Difference between revisions of "March on Winterfell"

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(Horpe is Stannis's 2nd in command)
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The '''march on Winterfell''' is the march of [[Stannis Baratheon]]'s troops in the [[North]] from [[Deepwood Motte]] through the [[wolfswood]] during the [[War of the Five Kings]] in {{Date|300}}. Their goal is to take [[Winterfell]] from Lord [[Roose Bolton]], the newly-appointed [[Warden of the North]].
| image = [[File:Andrew Navaro The Siege of Winterfell.png|350px]]
 
| caption = The Siege of Winterfell - by Andrew Navaro. © FFG
 
| battle_name = March on Winterfell
 
| conflict = [[War of the Five Kings]]
 
| date = {{Date|300}}
 
| place = [[Wolfswood]] and [[Winterfell]]
 
| result = Unresolved
 
| colour_scheme =
 
| combatant1 = [[Stannis Baratheon]]'s host
 
* [[House Baratheon of Dragonstone]]
 
** [[House Florent]]
 
** [[House Bar Emmon]]
 
** [[House Velaryon]]
 
* [[Northern mountain clans]]
 
** [[House Wull]]
 
** [[House Flint]]
 
** [[House Norrey]]
 
** [[House Liddle]]
 
* [[House Mormont]]
 
* [[House Glover]]
 
* [[House Umber]] under Mors Umber
 
* Hornwood, Cerwyn, and Tallhart survivors from the [[battle at Winterfell]]
 
| combatant2 = [[Iron Throne]]
 
* [[House Bolton]]
 
* [[House Frey]]
 
* [[House Karstark]]
 
* [[House Ryswell]]
 
* [[House Dustin]]
 
* [[House Umber]] under Hother Umber (nominally)
 
* [[House Hornwood]]
 
* [[House Cerwyn]]
 
* [[House Manderly]] (nominally)
 
* [[House Locke]]
 
| commander1 = King [[Stannis Baratheon|Stannis]]<br> Ser [[Richard Horpe]]<br>Castellan [[Mors Umber|Crowfood]]<br>Lord [[Hugo Wull]]<br>Ser [[Godry Farring]]
 
| commander2 = Warden [[Roose Bolton]]<br>Lord [[Ramsay Bolton]]<br>Ser [[Aenys Frey]]†<br>Ser [[Hosteen Frey]]<br>Castellan [[Hother Umber|Whoresbane]]
 
| strength1 = ~5,400 {{ref|ADWD|35}}<ref>Stannis has 5,000 men after Deepwood Motte. He is later reinforced by 450 Karstarks, who are actually conspiring with Roose Bolton to turn on Stannis as soon as the battle starts, but are foiled before this could happen. Crowfood Umber lies outside of Winterfell waiting to join with Stannis with half of House Umber's strength, supposedly 400 men.</ref>
 
* ~1,300 knights and men-at-arms of the Reach, crownlands, and stormlands (only ~60 of 800 horses survived)
 
* ~2,500 mountain clansmen
 
* ~1,200 Mormont, Glover, Cerwyn, Hornwood, and Tallhart soldiers
 
* 400 Umber soldiers
 
| strength2 = 7,750+ (total)
 
* Garrison: 4,400+
 
** 3,500 Boltons and Karstarks (3,000 infantry, 500 cavalry)
 
** 500 other survivors of Robb's army
 
** 400 Umber men (300 spearmen, 100 archers)
 
** Dustin, Tallhart, Cerwyn, Hornwood, Locke with unknown number of soldiers
 
* Vanguard: 3,350
 
** 2,000 Freys (500+ heavy cavalry; ~1,500 spearmen, archers, mounted bowmen, and freeriders)
 
** 600 Boltons  (a large proportion of whom are cavalry)
 
** 450 Karstarks (spearmen and archers; with Stannis' host, waiting to backstab)
 
** 300 Manderlys (100 knights, 200 men-at-arms)
 
| casualties1 =  84+ died during the march
 
| casualties2 = [[Aenys Frey]]†<br>450 Karstarks captured and imprisoned
 
}}
 
[[File:AurelienHubert watcher of the nightfire.jpg|thumb|300px|Watcher of the Nightfire. Some of King Stannis Baratheon's followers of R'hllor stand by the night fire. Illustrated by Aurelien Hubert. © Fantasy Flight Games]]
 
The '''march on Winterfell''' occurs in the [[wolfswood]] of the [[North]] during the [[War of the Five Kings]]. The campaign begins with [[Stannis Baratheon]]'s troops leaving [[Deepwood Motte]] to take [[Winterfell]] from Lord [[Roose Bolton]], the newly-appointed [[Warden of the North]].
 
