Would it have been better to make Harrenhal the Capital?

[Alester Florent]

21 minutes ago, Lord of Raventree Hall said:

But it is the river and not the lake that makes it a viable trade route. God’s Eye doesn’t connect to a river system as far as I’m aware.

All lakes have to connect to rivers somewhere!

The God's Eye is on a tributary of the Blackwater Rush.

[Lord of Raventree Hall]

16 minutes ago, Alester Florent said:

All lakes have to connect to rivers somewhere!

The God's Eye is on a tributary of the Blackwater Rush.

Well that just isn't true. Many lakes do not connect to rivers. I know of two major lakes in Seoul, and neither connect to streams or rivers. I think it is actually quite common for lakes to not connect with rivers. Also it depends on how thick the connection is. Boats would have to be able to move up and down said stream or river. 

[Alester Florent]

47 minutes ago, Lord of Raventree Hall said:

Well that just isn't true. Many lakes do not connect to rivers. I know of two major lakes in Seoul, and neither connect to streams or rivers. I think it is actually quite common for lakes to not connect with rivers. Also it depends on how thick the connection is. Boats would have to be able to move up and down said stream or river. 

If a lake isn't fed by a river, how does it become and remain a lake?

OK, there are a few types of lake which may not be river-fed: glacial lakes, some in volcanic calderae, etc. but I dont think they're particularly common - and they're unlikely to occur in southern Westeros, I think.

The river does have to be navigable, though, yes.

My assumption would be that since Harrenhal was built by the ironborn, it probably does connect to navigable waterways. Harren wasn't the most ironborn of ironborn but he'll still have had a mind to military realities and building your massive castle somewhere where it can't be easily resupplied by water or easily reinforced by your most effective military branch seems pretty loopy even in the "building unnecessarily huge castles" game.

[SaffronLady]

2 hours ago, Lord of Raventree Hall said:

God’s Eye doesn’t connect to a river system as far as I’m aware.

According to the map I have on hand, God's Eye leads to the Blackwater by an outflow.

[Lord of Raventree Hall]

2 hours ago, SaffronLady said:

According to the map I have on hand, God's Eye leads to the Blackwater by an outflow.

How thick of an outflow? No mention in the books of trade along that outflow as far as I’m aware, and I think Arya + Yoren + Gang crossed the outflaw relatively easily, so it is probably not deep. 

2 hours ago, Alester Florent said:

If a lake isn't fed by a river, how does it become and remain a lake?

OK, there are a few types of lake which may not be river-fed: glacial lakes, some in volcanic calderae, etc. but I dont think they're particularly common - and they're unlikely to occur in southern Westeros, I think.

The river does have to be navigable, though, yes.

My assumption would be that since Harrenhal was built by the ironborn, it probably does connect to navigable waterways. Harren wasn't the most ironborn of ironborn but he'll still have had a mind to military realities and building your massive castle somewhere where it can't be easily resupplied by water or easily reinforced by your most effective military branch seems pretty loopy even in the "building unnecessarily huge castles" game.

There are many lakes that are just basins for water. I believe they are common in Africa (maybe the Rift Lakes of Africa, I’d have to research it). Basiclaly think flooding leftovers, lol. The lakes in Seoul…honestly I don’t know, nut I do know they don’t connect to any major waterways. My guess would be that they are indeed basins for floodwaters. The bigger one I don’t think thr government does anything with, the smaller one may artificaillu filled with water after some stream or something was covered by road or housng in the past that used to feed it. Still that stream would have been too small for trade as most of the streams in Seoul are too small for trade. 

[Loose Bolt]

I suspect that one reason why Harrenhall was build near large lake was to give people living there source of food. Or people who had access to fishes would survive longer than people who do not have access to any. So as long local garrison has any available boats and access to Gods Eye they would not starve and so would make any siege much more difficult. Naturally excluding all dudes who own dragons.

[SaffronLady]

3 hours ago, Lord of Raventree Hall said:

How thick of an outflow? No mention in the books of trade along that outflow as far as I’m aware, and I think Arya + Yoren + Gang crossed the outflaw relatively easily, so it is probably not deep.

They didn't cross the river. After learning a bridge across the river was burned, they travelled north to a town at the southern shore of God's Eye lake. Nothing much to speculate on, info is really scarce on what is literally "the unnamed river".

6 hours ago, Alester Florent said:

If a lake isn't fed by a river, how does it become and remain a lake?

Fortunately the God's Eye is not a lake not fed by a river. More a stream than a river, but better than nothing.

[Adam Targaryen]

On 8/18/2023 at 6:44 PM, Lord of Raventree Hall said:

I mean, lake side is not all that helpful toward trade. I cannot even really think of a city that used a lake as a major trade route, and the lake would have to be significantly bigger than the God's Eye...and have significantly more ....ports I guess lol, to have this effect. As far as I'm aware, Harrenhall is basically the only major city/castle on the God's Eye. 

Karlstad, Skövde and several other cities here in my land Sweden used the Göta Kanal during the 1800's and used the lakes Vänern and Vättern, which strongly resemble and might even have inspired the God's Eye, as a major trade. The perfect example.

[Skahaz mo Kandaq]

On 8/18/2023 at 8:02 AM, maesternewton said:

If Aegon the Conqueror was able to obtain Harrenhal and depose Harren without burning it, or even decide to rebuild it. Would it have been a better decision to make Harrenhal the Capital while merging the Riverlands with the Crownlands?

Access to the sea and the Free Cities have benefits.  The location of King's Landing gave them those advantages.