Nobles in Game of Thrones often fight against each other over crowns and riches, but the real power doesn’t hide within castle walls—it lies in the hands of whoever controls the seas, the one who can win a war by predicting and adapting to the shifting of the tides in Westeros.
Across all seasons and franchises, we have seen several fleets engage in battles to defend their chosen rulers and fight for their causes. Some naval forces mentioned here were not prominently featured on screen but were mentioned in George R.R. Martin’s books, and that’s why we’re including them.
This list ranks the most popular fleets in the known world, which includes both Westeros and Essos, by military strength.
10. The Dornish Fleet
Don’t expect any strong naval forces from Dorne because they don’t have one. Historically, Princess Nymeria of the Rhoynar burned her ten thousand ships, leaving Dorne with no effective sea power. We also remember that during the Fourth Dornish War, the existing Dornish fleet was destroyed by dragonflame while crossing the north on the Sea of Dorne.
There are quite a few operational small merchant vessels docked at Planky Town, but they are primarily used for business and trade, not for high-stakes fleet-on-fleet engagement. Dorne, however, keeps a strong land-based military at its disposal.
9. The Arryn Fleet
The Vale of Arryn in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO
Like Dorne, House Arryn of Gulltown has a strong merchant culture but is limited in terms of naval presence. They do have ships to protect and defend the area, but they rarely participate in maritime clashes. Most of the time, they rely on the natural defense of their coast: the mountains.
During Aegon’s Conquest, the harbor of Gulltown witnessed a massive battle between the Targaryen and the Arryn fleets, further delaying the Vale’s submission to Aegon the Conqueror. In the present day, the Arryns devote more resources to their land defenses.
8. The Manderly Fleet
Sean Blowers as Lord Wyman Manderly in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO
The North isn’t known to possess strong naval powers since Brandon the Burner set all of their ships on fire out of grief following the disappearance of his father. It was Lord Wyman Manderly who offered to build a new warfleet for Robb Stark.
It has around 50 ships docked at White Harbor, the main seaport of the North. While the North has a decent number of modern war galleys specifically built to defend its shores, it remains a local power and not formidable enough to engage in an all-out sea warfare.
7. The Velaryon Fleet
The Velaryon Fleet in House of the Dragon / Credits: HBO
During the Dance of the Dragons, the Velaryon fleet was considered the strongest and most formidable. Led by Lord Corlys Velaryon, a skilled seafarer, the navy made up the majority of the royal armada’s sea defenses. After the Battle of the Gullet, House Velaryon notably lost a third of its naval strength.
The Velaryon fleet is now considered smaller in size and modest in strength compared to other naval forces in Westeros, but its sailors were undeniably the most skilled and experienced.
6. The Lannister Fleet
The Lannister army in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO
The Lannister fleet operated under House Lannister and was anchored at Lannisport. During the Greyjoy Rebellion, which took place nine years before the War of the Five Kings, Euron Greyjoy burned all the ships to prevent the Lannisters from using them against the Iron Islands.
It was said that Tywin Lannister replaced the ships that were destroyed, which is perfectly possible given the wealth of his house. Despite only having around 30 ships at the time, we can ascertain the quality of each vessel. They were well-built and equipped with sturdy materials, making them essentially durable for defense.
5. The Baratheon Fleet
Stannis Baratheon’s ship Fury in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO
Stannis Baratheon commanded a massive fleet (around 160 ships), but his case was a bit unique. In the beginning, the Royal Fleet was split between King’s Landing and Dragonstone, and since he’s the Lord of Dragonstone, the majority of these ships were docked in the island.
When the war began, Stannis hired Salladhor Saan to supplement him with more mercenary ships, the latter bringing in around 30 ships. The Baratheon noble’s fleet was especially designed for battle, and with that number and quality of vessels, he surely got one of the strongest naval forces in Westeros.
4. The Royal Fleet
Royal Fleet in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO
Undoubtedly one of the largest and strongest naval forces is the Royal Fleet, commanded by the king himself, and as mentioned, the ships are based at King’s Landing and Dragonstone. This fleet possesses the most technologically advanced and largest flagships in Westeros, and before their destruction at the Battle of the Blackwater, the Royal Fleet had around 210 warships.
The Crownlands used massive, multi-decked galleys called dromonds equipped with scorpions and catapults, perfect for both attack and defense. The ships were also manned by highly skilled and disciplined seafarers under the charge of the Master of Ships.
3. The Iron Fleet
The Iron Fleet in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO
The Iron Fleet was famous for having the best sailors in Westeros, and it’s worth noting that every man on board was a seasoned warrior who spent much of his life at sea. The ships were heavily equipped not only for battle but for raiding as well, making them a dangerous force to mess with.
While they had around 100 warships, the ‘Iron Fleet’ ships were much larger and better armored than standard longships. They were built specifically to fight dromonds, and with every man on board a veteran in sailing and fighting, you have one of the most formidable and strongest naval powers at your disposal.
2. The Redwyne Fleet
Redwyne Fleet / Credits: Tomasz Jedruszek
Objectively, the most powerful and superior fleet in the Seven Kingdoms, the Redwyne Fleet of the Reach consisted of two hundred warships and nearly 1,000 total vessels, including merchant carracks, wine cogs, trading galleys, and whalers. It also served as the primary naval arm for House Tyrell.
Unlike the Iron Fleet, this navy utilized great dromonds, larger heavy-duty ships with higher decks, but similarly equipped with scorpions and catapults, enough to crush smaller ships by size alone.
1. The Braavosi Fleet
Braavos in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO
The Braavosi Fleet, which is based in the Free Cities of Essos, forms the strongest and most powerful maritime forces in the known world, even surpassing the best of Westerosi fleets. In fact, it has its own island dedicated to its defenses and armories called the Arsenal of Braavos.
The city is defended by hundreds of modern warships, and its economic power can hire thousands of mercenaries. It is also said that the Arsenal can build a war galley in just a day, an assurance that they won’t fall short on the number of ships in case war happens.
RankFleetBase/Location10The Dornish FleetDorne9The Arryn FleetVale of Arryn8The Manderly FleetThe North / White Harbor7The Velaryon FleetDriftmark6The Baratheon FleetDragonstone5The Lannister FleetLannisport4The Royal FleetKing’s Landing / Dragonstone3The Iron FleetIron Islands2The Redwyne FleetThe Arbor1The Braavosi FleetBraavos
Here are some frequently asked questions for your reference:
Who is in charge of commanding the royal fleet in Westeros?
Known as Master of Ships, this official from the King’s Small Council serves as the admiral of the royal fleet.
Which fleet is the strongest across the known world?
In the Seven Kingdoms, the Redwyne Fleet is considered the most powerful, while the Braavosi Fleet has the strongest naval force across Westeros and Essos.
Which region lacks naval strength?
Dorne has no strong maritime defense due to its lack of viable harbors, and because it has been historically anti-naval.
Which naval force is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!
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