Melee at Bitterbridge
The melee at Bitterbridge[1] or mêlée at Bitterbridge[2] is a tourney held at Bitterbridge in 299 AC during the War of the Five Kings. Only a melee is described in A Clash of Kings and A Feast for Crows; it is unknown if the joust or archery are also held.
Melee
Having been crowned at Highgarden, Renly Baratheon travels with his supporters through the Reach toward King's Landing, which is held by his nephew, King Joffrey I Baratheon. Renly holds a melee beneath the castle of Bitterbridge along the way. Catelyn Stark, an envoy of her son Robb Stark, notices much of the Reach's chivalry near the castle, while across the Mander are the lords from the stormlands. While there are 116 competitors at the start of the melee, there are fewer than twenty knights remaining when Catelyn's party arrives. Brienne of Tarth singles out some men for having bet on who could claim her maidenhead. The melee continues until only two contestants are left, Brienne with a morningstar and Ser Loras Tyrell of Renly's Rainbow Guard with a longaxe. Loras yields to Brienne after being grappled to the ground, which a drunken Tyrell archer considers a vile trick. For her reward, Renly agrees to name Brienne to his Rainbow Guard.[1][2]
Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Richard Farrow-
Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Edmund Ambrose -
Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Ben Bushy -
Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Mark Mullendore - Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Raymond Nayland
- Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Will the Stork
- Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Harry Sawyer
- Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Robin Potter
Loras Tyrell defeats a man-
Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Ronnet Connington - Loras Tyrell defeats a man
- Brienne of Tarth defeats two men
- Brienne of Tarth defeats Ser Loras Tyrell
Known Attendees
King Renly Baratheon
Lord Lorent Caswell (host)
Lady Arwyn Oakheart
Lord Mathis Rowan
Lord Randyll Tarly
Queen Margaery Tyrell
Late arrival
The melee had already started when Lady Catelyn Stark and her party, escorted by Ser Colen of Greenpools, came into Renly's camp. Her party was composed of twenty men:
Lucas Blackwood- Lord Robin Flint
Ser Perwyn Frey
Ser Wendel Manderly
Hallis Mollen
Fourteen Stark guardsmen, including Shadd
Heraldry
- House Tyrell - golden rose
House Florent - fox-and-flowers
House Fossoway of Cider Hall - red apple
House Fossoway of New Barrel - green apple- House Tarly - striding huntsman
- House Oakheart - oak leaves
House Crane - crane- House Mullendore - cloud of butterflies
House Caron - nightingales
House Penrose - quills
House Estermont - green sea turtle- House Baratheon - crowned stag
- House Connington - griffin
- House Tarth - quartered sun-and-moon
- House Rowan - golden tree
Quotes
This is madness. Real enemies on every side and half the realm in flames, and Renly sits here playing at war like a boy with his first wooden sword.[1]
—thoughts of Catelyn Stark
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A Clash of Kings, Chapter 22, Catelyn II.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 A Feast for Crows, Chapter 20, Brienne IV.