Fall of Harrenhal

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Fall of Harrenhal
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date 299 AC
Place Harrenhal
Result Bolton victory
Combatants
House Baratheon of King's Landing.svg Iron Throne/ House Baratheon of King's Landing:

House Lannister.svg Westerlands, led by House Lannister

House Stark.svg Kingdom of the North and the Trident/ House Stark:

The North

House Tully.svg Riverlands, led by House Tully

Brave Companions.svg Brave Companions


"Weasel soup" plot:

House Stark
Commanders
House Lorch.svg Ser Amory Lorch House Bolton.svg Lord Roose Bolton

Brave Companions.svg Vargo Hoat (changes side)
House Glover.svg Robett Glover
House Frey.svg Ser Aenys Frey


"Weasel soup" plot:
House Stark.svg Arya Stark

Faceless Men.svg Jaqen H'ghar
Strength
Garrison of 100 men[2] ~200 total
  • 1 Harrenhal servant
  • 1 Faceless Man
  • 2 Members of the garrison
Casualties
Entire garrison (save for Rorge, Biter and Jaqen H'ghar)
Amory Lorch
Unknown

The fall of Harrenhal[6] occurs during the War of the Five Kings when control of Harrenhal changes from House Lannister to House Stark.

Prelude

After being defeated in the battle on the Green Fork, Lord Roose Bolton withdraws his forces to the causeway.[7] When the victorious Lord Tywin Lannister camps at Harrenhal, Roose takes the ruby ford and crossroads.[8][9] Roose's liege, King Robb Stark, attacks the westerlands, drawing Tywin out of Harrenhal. Tywin names Ser Amory Lorch as castellan and marches out, leaving as a garrison only two hundred men: one hundred Lannister men-at-arms and a hundred Brave Companions, an unsavory sellsword outfit from Essos under the command of Vargo Hoat.[10][2]

Battle

Vargo returns to Harrenhal with at least one hundred captives—led by Robett Glover and Aenys Frey and including men from Houses Bolton, Cerwyn, Frey, Glover, and Karstark—claiming to have beaten Roose when he tried to cross the Trident. The incognito Arya Stark, seeing an opportunity, blackmails Jaqen H'ghar into helping her free the northern prisoners in the Widow's Tower, and Jaqen enlists the aid of Rorge and Biter. Under the pretense of bringing onion soup to a group of Amory's guards, the four kill the guards and free the northern prisoners.

Unknown to Ser Amory Lorch and independently of Arya and Jaqen, Vargo Hoat had previously approached Roose's encampment and struck a deal to turn over the castle to the Starks. While the freed northmen and rivermen are escaping, the Brave Companions simultaneously turn on their former Lannister allies, killing them in their beds or while they are celebrating in the Barracks Hall.[2]

Aftermath

The bodies of the slain Lannisters are burned in a pyre within Harrenhal's Flowstone Yard. Lord Roose Bolton marches on Harrenhal and Vargo Hoat turns the castle over to him. Roose elevates Arya Stark, who now calls herself Nan, from a servant drudge to his own cupbearer. Ser Amory Lorch is killed by a large black bear in the bear pit as sport for Vargo's Brave Companions. Jaqen flees Harrenhal, not before assuming a new persona, while Rorge and Biter join the Brave Companions.[2]

The loss of Harrenhal traps Lord Tywin Lannister between the forces of Roose at Harrenhal and Ser Edmure Tully at Riverrun, culminating in the next major battle of the War of the Five Kings, the Battle of the Fords.

Quotes

This of the soup, that was clever. I did not expect that. Was it Lord Hoat's idea?[2]

Them Bloody Mummers killed some of Ser Amory's lot in their beds, and the rest at table after they were good and drunk. The new lord will be here before the day's out, with his whole host. He's from the wild north up where that Wall is, and they say he's a hard one. This lord or that lord, there's still work to be done.[2]

Pinkeye to his subordinates

- What did you die of?
- Hot weasel soup.[11]

—Shagwell mocks two dead knights of Lorch's garrison

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Burley and Norrey men are not directly mentioned at this battle but are later mentioned in A Storm of Swords as being part of Roose's host that is attacked by the Mountain's men whilst crossing the Trident.[3] Therefore it can be assumed that the Burleys and Norreys were present at earlier battles involving Roose's host, including at Harrenhal.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Condon, Ryswell and Stout men are not directly mentioned at this battle but are later mentioned in A Storm of Swords as being part of a force of men left behind by Roose at the Ruby Ford to defend against incursions by the Mountain's men, following the crossing the Trident by the Northmen.[3] Therefore it can be assumed that the men of these houses were present at earlier battles involving Roose's host, including at Harrenhal.
  3. Dustin men are not directly mentioned at this battle. However, during A Dance with Dragons Lady Dustin mentions that Dustin men died in the Red Wedding, which suggests that Dustin men were present during the Northmen campaigns in the Riverlands. As the Dustins are loyal to House Bolton, it is likely that they were a part of Roose's host, meaning that they took part in the battles between Roose's army and the Lannisters, including at Harrenhal.
  4. Ser Donnel Locke is captured following the Battle on the Green Fork.[4] Therefore, Locke men must have been present at the Green Fork and subsequent battles, including the Fall of Harrenhal.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 A Game of Thrones, Chapter 62, Tyrion VIII.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 47, Arya IX.
  3. 3.0 3.1 A Storm of Swords, Chapter 49, Catelyn VI.
  4. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 25, Tyrion VI.
  5. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 55, Catelyn VIII.
  6. A Storm of Swords, Chapter 53, Tyrion VI.
  7. A Game of Thrones, Chapter 71, Catelyn XI.
  8. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 30, Arya VII.
  9. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 39, Catelyn V.
  10. A Clash of Kings, Chapter 38, Arya VIII.
  11. A Feast for Crows, Bad parameter 2: "47" is not a recognized chapter.