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This article is about the description of the historical event. For the book in The Witcher 3, see The Slaughter of Cintra. |
The Battle of Cintra, known to Nordlings as the slaughter of Cintra because of the cruel actions of Nilfgaard's army, was one of the final battles of first Nilfgaard-Nordling war.
The forces of Nilfgaard reached the city shortly after the Battle of Marnadal. Queen Calanthe had gathered all her remaining troops and nobles around her and retreated back to the city. During the retreat Calanthe was heavily wounded and had to be transported into the city. There were so few troops left that there was no need for a siege, and Nilfgaard attacked quickly. Calanthe, the nobles and all the troops barricaded themselves inside the castle. Nilfgaardian sorcerers quickly destroyed the gate and the forces entered the castle. Only the enchanted inner keep could be defended, but everyone knew that even so, they could not resist for long.
After four days of resistance, the army of Nilfgaard finally managed to break into the castle. Cintran women were killing their children, who in turn were killed by men that soon committed suicide. Calanthe asked the defenders to end her life, but nobody had the courage to do it, so she leaped headfirst out of the castle tower, dying instantly upon impact. The city of Cintra was razed completely afterwards.
Some Northerners claim that Ciri was killed by her grandmother, but in reality Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, the mysterious black Nilfgaard knight, helped her escape.
Aftermath[ | ]
The next battle was the second battle for Sodden Hill, which could never have been won if the slaughter of Cintra had not occurred.