What is The War of the Five Kings?

So what happened? (long version)

1. Catelyn Tully, believing Tyrion Lannister responsible for the attempted assassination of her son Bran Stark, arrests The Imp. Tyrion’s father Tywin Lannister responds by sending raiders led by Gregor Clegane (The Mountain that Rides) to pillage the Riverlands, home of House Tully. Cat’s husband Ned Stark, then Hand of the King, sends a group of men led by Ser Beric Dondarrion to arrest Clegane. (Dondarrion’s men will eventually become the rogue Brotherhood Without Banners.) Tywin follows his raiders with his armies, which he splits between himself and his son, Jaime.

2. King Robert dies on a hunt, his death encouraged by the Lannisters. His son Joffrey ascends to the throne. Lord Renly Baratheon offers Ned Stark an alliance to ruthlessly attack the Lannisters and put Renly on the throne, but Ned, knowing Stannis is the rightful heir and not wanting mass bloodshed, declines. Renly leaves the capital, and Ned’s attempt to dethrone Joffrey fails after his betrayal by Lord Petyr Baelish.

3. Ned’s imprisonment triggers his son, Robb, calling the Northern banners and marching south to free the Stark patriarch. Robb allies with the Riverland House Frey in order to gain access to the Southlands. Robb deceives Tywin and surprises Jaime Lannister’s army besieging the Tully holding of Riverrun, dispersing that army and capturing the Kingslayer at the Battle of the Whispering Wood–though only after Jaime kills the two heirs of one of Robb’s chief allies, House Karstark.

4. Ned Stark is executed by Joffrey Baratheon. Following this, the Northern lords secede from the Iron Throne and declare Robb Stark King in the North. Both Renly and Stannis Baratheon declare for the crown. Lord Tywin sends the since-freed Tyrion Lannister to rule as Hand.

5. Renly Baratheon gathers most of the Baratheon bannermen from the Stormlands, and marries Margaery Tyrell, bringing the powerful house from The Reach into the war. His massive army marches toward King’s Landing until Stannis, with a small force from former Targaryen bannermen, attacks his rear. Robb Stark sends his mother Catelyn to negotiate with the Baratheon brothers, while Petyr Baelish arrives as an envoy from King’s Landing. Neither Renly nor Stannis are interested in allying with Robb if Robb maintains his independence, and they cannot resolve their differences.

6. Robb also sends his friend Theon Greyjoy to negotiate with his father, Balon “Twice-crowned” Greyjoy”—so named for his second attempt at independence during The War of the Five Kings. Rather than join with Robb, Balon instead attacks him, sending his Ironborn to raid and capture much of the Northern coast. Theon Greyjoy joins with his blood family against his adopted family.

7. Stannis’ religious advisor, the sorceress Melisandre, magically and secretly assassinates King Renly. His camp breaks apart—the Baratheon bannermen join Stannis, and the Tyrells apparently go home, although they begin to negotiate with Lord Baelish.

8. Robb Stark continues winning battles against Lannister forces, leading Tywin Lannister to hole up in the ruined castle of Harrenhal, in the southern part of the Riverlands. Robb fights into the Westerlands, raiding Lannister holdings. There he meets, falls in love with, and marries Talisa, breaking his alliance with House Frey. His eastern forces are led by Lord Roose Bolton, who married a Frey woman. Tywin’s forces suddenly depart Harrenhal, allowing Roose to take over. (In the novels, Tywin doesn’t personally take over Harrenhal, leaving The Mountain in charge. Arya Stark’s actions are what allow the Northmen to take the castle.)

9. Theon Greyjoy leads an audacious raid against the Stark capital of Winterfell, capturing it, and crippling Robb’s connection with his homeland. Theon also apparently (but doesn’t actually) murders Robb’s heirs, Bran and Rickon Stark.

10. Stannis’ forces attack King’s Landing from both the land and sea in The Battle of the Blackwater. Tyrion Lannister desperately defends the city, using wildfire to attack Stannis’ navy and holding off the army just long enough for reinforcements to arrive. Tywin Lannister has ridden from Harrenhal, joining with the Tyrell forces to lift the siege and prevent Stannis from achieving a straightforward victory. Stannis retreats to Dragonstone to lick his wounds. The Tyrell alliance involves Renly’s widow Margaery marrying King Joffrey. Tywin reassumes his position as Hand of the King.

11. Northern forces led by Roose Bolton’s bastard son Ramsay attack Winterfell. They sack the castle (blaming the Ironborn for the destruction) and secretly capture Theon Greyjoy.

12. Robb Stark returns to Riverrun, where he blasts Lord Edmure Tully for attacking Tywin’s forces in a way that doesn’t allow him to kill The Mountain, Gregor Clegane. (In the novels, Edmure’s raids prevent Tywin from chasing Robb west, thus keeping the Lannister host close enough to reach King’s Landing during the Battle of the Blackwater–a far more devastating strategic blow.) With her younger sons apparently dead, Catelyn Tully frees Jaime Lannister, sending him to King’s Landing in trade for her daughters. Lord Rickard Karstark is upset at Cat’s action and betrays the Starks, forcing Robb to execute him.

13. Despite winning all his battles, Robb has lost his powerful Karstark and Frey allies, while the Lannisters no longer have to divide their forces in order to fight the Baratheon brothers in the south. Desperate to rebuilt his armies, Robb attempts to re-negotiate with House Frey, offering Lord Edmure Tully (Cately’s brother) in marriage to the Freys to bring the alliance back.

14. At the Tully-Frey wedding, Robb, Catelyn, and Talisa are assassinated, Edmure is captured, and the Stark forces are ambushed and destroyed. The Red Wedding is the result of an alliance between House Frey, who become lords of the Riverlands, House Bolton, who become Wardens of the North, and House Lannister, who essentially win the war.

15. King Joffrey Baratheon is murdered at his wedding to Margaery Tyrell. His uncle Tyrion is accused of the crime, although it was actually committed by House Tyrell and their new ally, Petyr Baelish. His brother Tommen assumes the throne. Tommen is young and easily manipulable by the people around, primarily his grandfather, Tywin, the true power in the Seven Kingdoms at this point.

16. Roose Bolton returns to the North. With his son Ramsay and the brainwashed and broken Theon Greyjoy, the Boltons begin to push the Ironborn forces out of the North. (In the novels, [spoiler]the Ironborn retreat has more to do with the sudden death of Balon Greyjoy, an event that has not been announced on the show.[/spoiler]) Ramsay is legitimized by his father and the crown, and, as of the end of Season 4 the Boltons look to consolidate their hold on the North.

17. Stannis Baratheon aligns with the Iron Bank of Braavos, a Free City across the Narrow Sea from Westeros. With its resources, he takes his army and heads north, helping the Night’s Watch rout a Wildling army attempting to cross into the Seven Kingdoms. As of the end of the fourth season of Game of Thrones, Stannis is the main non-Lannister contender remaining, and he is at the very northmost reach of the Seven Kingdoms.

18. Tyrion Lannister’s trial goes disastrously, and the Imp escapes and assassinates his father. Tyrion flees King’s Landing, and the death of Tywin Lannister leaves a power vacuum in the capital heading into the fifth season.

19. Meanwhile, Daenerys Targaryen, heir to the overthrown Targaryen dynasty, is in the east, assembling an army of Unsullied, mercenaries, exiles, and dragons…..