Battle of the Camps

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Battle of the Camps
Battle of the Camps.png
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date 299 AC[1]
Place Riverrun
Result Northmen-Rivermen victory
Combatants
Iron Throne/House Baratheon of King's Landing:
Westerlands, led by House Lannister Tyroshi sellswords
Robb Stark's Host:
The North, led by House Stark

Riverlands

Commanders
Lord Andros Brax
Ser Forley Prester
Lord Robb Stark
Lord Tytos Blackwood
Ser Brynden Tully
Strength
12,000 foot[2] and 500-750 horse[3] in three camps. Roughly 6,000[4]
Garrison of Riverrun
Casualties
Roughly 8,000[5] Freeriders defect to Robb Stark
Andros Brax
not significant

The Battle of the Camps is an early battle in the War of the Five Kings. It is a great victory for Houses Stark and Tully, who smash the House Lannister force that encircles Riverrun, thereby allowing the river lords to join their forces with those of the north.

Prelude

After defeating one Tully army at the Golden Tooth, Ser Jaime Lannister leads his host of westermen against Riverrun, where he routs another rivermen force and captures Ser Edmure Tully. The rivermen that do not retreat to their own castles hole up inside Riverrun, under Lord Tytos Blackwood in place of the ailing Lord Hoster Tully.[6][7]

Beginning a siege, Jaime is harassed by raiders under Ser Marq Piper and Lord Karyl Vance. While dealing with what he thinks is another such attack, Jaime is ambushed and captured by Robb Stark's cavalry in the battle in the Whispering Wood.[2] Having had their outriders and scouts eliminated, the Lannister force is unaware of their commander's defeat or of Robb's army's approach, and is still divided in three camps in order to besiege Riverrun properly.[8]

The Battle

Ser Brynden Tully, leading Robb's van, attacks the Lannister camp north of the Tumblestone. His force clears palisades and finishes off any remaining scouts. The sleeping, leaderless camp is overrun. Men from the other camps, roused by the noise, soon attempt to come to the aid of the camp under attack. Lord Andros Brax leads his men to the rafts and attempts to make a crossing. Riverrun begins pelting the rafts with thrown rocks, and soon the rafts are flipping and sinking. Among those killed on the rafts is Lord Brax.[8]

The camp between the rivers is overrun too, this time by men led by Robb Stark, Lord Jon Umber, and members of House Mallister coming in from the west. The Lannister force attempts to form a shieldwall, but are taken in the rear by a sortie from Riverrun led by Lord Tytos Blackwood.[8]

Lord Umber fires the siege towers and Lord Blackwood releases the prisoners taken in the earlier battle under the walls of Riverrun.[8]

Aftermath

The southern camp of the Lannister force, 2,000 spears and 2,000 bowmen under the command of Ser Forley Prester, is left unmolested and retreats in good order back to the Golden Tooth. The Tyroshi sellsword who leads Forley's freeriders strikes his banners and switches sides, however.[8]

Quotes

How could it happen? Ser Jaime taken, the siege broken ... this is a catastrophe![8]

- Harys Swyft


Hoster: I saw. Last night, when it began, I told them ... had to see. They carried me to the gatehouse ... watched from the battlements. Ah, that was beautiful ... the torches came in a wave, I could hear the cries floating across the river ... sweet cries ... when that siege tower went up, gods ... would have died then, and glad, if only I could have seen you children first. Was it your boy who did it? Was it your Robb?
Catelyn: Yes, It was Robb ... and Brynden. Your brother is here as well, my lord.[9]

- Hoster Tully and Catelyn Tully

References and Notes

  1. See the The War of the Five Kings calculations.
  2. 2.0 2.1 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 63, Catelyn X.
  3. Jaime has two or three thousand horse at the start of the siege of Riverrun, and he brings three quarters of them to the Whispering Wood, according to A Game of Thrones, Chapter 63.
  4. Robb has six thousand at the earlier Whispering Wood, according to A Game of Thrones, Chapter 63.
  5. Forley Prester retreats with 4,000.
  6. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 55, Catelyn VIII.
  7. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 56, Tyrion VII.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 69, Tyrion IX.
  9. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 71, Catelyn XI.