Why didn't Balon Greyjoy marry for a second time?

[Nucky Thompson]

We are told that Robert sent Theon to be fostered by Eddard in order to ensure the loyalty of Balon and to prevent future rebellions. Why didn't Balon simply set aside his crazy wife and marry for a second time? In this way, he would wave one big middle finger to both Robert and Eddard, and ensure an heir whom he could model after his own image, in the "old ways" and what not...

I understand that plotwise this would throw quite the spanner in the wheels of the Ironborn story arc, but still, it seems like quite the plothole to me. It seems rather unlikely that Balon was afraid that Robert would mobilize the kingdoms once again and wage war on him, since Robert would have no casus belli. Moreover, the leverage that Eddard and the crown have on him, by being in possession of the heir apparent to the Iron Islands, would be severely diminished. I don't think that Balon subscribed to Roose's view about boy lords being the bane of any house, and even if he did, his views on Asha would have been quite different in such a case.

All in all, Robert's guarantee against another Greyjoy rebellion was rather shaky at best.

[joluoto2]

Balon's wife is still alive. That's why. It's not easy to set aside a wife in Westeros (although we don't know enough about Ironborn traditions to know if this applies to them too).

[Jairion Lannister]

I'm fairly sure he wasn't allowed to just marry again while his wife was alive. Until she was dead, he couldn't re-marry.

I agree that Robert's leverage over Balon was a bit shaky and the most sensible option in this case would have been to execute him for treason. Although if he had done that then Euron would've probably rebelled again, and been even bolder when doing so.

[thelittledragonthatcould]

I agree with what's been mentioned, plus you have to remember that his wife if from House Harlaw rulers of the wealthiest and most populated Iron Island. Potential civil war could happen if he just cast his wife aside.

[Hangover of the Morning]

What others said: he was still married.

Wasn't Tywin suggesting Cersei to marry Balon? I think Tyrion was quite amused by the idea of Cersei having the Old Squid in her bed. That would have been so much fun.

Btw. I think Alannys Harlaw (Balon's wife) is one of the most tragic characters of the series.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

I think that Alannys is alive, didn't Asha met her at Feast?

[Hangover of the Morning]

I think that Alannys is alive, didn't Asha met her at Feast?

Yes. I am pretty sure she is alive. Just completely broken and out of her mind.

[Mikkel]

I think that Alannys is alive, didn't Asha met her at Feast?

Indeed. Half-crazed or worse it seems, but certainly alive.

Edit:

Setting aside your wife is just not done. Or certainly, it's not just done - that is, if it's even possible, it carries a lot of issues. As Balon's wife is from one of his most powerful vassals to boot, that doesn't make it easier. There's obviously no chance of trying to get it done due to non-consummation.

In the end, Balon seems to think he does have a suitable heir: Asha.

[Nucky Thompson]

Balon could have appeased the Harlaws by marrying another lady from their house. After Brandon Stark died, Catelyn Stark married the brother of her betrothed, Eddard. As for setting Alannys aside - sure, she was alive, but crazy and unable to fulfill her duties as a wife. What is more, Balon is Lord Paramount, he can basically pull off a Henry VIII and send her to become a septa, or something.

There must be a similar procedure in Westeros for when the wife goes crazy, or otherwise becomes unsuitable for the institution of marriage. Balon follows the Drowned God instead of the Seven, but still, if not send her for a septa, he could rid himself of Alannys in some other religiously valid way.

I mean, those are the Ironborn, who are allowed to have salt wives whose presence doesn't interfere with their marriage, and the Lord Paramount of the Iron Islands has to remain powerless after the King has sent his heir apparent into an exile, all because of a crazy wife and religious reasons? The Drowned God should have thought of such a case and included a paragraph in the rulebook, shouldn't he?

PS: And with Tywin seemingly believing that Cersei could wed Balon should it be decided as politically appropriate, there's bound to be a loophole for the occupant of the Seastone Chair to rid himself of a crazy wife. At least after crowning himself, Balon should have done as Walder Frey is partial to doing, and taken another wife. Should he have been more politically savvy, he could have even sealed an alliance with a powerful house outside the Isles, but even if this would have been inappropriate, securing an heir who is outside of the Iron Throne's reach should have been his primary priority and Balon should have gotten around to it as early as possible.

[Mikkel]

Assuming there even is another suitable Harlaw lady, if Balon starts the setting-aside-ball rolling, who's to say he wouldn't do it again? Marriages work as alliance contracts precisely because they aren't set aside - I don't think potential madness plays into it, except perhaps in the batshit-crazy fashion, which doesn't seem to be what Balon's wife suffers from. Even then, it's not done. Marriage being inviolate is one of the bearing pillars of Westerosi society.

And to reiterate, since my previous point came in via an edit, Balon feels he does have an heir in Asha. She's a woman, sure, but barring the outlandish Euron's return, odds are good she might've pulled off the Kingsmoot - assuming one had even been necessary.

[Jon's Queen Consort]

snip

No he can't. In Westeros a marriage could be annulled only if the marriage is not consumated and they most certainly had consumated the marriage. Cat married Ned after Brandon died without ever consumated their betrothal.

Alannys had fulfilled her duty, she had bore 5 children, by the logic that she hadn't gave birth to more children every Lord could *throw* his wife away after she reached menopause.

Also the IB don't follow the seven so septa is out of question too.

[Hangover of the Morning]

Assuming there even is another suitable Harlaw lady, if Balon starts the setting-aside-ball rolling, who's to say he wouldn't do it again? Marriages work as alliance contracts precisely because they aren't set aside - I don't think potential madness plays into it, except perhaps in the batshit-crazy fashion, which doesn't seem to be what Balon's wife suffers from.

