of Bitterbridge to reach him with word of Stannis's threat to King's Landing.[46]

In preparation of the defense of King's Landing, Cersei Lannister has arranged for the production of vast amounts of wildfire,[48] while Tyrion Lannister has commissioned a great chain boom across the mouth of the Blackwater Rush.[49] The City Watch is tripled in size,[48] sellswords are hired,[50] contingents of soldiers are send from Rosby and Stokeworth,[6][5] and hundreds of scorpions, spitfires, and catapults are constructed and placed on the walls.[48][38] Tyrion further sends out his hundred and fifty Vale mountain clansmen to harass Stannis' flanks and kill his scouts in the kingswood.[18] Stannis's vanguard arrives at the city early, and Joffrey's war galleys are dispatched to exchange arrows with his forces. The vanguard is said to have five thousand men, flying the banners of Houses Fossoway, Estermont and Florent, under the command of Ser Guyard Morrigen.[18]

Treacherous waters and inclement weather delay Stannis's fleet on its northward journey from Storm's End. A dozen ships are lost on the journey to Blackwater Bay. Stannis gives command of the fleet to Ser Imry Florent, who commands from Stannis's galley, the Fury. Stannis himself is on the south side of the Blackwater with his host, making them create arrows and rafts.[25]

The Battle

Map of King's Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater
I. The Red Keep; II. Great Sept of Baelor upon Visenya's Hill; III. Dragonpit upon Rhaenys's Hill; IV. Western baracks of the City Watch; V. Eastern baracks of the City Watch
1. Stannis' fleet enters the river from Blackwater Bay; Only the ships of Salladhor Saan remain behind; 2. Once the first lines have passed, the defenders of King's Landing begin raising the chain; By the time the entire fleet has passed, the chain has been raised completely; 3. When Stannis' ships engage Joffrey's fleet, the ships are lit afire with wildfire; 4. Skirmishes start in Flea Bottom; 5. King Joffrey I Baratheon travels to the trebuchets ("the Whores") to launch the Antler Men; 6. Survivors from Stannis' fleet land on the riverfront and take a ram to the King's Gate; 7. The burning and broken ships have pilled together, creating a bridge of ships allowing Stannis' vanguard to cross the river; 8. An army of westermen and men from the Reach arrives to take the forces of Stannis Baratheon in the rear; 9. Seeing the battle is lost, Salladhor Saan, who kept his ships in the bay, lands his ships, allowing Stannis and ~1500 men to retreat.

Battle on the River

The battle opens when Stannis's admiral, Ser Imry Florent, leads Stannis' fleet up the river to engage Joffrey's ships. They enter visual range of the city in the late afternoon.[25] Confident of his superior numbers, and knowing that the fleet of King's Landing cannot hope to contest them, Ser Imry does not send scouts ahead, and attacks immediately, leaving the Lysene galleys of Salladhor Saan as rearguard out in Blackwater Bay. The fleet is organized into ten battle lines composed of twenty ships each. The first three lines are made up of war galleys belonging to the royal navy and the lords of the narrow sea. Behind them sails the smaller Myrish contingent, who are to land troops to attack the city, before joining the first three lines in battle. The smaller and slower sailed ships are to ferry Stannis's host.[25] Ser Davos Seaworth realizes that the two watchtowers at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush are newly build, and he notices the chain in the water.[25] The fleet continues forward nonetheless. From within the city, pots of pitch are flung at the ships, and the trebuchets located within the city start to fling stones.[25]

The wildfire burns the Blackwater - by Amok ©

Tyrion Lannister has ordered several of Joffrey's ships to be filled with wildfire. Stannis' fleet is lured further in the bay when Joffrey's pull back. When they engage the fleet of King's Landing, the ships and the river are soon afire. The wildfire destroys nearly every ship in both fleets. To their horror, the men on Stannis' ship discover that the great chain has been raised behind them, cutting off their retreat.[25] However, as Ser Imry's first two battle lines had been well upstream of the fire when the hulks went up, some thirty or forty galleys are able to escape the inferno at first.[4] Eight ships manage to land under the city walls and put men ashore, while many of the Myrmen escape the flames by sailing for the south bank.[4]

Attack on King's Landing

The city itself is defended by some five thousand seven hundred gold cloaks,[N 2] leavened with eight hundred mercenaries and three hundred knights, squires, and men-at-arms from the court and the surrounding crownlands. As acting Hand of the King, command of the defense is taken by Tyrion Lannister.[6]

At the start of the battle, some small skirmishes arise within the city when some drunkards in Flea Bottom smash doors and climb into houses. Lord Jacelyn Bywater sends his gold cloaks to deal with them.[51] When rich merchants and such gather in the square before the Red Keep, asking for refuge in the castle, Queen Regent Cersei Lannister commands the gates be kept close.[51]

