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Wiki of Westeros

The fall of Moat Cailin[b] was an event during the War of the Five Kings. It was part of the campaign orchestrated by Balon Greyjoy - who had crowned himself King of the Iron Islands - to conquer the North.

Balon dispatches the Iron Fleet through Blazewater Bay to seize Moat Cailin, effectively cutting off the Northern army south of the Neck.[1]

In the books[]

In the books, the attack on Moat Cailin also happens "off-screen". 

Background[]

Balon Greyjoy recognizes the importance of Moat Cailin, as it commands the causeway, the safe route for armies to travel through the swamps of the Neck. He sends his forces with most of the Iron Fleet to seize the ancient fortress, in order to block Robb Stark from returning to the north.

Battle[]

Victarion sails up the Saltspear and the Fever River to its headwaters, from which Moat Cailin is less than twenty miles away. The ironborn seize the ruined fortifications, which are held by a small northern garrison, mostly archers.

It is unknown how much casualties each party suffered, and whether the garrison has been killed or taken captive.

Aftermath[]

Some time later, Victarion receives news about Balon's death and the kingsmoot on Old Wyk. Some of his subordinates urge him to return to the Iron Islands and claim the Seastone Chair. Victarion does so, leaving a skeleton garrison at Moat Cailin under the command of Ralf Kenning.

Once Robb finally decides to return to the north and save what is left of his kingdom, his first concern is to liberate Moat Cailin. However, his plan is never executed, for he and most of his troops are destroyed at the Red Wedding. Eventually the fortress is retaken by Ramsay Bolton.

References[]

  1. Season 2 bluray: War of the Five Kings feature: Greyjoy Battle Plans

Notes[]

  1. In "Winter Is Coming," which takes place in 298 AC, Sansa Stark tells Cersei Lannister that she is 13 years old and Bran Stark tells Jaime Lannister that he is 10 years old. Arya Stark was born between Sansa and Bran, making her either 11 or 12 in Season 1. The rest of the Stark children have been aged up by 2 years from their book ages, so it can be assumed that she is 11 in Season 1. Arya is 18 in Season 8 according to HBO, which means at least 7 years occur in the span of the series; therefore, each season of Game of Thrones must roughly correspond to a year in-universe, placing the events of Season 2 in 299 AC.
  2. Conjecture based on information from A Song of Ice and Fire; may be subject to change.

External links[]


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