The Red Wedding was a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings. It was arranged by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark, the ruling King in the North, for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.
The Red Wedding took place at the wedding feast of Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun, and Roslin Frey at the Twins. Robb Stark, his mother Catelyn, and most of his thirty-five hundred soldiers were slaughtered.
The event was orchestrated by its host, Lord Walder Frey, as revenge for Robb's breaking of a marriage pact he made with House Frey. Lord Frey's conspirator, Lord Roose Bolton, personally killed Robb Stark with a dagger to the heart.
The massacre ended the northern rebellion against the Iron Throne and dealt a blow to House Stark.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Date | 299 AC |
Location | The Twins |
Host | Lord Walder Frey |
Orchestrator | Lord Walder Frey |
Co-conspirators | Lord Roose Bolton, Lord Tywin Lannister |
Reason | Robb Stark broke a marriage pact with House Frey |
Deaths | Robb Stark, Talisa Stark, Catelyn Stark, Jinglebell, Wendel Manderly, Smalljon Umber, Dacey Mormont, Donnel Locke, Owen Norrey, Robin Flint, Lucas Blackwood, Ser Benfrey Frey, Ser Tytos Frey, Ser Garse Goodbrook, 50 Frey soldiers, 3500 Northmen and Rivermen |
Captives | Edmure Tully, Patrek Mallister, Marq Piper, Greatjon Umber |
Escapee | Brynden "Blackfish" Tully |
Aftermath | End of the Northern rebellion, House Frey elevated as the new Great House of the Riverlands, House Bolton elevated as the new Great House of the North |
What You'll Learn
Robb Stark's demise
Robb's downfall begins when he executes the head of House Karstark for insubordination and dishonours the Freys by breaking his marriage pact and eloping with Talisa Maegyr. Robb's mother, Catelyn, is worried about returning to the Twins, knowing how proud Walder Frey is. Her fears are realised when she notices chain mail under Roose Bolton's wedding clothes. Before she can warn Robb, she is shot with multiple crossbow bolts.
At the wedding, Talisa surprises Robb with the news that she is pregnant. This happy moment is short-lived, as the Red Wedding begins with the stabbing of Talisa—an act so shocking that Robb freezes. He is then shot with multiple crossbow bolts and finally dies after Roose Bolton stabs him in the heart, betraying his king and bannerman. Robb's direwolf, Grey Wind, is also killed during the massacre.
Robb's death has far-reaching ramifications. The Lannisters are finally able to win the War of the Five Kings, and the Starks are fractured. Robb's demise also leaves a power vacuum in the North, with House Bolton and House Frey vying for control.
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Talisa Stark's murder
The Red Wedding was a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings, orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark, King in the North, for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey. Robb had promised to marry one of Lord Frey's daughters but instead married Talisa Maegyr, a healer from Volantis.
Talisa was the first to die during the massacre. She was stabbed repeatedly in the abdomen by Lame Lothar Frey, killing her and her unborn child instantly. Robb, wounded by several crossbow bolts, crawled towards Talisa and embraced her, devastated by the loss of his wife and child.
The death of Talisa, his unborn child, and his mother Catelyn, who was also murdered during the Red Wedding, sent Robb into a state of shock. Robb was then killed by Roose Bolton, who drove a dagger through his heart.
Talisa's sister-in-law, Arya, later avenged her by murdering Lothar Frey and baking him into a pie that she served to his father, Walder Frey, before slitting his throat.
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Catelyn Stark's death
Catelyn, her son Robb, and Robb's wife Talisa were all killed at the Red Wedding. Catelyn was the last of the three to die. She was killed by "Black" Walder Rivers, who slit her throat.
Catelyn's death came after she witnessed the brutal murder of her son, Robb, at the hands of Roose Bolton. Robb was stabbed in the heart by Bolton, who said, "The Lannisters send their regards", as he delivered the fatal blow. Robb's last word was "Mother", as he collapsed to the floor.
Catelyn, in a fit of grief-fuelled rage, slashed the throat of Walder Frey's wife, Joyeuse, before having her own throat cut by Black Walder.
