Prelude

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The battle was an attempt by Stannis Baratheon to:

- take King's Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms

- to seize the Iron Throne from King Joffrey Baratheon.

It required a naval assault and an attack on the city gates by a land.

The plan was to destroy the royal fleet and land troops under the city walls.

Tyrion Lannister, Hand of the King, led the defense of the King's Landing.

He prepared the wildfire and built a large iron chain to “welcome” enemy fleet properly.

Barrels of wildfire were strategically placed under the river mouth.

Numbers

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Stannis's fleet numbered 200 ships and approximately 20,000 men.

The defenders of the city numbered around 8,000 troops, and 20 ships.

Stannis outnumber the royal fleet 10-1

Battle

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Stannis's fleet swept into Blackwater Bay and approached the city.

When Stannis's fleet arrived, Tyrion sent his fleet out (because otherwise the enemy would have notice that something is wrong)

Tyrion then commanded the royal fleet to leave the area

The chain was raised after enemy fleets had completely entered the bay. Stannis's ships were trapped.

A single ship filled with wildfire was sent into the heart of Stannis's fleet.

The volatile substance leaked over the surface of the water.

The wildfire was ignited with a flaming arrow

The result was a tremendous explosion that annihilated the majority of Stannis's fleet

After a couple of hours many burned-out hulks were created. Remaining Stannis's army used them as a bridge to reach the city.

Tyrion orders Sandor Clegane (the Hound) to repel the attackers from the land.

The Hound retreated after losing half of his men and refuses to go out again. Sandor stumbled when his fear of fire caused his retreat from the battlefield: "Fuck the king's guard. Fuck the city. Fuck the king."

Queen Regent Cersei recalls Joffrey from the battlefield

This led to a loss of morale amongst the King's Landing soldiers.

It was up to Tyrion to lead his men. Tyrion rallied soldiers with a speech: “They say I am half a man! Well, what does that make the lot of you! … There’s another way out, I’m going to show you. Come out behind them and fuck them in their asses!” “Don’t fight for your king, and don’t fight for his kingdoms! Don’t fight for honor, don’t fight for glory, don’t fight for riches because you won’t get any! This is your city Stannis means to sack! That’s your gate he’s ramming! If he gets in, it’ll be your houses he burns, your gold he steals, and your women he’ll rape!” “Those are brave men knocking at our door! LET’S GO KILL THEM!”

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Tyrion led a counter-attack against a battering ram trying to break down the Mud Gate

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Tyrion was gravely injured and he passed out. Almost all of his nose was cut off and he nearly lost an arm

The joint Lannister-Tyrell army arrived with over 60,000 warriors.

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Ser Loras Tyrell was wearing the armor and crown of the late Renly Baratheon. This was the tactic to confuse and discord Stannis's men.

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Tyrell and Lannister cavalry smashed Stannis's forces and routed them

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Stannis was dragged from the battlefield by his sworn knights and evacuated to Dragonstone with several hundred remaining troops.

A decisive Lannister-Tyrell victory in King Joffrey's name.

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After the battle, Tyrion lost his power and position of the King's Hand as his father claimed them.

Interesting facts

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The differences between the TV show and book version of the battle:

the absence of the iconic chain in TV version

In the novel the royal fleet is present and draws Stannis's fleet into the trap. A few royal galleys are sacrificed to the wildfire.

In the novel, Stannis also does not personally take part in the battle

Another difference is that it is actually Ser Loras's older brother, Ser Garlan Tyrell, who wears Renly's armor in the novel.

George R.R. Martin: “Fifty feet high, a swirling demon of green flame danced upon the river. It had a dozen hands, in each a whip, and whatever they touched burst into fire.”

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