Siege of Storm's End

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Siege of Storm's End
War of the Usurper.png
Location 6, Factions: Baratheon. Stark. Tyrell. Lannister. Targaryen.
Conflict Robert's Rebellion
Date 282-283 AC
Place Storm's End
Result Baratheon victory
Combatants
House Baratheon
House Stark (late siege)
House Tyrell
Commanders
Stannis Baratheon
Lord Eddard Stark
Lord Mace Tyrell
Lord Paxter Redwyne
Lord Mathis Rowan
Strength
garrison of Storm's End host from the Reach
Redwyne fleet
Casualties
unknown
unknown, though unlikely to be significant

The siege of Storm's End took place near the end of Robert's Rebellion. Lord Mace Tyrell and most of his forces from the Reach besieged Storm's End, which was held by Stannis Baratheon, for the better part of a year. The siege was lifted only when Lord Eddard Stark arrived after the Sack of King's Landing and the Battle of the Trident.

Prelude

Robert Baratheon, Lord of Storm's End, took the majority of the stormlands' forces with him after the battles at Summerhall. He left his younger brother, Stannis, and a small garrison to hold Storm's End.[1] Following Robert's defeat by Lord Randyll Tarly at the Battle of Ashford,[2] driving Robert away from his base of power, the Tyrell host advanced directly on Storm's End, laying siege to it. The castle's granaries and storehouses were only half-full, as war had been unexpected.[3]

Siege

Lord Mace Tyrell descended on Storm's End with the Reach's host, while Lord Paxter Redwyne took the Redwyne fleet of the Arbor and closed Shipbreaker Bay to all trade, essentially cutting Storm's End off. The siege continued for the better part of a year, with the garrison having to eat their horses, dogs and cats, and were nearly forced to eat their own dead.[1] Donal Noye lost an arm during the siege[4] after an axe wound festered. Meanwhile, Mace and his bannermen, such as Paxter and Lord Mathis Rowan,[5] feasted within sight of the walls.[1]

There was at least one breach in discipline, when the master-at-arms at Storm's End, Ser Gawen Wylde, and three knights were caught trying to sneak out a postern gate to surrender. Stannis prepared to have them hurled at the Tyrell host via catapult. Maester Cressen convinced Stannis to imprison the men, however, since the garrison might need to eat the dead if their food ran out. Gawen eventually died in his cell during the siege.[5]

Davos, a notorious smuggler, slipped through the Redwyne fleet's lines and entered Storm's End with a ship loaded with onions and salt fish for the starving garrison. This food allowed the garrison to survive long enough for Lord Eddard Stark to lift the siege after the Battle of the Trident and the Sack of King's Landing.[1] With King Aerys II Targaryen dead and the surviving Targaryens fled to Dragonstone, Mace dipped his banners as soon as Eddard and the rebels appeared on the field.[6]

Stannis successfully holding the castle aided the rebellion as it meant the Tyrell host could not join Rhaegar Targaryen's army, which would have swelled the ranks of House Targaryen at the earlier Battle of the Trident.

Aftermath

After Lord Mace Tyrell dipped his banners, Stannis Baratheon was ordered by the new king, his brother Robert I, to build a new fleet and assault Dragonstone.[1] The majority of the Reach's lords and knights were later pardoned by Robert for their part in the war.[7]

Stannis granted Davos Seaworth a knighthood for assisting the garrison, as well as a keep, lands, a war galley to be commanded by himself, and later two more to be commanded by his two eldest sons.[1] Stannis personally removed the first joint of each finger on Davos's left hand as punishment for his smuggling past, however.[1] His younger son Devan would later be taken as a squire by Stannis.[8]

Having lost an arm, the blacksmith Donal Noye left Storm's End to join the Night's Watch.[4] During a visit to Greenstone, King Robert slept with a cousin, an Estermont widow whose husband and father died during the siege.[9]

Quotes

Maester Cressen told Stannis that we might be forced to eat our dead, and there was no gain in flinging away good meat. Thanks to the Onion Knight we were never reduced to dining on corpses, but it was a close thing.[5]

- Renly Baratheon to Mathis Rowan

References and Notes