Harrying of the Stony Shore

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Battle of the Stony Shore
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date 299 AL
Place Stony Shore, the North
Result Greyjoy victory
Combatants
House Greyjoy House Stark
Commanders
Theon Greyjoy Benfred Tallhart
Strength
8 longships Wild hares
Casualties
Benfred Tallhart

The Battle of the Stony Shore is the opening fight between House Greyjoy and the Seven Kingdoms during the War of the Five Kings.

Prelude

Theon Greyjoy is sent to Pyke as an envoy of King Robb Stark, offering Lord Balon Greyjoy a crown in return for an alliance and a strike against the Lannisters. Balon turns it down and instead plans to strike at the vulnerable North.[1] As part of the plan Theon, accompanied by Aeron Greyjoy and Dagmer Cleftjaw, is to take eight longships and harry the Stony Shore, sinking any ship chance met.[2]

Battle

Theon and his party lands on the Stony Shore. When news of ironborn raiding reaches Torrhen's Square, Leobald Tallhart sends Benfred Tallhart and his Wild Hares to investigate.[3] Expecting no trouble from the ironmen, Benfred and his party approach the Stony Shore without scouts, singing and talking loudly. In a crook of a road, the ironborn fall on the party, first loosing a flight of arrows from concealed positions. Theon leads the men-at-arms into hand-to-hand combat and massacres the northerners, capturing Benfred.[4]

Aftermath

Benfred is hauled away for questioning, but refuses to answer and insults the Drowned God within Aeron Greyjoy's hearing. He is put to death by on Theon's command.[4] By killing Benfred's party, the true size of the assault by the ironmen is kept secret a little longer, which allows the seizure of Deepwood Motte and an attack on Torrhen's Square.

References and Notes