Tag: logistics

If Robert should’ve traveled more across the Seven Kingdoms, settling disputes and dispensing justice, how would he go about it (logistically speaking)? What places does he travel to? In what order? How frequently does he do these progresses?

warsofasoiaf:

Well, it’s tough to determine the exact frequency, because there was never a kingdom as large as the Seven Kingdoms are in the medieval era, but he should follow the mode of Aegon I, visiting the major cities to include the North, guesting in the castles of Lords Paramount, both receiving gifts from and bestowing lavish gifts upon his host, stirring up patronage of craftsmen. An active king stresses the royal presence.

Ideally, you’d also get rid of Littlefinger and have a Master of Coin who actually has the realm’s finances at heart too, but ideally, he should make a circuit of the kingdom (as long as it’s summer, of course) in his first ten years or so. @racefortheironthrone, would you have a better idea of how often he should do it? I’m at a loss when Westeros is as large as it is.

EIDT: To clarify, he wouldn’t make one circuit, it would more like, visit this place, then return, visit another place, then return. Key places to visit would be the Eyrie, Storm’s End, and Casterly Rock, with Riverrun being a nice and convenient stop.

Thanks for the question, Too High.

SomethingLikeALawyer, Hand of the King

Well, let’s take Henry VIII as our jumping off point. Henry VIII went on royal progress every summer, from around August through October. The royal party would travel around 10 miles a day, and would stay in various residences in between for anywhere from a night to a fortnight. So let’s do some basic math: 92 days at around 10 miles a day makes for a maximum of 920 miles travelled, although obviously longer stays are going to knock off some good bit of those miles. 

Now, how far does that get you in Westeros?

  • Storm’s End: 385 miles from King’s Landing.
  • Casterly Rock: 830 miles from King’s Landing. 
  • Riverrun: 655 miles from King’s Landing. 
  • Highgarden: 760 miles from King’s Landing. 

So you could reasonably do a progress to most of the south on an annual basis, weather permitting. Trips to Winterfell (2,010 miles from King’s Landing) or Oldtown (1,305 miles) or Sunspear (2,055 miles from King’s Landing) are not within the normal scape, but as we see from AGOT are possible.