  
 
==Prelude==
 
==Prelude==
After the [[fight by Deepwood Motte]], the army of [[Stannis Baratheon]] marches southeast on [[Winterfell]] to free [[Arya Stark]] (actually [[Jeyne Poole]]) from the clutches of [[House Bolton]].  
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Following the advice of [[Lord Commander of the Night's Watch|Lord Commander]] [[Jon Snow]] of the [[Night's Watch]], Stannis Baratheon visits the [[northern mountain clans]] to win their loyalty. This proves successful, as three and a half thousand men from the mountain clans join Stannis' army,<ref group="N">Stannis had come north with no more than fifteen hundred men ([[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 19|''A Dance with Dragons'', Davos III]]), and has five thousand men after the mountain clans join him ([[A Dance with Dragons-Chapter 35|''A Dance with Dragons'', Jon VII]]).</ref> bringing his total strength to five thousand.{{Ref|ADWD|35}}
  
On the march through the [[wolfswood]], Stannis's army is increased in size by Houses [[House Glover|Glover]] (along with their sworn houses), [[House Mormont|Mormont]], and finally [[House Karstark|Karstark]], led by castellan [[Arnolf Karstark]]. Unknown to Stannis, Arnolf is secretly working with House Bolton and during the final battle plans to turn his forces on Stannis.  
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Stannis marches his army to [[Deepwood Motte]], where they [[fight by Deepwood Motte|engage in battle]] against the [[Ironborn]] under the command of [[Asha Greyjoy]].{{Ref|ADWD|26}} Meanwhile, Lord [[Roose Bolton]] has arrived in the north with a girl he claims is [[Arya Stark]], the youngest daughter of the late Lord [[Eddard Stark]] of [[Winterfell]]. In reality, however, the girl is [[Jeyne Poole]], the daughter of the [[Vayon Poole|former steward]] of Winterfell.{{Ref|ADWD|20}} Roose marries the fake Arya to his [[bastardy|bastard son]], the recently legitimized [[Ramsay Bolton]] at [[Winterfell]].{{Ref|ADWD|37}} There, they remain, with forces from [[House Ryswell]], [[House Dustin|Dustin]], [[House Frey|Frey]], [[House Cerwyn|Cerwyn]], [[House Hornwood|Hornwood]], [[House Manderly|Manderly]], and part of [[House Umber]].
  
Stannis also holds the support of the [[northern mountain clans]], who remain loyal to the memory of "the Ned", Lord [[Eddard Stark]]. He picks up more support after the surviving troops from the earlier [[battle at Winterfell]] form into a fighting force and join him. He is also planning to meet [[Mors Umber|Mors "Crowfood" Umber]] and a portion of [[House Umber]] closer to Winterfell.
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[[House Mormont]], led by [[Alysane Mormont]], joins Stannis.{{Ref|ADWD|42}} While Stannis' southron knights and lords oppose a march on Winterfell, the northern lords insist that Winterfell must be taken from Roose Bolton, and Arya saved from Ramsay. As such, Stannis decides to march from [[Deepwood Motte]] to Winterfell.
  
