Sack of Winterfell

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Sack of Winterfell
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date 299 AL
Place Winterfell
Result Bolton victory
Combatants
House Stark House Bolton
House Greyjoy
Commanders
Ser Rodrik Cassel+
Cley Cerwyn+
Leobald Tallhart+
Ramsay Snow
Theon Greyjoy(holding Winterfell)
Strength
almost 2,000 men about 600 Bolton men
18 ironborn
Casualties
Ser Rodrik Cassel+
Cley Cerwyn+
Leobald Tallhart+
all troops scattered
not significant for Boltons
all ironborns killed (except Wex)
Theon Greyjoy (captured)

The Sack of Winterfell is the battle that determines the outcome of the North during the War of the Five Kings. The battle is fought between forces loyal to House Stark and those loyal to House Greyjoy. House Bolton, though sworn to the Starks, switches sides.

Background

With the majority of the northern lords and their hosts in the south fighting in the Riverlands and the Westerlands, the North is left relatively undefended. Balon Greyjoy declares himself King of the Isles and the North and orders his longships to take the North. Theon Greyjoy is sent to harry the Stony Shore with Dagmer Cleftjaw. After completing this task, the two plot the capture of Winterfell. Dagmer besieges Torrhen's Square, the seat of the Tallharts, in order to draw out the garrison of Winterfell, leaving the castle lightly defended.[1] Theon captures Winterfell in one night.[2]

Ser Rodrik Cassel breaks Dagmer's force outside of Torrhen's Square and, strengthened by House Tallhart men, he marches on Winterfell.[3] Many of the ironborn with Theon abandon him, including Urzen, Stygg, and ten of Asha Greyjoy's men, leaving Theon with only seventeen remaining in his command.[4]

Opposing Armies

Stark army

A force totaling less than 2,000 men:[4]

Greyjoy force

Bolton force

The Battle

A parley between Rodrik and Theon accomplishes nothing other than terms being given. A helmeted Ramsay Snow leads the Dreadfort men to the Stark army. Believing the Dreadfort men to be reinforcements, Rodrik offers his hand in greeting to their leader. However, Ramsay takes Rodrik's arm off at the elbow and reveals his identity. The Bolton force under Ramsay attacks the Stark army in the night, leading to fighting in the streets of the winter town. Cley Cerwyn is killed by an arrow to the eye, while Leobald Tallhart dies as well. The Stark army is dispersed and the Bolton force loses only 20-30 men.[4]

Aftermath

The hold of House Stark on the North is shattered. Ramsay enters Winterfell, shows Theon the bodies of the three slain Stark leaders, and then proceeds to kill the ironmen, including Red Rolfe, Kenned, Black Lorren, and Ulf. The Bolton men sack the castle and attack its servants, such as Maester Luwin.[4] Fires destroy the Maester's Tower and the Bell Tower, collapse a side of the First Keep, and cave in the ceiling of the Great Hall. Although most of Rodrik's leaders are killed, a good many of his common soldiers escape and return to their villages and holdfasts. However, their accounts of what happened vary.[5]

Lothar Frey and Roose Bolton, whose houses had allied to betray the Starks, later blame the sack on the ironborn.[6][7] Wex Pyke, Theon's squire, survived the battle by hiding in Winterfell's godswood. Wex reveals to Lord Wyman Manderly that Ramsay took Theon and the women of Winterfell back to the Dreadfort.[8] Hornwood, Cerwyn, and Tallhart survivors of the battle rally to the side of Stannis Baratheon after he recovers Deepwood Motte from the ironborn.[9]

Quotes

Theon: Ser Rodrik had you five to one.
Ramsay: Aye, but he thought us friends. A common mistake. When the old fool gave me his hand, I took half his arm instead. Then I let him see my face.[4]

- Theon Greyjoy and Ramsay Snow


Save me the Freys, and burn the rest. Burn it, burn it all.[4]

- Ramsay Snow

References and Notes