Tyrion tasks several groups of mounted men-at-arms, along with what few knights the city has, to harry Stannis's forces as they come ashore. Under the command of Sandor Clegane and Ser Balon Swann of the Kingsguard, they manage to help stem the tide, but as the battle drags on, they suffer grievous casualties. Tyrion and King Joffrey I Baratheon look on from the Mud Gate how the fleet goes up in flames. After King Joffrey leaves to shoot the Antler Men from the trebuchets, guarded by Ser Meryn Trant and Ser Osmund Kettleblack, Tyrion learns of Stannis' men having landed on the tourney grounds, who are preparing to ram the King's Gate. He arrives at the Mud Gate where Sandor Clegane, who had already led three sorties in which he has lost half his men, refuses to go out again. The wildfire raging across the river has robbed Clegane of his courage, and his refusal to lead any more sorties threatens to break the morale of the defenders. As they need to hold the river at all costs, Tyrion decides to lead the next sortie himself. Shamed into action by the dwarf's display of courage, several defenders gather to Tyrion's side.[52]

While Tyrion is leading the sortie at the King's Gate, the Mud Gate falls under attack as well.[51] Queen Regent Cersei Lannister orders King Joffrey, who is still at the trebuchets near the gate, to be brought back to the castle.[51] When the defenders see their king retire, their morale breaks and they begin throwing down their spears and flee by the hundreds, leaving the walls and killing their officers, including Ser Jacelyn Bywater, in the process.[citation needed] Tyrion manages to disperse the attackers at the King's Gate and makes for the Mud Gate. When Ser Balon Swann points out that the galleys on the river which had smashed into each other have tangled together, creating a bridge of ships, which is being used by Stannis' boldest knights to cross the river, they take the fight to the riverfront.[8] Tyrion eventually finds himself on the bridge of ships, when it is about to collapse. He is severely wounded by Ser Mandon Moore of the Kingsguard, who had been Tyrion's sworn shield throughout the battle.[8] Moore is killed by Tyrion's squire, Podrick Payne.[8][53]

With the bridge breaking up and their Hand lost in battle, the defenders retreat within the city walls.[39] At this point, after only a few hours of resistance, the battle seems to be lost to Tyrion, though at this time he also sees Stannis's army seemingly fighting itself on the other side of the river.

Renly's ghost

Having learned of Stannis' approaching attack on King's Landing and the alliance between then Iron Throne and House Lannister, Lord Tywin Lannister has marched his host south. Near the headwaters of the Blackwater Rush he joins up with Lords Mathis Rowan and Randyll Tarly, from where they force a march to Tumbler's Falls, where they find Lord Mace Tyrell and his sons wait with their huge host and a fleet of barges. Together, the Lannisters and Tyrells float down the river to disembark half a day's ride from the capital.[46] They arrive at the battle scene at dusk,[8] taking Stannis' army from the rear. Lord Tywin leads the right wing on the north side of the river, while Randyll Tarly commands the center and Mace Tyrell the left.[7] However, it is their vanguard, led by Ser Garlan Tyrell,[3] which plunges through Stannis' army. Dressed in the recognizable armor of the deceased Renly Baratheon, his former supporters, convinced their dead lord has returned, abandon Stannis.[7] "Renly's shade" kills Ser Guyard Morrigen, who leads Stannis' van.[7]

Lannister soldiers defending King's Landing – by Tomasz Jedruszek. © Fantasy Flight Games

Seeing that the battle has turned bad, Salladhor Saan puts his ships, which had been kept out in the bay, in along the shore, taking as many people as will fit.[39] Rolland Storm leads a rearguard action, allowing Stannis and several hundreds of his men, about half of Florents, to reach the ships.[20] As Saan’s ship can only take a limited amount of men, thousands are left behind due to lack of space,[41] and towards the end, men begin to kill each other to get aboard and escape.[39]

Aftermath

The Battle of the Blackwater is a major defeat for Stannis. He retreats to Dragonstone with only a fraction of his army, and only Saan’s ships.

