Tentative timeline

[The Adequate Jon]

They may not send news of the Redwine Fleet's departure to the Reach because they wouldn't want the Ironmen to learn of it.

[lokisnow]

I'm not up on the AFFCADWD theories, but I was under the impression on the initial read that margary and Loras staged an act and he took the fleet directly to the defense of the realm. the story of the sack of dragonstone seemed like a story to placate cersei, and explain Loras' lack of a return. So that could affect the timeline synchs, the fleet could already be nearly there or well on the way.

[Ashara Stark]

The mystery is confounded by the fact that when Sam finally arrives in Oldtown, there is a good argument to be made for being April (but we know not which year), based on the Seneschal. I forget the quote, and it's inconclusive either way. GRRM would need to clean up details about the academic year at the Citadel for us...

I don't have the book with me (my sister is still reading it ) so I cannot post the exact quote, but what happens is that when Sam gets to Oldtown and asks for Seneschal Norren (Aemon told him that Maester was the Seneschal), Alleras tells him that was last year's Seneschal and that Theobald was elected for the current year two months past.

All your arguments for Sam getting to Oldtown in June seem quite reasonable so, unless GRRM says seneschals are elected every calendar year, it seems that achademic year in the Citadel begins in March or April.

[Ealasaid]

Excuse me. Where are you getting these dates? I'm not quibbling with them, but I haven't read over the names of months in these books have I?

And where is the Excel Spreadsheet?

[Ashara Stark]

The months have no name in the books but, as there are twelve months it is easier for all of us to refer to them as January, February, and so on

[Maester Cressan]

Ran, thank you for the data. I think we an assume that Stannis' fleet does indeed take the direct route. Look at the Ironborn fleet's journey to the Shield Isles. They left the coast completely, because they had Uber Shadow Magic from Asshai to help them. Melisandre has done the same. (Burnt a man on Dragonstone for it, even!)

To give the journey more time (and I would like to have it take two weeks), the easiest thing is to push Stannis' day of departure back in time, and assume that the news of his departure doesn't reach King's Landing for a week or so. Remember that the news does reach King's Landing via Varys' fishermen spies, and one could argue that it is in Varys' interest to slow down that information as much as possible. (Why? Basically because we can sweep anything under the rug called "it's in Varys' interest".)

To falsify that, we would need to infer something from the last Davos chapter in Storm about what kind of information arrives on Dragonstone before the fleet leaves. Do they know that Joff died?

Yes, as Stannis is informed of Joffrey's death either by raven or by one of Saan's spies (I can't remember which), which should be faster than news from fisherfolk.

[Maester Cressan]

Good. So Stannis leaves no earlier than January 1.

Reports of his departure reach King's Landing before Jaime IX (the last Jaime chapter in Storm). Oberyn died. We have 10 full days of Tyrion's trial and preparation for it in Tyrion IX and Tyrion X; I put Oberyn's death in mid-January (I have the 10th, to be concrete). This allows as a pretty good fix on Stannis' departure: the first two weeks of January. (Closer to the 15th is my feeling, but it depends on the efficiency of Varys' fishermen spies.)

We also have 10 full days at the Wall where the brothers vote. After that, Jon Snow is elected and Storm ends. I have Tywin's death at the end of January (allowing Tyrion to rot two weeks in the Black cells after Oberyn's death—he has lost "all sense of time", and so have we, the readers). This information seems to not have reached Jon in his first chapter, which hence cannot be too far into February.

I am tempted to move Tywin's death even farther into February. Can Tyrion have rotted in the black cells for a full month? This would mean that there is but a single Kings Landing chapter for the period January 15 (Oberyn's death) and February 15 (Tywin's death), namely Jaime IX (wherein Brienne receives her sword).

I don't think it would be surprising for it to take two weeks, or even more before the Wall hears of Tywin's death. I mean, first somebody has to remember the Wall and bother to send them a message- with Tywin's death this is probably not the first thought. Then you have the time it takes for a raven to fly from King Landing to the Wall- assuming the information comes directly from King's Landing- We could check the spoliers to be sure, but it seems more likely that Stannis would learn it from a Northern Lord who learned it from a River Lord, who learned it from King's Landing. I think there is a lot of flexibility on when news arrives at the Wall.