And to reiterate, since my previous point came in via an edit, Balon feels he does have an heir in Asha. She's a woman, sure, but barring the outlandish Euron's returns, odds are good she might've pulled off the Kingsmoot.

:agree:

Balon was a traditionalist and my guess is that setting aside your wife is not a usual custom, especially on the Iron Islands, where loyalty is even more important than on the mainland. Besides, Alannys fulfilled her duties. She gave Balon four healthy kids. Balon was the one who haphazardly risked and lost their lives in his stupid rebellion. His wife can't be expected to keep breeding and popping a new squid every year until she drops dead.

[Nucky Thompson]

Yeah, but it seems to be suggested to Stannis all throughout the series to remarry, and Selyse is alive and kicking. It seems that Stannis didn't consider it seriously because he saw the institution of marriage as a sacred one, but still, it wasn't ruled out as something that cannot technically be done, but instead was simply shrugged off by Stannis. And both he and his wife aren't followers of the Seven, but follow R'hlor instead, so it's not the septa solution there, either.

And Balon is not in a straightforward position of disliking his wife and wanting to swap it for a younger one, he, and by extension his kingdom, is in a dire need of an able heir. Sure, he back Asha as Lady of the Iron Islands, but even Balon with all his stubbornness couldn't have thought it to be a sure thing, and must have seen it as a long shot at best. Yes, without Aeron's interference there wasn't even supposed to be a kingsmoot, but Euron would still have made an attempt on Asha's birthright. I guess it simply was, after all, a case of Balon wasting all his heirs without hedging his bets and having at least one of them well protected from the possibly disastrous effects of his rebellion. Even then, it seems out of character for him to simply resign his dynasty to a likely ruin by appointing Asha heir apparent after his unwillingness to let a "greenlanded" Theon take his place. Maybe Victarion was his contingency plan, but with him being heirless as well, things don't bode well for the Greyjoys as a house. I guess it could be argued that Balon saw the error of his ways and rationalized that any further heir would perish as well in a future rebellion which he might have been staging, but still, if he has made up his mind to try another rebellion, he could've tried securing a real heir as well.

Yes, Tywin's plan for Cersei to marry Balon would certainly be good for giggles, and it would seem that before long, the longships of the Iron Fleet would sail at whomever she saw as an enemy. Imagine the chaos!

PS: Renly's agenda of marrying Margaery to Robert would certainly face similar problems, and he didn't stop trying to push it because of that. And I don't think that he intended for Robert to have Cersei killed and go to war with the Lannisters, as it would be too much trouble. Renly (and the Tyrells who are likely to have given him that particular idea) must have had a more elegant solution in mind.

[Hangover of the Morning]

PS: And with Tywin seemingly believing that Cersei could wed Balon should it be decided as politically appropriate, there's bound to be a loophole for the occupant of the Seastone Chair to rid himself of a crazy wife. At least after crowning himself, Balon should have done as Walder Frey is partial to doing, and taken another wife. Should he have been more politically savvy, he could have even sealed an alliance with a powerful house outside the Isles, but even if this would have been inappropriate, securing an heir who is outside of the Iron Throne's reach should have been his primary priority and Balon should have gotten around to it as early as possible.

Well, the Lannisters are masters of loopholes and think of themselves above others so I wouldn't consider their behaviour as a norm in Westeros. Tywin is a conservative too but most of all he is an opportunist and if there is a beneficial way to go around a rule and he thinks he can get away with, he goes for it.

No one ever blamed Balon for being politically savvy. :cool4:

Setting aside his wife would likely cost him the loss of support of his bannerman but if Tywin offered him Cersei and some kind of deal, he might have gone for it. But I doubt he would have initiated it on his own. Who do you think he should have married? His wife is from one of the most powerful house on the Iron Islands and there was no chance that he could cut a strong allegiance with someone from the mainland.

[Nucky Thompson]

One must note that the Harlaws would benefit as well if they provided another wife for their Lord Paramount. As it stands, their claim to lordship via Asha is shaky at best, and their only hope is to support Theon, who would prove to be unsuitable to the majority of the Ironborn as well, let alone to his own father.

[Hangover of the Morning]

One must note that the Harlaws would benefit as well if they provided another wife for their Lord Paramount.

Excellent idea. Why did no one think of that?

If I was a lord, I'll put that into my marriage contract!!! Once I get tired of my wife, I get to exchange her for her younger sister and then for even the younger sister .... :smileysex:

[Sullen]

Seemingly simple answer: He still loved his wife? For all we know, Balon was still a human being capable of emotion, and I don't think it's mentioned whether or not he has salt wives... the separation could have been the result of the deterioration of Alannys's mental state...

[toffeejay]

It still causes problems regarding an heir.

He's been grooming Asha as heir but Theon has no knowledge of this or anyone outside of his court it seems.

Ignoring Asha though to have a son and disinherit Theon simply means you are giving your enemies cause to try and use Theon to their own advantage. Presently he is hostage, once you disinherit him they can back his claim against you and your heir.

[Lord of Dragonstone]

What others said: he was still married.

Wasn't Tywin suggesting Cersei to marry Balon? I think Tyrion was quite amused by the idea of Cersei having the Old Squid in her bed. That would have been so much fun.

Btw. I think Alannys Harlaw (Balon's wife) is one of the most tragic characters of the series.

I'm pretty sure it was Victarion, not Balon that was suggested for Cersei.

[Nucky Thompson]

It still causes problems regarding an heir.

He's been grooming Asha as heir but Theon has no knowledge of this or anyone outside of his court it seems.

Ignoring Asha though to have a son and disinherit Theon simply means you are giving your enemies cause to try and use Theon to their own advantage. Presently he is hostage, once you disinherit him they can back his claim against you and your heir.

Asha, too, has to contend with Theon.