Winterfell is held by Lord [[Roose Bolton]] and his legitimized bastard son, [[Ramsay Snow|Ramsay]]. His force, aside from the strength of House Bolton, consists of a few thousand of Houses [[House Frey|Frey]], [[House Ryswell|Ryswell]], [[House Dustin|Dustin]], [[House Cerwyn|Cerwyn]], [[House Hornwood|Hornwood]], [[House Manderly|Manderly]], and the other half of [[House Umber]] under [[Hother Umber|Hother "Whoresbane" Umber]].  
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==March==
 
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Stannis' army is led by guides provided by Lady [[Sybelle Glover]]. They march with five thousand men, and estimate that the hundred league march will take fifteen days.{{Ref|ADWD|42}} During the first two days they cover forty-six miles, but only manage to cover fourteen miles the third day. On the fourth day, it starts to snow, significantly slowing down the march.{{Ref|ADWD|42}} The northmen have an easier time during the march than the fifteen hundred southrons. Nonetheless, the harsh weather results in losses for Stannis, due to the cold, and later also starvation. At the fifteenth day of the march, the army has not even covered half the distance.{{Ref|ADWD|42}} On the thirty-third day of the march, they arrive at a [[crofter's village]], a few days from Winterfell. Though Stannis plans to continue the march the next day, when daylight arrives the army finds itself snowbound.{{Ref|ADWD|42}}
Although Roose has the larger host, and his soldiers are far better armed and trained than the clansmen that make up a large part of Stannis's army, the loyalties of some of his forces are highly questionable, particularly the Manderlys, Whoresbane Umber, and the Hornwoods. Roose suspects that only the Freys, Dustins, and his own men would be truly loyal to him if word gets out that [[Bran Stark|Bran]] and [[Rickon Stark]] are still alive.
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[[File:AurelienHubert watcher of the nightfire.jpg|thumb|300px|Watcher of the Nightfire. Some of King Stannis Baratheon's followers of R'hllor stand by the night fire. Illustrated by Aurelien Hubert. © Fantasy Flight Games]]
 
 
Winterfell is overcrowded with forces, low on supplies, and on edge due to a series of murders with no confirmed suspects.
 
 
 
=="Battle"==
 
===March on Winterfell===
 
[[Stannis Baratheon]] and his host's march on Winterfell is delayed by a severe blizzard and numerous men are lost to starvation or the cold.{{Ref|aDwD|37}}{{Ref|aDwD|42}} The last known report of Stannis's army's whereabouts is that he is at a [[crofters' village]] three days from Winterfell.{{ref|ADWD|42}}{{ref|ADWD|51}}{{Ref|aDwD|62}}
 
 
 
===Mors Umber's vanguard arrives at Winterfell===
 
[[Mors Umber|Mors "Crowfood" Umber]] and his vanguard arrives at Winterfell before Stannis's main host.
 
 
 
Using the snowstorm as cover, Mors has his lads dig pit traps near several of the Winterfell gates. The heavy blizzard allows Mors's boys to do this without the castle sentries seeing them.  Mors then has his men sound horns hoping to draw out several of the castle forces in the traps, but the castle garrison is put on alert and mans the walls of Winterfell.
 
 
 
===Attempt to engage Stannis's host===
 
After the murder of [[Walder Frey (son of Merrett)|Little Walder Frey]] and the near battle inside Winterfell between the [[House Frey|Freys]] and [[House Manderly|Manderlys]], [[Roose Bolton]], fearing another battle inside the castle between his own forces, sends out [[Hosteen Frey]] and [[Aenys Frey]] along with the 2,000 Freys to engage Stannis's host.
 
 
 
The Freys' presence increases tensions with the northerners as many had lost kin at the [[Red Wedding]]. Roose also sends out the forces of Lord [[Wyman Manderly]] as he does not trust the Manderly forces. By doing this Roose hopes that Stannis will be defeated without [[House Bolton|Bolton]] men suffering any casualties and if not, Roose hopes to weaken Stannis's forces in battle and in the process eliminate a potential future rival in Wyman. Ramsay Bolton follows not far behind, with a force of his own Dreadfort men.  The absence of near 3,000 men in Winterfell also means that Roose also has an easier time managing food supplies to his forces. 
 
 
 
The escape of [[Jeyne Poole|"Arya Stark"]], however, leaves Ramsay in the castle with only a small force to retrieve his bride.
 
 
 
===Command of the Freys passes to Ser Hosteen Frey===
 
[[Aenys Frey]] is killed when the Freys stumble into one of Mors Umber's pit traps near the Hunter's Gate, meaning that the command of the Freys passes to Ser [[Hosteen Frey]], who, while a capable swordsman, is not a clever commander.{{ref|twow||[[Theon I (The Winds of Winter)|Theon]]}}
 
 
 
===Stannis alerted to the planned treachery of Arnolf Karstark===
 
Thanks to a letter from [[Jon Snow]] delivered by [[Tycho Nestoris]], Stannis is made aware of the planned treachery of [[Arnolf Karstark]]. He has Arnolf and his son and grandsons arrested while disarming their forces.
 
