War of the Five Kings

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War of the Five Kings
Date 298 AC-300 AC
Location Westeros
Result Decisive Baratheon of King's Landing victory
Belligerents
1. The King on the Iron Throne
2. The King in the North
3. The King in the Narrow Sea/The King at the Wall
4. The King in Highgarden
5. The King of the Iron Islands

The War of the Five Kings was a large, multi theater conflict fought in the Seven Kingdoms. As the name implies, at one time during the war five people claimed the title of king: Joffrey Baratheon, Stannis Baratheon and Renly Baratheon all claimed the Iron Throne, whilst Robb Stark claimed the title of King in the North and Balon Greyjoy claimed the title of King of the Iron Islands, attempting to secede their lands from the the rule of the Iron Throne.

Causes

Following Robert's Rebellion, where Robert Baratheon successfully overthrew the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, and began a new dynasty. He married Cersei Lannister and they had three children, Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen, apparently easily securing the succession.

However, the King's Hand, Jon Arryn, and the king's brother, Stannis, became suspicious over the legitimacy of Robert's three children. They investigated and eventually concluded that the children were not Robert's at all, but the product of incest between Cersei and her twin brother, Jaime Lannister. Jon continued his investigations, hoping to produce enough evidence to convince the king. However, his actions exposed himself to the Queen, and he was fatally poisoned. Stannis, fearing for his family’s safety and believing Jon was murdered for knowing the truth, immediately returned to Dragonstone and began mustering troops.

Oblivious, King Robert appointed Eddard Stark to the position of Hand. Lysa Arryn sent a coded letter to her sister Catelyn, Eddard's wife, claiming that the Lannisters had her husband murdered. Catelyn convinced her husband to go south and investigate as Hand. During the King's trip to Winterfell, Bran Stark, Eddard and Catelyn's son, had seen the queen and her brother having sex while climbing the walls of the castle. Jaime Lannister threw the child from the tower to ensure that the secret died with him, but the boy survived, lingering in a coma. Some days after the King and Hand had left, a hired assassin came to kill the still-comatose lad, but was prevented from doing so by the boy's pet direwolf. Lady Catelyn elected to go south to inform her husband of the attack.

When she arrived in King's Landing, she was met by her old friend, Petyr Baelish, who told her that the hired assassin's dagger had belonged to Tyrion Lannister, another brother of the queen. This was a lie, but neither Catelyn nor Eddard suspected it. Eddard told his wife to return home. While on the return journey, she encountered Tyrion at a roadside inn, and had him arrested for the attack on Bran. She took him to her sister in the Vale, where Tyrion faced trial by combat for his alleged crimes. He won his freedom, but the mere fact of his arrest had inflamed tensions between Houses Stark and Lannister.

Eddard also investigated Jon Arryn's death and found out the truth about Cersei's children. Eddard revealed his knowledge to the queen, ordering her to go into exile with her children. Instead, Cersei had Robert given unusually potent wine, while he was on a hunt. While in this inebriated state, he was mauled by a boar. The dying king ordered that Eddard serve as his regent until Joffrey came of age, but Eddard sent a letter offering Stannis the throne, as Stannis was the rightful heir. The queen learned of Eddard's plot and had him arrested and imprisoned. Sensing a power struggle, Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell fled King’s Landing. Learning of Eddard's arrest, his son and heir Robb Stark called his father's armies together and marched south. Although there was only one king in the realm, the newly-crowned King Joffrey, the War of the Five Kings had begun.

Course of the war

War in the Riverlands

Lannister campaign: 1.Battle of the Golden Tooth, 2.Battle of Riverrun, 3.Battle at the Mummer's Ford, 4.Conquering the Riverlands

The was was set as local conflict when Catelyn Stark sized Tyrion Lannister for the attempted murder of her son, Bran. Tywin Lannister, bear no special love for Tyrion, but he would not allow such a slight to his house honor. He makes plans to invade the Riverlands, striking at Catelyn's father house and bannermen, he a mass two hosts at Casterly Rock, one consist of 20,000 men to be commanded by him and the other of 15,000 men to be commanded by his son Jaime. As Lord Tywin Lannister began amassing his armies, he send Gregor Clegane ahead to raid and pillage the Riverlands countryside, creating chaos, containing the river lords to their own keeps. At the same time Tywin hopes to lure Lord Stark himself into the Riverlands and capture him, bringing the campaign to a swift conclusion. However, his plan was unknowingly foiled by Jaime, after discovering of his brother arrest, he wounded Eddard, who sends Beric Dondarrion instead, to put a stop to Gregor Clegane, raiding and pillaging.

