Robert Baratheon During Peace

[TheDoomOfValyria]

Been thinking about something alot lately. Mostly a time that Martin does not talk about during the books.

After the rebellion, Robert had nothing much to do except take care of things on the Iron Islands. Now remember, Robert grew up in the Vale. Surely he knows about the mountain clans, and the dangers they pose there. So logically speaking, due to boredom and a need to fight, wouldnt Robert have gone to the vale to destroy the mountain clans once and for all? Thoughts?

[Mladen]

First, welcome to the forum. I hope you'll have nice and pleasant time here.

As for Robert and mountain clans, it was below him to deal with. It was duty of Warden of the East, and Lord of the Gates of the Moon. So Jon Arryn and Blackfish should have dealt with them. You don't expect the King to deal with every minor issue in the Kingdom.

[Victarion Chainbreaker]

Robert did seem thirsting for a fight, and his dream of giving up his kingdom and becoming a hedge knight with Ned shows that he wouldn't have felt it was beneath him. I think it was a matter of complacency. Once he got himself enshrined on the throne and could spend everyday drinking, hunting, and whoring, minor issues fell by the wayside, especially if they smacked of duty.

[RoamingRonin]

Perhaps he would have if the Vale had petitioned him to intervene. Until then, it would be a matter for the lord(s) in that area. Robert might have been longing for battle but the mountain clans would be light work to the man that defeated Prince Rhaegar Targaryen on the Trident. Robert wasn't just looking for any kind of fight: he was looking for a battle bigger and badder than the one he fought to claim the throne.

[Gneisenau]

There was no Lyanna to be kidnapped.

[MotherAnduin]

The clans feared Jon. They only started being a major problem after he died.

[Pod The Impaler]

Upon Lyanna's death, Robert seems to have decided he had nothing left to live for except his vices. Maybe he would have been able to snap out of it if he had not then been shackled into the most toxic marriage in Westeros, with the worst kind of bride he could possibly have had. (Only the Greyjoy Rebellion seemed to rouse him, and in a way this played to his vice of combat.)

Why didn't Robert care to battle the Vale clans ? Robert didn't care about much of anything. Plus as long as Jon Arryn was around, and was Hand, the clans were actually not that much of a problem. When Jon Arryn died, and the Vale was pretty much leaderless, then they grew bolder - this is stated in the text. The problem did not need much solving.

Peace did not suit Robert much, so why did he not become a conqueror across the Narrow Sea ? With all of Westeros at his command, he might have launched some campaigns to conquer the Stepstones or Myr or something. He didn't, of course.

I think in the end it comes back to the fact Robert didn't have the patience or motivation to be much of a builder or a conqueror. It was Lyanna he wanted, not the crown. He gave up on everything.

[Aarick]

its the same situation as ned with the wildlings and mance rayder. ned says that he will have to call his bannermen and march beyond the wall to sort out mance. he will just use northerners to fight, no need to involve anyone else in it since its his problem.

[Djinn]

Likely for the same reason that he kept stalling Jallabhar Xho or Mance & wildings. Politics(Arryn convincing him).

[IRON BANK]

Likely for the same reason that he kept stalling Jallabhar Xho or Mance & wildings. Politics(Arryn convincing him).

True it seems that would be Jon Arryn's problem and more than likely once Jon Arryn died that is when the MT. Clans started to be more aggresive Robert as a king seemed content and was quite ineffective.

[bloodsteel bitterraven]

I remember Tyrion had promised the mountain clans the Vale. Do you think anything will come out of that?

[Victarion Chainbreaker]

I remember Tyrion had promised the mountain clans the Vale. Do you think anything will come out of that?

I imagine Shagga will have some well-fed goats.

[Nudu]

The clans feared Jon. They only started being a major problem after he died.

This

[zamieo]

Uh, how much of a threat did the Mountain Clans pose to begin with? Not much until Jon Arryn's death, it seemed. If the Vale really wanted them gone, they could've used Valemen to hunt them down, although it'd turn into guerilla warfare on the Mountain Clans' part, so it just wasn't worth the effort.

[Morienthar]

There was no real Mountain Clan problem till Jon Arryn died and Sweet Robin came to the seat.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

"Dealing" with the Mountain Clans would have needed either a heroic diplomatic effort (not Bob's strength) or genocide (something Bob shied away from as well). They were never a military threat to be defeated in the field, but a "pest" that either needs to change their way of live or be exterminated down to the last child.

Killing women and children wasn't Robert's idea of a fun time. He was no Bloody Mummer.