[Maester Cressan]

Does everybody believe the Titan's Daughter commutes regularly between Maidenpool and Braavos? I'd rather assume that Arya is on board when Brienne spots her in Maidenpool. I don't think it's reasonable to assume that she leaves Maidenpool for Braavos again less than a month after she arrived in Braavos from her previous journey.

Why not?

Besides, we ought to remember that the sailing from Salt Pans to Braavos was probably a departure from the normal trading pattern- they were making a special trip for the God of Many Faces.

It doesn't strike me as impossible that they had unfinished trading busines in Westros.

Plus we know that Braavos is her home port. Is it really much of a strech to assume that the captian has regular trading routes between Westros and his home port?

Just one quick about the Arya timeline:

In Arya 2, before she becomes novice, there is this expression "Once in a great while the cook would even use some saffron.". This coupled with description of prayers, exploration or cooking that seem to be a routine make me think she lasted at least one month before being asked to join or leave. I would say it lasted one month exactly actually, since the Faceless Men seem to follow the 30 day moon cycles.

In Arya 2, page 326 of Voyager hardcover, it is said "the moon turned and turned again" after she became novice. We know later that the moon has a 30 day cycle. So that means she was a novice for at least 2 months.

In her last chapter, page 506 of Voyager edition, she tells us about her life as cat. She says she stays at the temple every black moon three days of every thirty. Each time she comes back, she has to tell the kindly man three new things she learned, and she lists some examples, while clearly hinting that's not everything she did report.

There are 7 definitive things she mentions: three new words, sailor's tales, three new japes, three riddles, tricks of the trades, and secrets. We also learn later that the Kindly Man said the knife skill was good to know, hinting that was another of the things she learned.

The way it's written strongly suggests that all these things were reported on different times. That would make Cat exist for at the very minimum 8 months and some weeks before she asks Dareon where Sam went. If you put her meeting with Sam less than one month after she becomes Cat, it means she took 8 months before asking "What happened to your brother [...] He said he was supposed to sail on the Lady Ushanora". To me this question sounds really like Sam departed not so long ago. Although Dareon had time to renew his wardrobe, he was still singing for the whores, too.

So, to me, this would mean:

-February 18 (taking this as baseline) Arya arrives in Braavos.

-March 19 Arya become novice

-May 19 Arya becomes Cat.

-Around January 300 Arya meets Sam

-February 19-March 18 year 300 (Depending on when the new moon occurs) Arya kills Dareon and becomes blind.

I don't really know if meeting Sam so late does add up with the rest of the story tho, but in any case, there is at least 3 months between her arrival and their meeting, and Sam didn't likely wait more than a month for The Lady Ushanora. This makes Sam leave Eastwatch mid April at the Earliest, and even later if it's possible.

Couldn't Arya arrive in Braavos a little earlier?

As for Sam, he was taking the trip from castle Black to Eastwatch at an easy pace. Could it have taken more than three days? Also, remember Sam was sailing through rough seas to get to Braavos- there would have been a long period of being in port while the galley was repaired- then the gally would leave, and Sam dilly-dalied for some more time. I think there could also be a long period between

Sam leaving and Arya finally killing Darion.

Thing is, we don't know exactly when Arya meets Sam.

She for sure had already the time to sympathize with a lot of people, learn to use her finger knife, and learn a lot about Braavos life at night.

That's one reason why I would not put Arya meeting Sam in her first month of being Cat.

The other reason is the way she asks Dareon about Sam afterwards. I don't think she would even remember Sam if 8 months or more had passed since their meeting, and I don't believe Dareon would still be singing for the whores after 8 months. Yet, he obviously now has somewhere to call home, and a lot of different good clothes.

That's why I estimated the time between Sam's departure and Dareon's death to be 1 or 2 months at max.

But it could really be at anytime after Arya became streetwise. So, between 1 and 7 months after Arya became cat, your pick.