Catelyn's corpse was then desecrated. In a cruel mockery of traditional House Tully funeral customs, the Freys threw her naked body from the battlements of the Twins into the river to rot.
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Edmure Tully's capture
Edmure Tully, the Lord of Riverrun and Lord Paramount of the Trident, was captured by his new father-in-law, Walder Frey, following the Red Wedding. Edmure was taken prisoner and remained a hostage of Lord Frey, who remarked to Lord Roose Bolton that Edmure spent his wedding night in a dungeon.
Edmure was still a captive at the Twins when Ser Brynden Tully, Edmure's uncle, raised what remained of the Tully army and retook Riverrun. Walder Frey summoned Edmure into the main hall, where he was brought up from the dungeons in chains. Edmure was then used as leverage against Brynden, with the Freys threatening to hang him if the Blackfish didn't surrender Riverrun. However, Brynden called their bluff, knowing that if Edmure died, the Freys would have no chance of taking the castle.
When Jaime Lannister arrived to take command of the siege, Edmure was bathed and given fresh clothes. Jaime appealed to Edmure's self-interest, offering to reunite him with his wife and infant son and have him live out his days in gentle imprisonment as a hostage at Casterly Rock. Edmure's son would be given a comfortable upbringing and Edmure himself would be treated with honour. However, Edmure refused, asking Jaime how he could live with himself after all the crimes he had committed. Jaime was briefly shaken by Edmure's words but soon threatened to catapult Edmure's infant son into Riverrun if he didn't agree to his terms. Edmure reluctantly agreed and approached Riverrun's gates, requesting entry as the Lord of Riverrun and head of House Tully. Edmure's men had no choice but to comply with their lord's demand and allowed Edmure to enter. Edmure then commanded his men to surrender and lower the gates, allowing the Lannister-Frey army to enter.
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Northern rebellion ends
The Red Wedding, orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey, brought an end to the Northern rebellion against the Lannisters. The event was a massacre at the wedding feast of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, which took place at the Twins during the War of the Five Kings.
Lord Frey's motivation for the massacre was Robb Stark's breaking of a marriage pact with House Frey. Robb, who had been proclaimed King in the North, had agreed to marry one of Lord Frey's daughters. However, he broke this pact and married Talisa Maegyr instead.
The Red Wedding began with the stabbing of Talisa, who was pregnant with Robb's child. Robb himself was then shot with multiple crossbow bolts and finally stabbed in the heart by Roose Bolton. Catelyn Stark, Robb's mother, had her throat slit. Many other Northern soldiers and bannermen were also killed, including Smalljon Umber, Dacey Mormont, Donnel Locke, Owen Norrey, Robin Flint, and Lucas Blackwood.
The Red Wedding effectively ended the Northern rebellion, with the Lannisters winning the War of the Five Kings. The Northern army was annihilated, and the few survivors were captured. House Frey was elevated as the new Great House of the Riverlands, and House Bolton became the new Great House of the North.
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Frequently asked questions
The Red Wedding was a massacre orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey. Lord Frey conspired with Lord Roose Bolton and Lord Tywin Lannister, who was the mastermind behind the plot.
During the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, the Freys and Boltons turned on the Starks and their soldiers, who were caught off guard and heavily intoxicated. The Freys and Boltons slaughtered the Northern army, killing Robb Stark, his pregnant wife Talisa, his mother Catelyn Stark, and many other Northern and Riverlander soldiers.
Yes, Edmure Tully was captured by the Freys, Brynden "Blackfish" Tully escaped, and Arya Stark managed to flee with Sandor "The Hound" Clegane.
The Red Wedding effectively ended the Northern rebellion and secured a decisive victory for the Lannisters in the War of the Five Kings. It also resulted in the elevation of House Frey and House Bolton as the new Great Houses of the Riverlands and the North, respectively.
Arya Stark, one of the survivors of the Red Wedding, later returned to Westeros and exacted her revenge by poisoning all the surviving male members of House Frey.