Who else could Robb Stark marry instead?

[Frey Kings]

It was suppose to be a Frey girl but Tywin's sister married into their House but so did 22(?) other Houses.  Wouldn't that raise a few eyebrows?  I'm guessing the next possible match would've been Arianne Martell, but she is set to inherit Dorne and their customs would've have allowed that IIRC.  Even though they've been secretly seeking vengeance.  Even if this happens, they're going to have to jump through hurdles just to link up with Robb in the Riverlands. 

 

So his options were limited? 

[Lord Wraith]

Walder's strategy was to intermarry with as many Houses as possible,

As for who Robb should have married? Margaery Tyrell easy.

[Lion of the West]

Depends on what Robb, or Eddard, wants with the marriage. Is to shore up the North or get connections in the South? If its the North then Alys Karstark or one of the Manderly girls would work well. While if its the South then there's probably more than a few different daughters of great lords he can pick from.

EDITED: Bracken being one of the House I can recall having daughters around to marry off.

[The Bard of Banefort]

Balon Greyjoy would never have agreed to this, but I think a marriage alliance between Robb and Asha could have saved everyone a lot of trouble. Robb's several years younger than her, but Asha strikes me as the type of person who could make it work with just about anyone (we see how adaptable she is in ADWD). The North would then have the support of the Iron Fleet, and they wouldn't have to worry about Ironborn reaving, at least not as much.

[Angel Eyes]

On 6/11/2017 at 1:03 PM, The Bard of Banefort said:

Balon Greyjoy would never have agreed to this, but I think a marriage alliance between Robb and Asha could have saved everyone a lot of trouble. Robb's several years younger than her, but Asha strikes me as the type of person who could make it work with just about anyone (we see how adaptable she is in ADWD). The North would then have the support of the Iron Fleet, and they wouldn't have to worry about Ironborn reaving, at least not as much.

Well, if it's any consolation, Balon won't stoop to kinslaying. 

Other options: Robb marrying Dacey Mormont. Myrcella could have been another option.

[LordScattergood10]

This is something that has never made sense to me. Robb is nearly 15 in the beginning of game and yet Catelyn or ned don't once even think about his marriage prospects. You'd think with all the political turmoil in the first book one or both of them would have had the thought well with this going on maybe I should talk to this about person about marrying their daughter to me heir. As of the middle of game there really only seems to be one option. Before I even say this I want to say that I hate the idea of these to marrying but at that point in the series it made the most sense. When ned SHOULD have sent Loras after the mountain he should have tried to marry Robb to Margery. I think it's very likely the tyrells would go for it. At thjs point ned is about to be lord protector, hand of the king, plus all of his birth titles. Also it gives the tyrells the chance of joining the power and prestige of being aligned with the Starks. It would be a very great and powerful alliance. 

I don't really see other options. Marrying into Dorne doesn't make sense for te Starks and other then the riverlands none of the other regions have a daughter that makes sense unless there is a Hightower that is near his age. I don't see ned an cat marrying their heir to one of their vassals considering they have 2 other sons, 2 daughters, and a bastard. 

The only option other than Margery that makes sense is myrcella which I could definitely see happening. Despite cerceis hatred of the Starks she definitely doesn't see them beneath her and considers them as good of a marriage match as possible for Joffrey.

[Angel Eyes]

That did seem odd to me, that his prospects were not considered when Robb was 14. 

I thought Cersei thinks of everyone as beneath her, apart from her father and Jaime. 

[Livesundersink]

On 15/06/2017 at 5:28 AM, Angel Eyes said:

I thought Cersei thinks of everyone as beneath her, apart from her father and Jaime.

It's not hard to believe so given the way she acts, in Feast we see she distrusts the Tyrells because they used to be the stewards of Highgarden. She also initially rejects marrying Joffrey to Margaery because of the betrothal with Sansa which surprised me to no great end. Even with her family being at war with the Starks she still means to marry Joffrey to Sansa.

[Angel Eyes]

 

2 minutes ago, Livesundersink said:

It's not hard to believe so given the way she acts, in Feast we see she distrusts the Tyrells because they used to be the stewards of Highgarden. She also initially rejects marrying Joffrey to Margaery because of the betrothal with Sansa which surprised me to no great end. Even with her family being at war with the Starks she still means to marry Joffrey to Sansa.

