One Game of Thrones Castle is More Vulnerable Than Fans think

Summary

The Eyrie is seen in Game of Thrones as the most impregnable castle in Westeros.
The Eyrie’s layout may keep invaders out, but it struggles with long-term defense.
Moat Cailin and Casterly Rock are considered stronger contenders for unbreachable defenses.

As a seasoned Westerosi historian with a knack for deciphering the strategic intricacies of castles and keeps, I must say that while the Eyrie is undoubtedly one of the most formidable fortresses in the Seven Kingdoms, it’s not the unconquerable stronghold many make it out to be.

The television series “Game of Thrones” and George R.R. Martin’s book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” are highly respected in the realm of epic fantasies for good reason. Apart from its intricate sub-plots revolving around power struggles, succession, and magic, the semi-realistic production design sets “Game of Thrones” apart from “The Lord of the Rings.

The show “Game of Thrones” has faced criticism for reducing the power and grandeur of several castles like Moat Cailin, Casterly Rock, and Highgarden. However, one stronghold that retained its impressive stature on screen (although it did undergo changes in appearance in “House of the Dragon”) is The Eyrie and its surrounding valley. Known as one of the most fortified castles throughout Westeros, even surpassing the renowned Casterly Rock and Storm’s End in strength, The Eyrie’s position atop a mountain in the Vale of Arryn is both an advantage and a vulnerability. In reality, the castle appears weaker than its theoretical strength suggests.

The Eyrie Is Famed as the Most Impregnable Castle in Westeros

Its Defenses Have Never Been Breached by a Land Army

Although there isn’t an official ranking, many people believe that the Eyrie is the most fortified castle or fortress in Westeros. The seat of House Arryn, Lords Paramount of the Vale, the Eyrie stands out for its strategic height—it’s located atop one of the mountains in the Mountains of the Moon range that encircle a large part of the Vale. Although it appears to be only one castle, the Eyrie’s defensive power is significantly enhanced by an intricate network of fortresses leading towards it.

The early rulers of the Vale weren’t particularly wealthy, yet they possessed these majestic mountains, and they were skilled in leveraging their natural resources.

When an army aiming to seize House Arryn travels along the High Road, they’ll encounter the treacherous Bloody Gate. This name originates from numerous armies that have broken apart while attempting passage. Imagine it as something akin to Moat Cailin but nestled within the mountain range; its sides are virtually unscalable, and the sole path through is a narrow road designed for just three to four men. Any aggressor must face arrows raining down from above, fired by skilled archers of the Vale, who are renowned as the most proficient in all of Westeros. Overcoming this obstacle, or finding an alternate route—which would still be challenging given that hill tribes continue to roam the mountains—leads to the Arryns’ winter home, the Gates of the Moon, situated at the mountain’s base. Beyond the Gates of the Moon lie three way-castles (Stone, Snow, and Sky) along a narrow causeway leading to the Eyrie, all under constant guard by the garrison.

The Eyrie’s Layout Is Impregnable but Not Invulnerable

Its Sucks at Long-term Defense

The issue with the Eyrie’s design is that it excels in keeping intruders at bay but falls short in various other aspects, such as counterattacks, resupplying, and maintaining warmth. In essence, fortresses like those found in Westeros are typically not easily conquered by a mere assault. As demonstrated by Jamie Lannister with House Tully’s Riverrun in Season 6 of Game of Thrones, numerical superiority and patience are key factors for a successful siege. Armies must first breach the Bloody Gate, though at a heavy cost of lives, and then secure the Gates of the Moon to cut off the Eyrie from the outside world. Once this is achieved, only a minimal force is required to maintain the siege. Given the castle’s steep terrain, the defending forces have little chance of launching surprise attacks or disrupting supply lines. Yes, the castle’s granaries and food stores are well-stocked for at least a year or two, but those supplies will eventually be depleted, leaving its occupants in a precarious situation—essentially, they would be reduced to starving ducks.

In simpler terms, the Eyrie, though majestic, poses a challenge for its defenders during winter due to its extreme altitude. It appears as if toy castles from afar and becomes unbearably cold. House Arryn moves to the Gates of the Moon each winter to escape this chill. Therefore, should an enemy attack during or near winter in the Eyrie, the defenders would essentially transform into frozen ducks due to the harshness of Westerosi winters, as depicted in Game of Thrones. A naval invasion from Gulltown poses even greater danger because there are no such cold-weather challenges.

Despite some less apparent disadvantages, it’s clear why the Eyrie has never been conquered from below over its thousand-year span. Reaching the Bloody Gate requires either subduing the Knights of the Vale or destroying their valiant naval fleet. Even so, persistent attacks by small militias can disrupt supply lines for the besieging force at the Gates of the Moon. In simpler terms, unless there’s a large-scale uprising among the Vale’s bannermen or mountain tribes, the Eyrie is virtually inaccessible to any external force in Westeros… except dragons. During Aegon’s Conquest, Visenya rode Vhagar to a balcony in the Eyrie and took the boy King on a flight, which resulted in the castle’s only known defeat by an invading force.

There are Stronger Contenders For the Title

Moat Cailin and Casterly Rock

Moat Cailin stands alone atop an unmatched tier of impregnable fortifications. Its strategic location on the causeway traversing the marshy region known as the Neck makes it a critical bottleneck for those intending to travel between North and South, or vice versa. Opting to skirt around the fortification and venture into the swamps teeming with disease and crannogmen is a risk no adversary dares take. Similarly, launching an assault on its three towers frontally would lead to catastrophic losses as reinforcements pour in from the opposite side to defend it relentlessly.

Each of these places, namely the Eyrie, Winterfell, and Storm’s End, boast impressive fortifications; however, none can rival the might of Casterly Rock.

George R.R. Martin has noted that the fortifications at Casterly Rock surpass those of the Eyrie, Winterfell, and Storm’s End. Perched above a gold mine on a towering cliff, it shares similarities with the Eyrie, yet avoids its vulnerability to supply shortages. The Lannisters, being the richest house in the realm, have more than enough gold to hire vast armies of sellswords if they ever find themselves lacking men. Nevertheless, without any additional support from the author, there’s little reason to assume that Casterly Rock would not share, or even experience a greater degree of, the same fate as the Eyrie.

2024-12-20 19:34