Meanwhile in in the Riverlands, Ser Edmure Tully finds out that the Lannisters are raising a host at Casterly Rock and sends riders to the Rock, demanding that Lord Tywin proclaim his intent. He Starts raising a host at Riverrun, which proves difficult with Tywin reavers harassing the river lords and sends 4,000 men under the command of Lord Vance and Lord Piper to guard the passage between the Westeralnds and the Riverlands, at the Golden Tooth, to prevent any Lannister army from entering the Riverlands.

King Robert Baratheon dies after a hunting accident, naming Eddard Stark as his Regent. However, Prince Joffrey immediately claims the throne and when Eddard tries to take Joffrey into custody as an imposer, naming Stannis Baratheon as the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, he is arrested instead after being politically outmaneuvered by Cersei Lannister. Following Joffrey Crowning, Renly Baratheon flees from King's Landing, Robb Stark calls his father banner-men at Winterfell, hastily assembling a host of 12,000 men and marching south to Moat Cailin and Tywin invade the Riverlands.


  • Battle of Riverrun. Edmure Tully was training an army of some 16,000 levies near Riverrun, when Jaime Lannister’s host attacked. Jaime won another easy victory. Edmure was captured along with many of his bannermen and Lord Tytos Blackwood led the survivors into Riverrun as Jaime’s host besieged the castle.
  • Battle at the Mummer's Ford, Lord Beric Dondarrion force, sent by Lord Eddard Stark, to put a stop to Gregor Clegane, raiding and pillaging, and bring him to justice, are ambushed while crossing the Mummer's Ford, They are attacked by combined force of Gregor and Tywin and nearly wiped out. However, Thoros and Alyn rallied the survivors and manged to escaped. Later, Thoros inadvertently resurrected Beric while performing burial services for him and then they continued to lead the remaining men against Gregor and the Lannisters. After the death of Eddard, the group became an outlaw organization called the Brotherhood Without Banners.
  • Conquering the Riverlands. Tywin Lannister led an army of 20,000 men north from the Golden Road to travel across the Trident conquering the Riverlord’s holdfasts of all but the Twins, Riverrun and Seagard. Tywin took Ravenhall, as Lord Tytos Blackwood was trapped in Riverrun. Lady Shella Whent yields Harrenhal as she had no soldiers to defend it. Gregor Clegane led attacks that burnt out the Pipers and Brackens. In this campaign Ser Cedric Payne was killed, therefore leaving Podrick Payne, his squire with Ser Lorimer the Belly.

The North Joins the War

North campaign: 1.camp at Moat Cailin 2.move to the Twins 3.Battle of the Green Fork 4.Battle of the Whispering Wood 5.Battle of the Camps

After assembling his force on the march, Robb Stark, arrive at Moat Cailin, where he is joined by his mother, Catelyn and force of 1,750 from White Harbor, to a total of 18,000 men. Moat Cailin, is a formidable defensible position that held counltess southern invaders in the past, in which the Lannister can't possibly hope to defeat them, additionally Robb sends word to Howland Reed to bleed any Lannister host that attempts to come north. However, Robb knows that Lord Tywin is too smart to try and will stay close to the Trident taking castles one by one until Riverrun stands alone and with Riverrun under siege, he has no choice but to ride south to meet him.

However, his options are limited as he can cross the Trident river either at the Twins, where the Frey's remained natural and unlikely to side with northerners or the Ruby Ford, which Tywin can easily reach and seal off. Robb devise a plan to gain Frey's support, splinting his horse and foot, sending the foot downs the kingsroad to draw Tywin while the horse will cross at the Twins and race to Riverrun and surprise the besiegers.


  • Battle of the Green Fork. Lord Tywin’s army met its first real opposition as House Stark entered the war on behalf of House Tully. Roose Bolton marched his force of roughly 16,000 foot men, down the Kingsroad, planned a night attack on Tywin. However, Addam Marbrand’s outriders saw them coming and roused Tywin’s army in time to prepare for battle. Tywin’s host won victory but Lord Roose Bolton was able to retreat with the majority of the army to the Twins. Tywin discovers that the battle was only a diversion, Surprisingly to him, Catelyn Stark, managed to sway the Freys to north cause, allowing Robb Stark to cross the Trident with his cavalry and strike for Riverrun.
  • Battle of the Whispering Wood. After gaining the allegiance of the Freys, Robb Stark took command of the cavalry, crosses at the Twins and strikes south for Riverrun. On the way he is joined with additional soldiers from Seagard. Robb plans to take Jaime Lannister unawares and lift the siege of Riverrun before Lord Tywin can alert and/or reinforce them. Unaware of the danger, Jaime Lannister rides out on frequent raids with few hundred men. Learning of this, Robb prepares his trap, taking Jaime by surprise and capturing him in the Whispering Wood.
  • Battle of the Camps. The night after the Whispering Wood, Brynden Tully led a force against the split Western host besieging Riverrun. Unaware of the danger, they were caught asleep and completely off guard. Lord Andros Brax led his men in the west camp across the river, to aid the other camps however most of their rafts were destroy by the defenders of Riverrun. Those that reached the northern side were easily defeated by Ser Brynden's men. Robb then attacked the west camp with the remainder of his men. Seeing Robb’s attack, Lord Tytos Blackwood also attacked the west camp. Ser Forley Prester led the remaining south camp back to Golden Tooth.

