Red Wedding: Stark Massacre

The Red Wedding is the name given to a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings. The event was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb Stark for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey.

The Red Wedding took place during the wedding of Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey, which was also attended by Robb Stark, his wife Talisa, and his mother Catelyn. During the reception, musicians began to play The Rains of Castamere, a song associated with the Lannisters. Realising that this was a signal for the massacre to begin, Catelyn noticed that Roose Bolton was wearing chainmail under his clothes. Before long, the musicians revealed themselves to be assassins, and the guests were attacked. Robb, Talisa and Catelyn were all killed, along with many others.

Robb Stark's death

Robb Stark was the eldest son of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell and his wife, Lady Catelyn. After his father's execution, Robb was declared King in the North and won many battles against House Lannister. However, his lack of political experience and finesse as a leader ultimately led to his defeat.

At the Red Wedding, Robb Stark and his forces were betrayed and massacred by the Freys and Boltons. Despite being warned by his mother, Catelyn, about the dangers of returning to the Twins, Robb attended the wedding of his uncle Edmure Tully and Roslin Frey. During the festivities, Robb made a public apology to Lord Walder Frey's daughters and granddaughters for breaking his promise to marry one of them.

As the celebrations wound down, Catelyn noticed something amiss when she saw Black Walder Rivers close the banquet hall doors and the musicians began playing "The Rains of Castamere"—a song commemorating the Lannister family's brutal elimination of House Reyne. Realizing they had been led into a trap, Catelyn slapped Roose Bolton and screamed a warning to Robb, but it was too late.

Robb's pregnant wife, Talisa, was the first to be attacked. She was repeatedly stabbed in the abdomen by Lothar Frey, killing her and their unborn child. Robb was then shot multiple times by crossbow bolts and fell to the ground, wounded. Despite his injuries, Robb crawled towards Talisa and held her in his arms, devastated by her death.

Finally, Roose Bolton stepped forward, looked Robb in the eye, and said, "The Lannisters send their regards," before driving a dagger through Robb's heart. Robb died instantly, sharing a final, lifeless look with his mother before collapsing beside his wife.

Robb's death had far-reaching ramifications. It signalled the end of the conflict between House Stark and House Lannister, with the Lannisters emerging victorious. It also fractured the Stark family and left the North without a king, forcing them to submit to the rule of House Bolton.

Robb's death was avenged by Arya Stark, who later infiltrated the Twins and poisoned all the surviving male members of House Frey.

Talisa Stark's death

Talisa Stark, née Maegyr, was the wife of Robb Stark, the King in the North. She was a healer on the battlefields of the Westerlands, where she met Robb, fell in love with him, and eventually married him. Talisa was pregnant with Robb's child, and the couple wanted to name the baby Eddard if it was a boy.

Talisa was killed at the Red Wedding, a massacre that took place during the War of the Five Kings. The Red Wedding was orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey as revenge against Robb for breaking a marriage pact between House Stark and House Frey. Robb had reneged on his promise to marry one of Walder's daughters, and instead married Talisa. As compensation for violating the agreement, Lord Frey demanded that Edmure Tully, Robb's uncle, wed one of his daughters, Roslin. Edmure agreed, and the wedding was held at the Twins, the castle of House Frey.

Robb and Talisa attended the wedding with their bannermen. Robb apologised to Walder Frey and his daughters for breaking his promise, and the Freys appeared to accept his apology. After Edmure and Roslin were married, there was a bedding ceremony, and the couple were taken away to another part of the castle to consummate their marriage.

The signal for the massacre to begin was an instrumental version of "The Rains of Castamere", a song associated with the Lannisters. Lothar Frey, Walder's son, approached the pregnant Talisa from behind and repeatedly stabbed her in the abdomen with a dagger, killing her and her unborn child. Robb and his men were then attacked by Frey soldiers and crossbowmen. Robb, wounded by several crossbow bolts, crawled towards Talisa and embraced her, devastated by the loss of his wife and unborn child.

Talisa's death sent Robb into a state of shock. Moments later, he was killed by Roose Bolton, who stabbed him through the heart. Talisa and Robb lay dead together.

Catelyn Stark's death

As Robb finds the strength to stand, Catelyn looks into his eyes, and Roose Bolton steps forward, uttering the now-infamous words, "The Lannisters send their regards," before stabbing Robb in the heart. Robb collapses next to Talisa's corpse, sharing a final gaze with his mother. Consumed by grief and believing all her sons to be dead, Catelyn kills Joyeuse by slitting her throat. She then becomes catatonic, staring silently at Robb's body in shock and despair. In a cruel and callous act, Walder Frey signals for "Black" Walder Rivers to cut Catelyn's throat, ending her life.

Catelyn's corpse is desecrated and flung from the battlements of the Twins into the river below, a mockery of the traditional funeral customs of House Tully. In the books, Catelyn's body is retrieved by her direwolf, Nymeria, three days after her death.

Edmure Tully's wedding

The wedding was orchestrated by its host, Lord Walder Frey, as revenge for Robb Stark breaking a marriage pact he made with House Frey. Edmure selflessly agreed to marry one of Lord Frey's daughters to make up for Robb's broken promise. The wedding was also attended by Robb Stark and his bannermen, as well as Catelyn Stark.

During the wedding ceremony, a septon performs the marriage rites, and Edmure wraps a Tully cloak about Roslin after they exchange their vows. After the ceremony, Lord Frey hosts a feast for the highborn in one of his castles, and a "bastard feast" for the lower ranks in the second castle. Meanwhile, Edmure and Roslin are taken away for the bedding ceremony.

Shortly after the bride and groom depart, the musicians begin playing "The Rains of Castamere", a song associated with Robb's enemy, Lord Tywin Lannister. This is the signal for the massacre to begin. The musicians reveal themselves to be assassins, and the Freys and Boltons attack, killing many of the Starks, including Robb and Catelyn. Edmure is captured and held hostage.

The Red Wedding ends the northern rebellion against the Iron Throne, and Roose Bolton is named Warden of the North for his aid. The massacre also ruins House Frey's reputation, as it violates the ancient custom of guest right, with safety and security in another's home no longer being considered guaranteed.

Roose Bolton's betrayal

During the Red Wedding, Roose Bolton sat beside Lady Catelyn and, just prior to the massacre, revealed to her that he was wearing chain mail under his sleeve, indicating that the Starks had been betrayed. After Catelyn slapped him and yelled at Robb to run, Roose fled to safety as the Freys turned on the Starks. Roose Bolton then approached Robb and stabbed him in the heart, uttering the words, "The Lannisters send their regards."

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