Remember also that the Crow's trio stayed a long time in Braavos before booking a ride on the Lady Ushanora. You see that in the Sam chapters, when he complains about Dareon, about the life they have, about Dareon complaining about the baby, etc. Dareon is already totally used to life there when Sam leaves.

Arya, like Dany in the previous book is nearly a standalone PoV in AFFC, so Synchronizing it is not that important. I would still put Arya XXXI as very last chapter to happen, tho, since it's clear she has been in Braavos for a little less than a year by the time it happens. As a matter of fact, considering my pet Theory than FM are very calendar based, the time she gets blind might be the anniversary of her joining the FM, even if it looks like something that has to do with her killing the Night's watch deserter.

Arya is already streetwise, I don't think a finger knife would take her long to learn. She hasn't learned much braavosi yet when she meets Sam (just how to swear and sell cockles). I don't think it odd at all for Arya to mention Sam long after he's gone. She pays attention to anyone from the Wall- her last brother is there. Also, she thinks back to the stories she heard about Sam attacking Dareon- and that sounds like shes been thinking about it a long time. Also, Dareon has established himself quite weel by the time she kills him- many months is just fine with me.

[Errant Bard]

Couldn't Arya arrive in Braavos a little earlier?

Probably. Her arrival has to coincide with what we know of ASOS timeline tho, so not that much earlier, it all depends on travel time. It seems anyway that there is some sort of hole when synchronizing Sam's chapter with Arya's. Her departure from Saltpan is easier to place, with all the time references and crisscrossing of PoV stories in ASOS. I trust Happy Ent for the ASoS dates, as I didn't do a reread myself. I know she reached saltpan 8 days after the Inn incident, and this incident was well after Cersei recalled Gregor in KL.

so anyway, revised, the dates would be:

-February 3 Arya arrives in Braavos.

-March 3 Arya become novice

-March 5 Sam leaves Eastwatch

-April 1 Sam arrives in Braavos

-April 3 Arya becomes Cat.

-May 10 Arya meets Sam.

-May 12 Sam leaves.

-June 15 (at most) Sam arrives in Oldtown.

-February 2-March 10 year 300 (Depending on when the new moon occurs) Arya kills Dareon and becomes blind.

I'm a bit uneasy of making the travel Eastwatch-Braavos almost as long as Braavos-Oldtown. According to maps, the latter should be something like two or three time as long as the former. Yet Sam cannot leave before Arya has been Cat some time, at least long enough to know people and be known, and to learn the use of her finger knife.

The debate about whether Arya is on board of the Titan's daughter when Brienne see her departing from Maidenpool had its own thread in AFFC forums, by the way. seems it got deleted though, I cannot find it. If she is anyway, it means the rape of saltpans happened right after she left, and that the rumors spread widely faster than a boat can sail from Saltpan to Maidenpool. A bit unlikely to me.

[SFDanny]

Pardon me, I'm trying to find information on the Westerosi calendar and I've stumbled on to this thread. I notice that our own English language version of Month names are given but I can't find anything to even say how many months are in the year, much less how many days in the month or what names are given to months, weeks, days of the week, and so on. I'm kind of assuming you're using our own year as an ordering device, but if I'm wrong and if anyone can point me in the direction of a better thread for this kind of basic information, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks, in advance.

[Happy Ent]

I'm kind of assuming you're using our own year as an ordering device, ...

That's correct. Simply makes it easier to talk about.

[The hairy bear]

Pardon me, I'm trying to find information on the Westerosi calendar and I've stumbled on to this thread. I notice that our own English language version of Month names are given but I can't find anything to even say how many months are in the year, much less how many days in the month or what names are given to months, weeks, days of the week, and so on. I'm kind of assuming you're using our own year as an ordering device, but if I'm wrong and if anyone can point me in the direction of a better thread for this kind of basic information, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks, in advance.

Westerosii count the years taking Aegon's Landing as a reference, but no names for weekdays or months appear on the books. In fact, I assume they don't need proper names for months, due to unusual length of their seasons: in Westeros the harvests, the crops or the weather do not depend on the time of the year.

[SFDanny]

Westerosii count the years taking Aegon's Landing as a reference, but no names for weekdays or months appear on the books. In fact, I assume they don't need proper names for months, due to unusual length of their seasons: in Westeros the harvests, the crops or the weather do not depend on the time of the year.