The Crowning of Kings

During this time in the war, various men began crowning themselves kings. First was Renly Baratheon, at Highgarden he weds Margaery Tyrell and declared himself King of the Seven Kingdoms, with the support of the Stormlords of Stormlands and the strength of the Reach behind him. Renly assembles a huge host of 80,000 men and slowly march towards King's Landing, letting the Lannister's and Stark's bleed each other. Meanwhile, Lord Mace Tyrell assemble another host at Highgarden.

Next was Robb Stark; after news of his father, Lord Eddard Stark's execution on the orders of King Joffrey reached his camp, he was declared King in the North by his bannermen. The River lords also declared for King Robb, after he has saved them from a certain defeat to the Lannister and the Western lords. With the River lords joining forces with Robb, his force has swelled up, unfortunately House Arryn remained neutral. King Robb knows that the Riverlands are too open to attack and makes a plan to strike at the Westerlands instead, to break the Lannister power base, he intends to forge an alliance with House Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, so that they attack and capture Casterly Rock, while Robb draws the Lannister away from it, he sends Theon Greyjoy to treat with his father Lord Balon Greyjoy, at the same time he sends his mother Lady Catelyn, to Bitterbridge to try to reach an alliance with King Renly Baratheon.

The third king was Stannis Baratheon. Given the illegitimacy of Robert's children, Stannis felt it his duty to take the Iron Throne as the next in-line of succession. Stannis who has fled to Dragonstone following the Lord Jon was murdered, has been gathering his strength since. However, his forces were too few to challenge the Lannisters or Renly, only his fleet was of a remarkable strength, mainly due to his alliance with the Lyseni pirate Salladhor Saan. However Stannis has been swayed by a priestess of the Lord of the Light named Melisandre, who seen in a vision that Renly will die and the banners of the Reach and the Stormlands will flock to him. Stannis was declared king by his few bannermen, at Dragonstone and sails with his 2,000 men for Storm's End.

Last to be crowned was Lord Balon Greyjoy. Balon has called his banners and was preparing for war for sometime now. When Theon Greyjoy arrive bearing the alliance offer from King Robb, Balon dismiss it, he thinks that Casterly Rock is too strong and that Theon has grown soft and forgot his roots. Balon, Lord Reaper of Pyke, does not want to be given a crown, he wants to take it, like a true Ironborn paying the iron price for it. Balon has his own plan, his plan is simple, with North fighting down south, their lands are ripe for the taking and he will make sure it stays this way by strike down at Moat Cailin and cutting off their way back, allowing him to capture the whole stretch of the North western coast.


  • Reclaiming the Trident. King Robb gave his Riverlords leave to reclaim their lands. Tytos Blackwood reclaimed Raventree as the Lannister men fled and scorched the land. Jonos Bracken reclaimed Stone Hedge after a fierce battle costing the life of his nephew and heir Hendry. Darry bannermen also reclaimed Darry for their young Lord Lyman Darry. Karyl Vance and Marq Piper took riding parties to attack Lannister foragers. Much later, the other bannermen were also able to reclaim their holdfasts as the Lannisters retreated.
  • Sack of Darry Gregor Clegane attacked the castle with his fierce company. After his victory over the garrison, he had the entire household put to the sword, including the young Lord Lyman which led to the end of the Darry line.


Rise of the kraken

IronBorn Campign: In black the Iron Men forces.In Blue Stark Loyalists. In Red Bolton forces. 1.Battle of Moat Cailin. 2.Battle of Deepwood Motte. 3.Battle of Stony Shore 4.Battle of Torrhen's Square 5.Battle of Winterfell 6.Sack of Winterfell

The war of the five kings escalates as the Ironborn join the war. Balon Greyjoy assembled his forces, seizing every ship that come to the islands, so word can not spread and to supplement the Iron Fleet for the Ivasion. Balon strieks at the un suspecting North, which has no real fleet and its army campigning at the south, he plans three main strikes, sending Victarion Greyjoy with the bulk of he fleet to take Moat Cailin, Asha Greyjoy with a dozen ships to take Deepwood Motte and Theon Greyjoy to raid along the Stony Shore as distraction. With these moves, the whole western coast will be in the Ironborn hands.


