Editing Capture of Winterfell

{{Template:Battlebox
| image		= 
| caption	= 
| battle_name	= Capture of Winterfell
| conflict	= [[War of the Five Kings]]
| date		= {{Date|299}}
| place		= [[Winterfell]]
| result	= [[House Greyjoy|Greyjoy]] victory
| combatant1	= [[File:House Stark.svg|30px]] '''[[King in the North|Kingdom of the North]]/[[House Stark]]'''
| combatant2	= [[File:House Greyjoy.svg|30px]] '''[[King of the Isles and the North|Kingdom of the Isles and the North]]/[[House Greyjoy]]'''
*{{coa|botley|s}} [[House Botley]]{{ref|ACOK|66}}
*{{coa|harlaw|s}} [[House Harlaw]]{{ref|ACOK|66}}
*{{coa|sharp|s}} [[House Sharp]]{{ref|AFFC|19}}
| commander1	= [[File:House Stark.svg|20px]] [[Bran Stark]]
| commander2	= [[File:House Greyjoy.svg|20px]] [[Theon Greyjoy]]
| strength1	= minimal castle garrison ([[Rodrik Cassel]] took most of them)
| strength2	= ~30
| casualties1	= [[Alebelly]]†<br>[[Mikken]]†<br>[[Chayle]]†<br>[[Bran Stark]]† (alleged)<br>[[Rickon Stark]]† (alleged)
| casualties2	= [[Drennan]]†<br>[[Squint]]†
}}

The '''capture of Winterfell''',{{ref|ACOK|56}} '''fall of Winterfell''',{{ref|ACOK|49}} or '''taking of Winterfell'''{{ref|ACOK|46}}{{ref|ACOK|50}}  is a daring raid that ends in the capture by [[House Greyjoy]] of [[Winterfell]], the ancestral home of [[House Stark]]. It marks a turning point in the [[War of the Five Kings]].

==Prelude==
As [[Theon Greyjoy]] planned, after [[Dagmer|Dagmer Cleftjaw]] laid siege to [[Torrhen's Square]] as a diversion, Ser [[Rodrik Cassel]] raises Winterfell's levies and marches with six hundred men, leaving Winterfell minimally defended.{{Ref|ACOK|35}}{{Ref|ACOK|46}}

Theon travels inland with about thirty [[ironborn]] to Winterfell, planning to take it by surprise. His followers include [[Aggar]], [[Black Lorren]], [[Cadwyl]], [[Drennan]], [[Endehar]], [[Gelmarr]], [[Gynir]], [[Kenned the Whale]], [[Kromm]], [[Wex Pyke]], [[Red Rolfe]], [[Squint]], [[Stygg]], [[Tymor]] and his brothers, [[Ulf the Ill]], [[Urzen]], and [[Werlag]].{{ref|ACOK|50}}{{ref|ACOK|56}}{{ref|ACOK|66}} Nobles who accompany Theon to Winterfell include [[Harrag Sharp]],{{ref|AFFC|19}} at least four [[House Harlaw|Harlaws]] (including [[Dykk Harlaw|Dykk]] and possibly [[Gevin Harlaw|Gevin]]), and at least two [[House Botley|Botleys]].{{ref|ACOK|66}}

==Capture==
The ironborn attack in the night eight days after Rodrik leaves. Theon sends four ironborn to go over Winterfell's double walls with grappling hooks and swim its moat. From there they sneak up on [[Alebelly]], whom they slay in a postern gate's turret, and they open the gate to let in the rest of the ironborn. With speed and surprise they take the remaining garrison unawares. [[Hayhead]] is also wounded. The crippled [[Bran Stark]] is able to sense intruders while [[skinchanger|in the mind]] of his direwolf, [[Summer]], but Summer and [[Shaggydog]] are unable to escape the [[godswood]]. A wounded Maester [[Luwin]] tells Bran that he was able to send a [[raven]] to [[White Harbor]], but a second raven was shot down by the ironborn.{{Ref|aCoK|46}} [[Palla]], the daughter of [[Farlen]], is raped by [[Drennan]] and another ironman.{{ref|ACOK|46}}

Theon has the people of Winterfell brought to the [[Great Hall of Winterfell|Great Hall]] so they can hear Bran yield the castle. Declaring himself the [[Prince of Winterfell]], Theon takes Bran and [[Rickon Stark]], [[Walder Frey (son of Jammos)|Big Walder]] and [[Walder Frey (son of Merrett)|Little Walder Frey]], [[Meera Reed|Meera]] and [[Jojen Reed]], and [[Beth Cassel]] as wards and hostages. "[[Ramsay Snow|Reek]]", who has been released from a tower cell, and [[Osha]] agree to serve Theon. [[Stygg]] slays the blacksmith [[Mikken]] when he refuses to yield{{Ref|aCoK|46}} and Theon has Septon [[Chayle]] drowned as a sacrifice to the [[Drowned God]].{{ref|ACOK|50}}

