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Game Of Thronesis an incredible and absolutely action-packed series from start to finish. While all-out battles aren’t the singular focus of the show, with much more emphasis being put on political scheming than actual combat, that doesn’t mean fans don’t get massive bits of action at key moments. Whether it’s shocking bouts of one-on-one combat or the Battle of Winterfell, it seems likethe Seven Kingdoms are always in turmoilin some way.
While the massive War of the Five Kings is one of the most significant contributors to battle for much of the series, some of the most significant battles take place long before the show even begins. This is the case with the Battle of the Trident, one of the most important battles in the history of Westeros. Without this battle,Game Of Throneswould have been a strikingly different series.
281 AC
The Ruby Ford on the Trident River
Houses Involded:
House Baratheon, House Stark, House Bolton, House Arryn, House Tully, House Targaryen, House Martell
Casualties:
Robert’s Forces: About 35,000 soldiers Rhaegar’s Forces: Roughly 40,000 soldiers including 10,000 Dornishmen
Battle Outcome:
Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne is killed. Robert’s Rebels win the battle and continue to King’s Landing
Long beforeGame Of Thronesbegan, the land was caught in a massive civil war thanks tothe infamous event known as Robert’s Rebellion. With the Mad King Aerys II Targaryen turning Westeros into a weak and twisted land, other powerful men in the realm were beginning to get tired of their poor leader. With the execution of Eddard Stark’s father Rickard, brother Brandon, and the abduction of his sister Lyanna, both Eddard Stark and Robert Baratheon were enraged. This rage, aided by the pre-existing anger from other houses resulted in a massive rebellion beginning with Robert Baratheon taking the lead against the Mad King.
Withthe warring kingdoms steamrolling the Mad King, the Battle of the Trident saw two massive armies clashing at what would eventually become known as the Ruby Ford of the Trident River. It shouldn’t be understated just how brutal this particular battle was, as each side lost tens of thousands of men. It was one of the few instances in which the Mad King had supplied a force that could challenge his rivals, and challenge it did. For a long stretch of the conflict, it seems as if there was no true advantage for either side, with one side fighting for freedom from tyranny, and the other, fighting to defend their King.
At some point during the middle of the battle, Robert Baratheon andPrince Rhaegar Targaryen would clashon the battlefield. Robert would manage to catch Rhaegar with a swing of his warhammer, something that would kill the prince. With one of the most important commanders of not only the Battle of the Trident but also of the civil war dead, the morale of the Mad King’s forces was squashed, while the morale of the rebels had soared. From that massive turning point, Robert’s forces were able to carry on to decimate the remaining army, though Robert himself would be somewhat injured in all the chaos.
Battle Of The Trident Commanders
Rebel Forces:
Lord Robert Baratheon Lord Eddard Stark Lord Jon Arryn Lord Hoster Tully Lord Roose Bolton
Iron Throne Forces:
Prince Rhaegar Targaryen Prince Lewyn Martell Ser Barristan Selmy White Ser Jonothor Darry
When thinking about some of the key figures from the mainGame Of Thronesseries, the Battle of the Trident was a star-studded affair. It could be said that the battle was fought between two opposing forces, with the Mad King’s House Targaryenreceiving aid from the Dornish of House Martell. On the other side of the battle, House Stark, House Baratheon, House Arryn, House Tully, and House Bolton all came together to fight in this decisive battle. As one might expect, with all those houses involved, there were many different commanders in charge of the armies filled with tens of thousands of soldiers.
As one might expect of an event called Robert’s Rebellion,Robert Baratheon of House Baratheonwas one of the key commanders standing against the Mad King, and alongside him stood others like Eddard Stark, Jon Arryn, Roose Bolton, and Hoster Tully. While not much is known about what each individual commander did during the Battle of the Trident, they were all important in raising the morale of their warriors in the face of an equally massive army. Once the battle was over, these commanders aided Robert Baratheon in deciding what would be done with the people they’d managed to capture, and what would be their next steps.
On the opposing side, the Mad King had sent the best he could muster. The forces were primarily led by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, though he was aided by the likes ofPrince Lewyn Martell of House Martelland Ser Barristan Selmy. The only surviving commander of these forces was Ser Barristan Selmy, whose fierce fighting actually ended up earning him a reward from Robert once he took the throne.
The exact number for the forces on each side isn’t necessarily the easiest to come by, but it can be assumed that Prince Rhaegar led roughly 40,000 men and the opposing force was only slightly smaller in number. Obviously, numbers like that led to one of the bloodiest battles of not just Robert’s Rebellion,but of all the wars of Westeros. At the end of the day, only one army was able to stand tall as the victor.
How Did The Battle Of The Trident End?
One of the bloodiest battles inthe history of Westerosdidn’t end at some climactic moment like many battles of film and TV might make some think. It is absolutely true that the decisive moment of the battle was between Robert Baratheon and Prince Rhaegar, as Rhaegar’s defeat spelled the end of the conflict. The battle between Robert Baratheon and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen has always been said to be quite fierce and was highlighted in the novel series companion bookThe World Of Ice And Fire:
“The battle screamed about Lord Robert and Prince Rhaegar both, and by the will of the gods, or by chance-or perhaps by design-they met amidst the shallows of the ford. The two knights fought valiantly upon their destriers, according to all accounts. For despite his crimes, Prince Rhaegar was no coward.”
The battle continued raging to some degree after his defeat, but once Rhaegar was slain, his forces were left in disarray, eventually leading to the attempted retreat of the forces. It seems like, after that moment, victory came a lot easier for the rebel forces on their march toward the Iron Throne. With Prince Rhaegar defeated and Robert Baratheon injured from the battle, he would send Eddard Stark forward to command the remaining forcesas they continued their march to King’s Landing.
Game Of Thronesis available tostream now on MAX
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones, based on the Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R.R. Martin, tells the sprawling story of warring families in Westeros. This includes the Starks, the Lannisters, the Baratheons, and the Targaryens. Along with human conflicts, Westeros is also threatened by the re-emergence of dragons, and an undead enemy from beyond the Wall.