  • Battle of Moat Cailin. Victarion Greyjoy led the entire Iron Fleet of a hundred ships up the Saltspear Bay to descend upon the 400 men King Robb left to defend Moat Cailin, a natural choke point which has protected the North from southern invasion for thousands of years. By attacking from the north, he was able to bypass the natural defenses of the fortress and easily defeated the northmen. By capturing Moat Cailin, King Balon Greyjoy, blocked the way back for the Stark host, stranding them in the Riverlands, without a real chance to take it back, allowing Balon to execute the rest of his plan.
  • Battle of Deepwood Motte. Asha Greyjoy led a dozen ships around Sea Dragon’s Point in the far north to attack the small wooden keep of House Glover located just off the coast. The keep was easily overrun by the ironmen, making captives of Sybelle Glover, her young children Gawen and Erena, and Larence Snow, the ward of Galbart Glover.
  • Battle of Stony Shore. Theon Greyjoy along with Aeron Greyjoy and Dagmer Cleftjaw, led eight ships in raiding along the Stony Shore, raiding fishing villages, taking salt wives and burning them to the ground. At the news of Ironborn raiding, Benfred Tallhart led a company he had dubbed the Wild Hares to deal with the raiders. Theon ambushed this company, killing them all, while the only ironmen casualty was Todric, killed by Theon after the battle. Theon who felt that task is beneath him deviseed a new plan, he gives Aeron six longships and commands him to continue the raiding, At the same time, he gives Dagmer most of their men and send him to besiege Torrhen's Square, knowing that this will draw levis from Winterfell, while he himself would descent on the defenseless castle.
  • Battle of Torrhen's Square. Dagmer Cleftjaw was commanded to besiege the small keep by Theon in a ruse to draw out Rodrik Cassel and the guards of Winterfell. Rodrik arrived as planned, easily leafting the seige and defeating the ironmen, who retreated back to the stony shore, only to hear that Winterfell had fallen in his absence.


The War goes on

  • Regroup at the Golden Tooth, after the defeat at Riverrun the remnants of Jaime Lannister's army have regrouped at the Golden Tooth and Stafford Lannister was put incharge of raising a new Lannister host.
  • Battle of Oxcross. King Robb marches west, avoiding the Golden Tooth, which guard the entrance to the westerlands, after his wolf detects a secret path trough the mountains, he falls on the newlly raised lannister host by surprise, after they quietly killed the few sentries, winning Robb an easy victory and badly bleeding the Lannister host, which was forced to retreat to Lannisport.
    Stafford was killed by Rickard Karstark and Rupert Brax was also killed. Lymond Vikary and Antario Jast as well as Martyn Lannister were captured. There was a report that Lord Crakehall was killed but this seems inaccurate as Lord Roland Crakehall appears alive after the Battle of the Blackwater. On the North’s side, Stevron Frey was wounded and died three days later.
  • Siege of Storm's End. Stannis Baratheon, arrive with his 5,000 men from Dragonstone and lay a siege over Storm's End, the seat of his brother, King Renly Baratheon. Hearing of this, Renly split his force camped at Bitterbridge, taking his mounted forces of 20,000 he rides to Storm's End, to deal with his brother. After a failed parlay where neither would yield, the battel was set at dawn, However, the battle doesn't take place, as Renly was assassinated by an animated shadow summoned by the red priestess Melisandre.
    Many of Renly’s bannermen now swore allegiance to Stannis, the majority of the Stormlords and some lords of the Reach, however, the most important lords of the Reach, don't go over and return to Bitterbridge.