Theon does not post guards on Bran and Rickon, and the Starks and Reeds eventually disappear overnight with the aid of Osha and [[Hodor]].{{Ref|aCoK|50}} Osha seduces and kills the guard [[Drennan]], while the direwolves kill [[Squint]]. Unable to find the escapees in the [[wolfswood]], Theon has "Reek" kill two [[smallfolk]] in place of the Starks.{{Ref|ACOK|50}} Theon announces to the world that Bran and Rickon were killed after being captured at a mill on the [[Acorn Water]], and the flayed and tarred heads of the miller's boys are mounted on the walls of Winterfell.{{Ref|ACOK|55}} With the approval of Theon, "Reek" kills [[Gelmarr]], [[Aggar]] and [[Gynir]], ironborn who know the truth about the bodies.{{ref|ACOK|56}}

==Aftermath==
The grief over the alleged deaths of Bran and Rickon causes [[Robb Stark]], the [[King in the North]], to seek solace in [[Jeyne Westerling]]'s arms and then marry her at the [[Crag]], breaking his marriage alliance with [[House Frey]] of the [[Twins]].{{ref|ASOS|14}} Realizing that he is in danger of losing the [[north]], Robb seeks to mend his alliance with the Freys{{ref|ASOS|35}} and gain their aid for the [[siege of Moat Cailin]].{{ref|ASOS|45}}

The boys' mother, [[Catelyn Stark]], frees Ser [[Jaime Lannister]] from [[Riverrun]] in hopes that he will be exchanged at [[King's Landing]] for Catelyn's daughters, [[Sansa Stark|Sansa]] and [[Arya Stark|Arya]].{{Ref|ACOK|55}}{{ref|ASOS|2}}

Rodrik gathers a host to [[Castle Cerwyn]] to free Winterfell from Theon's ironborn.{{ref|ACOK|55}}

When [[Asha Greyjoy]] travels from [[Deepwood Motte]] to Winterfell, Theon refuses his sister's advice to abandon Winterfell.{{ref|ACOK|56}}

==Quotes==
{{quote|I am no [[House Stark|Stark]]. I am a [[House Greyjoy|Greyjoy]], and I mean to be [[Balon Greyjoy|my father's]] heir. How can I do that unless I prove myself with some great deed?{{ref|ACOK|37}}|[[Theon Greyjoy]] to [[Dagmer]]}}

{{quote|All's well, Greyjoy. Hear the quiet? You ought to be drunk with joy. You took Winterfell with fewer than thirty men, a feat to sing of.{{ref|ACOK|50}}|thoughts of [[Theon Greyjoy]]}}

{{quote|'''Theon''': With thirty men, I captured Winterfell in a night. You needed a thousand and a moon's turn to [[taking of Deepwood Motte|take Deepwood Motte]].<br>
'''Asha''': Well, I'm no great warrior like you, brother, I saw the heads above your gates. Tell me true, which one gave you the fiercest fight, [[Bran Stark|the cripple]] or [[Rickon Stark|the babe]]?{{ref|ACOK|56}}|[[Theon Greyjoy]] and [[Asha Greyjoy]]}}

{{Quote|'''Asha''': Oh, it was cleverly done, I'll grant you. If only you'd had the good sense to raze [[Winterfell|the castle]] and carry the two little princelings back to [[Pyke]] as hostages, you might have won the war in a stroke.{{ref|ACOK|56}}|[[Asha Greyjoy]] to [[Theon Greyjoy]]}}

{{quote|'''Asha''': How could you be such a bloody fool? Children ...<br>
'''Theon''': They defied me! And it was blood for blood besides, two sons of [[Eddard Stark]] to pay for [[Rodrik Greyjoy|Rodrik]] and [[Maron Greyjoy|Maron]].{{ref|ACOK|56}}|[[Asha Greyjoy]] and [[Theon Greyjoy]]}}

==References==
{{References|2}}

{{War of the Five Kings}}

[[Category:Battles|Winterfell, Capture of]]
[[Category:House Botley battles|Winterfell]]
[[Category:House Greyjoy battles|Winterfell]]
[[Category:House Harlaw battles|Winterfell]]
[[Category:House Sharp battles|Winterfell]]
[[Category:House Stark battles|Winterfell]]
[[Category:War of the Five Kings|Winterfell, Capture of]]
[[Category:Winterfell]]

[[es:Batalla de Invernalia]]
[[fr:Prise de Winterfell]]
[[pt:Queda de Winterfell]]
[[zh:偷袭临冬城]]