What if the Mad King set fire to King's Landing

[norwaywolf123]

How do you picture the consequences for the city and it's inhabitants?

How i picture the scenario:

Fires would spread across the city causing panic. Some buildings will collapse due to the ignition of the wildfire imediatly. Other buildings would collapse due to damage caused by the heat aswell as other collapsing buildings. The fires would not completly destroy the city, there would be half ruined buildings but also a few standing ones. Sepending on where the wildfire was placed and how much, would decide which areas was affected most.

Generally the ones closest to city gates and bodies of water(Blackwater, ocean) would have the highest likelihood of survival. The city gates would be opened by guards if they were closed, if not mobs would open them. Gates that were opened for Lannister forces would see a strem of Westermen and others attemting to escape. Some Lannisters may not have had time to enter the city and would organise a camp, from which they would controll who and how many men that was not missing or dead. There may also be sent some rescue teams to rescue Westermen. Perhaps the Lannister forces would attempt to controll the evacuation of King's Landing, since Tywin had been there for years he may decide to do so. Close to bodies of water there would be some who would try to swim across to safety. Others would be happy to walk in the shallows. There would also be some boats that would be used to ferry people across to safety. Nearby villages would be recieve a stream of people while also many would be leaving the villages to help the inhabitants aswell as just watch the city burn.

Some places in the city would collapse as sewers and secret tunnels collapse due to heat. This would destablize and raze some buildings.

Children, old people, the infirm would be the least likely to survive, while fit men would be the most likely to survive.

At the end of the carnage around half the population would have died. Many people would also have lost their friends and family even if they were alive. Survivor would travel to different areas most in the nearby region. Rich and skilled people would be more mobile in their relocation than poor and unskilled people.

The Westerlands would have lost many lords and heirs which would lead to political instability.

Edit:

Faithfull believers of the Seven would see the burning of King's Landing as proof that a more faithfull kingdom was neccesary. Some would seek to re-establish the Faith Millitant.

[The Young Maester]

Well, Tywin's Vanguard would have been sent to oblivion, and as you said many lords and heirs of prominent Westerlander houses would have died in the fires. Robert would have been King of the Ashes. The death of half of the kings landing population is in pairs with the death toll on the War of the Five Kings, as it's predicted around 200k-300k people died during the WOT5K. Such a large death toll would have caused a lot of distrust towards all Targaryens, especially to those that descend from the lunatic that masterminded it. 

 

[norwaywolf123]

bump

[Eddard Waters]

The inheritance of the Westerlands is going to be complicated, Cersei, Tyrion, or one of Tywin's brothers who stayed back in Castrely Rock 

[The Young Maester]

1 hour ago, Eddard Waters said:

The inheritance of the Westerlands is going to be complicated, Cersei, Tyrion, or one of Tywin's brothers who stayed back in Castrely Rock 

Tywin would have survived the wildfire outbreak. Remember he always leads from the rear. My guess he wouldn't have entered kings landing until his men fully controlled the city. Tywins a cunning and smart man. 

If Jamie died in the Red Keep, Tywin would have probably have found a bride for Tyrion or Cersei (if she doesn't marry Bobby B), and he would have removed Tyrion and Cersei as heirs, and instead installed his grandson from either Tyrion or Cersei as his heir. 

[BRANDON GREYSTARK]

Bobby B. would have some  legitimate heirs . 

[norwaywolf123]

2 hours ago, The Young Maester said:

Tywin would have survived the wildfire outbreak. Remember he always leads from the rear. My guess he wouldn't have entered kings landing until his men fully controlled the city. Tywins a cunning and smart man. 

If Jamie died in the Red Keep, Tywin would have probably have found a bride for Tyrion or Cersei (if she doesn't marry Bobby B), and he would have removed Tyrion and Cersei as heirs, and instead installed his grandson from either Tyrion or Cersei as his heir. 

Depending on where the wildfire caches were located would decide which areas was most affected by the wildfire. If there were wildfire around any of the gates it would hamper the movement in and out the gate. Is it likely that the gates were places where it was any or even a high concentration of wildfire? Which parts of Kings Landing is most likely to have been covered by the wildefire caches, and where would it be densest?