    Additionally, Storm's End's castellan Cortnay Penrose refused to yield the castle, partially because the safety of his ward, Edric Storm, a bastard son of Robert Baratheon, could not be guaranteed. Davos Seaworth rowed Melisandre past the castle walls, where she summoned another shadow that assassinated Ser Cortnay. After his death, the castle submitted to Stannis.
  • Battle of the Fords. Tywin Lannister, hearing of King Robb’s victories in the Westerlands, marched his armies from Harrenhal, intent on reclaiming his lands. Edmure Tully, not wanting Tywin to cross the Trident un-bloodied, placed an army of 13,000 men along key fords of the Red Fork. After sending many small forces trying to test the defenses, Tywin had his men attack in force at a dozen places. The most heated battle was at Stone Mill, where Edmure turned back Gregor Clegane’s men. Gregor was wounded from a dozen arrows and Leo Lefford drowned. The other Lannister forces were also defeated and Robert Brax was killed. Lyle Crakehall, called the Strongboar, was captured.
  • Sack of Harrenhal. After taking the ruby ford and the crossroads, Roose Bolton was ordered by Edmure to take Harrenhal after Tywin, who went marching west, left Amory Lorch as castellan of 200 men. After joining with Helman Tallhart’s company from the Twins, Bolton's host marched down toward the castle. Vargo Hoat, the commander of the Brave Companions, reportedly gave battle to Roose’s vanguard at the Ruby Ford, capturing its commander Robett Glover, Ser Aenys Frey and 100 lesser prisoners. However, the Northmen were quickly freed by Arya Stark with the help of Jaqen H'ghar, Rorge and Biter. At the same time, the Brave Companions turned on the Lorch men and let Roose Bolton's men into the castle. Amory was captured and later killed for sport in a bear pit. Vargo was rewarded for joining the North with the Lordship of Harrenhal.
  • At Bitterbridge. Garlan Tyrell, commanding the remaining 60,000 men of Renly’s army, was joined by the returning bannermen from Storm’s End as well as Mace Tyrell’s host of 10,000 men from Highgarden. Stannis sent Parmen Crane and Erren Florent with the hope of winning the armies there. After the news went through the camps, several fights broke out between those that wanted to aid Stannis and those who remained loyal to Renly. Many returned to their homes, while some quickly traveled to join Stannis’ host as he marched toward King’s Landing. Parmen and Erren were taken prisoner by House Tyrell. Soon after, Petyr Baelish, representing the Iron Throne, won the allegiance of House Tyrell, and riders were sent north to warn Tywin Lannister of the danger to the capital. Tywin joined his near-20,000 men to Mace Tyrell's remaining 50,000 men to march against Stannis.
  • Battle of the Blackwater. Cersei Lannister arranged for the creation of vast amounts of wildfire, to be used in the defense of King's Landing, and Tyrion had a long metal chain prepared across the Blackwater. Imry Florent, commander of Stannis’s fleet, led nearly all of Stannis's ships into Blackwater Rush to engage the remainder of the Royal Fleet. However, Joffrey's ships were unmanned and filled with wildfire. The ships were set ablaze while the chain was raised to cut off any retreat. Trapped in a river of fire, some of Stannis' ships managed to transport the remainder of his 20,000 troops across the river, where they met the city's defenses of 5,000 Goldcloaks. Despite his many setbacks, Stannis took two of the city gates and was near victory when his rearguard was attacked by the combined Lannister-Tyrell host of 70,000 men, securing victory for the Iron throne and which now was under control of the whole south and west. However, Stannis and many of his most loyal men were able to retreat and return to Dragonstone.


