The Red Wedding and the Purple Wedding are two of the most memorable and tragic events in the Game of Thrones series. But which came first?
The Red Wedding took place first, during the War of the Five Kings. It was a massacre orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey. Robb Stark, his mother Catelyn, and most of his soldiers were slaughtered at the wedding feast. This betrayal violated the sacred laws of hospitality, as guests were meant to be protected during their stay.
The Purple Wedding, on the other hand, referred to King Joffrey's wedding and death by poisoning. The name is not canon but was given by fans, possibly due to the association of the colour purple with royalty. The poison used was smuggled into the wedding in Sansa Stark's amethyst hairnet, and the wine drunk by Joffrey turned from dark red to purple.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Name | Red Wedding |
Date | Before Purple Wedding |
Event | Massacre |
Location | The Twins |
Host | Lord Walder Frey |
Orchestrator | Lord Walder Frey |
Reason | Robb Stark broke a marriage pact with House Frey |
Deaths | Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, Talisa Stark, Lady Joyeuse Frey, and many others |
Sacred laws violated | Hospitality, Guest Right |
What You'll Learn
The Red Wedding was a massacre at Edmure Tully's wedding
The Red Wedding was a massacre that took place at Edmure Tully's wedding to Roslin Frey. The event was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey, as revenge for Robb Stark's broken marriage pact with House Frey. Lord Frey's conspirator, Lord Roose Bolton, was also involved.
The wedding took place at the Twins, the castle of House Frey, during the War of the Five Kings. Robb Stark, King in the North, and his mother Catelyn, were among those slaughtered, along with most of his thirty-five hundred soldiers. Edmure Tully, now Lord of Riverrun, was spared, and taken prisoner.
The massacre ended the northern rebellion against the Iron Throne, and Roose Bolton was named Warden of the North for his involvement. The Red Wedding also stained the ancient custom of guest right, with safety and security in another's home no longer being considered guaranteed.
The Purple Wedding, on the other hand, was the name given to King Joffrey's wedding and subsequent death. It was a political move, orchestrated by Littlefinger and the Queen of Thorns, Olenna Tyrell. The name comes from the amethyst necklace worn by Sansa Stark, which contained the poison used to kill Joffrey.
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It was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey
The Red Wedding was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey. Robb had promised to marry one of Lord Frey's daughters but reneged on this promise. As compensation for violating the agreement, Lord Frey demanded that Edmure Tully, Lord of Riverrun, wed one of his daughters. Edmure agreed, and the wedding was held at the Twins, the seat of House Frey.
Lord Frey conspired with Lord Roose Bolton and Lord Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King, to bring House Frey back as a supporter of the Iron Throne and King Joffrey I Baratheon. Lord Frey's motivations for the massacre included a desire to wash out the dishonour done to him by Robb and to receive rewards from the Lannisters.
Lord Frey violated the sacred laws of hospitality by orchestrating the massacre during the wedding feast, which included thousands of guests and soldiers from both sides. He had Robb and Catelyn Stark, King and Queen in the North, and most of their thirty-five hundred soldiers slaughtered.
The Red Wedding ended the northern rebellion against the Iron Throne and resulted in Lord Frey and his conspirators being granted titles and betrothals by the Lannisters. However, the massacre also ruined House Frey's reputation, as it was seen as a violation of the ancient custom of guest right.
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Robb Stark broke his betrothal to a Frey girl
Robb Stark's decision to marry Talisa was a direct breach of his betrothal to one of Walder Frey's daughters. This decision angered Lord Walder Frey, who saw it as a personal insult. Robb needed to cross the twin bridges over the Green Fork of the Trident to continue his campaign, and Lord Walder Frey was the gatekeeper. In order to secure his passage, Robb agreed to apologise to Lord Walder Frey, promised to marry one of his daughters, and bestow his uncle Edmure Tully with one of the Frey daughters as well. In exchange, Lord Walder Frey would allow the Northern forces safe passage across the bridge.
Robb's broken betrothal was the primary reason for the Red Wedding, which was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge. Robb's decision to marry for love instead of political advantage not only cost him the support of House Frey but also damaged his relationship with other Northern Houses, such as the Karstarks. As a result, Robb's military campaign against the Lannisters weakened, and his chances of winning the war diminished.
The Red Wedding was a massacre at the wedding feast of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey at the Twins. The event was orchestrated by its host, Lord Walder Frey, as revenge for Robb's breaking of the marriage pact he made with House Frey. Lord Frey conspired with Lord Roose Bolton and Lord Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King, to bring House Frey back as a supporter of the Iron Throne and King Joffrey I Baratheon.
