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Domeric Bolteon sent to squire in the Vale - why?


TMIFairy

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Because of examples like Theon's we tend to think of sons being fostered to other powerful houses as if they are hostages held by their enemies as punishment to ensure good behavior by their offending parents.  But fosterage is more typically arranged between allies as a form of education and was common during the middle ages in our own medieval times as well.  A son would travel to an influential house and serve as a page or squire as they learned about combat and warfare but also the practicalities of running a large household and the lands it controls.  Why was he fostered to House Redfort?  Probably because the Redforts and the Boltons have similar standings in their regions.  Ned and Robert both have a Lord Paramount for a father so it makes sense for them to foster with Jon Arryn who is also a Lord Paramount. 

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I fucking well know that it is common.

But why the Vale and not some fucking Northern House?

I don't see any sort of fucking gain - for Bolton here.

 

White Ravens:

I can understand the "logic" of "powqerful Norh House" send s a boy to "powerful Vale House". But I don't see the benefits to neither side :(

 

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and it helps to foster outside of the home region to encourage relationships outside the home territories, for everything from promoting trading favorabilities, to bringing in new blood to the family by finding a potential wife from another region, to culturing friendships and alliances in case war throws men of different house into working together. why the redforts? well the redforts are a first men family, so maybe roose wanted his son to be fostered with someone who would understand domeric's cultural upbringing and religious background.

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22 hours ago, TMIFairy said:

I fucking well know that it is common.

But why the Vale and not some fucking Northern House?

I don't see any sort of fucking gain - for Bolton here.

White Ravens:

I can understand the "logic" of "powqerful Norh House" send s a boy to "powerful Vale House". But I don't see the benefits to neither side :(

Chicken see, Chicken do? Stark -> Arryn, Bolton -> Redfort 

Why do people learn a second language or college students study abroad? Why does the any country have diplomatic relations with a similarly powerful country? Bilateral relations are terrible! Bu seriously, why bother having friends right? The king and country will love you if you never leave your keep and no one knows who are you!

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19 hours ago, PrinceHenryris said:

I think it had something of "keeping up with the joneses(Starks) idea.  Rickard sent Ned to the Vale, so Roose did the same.

Otherwise, I think Graydon explained it well.

thank you. that was general reason behind fostering to begin with. so i tried to apply to why roose would send domeric to the vale.

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On 7/23/2017 at 6:59 PM, TMIFairy said:

Are there any theories on why might Roose had sent his son to the Vale to be raised with the Redforts?

The North and Vale had close ties at the time, and the Lord of the Vale was Hand of the King. 

In ASOS, Sansa identifies the Redforts as part of a pro-Robb faction of Vale lords.

The senior branch of House Royce, in other words Yohn Royce, is said to have been close to open revolt over Lysa's failure to aid Robb in his wars. 

The Waynwoods, Redforts, Belmores, and Templetons are all said to support them in that.

We know from Catelyn and TWOIAF that Lord Rickard Stark's aunt Jocelyn married a lesser branch Royce, and that their three daughters married a Waynwood, a Corbray, and likely a Templeton, whose children no doubt married with and into other Vale houses.

Catelyn brought up these Waynwood, Corbray, and Templeton descendants of a Stark when suggesting heirs to Robb.

Roose would have been aware of how thin the male Stark line was with Edwyle and Rickard being only sons, Brandon being killed without issue, and Benjen joining the NW.

If Catelyn was aware of the Starks' next closest kin in the Vale you can be sure Roose was.

Perhaps he had an eye toward marrying Domeric to a daughter of one of those lines descended from Jocelyn Stark, and fostering him with the Redforts gave him an in to those circles.

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23 minutes ago, Bael's Bastard said:

Perhaps he had an eye toward marrying Domeric to a daughter of one of those lines descended from Jocelyn Stark, and fostering him with the Redforts gave him an in to those circles.

Very interesting, thanks!

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In addition to all the reasons listed above, especially that last one...

 

Roose's mother or grandmother might have been a Redfort, or his first wife, or the Redforts and Boltons could have some ancient history (the similarity in their castles could be more than coincidence). The Boltons were the "Red Kings" after all.

Or maybe he just happened to meet Lord Redfort at some point and they hit it off?

 

Like with a lot of other questions that get raised about Domeric or the Boltons... we just don't know. There is not much information.

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22 hours ago, Sourjapes said:

Roose's mother or grandmother might have been a Redfort, or his first wife, or the Redforts and Boltons could have some ancient history (the similarity in their castles could be more than coincidence). The Boltons were the "Red Kings" after all.

Or maybe he just happened to meet Lord Redfort at some point and they hit it off?

 

Very good suggestions IMO.

10 minutes ago, BRANDON GREYSTARK said:

To have an heir worthy of a Stark lady .

IMO from a Bolton's point of view a Bolton is worthy of a Stark lady by the fact of being a Bolton. They had been the Red Kings and had history been a little bit different it would be the Starks bending the knee to them.

Learning fancy bent-knee running about behaviour in the South adds nothing to their worthiness.

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