I knew the count of years is restarted as of Aegon's Landing, but the only real markers I can find for other divisions of time are Martin's use of "fortnight" and "moons." The use of the moon's cycle makes one think the year maybe marked by thirteen months, but the assumption is a 28 day cycle which could be totally off considering Martin's "Big World" remark. I can't see any mentions of a new moon, or full moon. etc. that can tie this down any further, or am I missing some reference? The fortnight reference makes me think there may well be divisions into weeks, but it is so wide open as to make one's head hurt when trying to figure it out. There wouldn't be something I've missed in The Citadel archives that might give me a clue, would there?

Happy Ent, thanks, at least I wasn't reading it all wrong, which is somewhat comforting.

[Ran]

There are twelve houses of the heavens. I would guess this suggests 12 months.

The "moons" do suggest at least a partially-lunar calendar, but they might do something like 12 months of 28 days with some sort of interstitial feast days/weeks to make up the missing days. Or something else entirely.

Week is used in the books, as well as fortnight as you note. "Month" is even used once or twice in AGoT, and once in AFfC, though I suspect the AGoT usages were before GRRM settled on "moon" and the AFfC usage is a slip. Given the Seven, I would expect weeks are 7 days long, with names possibly derived from the Seven (Fathersday, Mothersday, Cronesday, etc.)

It's unlikely GRRM will ever go into such detail, however, not least because it would be yet another thing where he might goof on.

[SFDanny]

There are twelve houses of the heavens. I would guess this suggests 12 months.

The "moons" do suggest at least a partially-lunar calendar, but they might do something like 12 months of 28 days with some sort of interstitial feast days/weeks to make up the missing days. Or something else entirely.

Week is used in the books, as well as fortnight as you note. "Month" is even used once or twice in AGoT, and once in AFfC, though I suspect the AGoT usages were before GRRM settled on "moon" and the AFfC usage is a slip. Given the Seven, I would expect weeks are 7 days long, with names possibly derived from the Seven (Fathersday, Mothersday, Cronesday, etc.)

It's unlikely GRRM will ever go into such detail, however, not least because it would be yet another thing where he might goof on.

Thanks, Ran. Given all the possibilities you leave open, I'm taking it that I'm not missing some post that lays it all out. It appears this is part of the great "we will have to wait and see" category of questions.

btw, I like some of your guesses. Weekdays named after the Seven make perfect sense.

[The Adequate Jon]

According to this post, a month has about 30 days:

Timeline

Lots of good information here. Arya visits the temple three days of every thirty, when the "moon is black" (a new moon). So we finally have confirmation about the lunar orbit; so far we deduced it from the term "moon's blood". So we know: a lunar orbit is roughly thirty days, and the female menstrual cycle is, too. Just as on Earth.

[Ran]

Doing a little more digging, I see the lunar month that tends to be used in calendars is, in any case, the synodic month which averages 29.5 days per cycle, not 28 days. So that sorts that out. Looking deeper into the subject, the way to keep that in sync with the phases of the moon is to alternate 30 day months with 29 day months. That gives you 354 days total, which you've got to sort out somehow to match the solar year. Feast days, or something of the sort.

[Rittmester]

Sorry if this has already been answered elsewhere, but is there a complete timeline somewhere, covering all major events in all books?

[Errant Bard]

try http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?showtopic=31411

[voodooqueen126]

I will try to keep an updated timeline in this thread for reference, collecting the information that is otherwise scattered through the other threads.

Comments and corrections are extremely welcome. Also, note that this thread in itself is in a state of sin since the author (Mr Martin) doesn't want us to do this kind of thing.

299

November

1 Balon Greyjoy dead.

2-3 The Prophet.