My guess is that she still wants to tie the Starks and "Baratheons" together so the Starks can't move against them. Starks don't want to be kinslayers (though kin sometimes only goes so far...)

 

On the other hand, I think that betrothing Sansa to Joffrey was a bad move in the first place, considering the utter bag of shit Joffrey is. As Bronn once said, "There's no cure for being a c**t." 

As Ned once said, "She deserves better than a butcher."

[Livesundersink]

15 minutes ago, Angel Eyes said:

 

My guess is that she still wants to tie the Starks and "Baratheons" together so the Starks can't move against them. Starks don't want to be kinslayers (though kin sometimes only goes so far...)

 

On the other hand, I think that betrothing Sansa to Joffrey was a bad move in the first place, considering the utter bag of shit Joffrey is. As Bronn once said, "There's no cure for being a c**t." 

As Ned once said, "She deserves better than a butcher."

Oh aye, i think neither Sansa nor Ned realised what Joffrey was capable of until he ordered the latter's execution, whilst he acknowledges that Robb and Joff will never be friends he intends to take Bran south to King's Landing so that he may bridge the gap between them, even thinks to himself and says who knows,

He is a sweet boy, quick to laugh, easy to love. Let him grow up with the young princes, let him become their friend as Robert became mine.

[Prof. Cecily]

54 minutes ago, Livesundersink said:

Oh aye, i think neither Sansa nor Ned realised what Joffrey was capable of until he ordered the latter's execution, whilst he acknowledges that Robb and Joff will never be friends he intends to take Bran south to King's Landing so that he may bridge the gap between them, even thinks to himself and says who knows,

He is a sweet boy, quick to laugh, easy to love. Let him grow up with the young princes, let him become their friend as Robert became mine.

It was a charming plan, perfect in an ideal world.

Still, I'd have thought the horrific and morally corrupt circumstances of the death of Lady during the journey to KL would have opened anyone's and everyone's eye's to our Joff's nature as well as providing ample evidence of the court atmosphere.

 

[Livesundersink]

14 minutes ago, Prof. Cecily said:

It was a charming plan, perfect in an ideal world.

Still, I'd have thought the horrific and morally corrupt circumstances of the death of Lady during the journey to KL would have opened anyone's and everyone's eye's to our Joff's nature as well as providing ample evidence of the court atmosphere.

 

I know right? Cersei is the one who orders Lady's death, says that she wants to make a mantle out of the pelt and yet Sansa still cosies up to her in KL.

[Prof. Cecily]

The girl's in love.

When I cast a glance over the things I've done for love...

[Rickon Stark The Aulë]

On 6/11/2017 at 7:03 AM, The Bard of Banefort said:

Balon Greyjoy would never have agreed to this, but I think a marriage alliance between Robb and Asha could have saved everyone a lot of trouble. Robb's several years younger than her, but Asha strikes me as the type of person who could make it work with just about anyone (we see how adaptable she is in ADWD). The North would then have the support of the Iron Fleet, and they wouldn't have to worry about Ironborn reaving, at least not as much.

 

Didn't Asha already lose her maidenhead by then? Marrying a Stark to a Greyjoy would make the Northerners extremely mad since their extensively violent relationship and the fact plenty of Northern houses have plenty of daughters to marry. You can probably imagine the Scandal that would be connected to a Lord Paramount's Heir married to a non-virgin non-northerner and into one of the weakest regions in the 7 Kingdoms. 

 

Though the Greyjoys marrying into the Starks would be extremely smart considering that without dragons the North is as impregnable as the Vale. Of course Balon is insane so I wouldn't expect that from him. 

 

 

[The Bard of Banefort]

22 minutes ago, Rickon Stark The Aulë said:

 

Didn't Asha already lose her maidenhead by then? Marrying a Stark to a Greyjoy would make the Northerners extremely mad since their extensively violent relationship and the fact plenty of Northern houses have plenty of daughters to marry. You can probably imagine the Scandal that would be connected to a Lord Paramount's Heir married to a non-virgin non-northerner and into one of the weakest regions in the 7 Kingdoms. 

