Khal drogo marrying Dany, why?

[punzerknacker]

I find it hard to believe that the dosh khaleen would be bribed... it seems like a cheap explanation to me if GRRM doesn't go into more detail about it. Like if you need a character to do something that has no real use for them you go with "oh they were bribed" and then not even explain with what? Seems too lazy to me...

[cgrav]

36 minutes ago, punzerknacker said:

I find it hard to believe that the dosh khaleen would be bribed... it seems like a cheap explanation to me if GRRM doesn't go into more detail about it. Like if you need a character to do something that has no real use for them you go with "oh they were bribed" and then not even explain with what? Seems too lazy to me...

Illyrio does explain that cities avoid sacking by paying off the Dothraki, and that this practice has evolved almost into a theatrical custom. Illyrio being one of the wealthiest people in one such major city is in a position to offer or deny mob-style "protection". Although it's unclear who he would negotiate with other than Khal Drogo, it's conceivable that he managed to relay a specific condition for his continued contribution to Pentos's peace with the Dothraki.

At the same time, the other explanation also makes perfect. It's just that the deeper plot is more fun to think about.

 

I'm just not getting that from the text. There's no reason to believe that Viserys knew the content of the prophecy, just that there would be one, and that he thought it was bullshit. It's like he's that douche uncle rolling his eyes when you take the kids to see Santa Claus.

Viserys says that the prophecy will be about Dany's child. Unless the prophecies are very predictably about the children of the Khals, then how would he know that detail? The ellipses in the quote also indicate that he knew more but was interrupted.

I think it's reasonable to examine Illyrio's possible role when it comes to things that may have inspired Khal Drogo to stick with the plan.

[Nihlus]

Dothraki don't do large-scale battles in general. The Free Cities give them gifts every now and then because it's cheaper than paying mercenaries to kill them (Illyrio explicitly tells Tyrion this when he asks), and because they're a key part of the slave trade. The Dothraki take the gifts and in turn don't cause any trouble while doing their usual slave grabbing operation. Daenerys was one of these gifts.

[40 Thousand Skeletons]

2 hours ago, punzerknacker said:

I find it hard to believe that the dosh khaleen would be bribed... it seems like a cheap explanation to me if GRRM doesn't go into more detail about it. Like if you need a character to do something that has no real use for them you go with "oh they were bribed" and then not even explain with what? Seems too lazy to me...

How about with money or literally anything else? The dosh khaleen are just people, a bunch of lonely widows permanently trapped at Vaes Dothrak. Illyrio can basically get his hands on any goods in the world. I don't know why you find it hard to believe that they would be bribed. How is that a cheap explanation? Bribing priests to make them fake a religious ceremony is a totally GRRM thing to do. Their conversation could have gone down like this:

Illyrio: Hey, dosh khaleen, I really need you to foretell that Khal Drogo's child will be TSWMTW. That would be great.

Dosh khaleen: OK, give us $1,000,000 and we will do it.

Illyrio: Deal.

See? Easy.

[40 Thousand Skeletons]

5 hours ago, Hodor the Articulate said:

Is everything going to be "because prophecy" now? Dany had prestige. It's that simple.

You mean in a story about prophecy where many key characters, including Rhaegar and Mel and a bunch of others, have been obsessed with fulfilling prophecy? Yeah, we should probably consider it a possibility at a minimum.

How do you explain Drogo's desire to marry Dany? Why are Dany's silver hair and purple eyes important to him? Why is her Valyrian blood important?

Well, basically 100% of Dothraki including Drogo believe that someday there will be TSWMTW, and it would make a lot of sense if Drogo is trying to give birth to this person.

It is certainly not as simple as "Dany had prestige". Really? Did she? The younger sister to the Beggar King?

Quote

At first the magisters and archons and merchant princes were pleased to welcome the last Targaryens to their homes and tables, but as the years passed and the Usurper continued to sit upon the Iron Throne, doors closed and their lives grew meaner. Years past they had been forced to sell their last few treasures, and now even the coin they had gotten from Mother's crown had gone. In the alleys and wine sinks of Pentos, they called her brother "the beggar king." Dany did not want to know what they called her.

Yeah... she sure sounds prestigious...  

[devilish]

 Khal Drogo was one of the most powerful Dothraki Lords in Essos. When one consider the Dothraki savage culture that is quite an achievement especially considering his young age. 

However, that’s just 1 of the characteristics that differs Drogo from the majority of the Dothraki. The Dothraki do not build houses yet Drogo has a mansion in Pentos. The Dothraki tend not to respect foreigners especially weak people whose army is based on infantry. Drogo had unsullied guarding his palace in Pentos. He also trusts the Magister of Pentos enough to find a wife for him and after he got hitched he makes sure to treat his wife with great respect.

Which kind of suggest that Drogo had a good picture of the political situation surrounding the Targs. He knew of Danny’s birthright (which would be extended to his sons if he ever married her) and he probably also knew how arrogant, stupid, abusive and equally vulnerable her big brother was.  With such information at hand, it’s not very difficult to come out with a plan on how to frustrate Viserys enough for him to commit hara-kiri by confronting either Drogo or Danny. That would strip Viserys of his life and it would remove the only obstacle Danny (or her children) had to her claim for Westeros. I wonder if the GC who ignored Viserys claim would do the same, if let’s says, a Targeryan queen approached them with a 40k Dothraki horde at her back. A 10K professional army with the finest Essosi cavalry horde at its back is quite a frightening sight especially if Illyio (an army of unsullied?) and the Targ loyalists (Dorne?) decides to join in. 