14 Prologue. Pate dead.

16 Red Wedding

December

15 (+/- weeks) Iron Captain

16 Drowned Man. Euron King.

300

January

1 Tyrion VIII. Sansa V. Joffrey dead.

2-3 Jaime VII. Jame arrives King's Landing

4-12 Tyrion IX, X Tyrion's trial

7 Stannis leaves Dragonstone

12 Oberyn dead

February

2 Stannis saves the Wall

4 The Soiled Knight

11 Jaime IX Jaime gives Oathkeeper to Brienne

12 Jon Snow elected Lord Commander

15-16 Brienne I Brienne at Rosby, Old Stone Bridge inn

16 Tyrion XI Tywin dead

17 Cersei I Cersei finds Tywin dead. Sam I...

18 ...Sam I Sam leaves Castle Black. Arya I arrives in Braavos. Lysa Arryn dies

19 Cersei II. Cersei offers council seat to Rosby, handships to Kevan Jaime I... stands vigil

20 ...Jaime I Tommen throws up in front of Tywin's body. Queenmaker Arys Oakheart dead.

21 Sam II leaves Eastwatch

24 Brienne II Brienne in Duskendale.

25 Sansa I: Nestor Royce visits the Eyrie.

March

5 Arya II... hides needle, becomes novice. Lady Bright leaves Braavos.

8 Rape of Saltpans. Brienne III arrives at Maidenpool.

10 ...Arya II... serves Squinter and Fat Fellow.

11 Cersei III Tommen weds Margaery, Hand's Tower burnt

13 Titan's Daughter leaves for Braavos

14 Brienne dines at seedy inn

15 Tyrion Waters born. Brienne's group leaves Maidenpool

16 Sam arrives in Braavos (possibly much later). Septon Meribald speaks about broken men

18 Jaime III Kevan leaves

23 High Septon is killed in the night. Brienne IV kills Shagwell at Crackclaw point

25 Cersei IV. Small Council: Riverrun, Storm's End besieged, Davos dead

April

1 Sansa II Lords Declarant visit the Eyrie

5 Brienne V... returns to Maidenpool.

7 Tommen turns 9

15 Cersei V meets Bank of Braavos, plots Bronn's death

18 Brienne VI at Quiet Isle

19 Brienne VII... Travels from Saltpans...

22 Jaime III... leaves King's Landing

25 ... Arya II leaves temple to sell clams.

28 ...Brienne VII to Crossroads Inn

May

2 ... Jaime III arrives at Harrenhal

3 The Reaver victorious at the Shield Isles

7 Sam III meets Arya

Timeline for final Jaime chapters

I know it is premature, but since it is pretty easy, here is the timeline for the final few Jaime chapters. I number them 1,2,3,... so as to be able to relocate them. Anyway, currently may best estimate for day 1 is 10 May.

1. Addam Marbrand finds hanged men

Jaime V

3. Jaime meets Daven

4. Jaime arrives at Riverrun. Meets Aunt Genna.

Jaime VI

5. Jaime meets with the Blackfish in the morning hours. He then calls a war council, and frees Edmure. Ryman is to leave before next morning. Edmure is released the same day and escorted to Riverrun.

7. (unclear, could be later) in the night, the Blackfish escapes. Edmure "had waited most of the day" before he surrenders.

Jaime VIII

8. The next day, Blackfish's disappearance is noticed. Jaime confronts Edmure. He meets Lady Westerling. Plausible the date of the ambush on Ser Ryman. (this allows three days of travel for Ser Ryman. Robb's Stark host needed 5 day for that journey in heavy rain.)

9. A large host under Forley Prester leaves for the West, escorting Edmure and the Westerlings, Whitesmile Wat. Jaime meets with Black Walder and Edwyn Frey, discussing the news of Ser Ryman's death. (if possible to have news from Fairmarket within a day, possibly using a raven)

10. "By the next morning, little remained of the Frey encampment". Evening training with Ser Ilyn

11. Ser Dermot returns from looking for Blackfish.

12. Next morning, Ser Dermot leaves again.

? "Strongboar was the next to depart"

? "The war was all but won. Dragonstone had fallen..."

15? The Tully garrison departed the next morning

"more days passed"

19? Jaime talks to Tom o'Sevens, dreams of mum.

20? Snow in the Riverlands. Letter from Cersei

Adding this to 10 May leaves us in the first days of June.

We also know that by the end of "A Feast for Crows" less than 9 months have passed since the Red Wedding.