Most of those captured during the battle bend the knee to Joffrey, including men sworn to Dragonstone. During a court session, Ser Garlan Tyrell publicly asks Joffrey to take his sister Margaery to bride, and Joffrey, as previously agreed upon, fakes unwillingness to break his betrothal to Sansa Stark until the High Septon and small council agree that he is allowed to do so. Multiple honors and rewards are given to the participants and survivors of the battle by King Joffrey and his small council:

Hostages and casualties

Tyrion Lannister during the Battle of the Blackwater ‎- © 2012 John Picacio

Hostages

Notable Casualties

Lannister/Tyrell forces

Stannis' forces

Ships

King Joffrey

King Stannis

Quotes

A wall of red-hot steel, blazing wood, and swirling green flame stretched before him. The mouth of the Blackwater Rush had turned into the mouth of hell.[25]

- Davos Seaworth's thoughts


We're delivered, sweetling! They came up the roseroad and along the riverbank, through all the fields Stannis had burned, the ashes puffing up around their boots and turning all their armor grey, but oh! the banners must have been bright, the golden rose and golden lion and all the others, the Marbrand tree and the Rowan, Tarly's huntsman and Redwyne's grapes and Lady Oakheart's leaf. All the westermen, all the power of Highgarden and Casterly Rock! Lord Tywin himself had their right wing on the north side of the river, with Randyll Tarly commanding the center and Mace Tyrell the left, but the vanguard won the fight. They plunged through Stannis like a lance through a pumpkin, every man of them howling like some demon in steel. And do you know who led the vanguard? Do you? Do you? Do you? It was Lord Renly! Lord Renly in his green armor, with the fires shimmering off his golden antlers! Lord Renly with his tall spear in his hand! They say he killed Ser Guyard Morrigen himself in single combat, and a dozen other great knights as well. It was Renly, it was Renly, it was Renly! Oh! the banners, darling Sansa! Oh! to be a knight![7]

Dontos Hollard, to Sansa Stark


My hirelings betray me, my friends are scourged and shamed, and I lie here rotting. I thought I won the bloody battle. Is this what triumph tastes like?[39]

Tyrion Lannister's thoughts


That chain of yours, that was cunning.[2]

Mace Tyrell, to Tyrion Lannister


Too many good men died that day.[41]

Tyrion Lannister, to Kem

See also

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 The Crownland Houses of Brune of the Dyre Den, Byrch, Hayford, Hogg, Rosby and Rykker are not directly mentioned at Blackwater, but as they are sworn directly to the Iron Throne, it is likely they took part in the battle or provided men to the City Watch.
  2. 2.0 2.1 The city watch contains six thousand men, although only two thousand of these, who had received their gold cloak from Robert, are seasoned men.[6] Three hundred gold cloaks later escort Petyr Baelish to Bitterbridge,[28] leaving only five thousand seven hundred.
  3. Stannis has ten lines of twenty ships, bringing his total to ~200; Stannis has four times more ships than Joffrey, giving Joffrey ~50 ships of the royal fleet. (The Baratheon forces would have no information regarding the trading vessels seized on Tyrion's command.) However, unbeknownst to Stannis and his men, five of these ships (King Robert's Hammer, Seaswift, Lionstar, Bold Wind, and Lady Lyanna) have departed King’s Landing long before to escort Myrcella to Braavos.[30] When the Battle of the Blackwater takes place, they have not yet returned.[25]
  4. The host of Renly Baratheon is said to number a hundred thousand.[29] Renly himself claims to have eighty thousand with him at Bitterbridge, while another ten thousand are with Lord Mace Tyrell at Highgarden.[31] The forces of House Tyrell make up the majority of Renly's forces. Catelyn Stark says that Renly's cavalry includes at least ten thousand heavy lancers,[32] and that it accompanies him to Storm's End to lift the siege, while his foot, according to Stannis near sixty thousand strong,[17] remains at Bitterbridge when Renly goes to lift the siege of Storm’s End. As Renly previously stated that the total of his men at Bitterbridge numbered eighty thousand, this would make his cavalry at Storm's End 20,000 strong. As only one fifth of Renly's knights did not join Stannis,[28] Stannis would have gained ~16,000 troops, bringing his total force to ~21,000.
    Of those who remain, some — chiefly those of House Florent — are put to death by Lord Randyll Tarly after Renly's death.[17][33] As House Florent can field two thousand men at best,[34] this would reduce Renly's foot to fifty-eight thousand at a minimum. A fifth of the knights that had accompanied Renly to Storm's End return to join the other forces from the Reach,[28] but how many of his ten (of fifteen) thousand cavalry had been knights is unknown. Mace Tyrell's additional ten thousand at Highgarden would bring the total to ~70,000 soldiers from House Tyrell.
    Petyr Baelish tells Joffrey Baratheon's small council that Mace Tyrell can field fifty thousand swords.[28] According to Tyrion Lannister, some fifty to seventy thousand Tyrell soldiers are in the King's Landing vicinity after the Battle of the Blackwater.[35]
  5. Tywin's host originally is 20,000 men strong.[36] Despite desertions and insurgency in the riverlands, and many minor sieges and skirmishes, he still has about the same number before the Battle of the Fords.[37] Despite casualties during the battle, Tywin is later said to have twenty thousand swords in King's Landing,[35] suggesting he either gained men or did not lose a significant amount.
  6. Stannis originally had an army of five thousand men, but he claims to have twenty thousand men after Renly's death has caused a large part of his men to join Stannis. According to Davos, Stannis has “nearly twenty thousand” cavalry alone.[25] If true, this would mean Stannis had close to 25,000 soldiers in total, though Stannis claims to only have about 20,000 men immediately after Renly's death;[17] this would indicate that either Davos mistaken/rounding up, Stannis was rounding down, or that more men joined Stannis soon after he said he had 20,000. However, Tyrion states that four fifths of the cavalry present joined Stannis, which from a force of 20,000 would equate to 16,000 men, giving Stannis ~21,000 total when his original 5,000 are added, which lend credence to Stannis's figure ~20,000 being closer to the truth than Davos's ~25,000. Additionally, Stannis's force on land is referred to by Davos as being entirely mounted and better pace than an infantry force as a result;[25] since Stannis's original host numbered 4,600 infantry and 400 foot soldiers[31] before being joined by ~16,000 of Renly's cavalry, this would mean his force on land totaled 16,400 soldiers, with his original infantry being confined to his ships.
  7. Stannis' fleet consists of ten battlelines of twenty ships,[25] bringing the total amount of ship to two hundred.
  8. The first three lines of twenty are made up of war galleys. Out of these sixty ships, at least nine are known to belong to the lords of the Narrow Sea (Pride of Driftmark, Bold Laughter, Harridan, and Seahorse from House Velaryon; Red Claw from House Celtigar; Swordfish from House Bar Emmon; Piety, Prayer, and Devotion, commandeered from House Sunglass).
  9. Described as a smaller contingent "the smaller, slower Myrish contingent",[25] indicating that the Myrmen definitely have less than sixty ships, possibly as few as twenty.
  10. The Lyseni Salladhor Saan commands his Valyrian and two dozen smaller galleys.[34]
  11. Following the deaths from and the desertions during the battle, the city watch only contains some forty-four hundred men,[39] where it had numbered six thousand before.[6]
  12. Sandor Clegane loses half his knights and sellswords.[4] Tyrion Lannister leads another sally, which is nearly wiped out.[8]