The war winds down

The victory at the Battle of the Blackwater, decides the outcome of the war. With Stannis beaten, the Lannister-Tyrell alliance and Tyrion Lannister, acting Hand, binding Dorne to the Iron Throne by the betrothal of Myrcella Baratheon to Trystane Martell. The whole south and west are now controlled by the Lannisters and their allies. While in the North, King Robb has lost controll of parts of his homeland, his own castle Winterfell and his allies after executing Rickard Karstark and betraying his promise to the Freys and marrying Jeyne Westerling. Robb needs to restore his power and retreats home, however his way home is blocked by the Ironborn at Moat Cailin.

  • Siege of Darry. Ser Helman Tallhart retook Darry from the Lannister army, which surrendered after a brief siege. A short time later, Bolton sent a letter to Ser Helman ordering him to put all captives to the sword and the castle to the torch by command of the King In The North.
  • Sack of Winterfell. Rodrik Cassel returned to besiege Winterfell with Leobald Tallhart, Cley Cerwyn, and knights of White Harbour, totaling 2,000 men. By threatening Rodrik's daughter Beth, Theon delayed the northmen's attack until Ramsay Bolton returned with 400 men from the Dreadfort. Believing them to be allies, Rodrik's men were taken completely by surprise when they attacked. Rodrik, Leobald and Cley were killed and the leaderless northern host was routed by the Bolton men, who lost only 20 of their own. Theon allowed Ramsay's men into the castle, where he quickly turned on the ironmen as well, killing them all except Theon. The castle was put to the torch and many of the Stark household were killed, including Maester Luwin. Theon, Little Walder Frey, Big Walder Frey, Kyra, Old Nan and Beth Cassel were all taken back to the Dreadfort as captives.
  • Sack of Torrhen’s Square Dagmar Cleftjaw returned to the keep after Rodrik and Leobald departed for Winterfell. The sparsely defended keep was easily stormed by the ironmen. They killed the castellan and took Berena Tallhart, her children Brandon and Beren, and heiress Eddara Tallhart captive.
  • Battle of the Crag. Robb’s continued his campaign in the westerlands, moving west he then fell on the half ruined castle the Crag, conquering it with ease. During the storming of the Crag, Robb took a minor wound and needed some time to recover. When news reached him of Theon's supposed murder of his brothers, he sought comfort in the arms of Jeyne Westerling. Robb married her the next day, thus breaking his promise and marriage betrothal with House Frey. Consequently lord Walder Frey's forces withdrew their support of Robb in protest and left. Having lost of the Freys bannermen, parts of the North, his seat and Moat Cailin. Robb abandons his campaign in the westerlands and march back east.
  • Battle of Duskendale. With Robb stark on the march back east. Roose Bolton, put Ser Robett Glover in command of 3,000 loyal northmen in harrenhal and command them to move south and take the town of Duskendale and its keep Dun Fort. This command was falsely given, however, as Roose Bolton had heard news of Tywin’s great victory at the Battle of the Blackwater and switched sides to join the lannisters. Robett force arrived at Duskendale to find Randyll Tarly’s larger force waiting, and was easily defeated. Robert led the survivors back towards Harrenhal and encountered another army led by Gregor Clegane. Robett and Lord Harrion Karstark were captured, while Lord Helman Tallhart was killed.
  • Beheading of Rickard Karstark. Lord Rickard Karstark took out his revenge against the Lannisters by murdering the captives Willem Lannister and Tion Frey when he heard that Catelyn Tully had released Jaime Lannister. Robb Stark held Rickard and a handful of his men responsible and they were hung. Robb beheaded Rickard himself for the crime of murdering prisoners. This act drives the Karstark forces away from Robb's army, leading them to act against him in later incidents.
  • Battle of the Ruby Ford. Roose Bolton retreats from Harrenhal and marched his forces slowly North allowing Gregor Clegane's advance on him, striking at Bolton's rear guard while his forces were crossing the ford. This may have been a calculated move on Bolton's part, allowing Gregor Clegane to dispose him of another 2,000 loyal northmen whom were led by Wylis Manderly. Gregor won an easy victory, taking Wylis captive. To defend the ford, Roose left some 600 loyal northmen led by Kyle Condon and Ronnel Stout.
  • Retaking of Harrenhal. After the victory at the Ruby Ford, Under orders from Tywin, Gregor Clegane and his men doubled back and retook Harrenhal. Which Roose Bolton left in the hands of lord Vargo Hoat and his Brave Companions. However by the time they arrived most of the Brave Companions garrison fled allowing them an easy victory. Gregor then butchered Vargo Hoat.
  • The Red Wedding. King Robb Stark, hearing of King Balon Greyjoy’s sudden death and how many ironmen had returned to the isles to choose a new king, planned to quickly retake the North. On his way he receives word that Lord Walder Frey would reconcile on the condition that he apologize in person and Ser Edmure marry one of his daughters at the Twins. Robb move north to the Twins, leaving the Riverlands defenseless against the Lannister forces, the River lords stay behind to defend Riverrun and the surrounding holdfasts. Robb is soon joined by Roose Bolton and his remaining men at the twins. However unknown to him wedding feast was a trap, during which Frey and Bolton men turned on Robb and his men, killing him, his mother Catelyn, a large number of his noble allies and virtually annihilating the Northern armies and the stark male line (with Robb heirs Bran and Rickon presumed dead). For his part in the slaughter, Roose Bolton was appointed Warden of the North.

Ongoing conflicts

With three of the four Kings dead, Robb Stark betrayed and murdered at the Red Wedding, Renly Baratheon killed at Storm's End and Balon Greyjoy dead in a freak accident, whilst Stannis was defeated at the Battle of the Blackwater was too weakened to be a threat. The whole south and west was under control of the Iron throne and most of the Lords of the Trident yielded except Tully, Mallister and Blackwood. King Joffrey’s and the Lannisters' victory seem secure, but it did not last long: the sudden deaths of Joffrey, poisoned at his own wedding, and shortly after his hand Tywin, was murdered by his son, proved severe blows to House Lannister. In their stead the young Prince Tommen was crowned, with his mother, Cersei Lannister, regent.

However, the conflict is far from over: Euron Greyjoy, succeeds Balon Greyjoy and his ironborn remained in control of large areas of the North, whilst Stannis is still alive, and following his arrival at the Wall and assisting the Night's Watch in repelling the wildling horde, attempts to establish a new power-base there, to seize control of the North and use it to renew his fight for the Iron Throne.


