Siege of Raventree

Note: The title of this article is conjecture and may be subject to change.

Siege of Raventree
Conflict	War of the Five Kings
Date	300 AC
Place	Raventree Hall
Result	Iron Throne victory House Blackwood bends the knee
Combatants Iron Throne/ House Baratheon of King's Landing: Riverlands, led by House Baelish House Bracken Westerlands, led by House Lannister House Brax House Crakehall House Marbrand House Prester House Ruttiger House Sarsfield House Swyft House Yew Kingdom of the North and the Trident/ House Stark: Riverlands, led by House Tully House Blackwood Commanders Lord Jonos Bracken Ser Jaime Lannister Lord Tytos Blackwood Strength 1,500 men 500 Brackens 1,000 Westermen unknown Casualties unknown unknown Robert Blackwood†

The siege of Raventree occurs in the riverlands as the War of the Five Kings winds down. House Bracken besieges Raventree Hall, the seat of House Blackwood.

Prelude

After the Red Wedding, most of the river lords, such as Lord Jonos Bracken, choose to submit to the Iron Throne. However, Lord Tytos Blackwood resists for honor's sake. Jonos is persuaded by Lord Tywin Lannister to attack Tytos's seat, Raventree Hall, in return for lands historically claimed by Stone Hedge.

Siege

The rivalry between the Blackwoods and Brackens goes back thousands of years so neither side asks or offers quarter. While there are skirmishes at the start of the siege, it develops into a stalemate. Jonos lacks siege towers, battering rams, and catapults, preferring instead to starve out Tytos. Young Robert Blackwood dies from a looseness of the bowels.

After resolving the siege of Riverrun, Ser Jaime Lannister is asked by Lord Karyl Vance to assist in the resolution of the siege of Raventree, as Tytos will never yield to Jonos. Ser Daven Lannister advises Jaime to bring the siege equipment at Riverrun to Raventree, but Jaime is confident he can resolve the conflict personally and has the equipment put to the torch.

Resolution

When Jaime arrives in Blackwood Vale, he notices ruined fields and buildings, the result of his father Tywin's campaign. Discipline is low in the besiegers' camp; the sentries do not sound an alarm to inform of Jaime's arrival, and Jame finds Lord Jonos copulating with a common woman, Hildy. Jonos believe Tytos will surrender before the next full moon, stating the Blackwoods have only rats and roots left to eat.

Jaime meets with Lord Tytos in his solar to discuss terms. Jaime's arrival allows the Blackwoods to surrender to King Tommen I Baratheon, rather than the Brackens. Lord Blackwood forfeits Buckle, Woodhedge, Honeytree, Crossbow Ridge, and Lord's Mill, which is less than what Lord Bracken desired. Jaime also takes one of Tytos's sons, Hoster Blackwood, as a hostage, and he orders Jonos to send one of his daughters to King's Landing to attend Queen regent Cersei Lannister.

Aftermath

The surrender of Raventree represents the last remnant of Robb Stark's brief river kingdom, as the entire nobility of the riverlands have now submitted to the Iron Throne. After resolving the siege, Jaime travels to Pennytree.

Quotes

I mean to deal with Lord Tytos myself. It won't require a siege tower.

—Jaime Lannister to Daven Lannister

Lord Jaime, you must go to Raventree. So long as it is Jonos at his gates Tytos will never yield, but I know he will bend his knee for you.

—Karyl Vance to Jaime Lannister

No doubt there had been sorties and skirmishes at the start of the siege, and arrows flying back and forth; half a year into it, everyone was too tired for such nonsense. Boredom and routine had taken over, the enemies of discipline.

—thoughts of Jaime Lannister