References

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 65, Sansa VIII.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 19, Tyrion III.
  3. 3.0 3.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 67, Jaime VIII.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 59, Tyrion XIII.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 57, Sansa V.
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 49, Tyrion XI.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 62, Sansa VII.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 61, Tyrion XIV.
  9. 9.0 9.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 75, Samwell IV.
  10. 10.0 10.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 10, Davos II.
  11. 11.0 11.1 A Feast for Crows, Appendix.
  12. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 3, Jon I.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 44, Jon IX.
  14. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 7, Jon II.
  15. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 25, Davos III.
  16. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 44, Jaime VII.
  17. 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 17.8 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 42, Davos II.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 52, Sansa IV.
  19. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 17, Jon IV.
  20. 20.0 20.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 54, Davos V.
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 A Storm of Swords, Appendix.
  22. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 27, Jaime III.
  23. The Winds of Winter, Theon I
  24. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 42, The King's Prize.
  25. 25.00 25.01 25.02 25.03 25.04 25.05 25.06 25.07 25.08 25.09 25.10 25.11 25.12 25.13 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 58, Davos III.
  26. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 5, Davos I.
  27. A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 61, The Griffin Reborn.
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 28.5 28.6 28.7 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 36, Tyrion VIII.
  29. 29.0 29.1 29.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 17, Tyrion IV.
  30. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 41, Tyrion IX.
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 22, Catelyn II.
  32. 32.0 32.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 33, Catelyn IV.
  33. 33.0 33.1 33.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 44, Tyrion X.
  34. 34.0 34.1 A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
  35. 35.0 35.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 38, Tyrion V.
  36. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 56, Tyrion VII.
  37. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 45, Catelyn V.
  38. 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 31, Catelyn III.
  39. 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 39.4 39.5 39.6 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 4, Tyrion I.
  40. A Feast for Crows, Chapter 17, Cersei IV.
  41. 41.0 41.1 41.2 A Dance with Dragons, Chapter 66, Tyrion XII.
  42. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 16, Sansa II.
  43. A Clash of Kings, Prologue.
  44. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 25, Tyrion VI.
  45. 45.0 45.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 45, Catelyn VI.
  46. 46.0 46.1 46.2 46.3 46.4 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 14, Catelyn II.
  47. 47.0 47.1 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 39, Catelyn V.
  48. 48.0 48.1 48.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 3, Tyrion I.
  49. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 15, Tyrion III.
  50. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 8, Tyrion II.
  51. 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 60, Sansa VI.
  52. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 59, Catelyn IX.
  53. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 67, Tyrion XV.