Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion

The **Reyne-Tarbeck Rebellion** was a conflict fought between House Lannister and their rebellious vassals, House Tarbeck and House Reyne. Ser Tywin Lannister led the Lannister host, and extinguished both houses in the male line.

## Prelude

The rebellion of Houses Reyne and Tarbeck came from a number of reasons. One of the main ones, however, was the perceived weakness of Lord Tytos Lannister, who desired, more than anything, to be loved. This was used as a weakness by merchants from Lannisport and Kayce, who took loans without repaying them.

This weakness was also used by Lord Walder Frey, who convinced Tytos to betroth Genna Lannister to Emmon Frey. When this move was announced, Lord Roger Reyne stormed from the hall out of anger, whilst Ellyn Reyne laughed at the news.

Ellyn herself was another reason. She had long desired to be the Lady of Casterly Rock, and had all but achieved it when she married Ser Tion Lannister, the heir of Gerold Lannister. After Tion died, however, she tried to seduce the already married Lord Tytos Lannister. She was, as a result, promptly married off to Lord Walderan Tarbeck.

Ellyn still used her connections to the Lannisters to take many loans for the Tarbecks, rebuilding the decrepit Tarbeck Hall. During this time period, Kevan Lannister was sent to serve as a squire at Castamere.

After the War of the Ninepenny Kings, Tywin returned home and demanded loans to be repaid. He sent his brothers around to take hostages from families who couldn't pay. Roger Reyne laughed at the news, and told his vassals that they need not pay. Walderan Tarbeck rode to Casterly Rock to negotiate with Tytos, but was arrested by Tywin.

In retaliation, Ellyn seized two Lannisters of Lannisport, as well as Ser Stafford Lannister, the brother of Tywin's wife, Joanna Lannister. Tywin suggested that Ellyn be returned her husband in three pieces, but Tytos, eager for peace, arranged a swap of captives. He also forgave the Tarbeck debts to House Lannister.

## The War

Tywin, however, remained determined that he would quash the rebellious vassals of the Lannisters. He sent ravens to Castamere and Tarbeck Hall, demanding that the Tarbecks and the Reynes come to Casterly Rock to answer for their crimes. As he suspected, the two lords instead rose their banners in rebellion, renouncing their fealty to House Lannister.

Tywin marched on the rebellious vassals without seeking permission from his father. He took three thousand foot and five hundred knights, and was joined by troops from House Marbrand and House Prester.

### The Fall of Tarbeck Hall

Due to the speed of Tywin beginning his march, Walderan Tarbeck was caught off guard, and only had enough time to gather his household knights. The Tarbecks were butchered in a short, bloody battle that involved the death of the Tarbeck heir. Walderan and two of his sons were taken prisoner alive. He expected that they would be ransomed, but instead Tywin had them beheaded, and their heads raised on spears, and led the march to Tarbeck Hall.

At Tarbeck Hall, Ellyn was expecting a long siege. She sent a raven to her brothers, asking for their aid against the Lannister host. Tywin, however, had siege engines prepared in only one day. He launched a boulder onto the Tarbeck keep, which collapsed onto Ellyn, killing her and her son, Tion Tarbeck, who was the lord after the deaths of his father and half-brother. Tygett Lannister reported that Tywin smiled upon the death of Ellyn. Rohanne Tarbeck and Cyrelle Tarbeck were taken alive and forced to join the Silent Sisters. Rohanne's son, the Last Lord Tarbeck, went missing during the fighting, but reports said he was thrown down a well by Ser Amory Lorch. Tywin then had the castle set aflame, and it burned for a whole day.

Roger Reyne arrived just in time to see the burning remnants of the castle, with two thousand men in tow. Roger led a surprise attack against the Lannister host, which numbered three times his own. The Reynes were beaten, however, and Roger was forced into a retreat. Reynard assumed command of the Reyne forces, as Roger had sustained a wound from a crossbow that had gone feverish.

### Fall of Castamere

Reynard retreated the rest of his men to the subterranean levels of Castamere. There he thought that he would have the upper hand on Tywin, who he thought would never be able to fight his way onto their level. Tywin arrived at Castamere three days after the fall of Tarbeck Hall, now bolstered by forces from House Banefort, House Plumm, House Stackspear, and House Westerling. Reynard sent an offer of peace to Tywin, stating that the Reynes would stand down and become loyal vassals, if Kevan, Tygett and Gerion Lannister were given over as hostages. Roger also offered single combat between himself and Tywin.

Tywin refused both offers, and, instead of fighting the Reyne defence, he blocked up the entrances to the mines, before having water from the nearby river diverted underground. Guards at some of the blocked exits claimed to hear the sounds of screaming from underground, but by the next night there was silence. Tywin then had the keep of Castamere set ablaze.

## Aftermath

After the rebellion, both the rebellious houses were obliterated in the male line, with only two female Tarbecks surviving the cull. Castamere and Tarbeck Hall were both left ruined. The mines of Castamere were left blocked off.

Tywin's managing of the situation caused him to command respect for the rest of his life. It also lead to him being named Hand of the King to King Aerys II Targaryen. The destruction of the Reynes was immortalised in the song The Rains of Castamere. Tywin was known to use the song as a source of intimidation towards potentially rebellious vassals.