  • Attacks of Lady Stoneheart . After the Red Wedding, Beric Dondarrion discovered Catelyn Stark's corpse and sacrificed his life to resurrect her. The mutilated Catelyn took control of the Brotherhood as "Lady Stoneheart" and led them on an even more aggressive vendetta against the Freys and Lannisters. The band kidnapped and executed several Freys present at the Red Wedding.
  • Siege of Seagard. Black Walder Frey led a host to besiege Jason Mallister's forces. However at the threat of his son and heir Patrek’s hanging, he quickly conceded. The two became prisoners of their own keep.
  • The Fall of Moat Cailin. The Ironborn occupied Moat Cailin is approached from the North by the army of Roose Bolton and from the south by the forces of Ramsay Bolton. Ramsay sends Theon Greyjoy to offer terms and safe passage to the Ironborn if they surrender unarmed. When they do surrender Ramsay has all sixty three flayed alive and impales their skinless bodies on pikes along the route of the moat.
  • Siege of Storm’s End. Mace Tyrell was commanded to take the castle. After a lengthy siege, he heard of Margaery's imprisonment at the Great Sept of Baelor. He broke off the siege, leaving a token garrison, to march on King's Landing after ordering Randyll Tarly to march south from Maidenpool and join him there.
  • Siege of Dragonstone. Loras Tyrell pledged to take command of the siege after hearing of the Battle of the Shields. In return, Cersei Lannister allowed the Redwynes' fleet to sail west and defend the Reach. Upon arrival at Dragonstone, Loras launched an immediate attack. After suffering many losses, the Tyrell army forced the defenders to retreat to the inner keep. Loras again led a fierce attack and successfully captured the keep, but at a high cost. Loras himself was reportedly burned with boiling oil and severely wounded during the battle.
  • Siege of Riverrun. Ser Brynden Tully held the castle of Riverrun in defiance of a large host of Frey, Lannister and defeated Riverlords camped outside. Edmure Tully was displayed on a gibbet, but Brynden did not surrender and exposed the display as an empty threat. The lords outside bickered and could make no progress. Jaime Lannister was sent to the castle to expedite the fall of Riverrun. Jaime released Edmure Tully and threatened that if he, as heir to Riverrun, did not yield the castle, then Jaime would sack it and kill Edmure's unborn child. Edmure surrendered the castle but not until after he aided his uncle in escaping capture. The castle was left in the care of its new lord, Emmon Frey, with 300 guards.
  • Siege of Raventree. Lord Jonos Bracken was commanded to besiege the castle of his nemesis, House Blackwood. Jonos had only sided with the Lannisters in the first place because the Blackwoods had stayed loyal to King Robb. Fighting was fierce at the castle and neither side triumphed. Jaime Lannister arrived though and Tytos Blackwood surrendered to him (as Blackwood would never have surrendered to Bracken), Blackwood forfeited several lands to Bracken and Lord Tytos had to give Jaime his son, Hoster Blackwood, as a hostage and also suggested to take a hostage from House Bracken aswell. The surrender of Raventree represented the unoffical end of The War of the Five Kings in the Riverlands.
  • Battle of Castle_Black. After receiving a plead from the Night's Watch for help, Stannis Baratheon decided that he wanted to concentrate on the king's duties, rather than his rights, which meant first and foremost to defend the realm - not that he had much choice, since his remaining forces could hardly make much of a stand anywhere else. Stannis took his forces north and arrived at the Wall just in time to crush a wildling assault at Castle Black. Having defeated the main force of Wildlings, who were now either scattered or allied with the Watch, Stannis decided to rally the support of the Northern Lords.


New hostilities


Aftermath

While conflicts continue to engulf the Seven Kingdoms, the War of the Five Kings resulted in vast devastation, the burning of crops and food supplies by rival armies means that with Winter now engulfing Westeros as of 300 AL, many more will starve and die. The Riverlands bore the brunt of the fighting, but the North, Westerlands and Stormlands were hit heavy by the war also. The only two regions to so far to stay out of the war and keep there crops and food supply intact are the Vale and Dorne.




Related Conflicts

The time period during the War of the Five Kings is noted as containing other conflicts and campaigns that were directly or indirectly related, although not part of the conflict proper. The two principal theaters are Daenerys Targaryen's eastern campaigns against the Ghiscari and the Night's Watch renewed conflict with forces beyond the Wall.


Beyond the Wall

While the War of the Five Kings raged in the south of Westeros the Night's Watch was engaged in heavy fighting not only against resurgent Wildling forces but their ancient enemy, the Others, who had reawoken after centuries. While the conflicts at and north of the Wall cannot be characterized as a campaign or war by any one side it can be viewed as a three-sided conflict between forces each pursuing their own goals at the expense of the others.


In the East

Whilst the War of the Five Kings raged in Westeros and the Night's Watch battled for its survival, several other conflicts erupted on the eastern continent. Many of these wars were minor: the Dothraki mounting their usual heavy raids on the lands of the Lhazareen, another brewing war between Myr and Lys for control of the Disputed Lands and so forth. However, one was major and significantly shifted the balance of power. This war would also later directly impact on affairs in Westeros.

