Siege of Dragonstone

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Siege of Dragonstone
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date +/- 300 AC
Place Dragonstone
Result Pyrrhic Iron Throne victory
Combatants
Iron Throne:
The Reach, led by House Tyrell Westerlands, led by House Lannister
House Baratheon of Dragonstone
Commanders
Ser Loras Tyrell (WIA)
Lord Paxter Redwyne
Ser Rolland Storm[1]
Strength
2,000
Close to 200 Redwyne warships[2]
Sweet Cersei[2]
Small, only a token force
Casualties
~1,000 killed, mostly Westermen[3] unknown

The Siege of Dragonstone refers to the action taken by forces loyal to King Tommen Baratheon to take Dragonstone, the island stronghold belonging to the rival King Stannis Baratheon. The end result is an allegedly costly victory for House Baratheon of King's Landing.

The Siege

Lord Paxter Redwyne leads the Redwyne fleet in transporting two thousand westerlands men[4] from King's Landing across Blackwater Bay to the isle of Dragonstone. Paxter has his men encamp before the walls of the castle of Dragonstone.[2] He intends to take the castle bloodlessly by either starving the defenders out or creating a breach in the walls through mining and forcing the defenders to surrender.

With the development of ironmen raiding the Reach after the taking of the Shields, there is more pressure on the besiegers to end the conflict quickly to free up the Redwyne fleet. Ser Loras Tyrell of the Kingsguard successfully asks Cersei Lannister for the command, as he believes Lord Paxter is taking too long. Cersei agrees, hoping that Loras will die in the battle.[2]

The Assault

Lord Aurane Waters reports to Cersei in King's Landing that when Loras arrived at Dragonstone he offered single combat to the defending commander, Ser Rolland Storm, who declined. Loras stormed the castle, leading the attack himself. Once the gate was breached Stannis's defenders retreated back to the keep, which was then assaulted by the besiegers straight away. In this attack, Loras was grievously injured by a mace blow, an arrow, a crossbow bolt, and boiling oil, but eventually the keep fell.[3] However, Aurane claims that the assault was an unnecessary bloodbath in which almost a thousand men were killed, mostly those loyal to Tommen, as a result of Loras's attempt to end the siege as quickly as possible. Many among the dead were young lords and knights.[3]

Aftermath

Ser Loras is reportedly gravely wounded. With Dragonstone taken, Lord Redwyne (now grand admiral) is free to defend the Reach with the Arbor fleet from King Euron Greyjoy's ironborn. It also removes the last direct threat to King's Landing and causes severe damage to Stannis Baratheon's already failing cause.

References and Notes