Siege of Dragonstone

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Siege of Dragonstone
Conflict War of the Five Kings
Date +/- 300 AC
Place Dragonstone
Result Pyrrhic Royal victory
Combatants
Forces loyal to King Tommen I Forces Loyal to King Stannis I
Commanders
Ser Loras Tyrell (WIA)
Lord Paxter Redwyne
Ser Rolland Storm[1]
Strength
unknown Small, only a token force
Casualties
Significant unknown

The Siege of Dragonstone refers to the action taken by royal forces to take Dragonstone; the island stronghold belonging to Iron Throne contender Stannis Baratheon. The end result was a costly royal victory.

The Siege

Lord Paxter Redwyne had the original command, intending 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 recent development of the ironmen raiding the Reach there was more pressure on the besiegers to end the conflict quickly to free up the Redwyne fleet. Ser Loras Tyrell asked Cersei Lannister for the command, as he believed Lord Paxter would take too long.[2]

As soon as Ser Loras arrived he offered single combat to Ser Rolland Storm, who declined. Ser Loras stormed the castle, leading the attack himself. Once the gate was breached the defenders retreated back to the keep, which was then assaulted by the besiegers straight away. In this attack, Ser Loras was grievously injured by boiling oil, but eventually the keep fell.[3]

Result

Ser Loras is reportedly gravely wounded. With Dragonstone taken, Lord Redwyne (now Grand Admiral) is free to defend the Reach from the King Euron's ironborn. It also removed the last direct threat to King's Landing and caused severe damage to Stannis Baratheon's already failing cause. The assault, however, was a bloodbath in which almost a thousand men were killed, mostly royal soldiers, as a result of Ser Loras's attempt to end the siege as quickly as possible.[4]. Many among the dead were young lords and knights.

References and Notes