Riots in King's Landing

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The Riot of King's Landing was a large riot in the city of King's Landing during the War of the Five Kings. It left several notable people dead and burned parts of the city.[1]

Prelude

The cause of the riot was due to a lack of food and sense of dissatisfaction of the general populace during Tyrion Lannister's preparation for the eventual assault on King's Landing by Stannis Baratheon, a claimant to the throne. With the Reach cut off due to the war and the Riverlands awash in blood, King's Landing was being supplied mainly by House Rosby and House Stokeworth, whose lands had been largely untouched by the war.[2] This led to shortages in most basic foods. Already incensed with King Joffrey's brand of justice, the city was in a bad way when the lords and ladies rode out to the harbor to see Princess Myrcella Baratheon off.[1]

The Riot

On the way back to the castle, as the King's party rode up the Hook at the foot of Aegon's High Hill, a woman walked out of the crowd with a dead baby and blocked the way. Sansa Stark encouraged the King to win the people by throwing the woman some gold, but the woman ignored the coins as they fell around her and continued to hold the baby before her. While she did, someone threw dung at the King, hitting him squarely in the face. Incensed, Joffrey demanded to know the culprit and sent Sandor Clegane in the general direction of where the crowd said he was. This angered the crowd and shouted curses were showered down on the party, further inflaming the situation. The crowd began to move in and soon the party was surrounded and had to fight their way out.[1]

Not all of the party escaped the mob. Among those killed were Ser Aron Santagar, Ser Preston Greenfield and the High Septon. Lollys Stokeworth was raped and Tyrek Lannister was never found. Dozens of the smallfolk were killed by the Gold Cloaks and the knights of the Kingsguard who defended the King.[1]

Even after the King was safely within the walls of the Red Keep, the riot continued. Flea Bottom was set afire.[1] A goldsmith was killed for having a full larder while the city starved. His manse was burned down.[3]

Aftermath

Nine goldcloaks were killed and over forty were wounded. However the smallfolk paid for their attack. By nighttime, the fires were out and most of the mobs dispersed. There was no improvement in the welfare of the general populace and now a curfew was set in place so that anyone found in the streets after dark was killed. Tyrek Lannister remains missing. Lollys had a son, who was subsequently named Tyrion Tanner. Tyrion had a new High Septon named, and Ser Balon Swann filled Preston Greenfield's place in the Kingsguard.[1]

Notable participants

Survivors

Dead

Missing

References and Notes