Jump to content

What would happen to Ned if Brandon lived?


Recommended Posts

He might even marry some Lord in the Vale, given he spent his childhood as a ward of Jon Arryn and would have some connections to the Vale. That would help solidify an alliance between the North and the Vale like Brandon's marriage cemented the Stark-Tully alliance and Lyanna's marriage cemented the Stark-Baratheon alliance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think Ned would have had to settle for Fat Walda or anything. He'd have been a second son, sure, but a second son of a Lord Paramount. That still makes him a 'catch' - he'd have inherited some lesser seat of power somewhere in the north.

Which makes me wonder. The Starks must have minor keeps that they've been ruling through cadet branches for centuries, but they're never mentioned. It actually seems a bit ludicrous that with Ned and Robb gone and Bran and Rickon thought dead there aren't a horde of cousins all squabbling over the inheritance. I know it explicitly say in "A Storm of Swords" that Rickard Stark had no siblings, but the family tree seems to have been over-pruned* in some manner over the last couple of generations.

* - (reminding me of Dolorous Edd's line, "Never trust a cook m'lord. They'll prune you when you least expect it." ) :lmao:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He might even marry some Lord in the Vale, given he spent his childhood as a ward of Jon Arryn and would have some connections to the Vale. That would help solidify an alliance between the North and the Vale like Brandon's marriage cemented the Stark-Tully alliance and Lyanna's marriage cemented the Stark-Baratheon alliance.

I guess it's possible,though he wouldn't marry the Lord,but the Lords daughter or maybe sister.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

* - (reminding me of Dolorous Edd's line, "Never trust a cook m'lord. They'll prune you when you least expect it." ) :lmao:

You know the greatest thing about him is that when you read his comments you can just picture him with a completely straight face and meaning every single word he says.

As to OP, I thought maybe Eddard was supposed to be Bloodraven's recruit to begin with and fate decided otherwise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think Ned would have had to settle for Fat Walda or anything. He'd have been a second son, sure, but a second son of a Lord Paramount. That still makes him a 'catch' - he'd have inherited some lesser seat of power somewhere in the north.

Which makes me wonder. The Starks must have minor keeps that they've been ruling through cadet branches for centuries, but they're never mentioned. It actually seems a bit ludicrous that with Ned and Robb gone and Bran and Rickon thought dead there aren't a horde of cousins all squabbling over the inheritance. I know it explicitly say in "A Storm of Swords" that Rickard Stark had no siblings, but the family tree seems to have been over-pruned* in some manner over the last couple of generations.

It was. They had a wildling invasion, Dagmar Greyjoy raiding with the Targaryen literally looking another way, an Skagosi rebellion, the Mad King and, on top, the War of the Five Kings. All that in about a hundred years.

I think they didn't suffer casualties in the War of the Ninepenny Kings, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think Ned would have had to settle for Fat Walda or anything. He'd have been a second son, sure, but a second son of a Lord Paramount. That still makes him a 'catch' - he'd have inherited some lesser seat of power somewhere in the north.

Which makes me wonder. The Starks must have minor keeps that they've been ruling through cadet branches for centuries, but they're never mentioned. It actually seems a bit ludicrous that with Ned and Robb gone and Bran and Rickon thought dead there aren't a horde of cousins all squabbling over the inheritance. I know it explicitly say in "A Storm of Swords" that Rickard Stark had no siblings, but the family tree seems to have been over-pruned* in some manner over the last couple of generations.

* - (reminding me of Dolorous Edd's line, "Never trust a cook m'lord. They'll prune you when you least expect it." ) :lmao:

The cousins they did have died out i.e a cadet branch called Grey Starks and the KarStarks still exist.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess it's possible,though he wouldn't marry the Lord,but the Lords daughter or maybe sister.

Yes of course, I meant Lord's daughter.

That said, given Aerys threw Tywin's marriage proposal between Rhaegar and Cersei in his face, and given the only other young Lord Paramount/heir available for marriage was Robert who was betrothed to Lyanna, perhaps Tywin would've had to settle for Rickard's second son.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That said, given Aerys threw Tywin's marriage proposal between Rhaegar and Cersei in his face, and given the only other young Lord Paramount/heir available for marriage was Robert who was betrothed to Lyanna, perhaps Tywin would've had to settle for Rickard's second son.

Tywin marrying his daughter to a politically null family which would gain him no power foot hold and that too to a second son is almost impossible,If a Second son is the only option Oberyn would have been his choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tywin marrying his daughter to a politically null family which would gain him no power foot hold and that too to a second son is almost impossible,If a Second son is the only option Oberyn would have been his choice.

Hmm going through the choices...

Royal family - no options

Vale - Jon Arryn married to Tully and old. No heir (Elbert Arryn I suppose, but if Jon has a son that's a waste of a marriage)

Riverlands - Edmure Tully, but he's only 9-10 years old at the time of Robert's Rebellion, whereas Cersei is 16. I guess this may work.

Reach - Mace would be married and I'm not sure how old Willas would be but we can guess that he'd be too young

Stormlands - Robert was betrothed and Stannis was married at the time of the rebellion

Iron Islands - Yeah he's not going to marry her to a Greyjoy

Dorne - Oberyn developed, by age 16 (which would be before the rebellion), a reputation, but sure maybe. He's 8 years older than Cersei.

North - eldest son is betrothed, but Eddard Stark is an appropriate age (3 years Cersei's senior).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was. They had a wildling invasion, Dagmar Greyjoy raiding with the Targaryen literally looking another way, an Skagosi rebellion, the Mad King and, on top, the War of the Five Kings. All that in about a hundred years.

I think they didn't suffer casualties in the War of the Ninepenny Kings, though.

Still, when you compare them to any other family of Lords Paramount*, they're really quite thin on the ground as far as having any cousins or potential matches to form alliance marriages with other houses. They were already in a bit of trouble in that regard, and the deaths of Rickard and Brandon made the situation much worse. It's a good thing that Eddard and Catelyn were so fecund.

The cousins they did have died out i.e a cadet branch called Grey Starks and the KarStarks still exist.

The Karstarks branched off many generations, centuries ago in fact. They're more of a candidate for a marriage of alliance than a source for matches.

* - House Baratheon was also hurting in this regard, and the fact that Robert and Renly were killed within a year of each other, and that Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella are illegitimate puts them well into the red zone. Which makes Stannis' pigheaded bid for the Iron Throne an act of supreme folly as well as an enormous disservice to the realm. If he attains the throne and then dies without an heir, it will just spark another war of succession.

The Lannisters are on the opposite end of the spectrum, with a goodly supply of brothers, sisters and cousins. It really is one of the keys to keeping a dynasty going for generations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...