Was Narnia unprepared?

Narborg

Narborg

New member
I've bean thinking, why did Roonwit have to go to Cair Paravell, which was on the other side of Narnia to where he was to get aid for the king? Why didn't they have a garrison at Beaversdm or Baruna, or anywhere else which would have bean closer to Lanturn waste? Shere, it was a time of peace, but it seems to me crazy that the Narians would only have army in Cair Paravell. I mean, Tirian Kept the towels armed, but apart form that, Narnia seemed under parpered for war.

What do you think?
 
That's something that's puzzled a lot of people over the years. In Last Battle the offhand comment is made that in those years Narnia was at peace with Calormen (implying that there were years that this wasn't the case), and the force that Roonwit is dispatched to fetch could only be described as "light" - i.e. not a serious military force. The implication is that Narnia hasn't been in a very martial state for some time.

A secondary point could be inferred from this, though I think it would be a bit of a stretch: that Narnia had become complacent and lax over the years, and was not properly appreciating or protecting the value of their special heritage. I think it would be hard to justify this from Last Battle alone, but it's possible.
 
PrinceOfTheWest said:
That's something that's puzzled a lot of people over the years. In Last Battle the offhand comment is made that in those years Narnia was at peace with Calormen (implying that there were years that this wasn't the case), and the force that Roonwit is dispatched to fetch could only be described as "light" - i.e. not a serious military force. The implication is that Narnia hasn't been in a very martial state for some time.

A secondary point could be inferred from this, though I think it would be a bit of a stretch: that Narnia had become complacent and lax over the years, and was not properly appreciating or protecting the value of their special heritage. I think it would be hard to justify this from Last Battle alone, but it's possible.
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True, but when Roonwit was sent, they did not know that there would be an army of Calormies to deal with.
 
Yah, I have wondered this, too. It seems like Tirian was just off having fun while his country was being invaded ...
 
Of course, evildoers can be awfully sly about concealing their plans to attack others. The murderous rulers in Beijing, for instance, are keeping their smiley faces on until _after_ China gets to host the Olympics.
 
At the very least, the king should have a few guards around him. But ultimately, Narnia was lost not where Tirian was, but rather when Calormen attacked them. They came with 20 ships at night and besieged Cair Paravel. It was a carefully planned attack from both sides.

Even if he had a garrsion of soldiers with him, would it have helped? Would he have regained Cair Paravel?

"I mean, Tirian Kept the towels armed, but apart form that, Narnia seemed under parpered for war."

Those must have been some harsh after-bath dryings. Armed towels!!?:eek:

But I do agree. They seemed very lax with their army and preparedness.

MrBob
 
MrBob said:
At the very least, the king should have a few guards around him. But ultimately, Narnia was lost not where Tirian was, but rather when Calormen attacked them. They came with 20 ships at night and besieged Cair Paravel. It was a carefully planned attack from both sides.

Even if he had a garrsion of soldiers with him, would it have helped? Would he have regained Cair Paravel?

"I mean, Tirian Kept the towels armed, but apart form that, Narnia seemed under parpered for war."

Those must have been some harsh after-bath dryings. Armed towels!!?:eek:

But I do agree. They seemed very lax with their army and preparedness.

MrBob
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That is a good point; they still would not have bean able to retake Cair. But still, I find it hard to belvie that Narnia was so unprapered as it seems.
 
Maybe Mr. Lewis was thinking about how pitifully unready Britain had been for World War Two, with that moron Neville Chamberlain believing Hitler's promises of peace.
 
Instead of creating a new thread...

I was actually thinking about all the times when Narnia (and Archanland) were unprepared for a battle.

In LWW, the Narnians were heavily undermanned in their battle with the witch.
In H&HB Shasta had to warn King Lune about the impending attack.
In PC, there was a lack of discipline and too much infighting before the Pevensies arrived.
In TSC, the invasion was thwarted at the last minute by the rescue of Rillian. The king was out of the country and the Lord Regent was hard of hearing and unprepared to launch any kind of counterassault.

They were nearly taken out four times, each time bailed out by Aslan or someone who he sent.

MrBob
 
In this case, as in the case of HAHB, they were expecting Calormen to live by the rules of Chivalry. Expecting for them to send defiance before they invaded.

Narnia has a history of relying on Aslan to come to their aid. They had faith that Aslan was a kind lord, concerned for the good of His lands and they were right they just did not expect His concern to come in the form of the End Times
 
Copperfox said:
Of course, evildoers can be awfully sly about concealing their plans to attack others. The murderous rulers in Beijing, for instance, are keeping their smiley faces on until _after_ China gets to host the Olympics.
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o_O

Using your argument, perhaps it is better Bejing should declare America an inhuman place under a evil dictator and march the PLA into New York and Houston to liberate us from our capitalist oppressors?

-The Land of nod
 
Narborg said:
I've bean thinking, why did Roonwit have to go to Cair Paravell, which was on the other side of Narnia to where he was to get aid for the king? Why didn't they have a garrison at Beaversdm or Baruna, or anywhere else which would have bean closer to Lanturn waste? Shere, it was a time of peace, but it seems to me crazy that the Narians would only have army in Cair Paravell. I mean, Tirian Kept the towels armed, but apart form that, Narnia seemed under parpered for war.

What do you think?
Click to expand...

well, i think they had perhaps gotten a bit careless, trhey had been at peace for quite sometime, after all.
 
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