  
Stannis prepares his host to met the Bolton vanguard in the village.{{ref|twow||[[Theon I (The Winds of Winter)|Theon]]}}
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Both [[Mors Umber]] and [[Arnolf Karstark]], the castellan of [[Karhold]], are marching towards Winterfell, planning to join their strength to Stannis' at the castle.{{Ref|adwd|37}} Arnolf had already declared for Stannis before the Baratheon army had left [[Castle Black]],{{Ref|ADWD|3}} but he is secretly truly loyal to Roose Bolton. He writes to Stannis, informing him that only fifty men remain at the [[Dreadfort]], hoping to lure Stannis to the castle,{{Ref|ADWD|17}} but after Jon Snow counsels Stannis to not march on the castle, his trap fails.{{Ref|ADWD|32}} Because Roose had moved to Winterfell, Stannis had no choice to summon Arnolf,{{Ref|ADWD|32}} and Arnolf eventually finds Stannis and his army at the crofter's village, after the army has been stranded there for eleven days.{{Ref|ADWD|62}} He fakes loyalty, waiting for a signal from Roose Bolton to turn his cloak.{{Ref|ADWD|37}}
  
==Ramsay's Letter==
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==Aftermath==
At [[Castle Black]], [[Jon Snow]] receives [[Bastard Letter|a letter]] in which [[Ramsay Snow|Ramsay Bolton]] claims Stannis is dead and his army is broken. However, it is unknown if the letter's contents are true or if it was indeed written by Ramsay. Regardless, the letter galvanizes Commander Snow into breaking with tradition and forming an army of volunteers - watchmen and wildlings alike - to march on Winterfell and defeat the Boltons.{{ref|ADWD|69}}
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[[Roose Bolton]] sends out forces from [[House Frey]] and [[House Manderly]],{{Ref|ADWD|51}} but Ser [[Aenys Frey]] is killed when he falls into a pit dug by [[Mors Umber]] in front of the main gates, and breaks his neck.<ref name=Theon>''[[The Winds of Winter]]'', [[Theon I (The Winds of Winter)|Theon I]]</ref> Still at the crofter's village, Stannis is warned by [[Tycho Nestoris]], a [[Braavos]]i banker, about [[Arnolf Karstark]]'s planned treachery. Arnolf and his family are taken into custody, while his forces are disarmed. Filled with confidence, Stannis remains at the village with his host, prepared to meet the Bolton forces for battle there.<ref name=Theon/>
  
 
==Quotes==
 
==Quotes==
  
{{Quote|We all know what my brother would do. [[Robert Baratheon|Robert]] would gallop up to the gates of [[Winterfell]] alone, break them with his warhammer, and ride through the rubble to slay [[Roose Bolton]] with his left hand and [[Ramsay Snow|the Bastard]] with his right. I am not Robert. But we will march, and we will free Winterfell … or die in the attempt.{{Ref|aDwD|42}}}}
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{{Quote|We all know what my brother would do. [[Robert Baratheon|Robert]] would gallop up to the gates of [[Winterfell]] alone, break them with his warhammer, and ride through the rubble to slay [[Roose Bolton]] with his left hand and [[Ramsay Snow|the Bastard]] with his right. I am not Robert. But we will march, and we will free [[Winterfell]] … or die in the attempt.{{Ref|aDwD|42}}}}
 
- [[Stannis Baratheon]]
 
- [[Stannis Baratheon]]
  
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==Notes==
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{{Notes}}
  
==References and notes==
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==References==
 
{{References|2}}
 
{{References|2}}
  
{{Template:War of the Five Kings}}
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{{War of the Five Kings}}
  
[[Category:Battles|Winterfell, March on]]
 
 
[[Category:War of the Five Kings|Winterfell, March on]]
 
[[Category:War of the Five Kings|Winterfell, March on]]
 
[[Category:Winterfell]]
 
[[Category:Winterfell]]

Revision as of 22:23, 17 March 2017

The march on Winterfell is the march of Stannis Baratheon's troops in the North from Deepwood Motte through the wolfswood during the War of the Five Kings in 300 AC. Their goal is to take Winterfell from Lord Roose Bolton, the newly-appointed Warden of the North.

