Why Didn't Robb Try to Ally With Dorne?

[Direwolf of the Starks]

I mean for all he knew Dorne was waiting for a chance to avenge Elia and her children. He had no idea about the Targaryen Pact Doran and Illyrio made.

[Direwolf of the Starks]

Bump

[TalalOfDorne]

One reason is that the North is the furthest region North, and Dorne is the furthest region south. I dont think it would be a very effective alliance geographically. The Martells cant declare for the Starks without antagonizing the Stormlands and the Reach.

[Morienthar]

Dorne is half a world away and in between the Starks and Dorne is the Crownlands and Westerlands,In order to try to get the Martells help to fight the lannisters he'd have to fight his way through the Lannisters,It's just not logistically possible and would have been a waste of time as he would have already defeated the lannisters.

[Sullen]

Because it's a goddamn continent away.

They couldn't even be able to communicate properly.

[Mine Is Not The Fury]

Doran declared for Joffery fairly early and before that (I think) everyone seemed to think that they supported Renly.

[-Ghost-]

Doran declared for Joffery fairly early and before that (I think) everyone seemed to think that they supported Renly.

Did Renly still think they were for him or was that after he died?

Edit- Yeah I forgot the Myrcella thing.

[Frey Pie]

Im not sure its feasible. And i dont think Robb or the Starks have ever had any relationship with the Martells

[thelittledragonthatcould]

I mean for all he knew Dorne was waiting for a chance to avenge Elia and her children. He had no idea about the Targaryen Pact Doran and Illyrio made.

Why would Robb think that Doran was holding out for revenge 2 decades after the events, especially as he'd never met the man and probably never met or engaged in diplomatic conversations with the Dornish.

Robb was counting on Theon, his uncle and his aunt. That would of been the 4 kingdom uprising needed to stand a chance of winning.

[Minstral]

The opinion of Renly, and those the River lords that asked Robb to declare for him ( I think Bracken), was that Dorne would eventually join his cause simply because of their grievances against Tywin. So, there is probably an assumption that any relation with Dorne would be achieved by making a cause with Renly. Problem was that the green stag didn't actually make a cause with others. He simply expected things to unfold in his favor without doing anything to secure their allegiance, as was the case with the North and Dorne.

[Sansa_Stark]

Why would Robb think that Doran was holding out for revenge 2 decades after the events, especially as he'd never met the man and probably never met or engaged in diplomatic conversations with the Dornish.

Robb was counting on Theon, his uncle and his aunt. That would of been the 4 kingdom uprising needed to stand a chance of winning.

Because literally everyone states that the Dornishmen still anger over Elia's death.

[Usrnmhsnomning]

Don't you think the idea of a Dornish army trying to march through 4 enemy territories to get to the Riverlands is self-explanatory? Robb had no interests that far south.

And about Renly, he assumes Dorne will join him because he has the largest army and says as much in an attempt to convince Robb to bend the knee through Cat. Tyrion points this assumption out to Pycelle and sends Doran the offer to betroth Myrcella to Trystane.

[Payme]

Who needs an army to march that far when the king of the North was defeated at a wedding? And it's not a problem to march through enemy territory when said enemy thinks you're marching with them, no? Or heck, SHIPS!? I mean, have we forgotten some of the main themes of these books: Backstabbing? Ships?

Robb probably thought there was a slim chance Dorne would side with the North, and I would probably have to agree. But just because Dorne is way south of the Riverlands doesn't mean it would be impossible. I mean, Stannis went to The Wall to help without anyone asking for it. And hell, Ben Franklin had the French willing to help during The Revolution. The Atlantic Ocean anyone?

[Usrnmhsnomning]

The Watch implicitly DID ask for help, that's exactly why Stannis went; he received a letter asking any king in Westeros to defend the Wall. Dorne doesn't really have a fleet, and the moment Dorne pretends to be on either the Baratheons side or the Lannisters side, the other closes their land off to them. Ergo, Dorne simply could not march through Highgarden/Stormlands without declaring and becoming enemies of the state to the Westerlands/Crownlands, and vice versa.

[Breastplate Stretcha]

There was simply no reason for Robb to think the Martells would support him and his new kingdom.

[Payme]

The Watch implicitly DID ask for help, that's exactly why Stannis went; he received a letter asking any king in Westeros to defend the Wall. Dorne doesn't really have a fleet, and the moment Dorne pretends to be on either the Baratheons side or the Lannisters side, the other closes their land off to them. Ergo, Dorne simply could not march through Highgarden/Stormlands without declaring and becoming enemies of the state to the Westerlands/Crownlands, and vice versa.

Touche. Very good point. And I had forgotten about being asked to help.

[JonathanTheBold]

Who needs an army to march that far when the king of the North was defeated at a wedding? And it's not a problem to march through enemy territory when said enemy thinks you're marching with them, no? Or heck, SHIPS!? I mean, have we forgotten some of the main themes of these books: Backstabbing? Ships?

Dorne hasn't had a navy in centuries and Rob doesn't have one either that's why he need Theon to get his father to join him so no they couldn't use ships

[fatmike705]

Because it's a goddamn continent away.

They couldn't even be able to communicate properly.

That's what would have made it great opening another front would have stretch smand squeeze the iron Thorne ... The reason is from the outside the dornish seem loyal and then tyrion brought them seemingly closer to the crown is say

[Mad Monkey]

That's what would have made it great opening another front would have stretch smand squeeze the iron Thorne ... The reason is from the outside the dornish seem loyal and then tyrion brought them seemingly closer to the crown is say

If Dorne rose up, they would basically have to do it alone. Robb wouldn't have been able to help them at all. It was a struggle just to get through the Riverlands, and those were his allies. Doran doesn't seem to want to rebel all alone and Robb probably didn't think much about him. After all, if his own aunt wouldn't help him why would some stranger who might as well be in Asshai do it?