The Red Wedding was a massacre at the wedding feast of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, during which Robb Stark, his bannermen, and most of his 3,500 soldiers were slaughtered. The event was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge for Robb breaking a marriage pact with House Frey.
The Freys used several tactics to ensure the success of the massacre, including getting Robb's men too drunk to fight, and disguising sellswords and knights as musicians. The betrayal was also aided by Roose Bolton, whose men joined the Freys in attacking Robb's army.
The Red Wedding ended the northern rebellion against the Iron Throne, and Roose Bolton was named the new Warden of the North.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Number of soldiers | ~15,000 |
Number of soldiers killed | Most, if not all |
Betrayed by | Lord Walder Frey, Roose Bolton, and Tywin Lannister |
Orchestrated by | Lord Walder Frey |
What You'll Learn
The Northern Army was annihilated
The Northern soldiers were taken completely by surprise. The Freys and Boltons turned on the Northern soldiers in the camps, who had been drinking heavily during the celebrations. The musicians at the wedding, who were in on the plan, revealed themselves to be assassins, brandishing crossbows and firing at Robb and the Northern guests gathered in the main hall. The Northerners were attacked from all sides, and the few survivors were captured.
Outside the keep, the Northern soldiers were slaughtered. The Freys and Boltons turned on the other Northern soldiers in the camps, who were heavily intoxicated and unable to put up much of a fight. The Northerners were caught completely off-guard, and the few who attempted to fight back were quickly overpowered.
Robb Stark's direwolf, Grey Wind, was also killed during the massacre. Grey Wind had been kept outside the castle to prevent him from defending Robb during the massacre. He was trapped inside a pen and shot with crossbow quarrels by Frey soldiers.
The Northern Army was decimated, with most of Robb Stark's men killed or captured. The few who managed to escape were left scattered and leaderless. The annihilation of the Northern Army marked the end of the Northern rebellion and the War of the Five Kings.
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The Boltons and Freys turned on the Northerners
The Freys and Boltons had conspired with Tywin Lannister, the Hand of the King, to bring House Frey back as a supporter of the Iron Throne and King Joffrey I Baratheon. In return, Roose Bolton was named Warden of the North, and the Boltons were granted the lands of Winterfell. Lord Walder Frey was granted the castle of Riverrun and promised Lannister protection from any northern retaliation.
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Northern soldiers were attacked in camps
The Northern soldiers who were encamped outside the Twins were attacked by Frey and Bolton men. The Northern soldiers were caught by surprise as they had been drinking heavily during the celebrations. The attackers had also been careful to stay sober, keeping their wits about them.
The Northern soldiers were also unarmed and unarmoured, making them easy targets for the Freys and Boltons. The attackers had disguised themselves as musicians, and the signal for the massacre to begin was an instrumental version of "The Rains of Castamere". The musicians revealed themselves to be assassins, brandishing crossbows and firing at Robb and the Northern guests gathered in the main hall.
Outside the keep, the Northern soldiers were slaughtered. Arya, who had snuck into the courtyard, witnessed the killing of Robb's direwolf, Grey Wind, who was trapped inside a pen. She also saw the Northern soldiers being burned alive in their tents, hanged from trees, and carried away with their legs torn off.
The Red Wedding effectively ended the northern rebellion, and Roose Bolton was made the Warden of the North for his part in the massacre.
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Robb Stark's direwolf was killed
Robb Stark's direwolf, Grey Wind, was killed at the Red Wedding. Grey Wind was discovered as a pup by Robb Stark and Jon Snow, and the direwolf formed a special bond with his master. Grey Wind was kept in a kennel during the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, as Walder Frey had banned the direwolf from his hall. When the Freys and Boltons turned on the Starks, Grey Wind was shot several times by Frey crossbowmen before Arya could release him. He died just after making eye contact with Arya.
Grey Wind played a significant role in Robb Stark's battles, adding to his master's fearsome reputation. He fought alongside Robb in the War of the Five Kings and was present at the execution of Rickard Karstark. He was also instrumental in the Battle of Oxcross, sneaking into the Lannisters' camp and frightening their horses, allowing the Stark army to slaughter them as they slept.
After the Red Wedding, Grey Wind's head was sewn onto Robb Stark's decapitated corpse, and the body was paraded around the Twins as a final act of mockery and desecration.
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The Red Wedding ended the Northern rebellion
The Red Wedding was a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings. It was orchestrated 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 event culminated in the death of Robb Stark, his wife Talisa, their unborn child, Robb's mother Catelyn, and most of his thirty-five hundred soldiers. The Northern rebellion ended with the annihilation of the Northern army and the death of its king.
The Red Wedding was a decisive victory for the Lannisters and King Joffrey Baratheon. Lord Frey was granted the castle of Riverrun and promised Lannister protection from any northern retaliation. Roose Bolton, for his part in the Red Wedding, was awarded the title of Warden of the North, and the Boltons were granted the lands of Winterfell.
The Red Wedding stained the ancient custom of guest right, with safety and security in another's home no longer being considered guaranteed. The massacre ruined House Frey's reputation, and they were treated with antipathy and disgust by many Westerosi, including their own allies.
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Frequently asked questions
The Northern Army was mostly annihilated after the Red Wedding.
Yes, there were a few survivors, including Edmure Tully, Marq Piper, Patrek Mallister, and Greatjon Umber.
Robb Stark's army was also mostly destroyed, with only a few forces remaining, such as those of House Karstark, which had left earlier, and the Bolton and Frey forces, which turned on the other Northern Houses.