 

Though the Greyjoys marrying into the Starks would be extremely smart considering that without dragons the North is as impregnable as the Vale. Of course Balon is insane so I wouldn't expect that from him. 

 

 

I don't think anyone would look into whether or not Asha was a virgin beforehand. Plenty of northern girls are maidens when they get married, but I don't think it's something that's taken quite as seriously in the North, where life is much harder and less ceremonial. Remember, Barbrey Ryswell's father was able to find a great match for her, and we know she had given her maidenhead to Brandon long before that. Even if Robb was surprised to learn that Asha wasn't a virgin when they consummated their marriage, I doubt he would tell anyone about it. By that point she would already be his wife, and he wouldn't throw her under the bus like that.

I think the marriage alliance would also entail that the Greyjoys would agree to no longer raid the North (at least for the time period where all the involved parties were alive), and any reavers who defied this would face punishment from them. If this came to pass, I'm guessing the rest of the Starks would probably still be married off to northerners, so that would hopefully placate the northern houses. Robb had four younger legitimate siblings, so that's four houses right there, and Ned may have been able to marry Jon off to the younger daughter of a smaller house (or, y'know, Meera Reed ).

Alas, as you said, Balon is insane and would never have tried to make any alliances. If his father had lived longer, however, he may have. Quellon himself married a Piper, and he may have arranged other mainland marriages with some of his subjects: Harras Harlaw is half Westerlander, so that was probably an arranged marriage, and I've seen others speculate that Baelor Blacktyde's mother may have also been from the mainland since, well, his name is Baelor. We don't know who any of Victarion's wives were, but one or two of them may have been from the mainland. Having already formed marriage alliances with houses from the Riverlands and Westerlands, I would imagine that Quellon would have tried to have married at least one of his grandchildren to a northern family, in order to bind some of the wounds that the Ironborn of the past had left. At this point, Balon would have three sons, and while I think he still loved Asha before her older brothers died, he probably would have the the fewest complaints about parting with his daughter in this instance. I don't know if Quellon would have tried to form a marriage alliance with the Starks specifically, but he may have tried, say, the Glovers or the Flints.

[Rickon Stark The Aulë]

40 minutes ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

Even if Robb was surprised to learn that Asha wasn't a virgin when they consummated their marriage, I doubt he would tell anyone about it. By that point she would already be his wife, and he wouldn't throw her under the bus like that.

True though I imagine Robb wouldn't have the most loving marriage with Asha if he knew. 

 

40 minutes ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

I think the marriage alliance would also entail that the Greyjoys would agree to no longer raid the North

 

Even without the Alliance, the Iron born wouldn't raid the North especially since I believe reaving in the 7 kingdoms is banned unless I am mistaken. I hardly doubt the Iron born want to pick on the Northmen at the peak of their strength. 

 

40 minutes ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

Robb had four younger legitimate siblings, so that's four houses right there, and Ned may have been able to marry Jon off to the younger daughter of a smaller house (or, y'know, Meera Reed ).

 

 

Well, all of his siblings are either pre-teens or toddlers so that would be awkward to the house they are marrying. I somehow doubt Rickard Karstark being happy that a child like Bran who hasn't even reached the age of 12 or 13 shagging his daughter. I also doubt Wyman wouldn't be too happy about toddler Rickon having the hand of either of his daughters. 

 

Isn't House Reed like a major house in the North? I feel like controlling the only land route in and out of the North would put you in good position to marry your choice of Stark. 

 

40 minutes ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

I don't know if Quellon would have tried to form a marriage alliance with the Starks specifically, but he may have tried, say, the Glovers or the Flints.

I could see the flints going for it or even the Ryswells but I hardly think the Glovers would agree to that type of marriage. 

[Weirwood Ghost]

Given the opportunity to cast eyes on her, Robb would've found Arianne a hot n spicey match.

[The Bard of Banefort]

31 minutes ago, Rickon Stark The Aulë said:

True though I imagine Robb wouldn't have the most loving marriage with Asha if he knew. 

 

Perhaps, but they're both pretty pragmatic people who come from very harsh environments. I think either of them are the type who could make it work with any halfway decent person.

(Other highborn Ironborn girls would probably be good options as well, but unfortunately Asha and her mom are apparently the only women on the Iron Islands as of now, so it's hard to speculate. Even the World Book didn't mention any Ironborn women. I mean, come on, George).