Prelude

Following the advice of Lord Commander Jon Snow of the Night's Watch, Stannis Baratheon visits the northern mountain clans to win their loyalty. This proves successful, as three and a half thousand men from the mountain clans join Stannis' army,[N 1] bringing his total strength to five thousand.[1]

Stannis marches his army to Deepwood Motte, where they engage in battle against the Ironborn under the command of Asha Greyjoy.[2] Meanwhile, Lord Roose Bolton has arrived in the north with a girl he claims is Arya Stark, the youngest daughter of the late Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. In reality, however, the girl is Jeyne Poole, the daughter of the former steward of Winterfell.[3] Roose marries the fake Arya to his bastard son, the recently legitimized Ramsay Bolton at Winterfell.[4] There, they remain, with forces from House Ryswell, Dustin, Frey, Cerwyn, Hornwood, Manderly, and part of House Umber.

House Mormont, led by Alysane Mormont, joins Stannis.[5] While Stannis' southron knights and lords oppose a march on Winterfell, the northern lords insist that Winterfell must be taken from Roose Bolton, and Arya saved from Ramsay. As such, Stannis decides to march from Deepwood Motte to Winterfell.

March

Stannis' army is led by guides provided by Lady Sybelle Glover. They march with five thousand men, and estimate that the hundred league march will take fifteen days.[5] During the first two days they cover forty-six miles, but only manage to cover fourteen miles the third day. On the fourth day, it starts to snow, significantly slowing down the march.[5] The northmen have an easier time during the march than the fifteen hundred southrons. Nonetheless, the harsh weather results in losses for Stannis, due to the cold, and later also starvation. At the fifteenth day of the march, the army has not even covered half the distance.[5] On the thirty-third day of the march, they arrive at a crofter's village, a few days from Winterfell. Though Stannis plans to continue the march the next day, when daylight arrives the army finds itself snowbound.[5]

Watcher of the Nightfire. Some of King Stannis Baratheon's followers of R'hllor stand by the night fire. Illustrated by Aurelien Hubert. © Fantasy Flight Games

Both Mors Umber and Arnolf Karstark, the castellan of Karhold, are marching towards Winterfell, planning to join their strength to Stannis' at the castle.[4] Arnolf had already declared for Stannis before the Baratheon army had left Castle Black,[6] but he is secretly truly loyal to Roose Bolton. He writes to Stannis, informing him that only fifty men remain at the Dreadfort, hoping to lure Stannis to the castle,[7] but after Jon Snow counsels Stannis to not march on the castle, his trap fails.[8] Because Roose had moved to Winterfell, Stannis had no choice to summon Arnolf,[8] and Arnolf eventually finds Stannis and his army at the crofter's village, after the army has been stranded there for eleven days.[9] He fakes loyalty, waiting for a signal from Roose Bolton to turn his cloak.[4]

Aftermath

Roose Bolton sends out forces from House Frey and House Manderly,[10] but Ser Aenys Frey is killed when he falls into a pit dug by Mors Umber in front of the main gates, and breaks his neck.[11] Still at the crofter's village, Stannis is warned by Tycho Nestoris, a Braavosi banker, about Arnolf Karstark's planned treachery. Arnolf and his family are taken into custody, while his forces are disarmed. Filled with confidence, Stannis remains at the village with his host, prepared to meet the Bolton forces for battle there.[11]

Quotes

We all know what my brother would do. Robert would gallop up to the gates of Winterfell alone, break them with his warhammer, and ride through the rubble to slay Roose Bolton with his left hand and the Bastard with his right. I am not Robert. But we will march, and we will free Winterfell … or die in the attempt.[5]

- Stannis Baratheon

Notes

  1. Stannis had come north with no more than fifteen hundred men (A Dance with Dragons, Davos III), and has five thousand men after the mountain clans join him (A Dance with Dragons, Jon VII).

References