During the wedding ceremony, Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey exchanged vows, and Edmure wrapped a Tully cloak about Roslin. After the bride and groom departed for the bedding, Walder's musicians began playing "The Rains of Castamere", a song associated with Robb's enemy, Lord Tywin Lannister. This was the signal for the massacre to begin.
Robb, his wife Talisa, and his mother Catelyn were all brutally attacked. Walder Frey's men, along with some from House Bolton, descended upon the Stark forces. Robb was stabbed to death, and Catelyn had her throat slit. Talisa was also killed, along with many of the Northern lords and soldiers in attendance.
Robb Stark's broken betrothal to a Frey girl was, therefore, the catalyst for the Red Wedding, which had far-reaching consequences for the course of the war and the fate of many major characters in the series.
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Robb Stark and his mother were killed
Robb Stark and his mother, Catelyn, were killed during the Red Wedding, which took place before the Purple Wedding.
The Red Wedding was a pivotal event in the War of the Five Kings, during which Robb Stark, ruling King in the North, was betrayed and murdered by Lord Walder Frey as revenge for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey. Robb had promised to marry one of Lord Walder Frey's daughters but reneged on this promise.
The Red Wedding took place during the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, Robb's relative. Robb and his bannermen were massacred, along with Robb's wife, Talisa, and their unborn child. Catelyn was also killed, after threatening to kill Walder Frey's wife, Joyeuse, if he did not let Robb leave alive. Robb was stabbed through the heart by Roose Bolton, who delivered Jaime Lannister's message: "The Lannisters send their regards".
The Purple Wedding, by contrast, was the name given by fans to the wedding and death of King Joffrey Baratheon. The name refers to the poison used to kill Joffrey, which was smuggled into the wedding in the purple amethyst hairnet of Sansa Stark, and the colour purple's association with royalty.
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The Red Wedding was inspired by the Black Dinner and the Massacre of Glencoe
The Red Wedding, a fictional event in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" book series and its TV adaptation "Game of Thrones", was inspired by two real-life events in Scottish history: the Black Dinner of 1440 and the Massacre of Glencoe in 1692.
The Black Dinner took place in Edinburgh Castle in November 1440. The 16-year-old William, Earl of Douglas, and his younger brother, David, were invited to dine with the 10-year-old King James II of Scotland. The powerful Douglas clan was seen as a threat to the new king, and the invitation was a trap set by the Scottish Chancellor, Sir William Crichton. During the dinner, a plate with a beheaded black bull (or boar) was placed before the Douglas brothers, symbolising death. The boys were then arrested, found guilty of treason in a mock trial, and beheaded. This event shocked Scotland, and four centuries later, it inspired Scottish novelist Sir Walter Scott to write a poem:
> "Edinburgh Castle, toune and towre,
> God grant thou sink for sin!
> And that e'en for the black dinner
> Earl Douglas gat therein."
The Massacre of Glencoe took place in 1691 or 1692. All Scottish clans were called upon to renounce the deposed King of Scotland, James VII, and swear allegiance to King William of Orange. The Highland Clan MacDonald faced obstacles due to their previous oath to James VII and the animosity of the Secretary of State, John Dalrymple, towards their clan. Despite these challenges, the MacDonalds managed to deliver their oath, albeit several days late. However, the Secretary of State rejected their sworn allegiance and plotted to eliminate the clan.
In late January or early February, Captain Robert Campbell and 120 men arrived at the MacDonalds' home in Glencoe, seeking shelter due to a nearby fort being full. Following the customs of hospitality, the MacDonalds welcomed them, and the soldiers stayed for nearly two weeks. Then, following orders, Captain Campbell and his men turned on their hosts, brutally massacring them. They murdered 38 men, some in their beds, and burned down the homes, forcing at least 40 women and children to flee into a blizzard, where they died of exposure.
The Glencoe Massacre, like the Black Dinner, was considered especially atrocious due to the violation of the sacred laws of hospitality, which were deeply valued in both historical and fictional contexts.
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Frequently asked questions
The Red Wedding was a massacre at the wedding feast of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey. The King in the North, Robb Stark, his mother Catelyn, and most of his thirty-five hundred soldiers were slaughtered.
The Purple Wedding was a fan-dubbed name for the wedding of Joffrey and Margaery, during which Joffrey was poisoned.
The Red Wedding came first.