33 minutes ago, Rickon Stark The Aulë said:

 

Even without the Alliance, the Iron born wouldn't raid the North especially since I believe reaving in the 7 kingdoms is banned unless I am mistaken. I hardly doubt the Iron born want to pick on the Northmen at the peak of their strength. 

Yeah, one of the interesting things about the Ironborn is that since the Conquest, they've been pretty consistent about not reaving in Westeros. The only time they rebelled was when they were permitted to by their lord paramount.

35 minutes ago, Rickon Stark The Aulë said:

 

 

Well, all of his siblings are either pre-teens or toddlers so that would be awkward to the house they are marrying. I somehow doubt Rickard Karstark being happy that a child like Bran who hasn't even reached the age of 12 or 13 shagging his daughter. I also doubt Wyman wouldn't be too happy about toddler Rickon having the hand of either of his daughters. 

 

Oh, I didn't mean they would all get married at the same time, just that there would be betrothals. I don't think Ned would have married off any of his children before the age of sixteen. 

36 minutes ago, Rickon Stark The Aulë said:

 

Isn't House Reed like a major house in the North? I feel like controlling the only land route in and out of the North would put you in good position to marry your choice of Stark. 

 

Yep, but the reason why I think Ned may have looked to them for Jon is because Howland is the one person in the world (except for maybe Wylla) who knows the truth about Jon. Ned and Howland have been covering up this huge secret for fifteen years, so if Ned did try to secure a good marriage for Jon, I think a match with Howland's daughter would probably be his first choice. Plus the crannogmen are looked down on by just about everyone, so it would be a good first step in curtailing some of the alienation they've been experiencing for who knows how long.

[Rickon Stark The Aulë]

58 minutes ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

(Other highborn Ironborn girls would probably be good options as well, but unfortunately Asha and her mom are apparently the only women on the Iron Islands as of now, so it's hard to speculate. Even the World Book didn't mention any Ironborn women. I mean, come on, George).

I actually had to double check that to see if it's true XD Not a single mention of a Native High-Born woman. 

George should look into that. 

58 minutes ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

Oh, I didn't mean they would all get married at the same time, just that there would be betrothals. I don't think Ned would have married off any of his children before the age of sixteen. 

1 hour ago, Rickon Stark The Aulë said:

Sansa was married pretty young. He would probably wait till they were 13-14 to get through puberty and ship them off to their bannermen. 

1 hour ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

Yep, but the reason why I think Ned may have looked to them for Jon is because Howland is the one person in the world (except for maybe Wylla) who knows the truth about Jon. Ned and Howland have been covering up this huge secret for fifteen years, so if Ned did try to secure a good marriage for Jon, I think a match with Howland's daughter would probably be his first choice. Plus the crannogmen are looked down on by just about everyone, so it would be a good first step in curtailing some of the alienation they've been experiencing for who knows how long.

2

Also... Wylla knows about Jon's parentage?  I can see the thinking but I would think it would be pretty dumb to marry the crown prince of the Iron throne to a minor Northern Lady. Ned may have been saving Jon to see who could get Jon the most support. 

[The Bard of Banefort]

6 hours ago, Rickon Stark The Aulë said:

I actually had to double check that to see if it's true XD Not a single mention of a Native High-Born woman. 

George should look into that. 

Sansa was married pretty young. He would probably wait till they were 13-14 to get through puberty and ship them off to their bannermen. 

Also... Wylla knows about Jon's parentage?  I can see the thinking but I would think it would be pretty dumb to marry the crown prince of the Iron throne to a minor Northern Lady. Ned may have been saving Jon to see who could get Jon the most support. 

I can understand why Asha is the only female Greyjoy, since that makes her more noteworthy, but it really makes no sense that there are no other Ironborn women. Even in the World Book, the only women mentioned are the Lannisters that married Ironborn men prior to the Conquest. It's implied that Ironborn women, like the Dornish and northerners, have more autonomy than other Westerosi women too, so that makes it even more disappointing that we know virtually nothing about them.

I don't think Ned planned on putting Jon on the Iron Throne. It seems to me that he planned on Jon living and dying without ever having known who his real parents were.