After the War of the Usurper, the eight-year-old Viserys Targaryen and the newborn Daenerys Targaryen took refuge in the Free Cities. When she was nearly fourteen years of age (ca. 298 AL) Daenerys was sold to the Dothraki Khal Drogo in return for the use of his forty thousand bloodriders in placing Viserys on the Iron Throne. However, Viserys proved impatient and unwisely insulted Khal Drogo, resulting in his death at Drogo's hands. Drogo eventually perished from a wound taken in battle and his khal was divided up amongst his old lieutenants. Daenerys and a small entourage of the remaining, made up largely of the old, sick or young were left to die in the red wastes, but eventually found safety in the city of Qarth on the Jade Sea. During this time three ancient eggs belonging to House Targaryen and restored to Daenerys by her ally Illyrio Mopatis hatched into dragons. After attempts on her life in Qarth, Daenerys was able to return to Pentos on ships sent to rescue her by Mopatis.

However, on the way back to Pentos, Daenerys chose to divert to Slaver's Bay to purchase a slave army from the three great Ghiscari slave cities: Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen.


  • Sack of Astapor. After taking the three merchant vessels of Illyrio Mopatis, Daenerys followed the council of Jorah Mormont to buy Unsullied soldiers from Astapor for her conquest of Westeros. She traded her dragon Drogon for 8600 Unsullied and immediately used them to take the city, taking back her dragon as well. She freed the slaves of Astapor, including her Unsullied, and left a council of freedmen to rule the city, led by a healer, a priest, and a scholar. With her new army, Daenerys marched north on Yunkai. Many Astapori freedmen followed her.
  • Battle of Yunkai. The Yunkai'i met her three leagues from the city with a host of five thousand, including two sellsword companies of five hundred each, the Stormcrows and the Second Sons. The bulk of the host consisted of slave soldiers. However, Yunkai's specialty was sex slaves, and one of Daenerys's captains dismissed its soldiers as 'bedboys armed with spears.' Daenerys treated with the captains of the enemy contingents, giving Yunkai three days to surrender. She attacked that night and the Stormcrows betrayed the Yunkai'i. The rest of the host was scattered or captured. The Second Sons joined Daenerys after the battle. The Yunkai'i surrendered several days later, releasing all their slaves.
  • Siege of Meereen. Meereen, the northernmost city of Slaver's Bay, was also the best-fortified. The Meereenese used a scorched earth defense against Daenerys's army and nailed up slave children pointing the way to the city. A champion, Oznak zo Pahl, emerged to challenge the invaders, and was slain by Daenerys's eunuch bodyguard Strong Belwas, a former gladiator in Meereen. Daenerys broke up her ships for timber in preparation for a siege. To avoid an extended campaign, Ser Jorah, Barristan Selmy and Strong Belwas led a small force through the city's sewers. They released the gladiator slaves of the fighting pits and used the ensuing chaos to open the city's gates. In contrast to her previous Ghiscari occupations, Daenerys lingered at Meereen and ruled it as queen. This was because at this time, she received word that her ruling council in Astapor had been overthrown by a dictatorial butcher resulting in much suffering. Not wanting to let this happen to Meereen, she decided to stay.
  • The Shadow War. An organization known as the Sons of the Harpy have been performing night attacks killing lone freeman, Shavepates and Unsullied. A Shadow war is being fought in Meereen since Dany decided to stay and rule Meereen. They draw a bloody harpy near the bodies of those they slay. They have grown bolder and there attacks more vicious as time goes by and the number of nightly killings have slowly increased.
  • Siege of Astapor. The armies of Yunkai and several hired sellsword companies besiege Astapor. The armies of the new butcher king attack the besieging army in a dawn attack and almost succeed in overrunning the ill prepared Yunkai nobles. If not for the sellsword companies the Yunkai would have lost. The Butcher King and the entire city is put to the sword. Several freeman manage to escape and flee to Meereen brining with them the Pale Mare a disease that spreads quickly.


Daenerys desperate for peace marries Hizdahr zo Loraq and temporary peace is established. Yunkai and Meereen sign a treaty. The fighting pits are reopened to celebrate the wedding. Drogon drawn to the smell of blood and the noise arrives and is almost slain. Daenerys seeing her "child" in peril runs to him. Drogon takes Dany on dragonback away from the city, many believe her dead. The peace is fraying, The Yunkai demand the dragons be put down. Ser Barristan Selmy learns that the Yunkai are planning to re-enslave the former slaves Daenerys freed and Hizdahr is possibly in on the plot. He seizes control and captures Hizdahr. Volantis is sailing its fleet to Meereen to aid the Yunkai. Selmy prepares for war.


The Iron Fleet

The Ironfleet under Victarion Greyjoy sails to Meereen to bring Daenerys and her dragons to Westeros. His fleet conduct several raids capturing dozens of ships. While the fleet is anchored near Volantis to take supplies, Victarion learns the Volantis fleet is sailing to Meereen to end the reign of Daenerys Targaryen. Victarion has the Iron Fleet sail to Slaver's Bay and it is most likely the Iron Fleet will arrive before the Volantis Fleet.


References and Notes

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