You don’t become a leader of a horde unless you’ve got brains.

[John Suburbs]

16 hours ago, Damon_Tor said:

I'm just not getting that from the text. There's no reason to believe that Viserys knew the content of the prophecy, just that there would be one, and that he thought it was bullshit. It's like he's that douche uncle rolling his eyes when you take the kids to see Santa Claus.

I don't see it either. Viserys calls it a mummer's farce because everything about the Dothraki is a mummer's farce: their language, their clothes, their religion, their savagery...

And it is also common practice that new brides of Khals are always brought to the DK ASAP for a horse-heart reading, which in most cases will happen when they are already with child. So the fact that Vis, Illyrio, Jorah and anyone else know this ahead of time is not surprising at all.

Plus, if you look at the context in which the conversations about the prophecy take place, it's always in reference to the fact that Drogo will not march his khalasar on anyone, in Essos or Westeros, until the DK have had their say -- not that they are expecting anything major from the prophecy.

I'll also echo the question from above: what could Illyrio possibly use to bribe the DK? They don't need money, horses, fine clothes, perfume... And even if he bestows some gift on them, what does he do if they fail to give him the prophecy he wants? March on Dosh Khaleen? Poison them all? They're a thousand leagues deep into Dothraki territory -- about as untouchable as anyone on the planet.

So, getting back to the OP, Khal Drogo already considers himself the mightiest Khal in a generation, so is he going to settle for just another Dothraki bride like the thousands of lesser khals that have gone before him? But the blood of old Valyria, daughter of a king, plus a whomping huge dowry in horses and whatnot from Illyiro? Now we're talking.

[Lost Melnibonean]

10 minutes ago, John Suburbs said:

I don't see it either. Viserys calls it a mummer's farce because everything about the Dothraki is a mummer's farce: their language, their clothes, their religion, their savagery...

And it is also common practice that new brides of Khals are always brought to the DK ASAP for a horse-heart reading, which in most cases will happen when they are already with child. So the fact that Vis, Illyrio, Jorah and anyone else know this ahead of time is not surprising at all.

Plus, if you look at the context in which the conversations about the prophecy take place, it's always in reference to the fact that Drogo will not march his khalasar on anyone, in Essos or Westeros, until the DK have had their say -- not that they are expecting anything major from the prophecy.

I'll also echo the question from above: what could Illyrio possibly use to bribe the DK? They don't need money, horses, fine clothes, perfume... And even if he bestows some gift on them, what does he do if they fail to give him the prophecy he wants? March on Dosh Khaleen? Poison them all? They're a thousand leagues deep into Dothraki territory -- about as untouchable as anyone on the planet.

So, getting back to the OP, Khal Drogo already considers himself the mightiest Khal in a generation, so is he going to settle for just another Dothraki bride like the thousands of lesser khals that have gone before him? But the blood of old Valyria, daughter of a king, plus a whomping huge dowry in horses and whatnot from Illyiro? Now we're talking.

Actually, Drogo gave Illyrio the horses (and slaves). All Drogo got was the dragon princess. Now, if the property of his wife was his property (like the gifts from his bloodriders), then he received three dragon’s eggs. 

[hodorisfaclessman]

Hes a young unbeaten khal at the head of the largest khalassar in a long time with a few old and weak rivals left to crush til he unites the whole race under him

With such a powerful force and youth on his side it doesnt take a genius to see he will achieve somehing big things,dany even says he dreams of sacking a major city east 

By marrying her he adds an exotic trophy wife with ancient royal blood all helping to add to that mystique that hel achive something bold and different

 

As for age bear in mind grmm has admitted he messed up timelines when rewriting leaving main characters way younger than theybare supposed to be

[Lost Melnibonean]

24 minutes ago, hodorisfaclessman said:

As for age bear in mind grmm has admitted he messed up timelines when rewriting leaving main characters way younger than theybare supposed to be

That only applies to characters post Storm. 

[hodorisfaclessman]

42 minutes ago, Lost Melnibonean said:

That only applies to characters post Storm. 

Sure?

[Lost Melnibonean]

9 minutes ago, hodorisfaclessman said:

Sure?

Yes. He had planned on a five-year gap after Storm, during which the young characters would have aged, but scrapped it after he finished Storm. 

[Lord Wraith]

Mayhaps he thinks a child from a Valyrian like Dany would produce the Stallion that Mounts the world?

[Hodor the Articulate]

19 hours ago, 40 Thousand Skeletons said:

You mean in a story about prophecy where many key characters, including Rhaegar and Mel and a bunch of others, have been obsessed with fulfilling prophecy? Yeah, we should probably consider it a possibility at a minimum.

How do you explain Drogo's desire to marry Dany? Why are Dany's silver hair and purple eyes important to him? Why is her Valyrian blood important?

Well, basically 100% of Dothraki including Drogo believe that someday there will be TSWMTW, and it would make a lot of sense if Drogo is trying to give birth to this person.

It is certainly not as simple as "Dany had prestige". Really? Did she? The younger sister to the Beggar King?

Yeah... she sure sounds prestigious...  

Uh... yeah, she's a princess, the last female Targ, and a recognised descent of Aegon. She's like a super rare collectable. Of course Drogo wants a piece of that.

If he just wanted a purple eyed blond with Valyrian blood, there's a whole city of them he could have chosen from.

[TMIFairy]

5 minutes ago, Hodor the Articulate said:

Uh... yeah, she's a princess, the last female Targ, and a recognised descent of Aegon. She's like a super rare collectable. Of course Drogo wants a piece of that.

Yup. Trophy wife.

Or, considering his attention span "Ooooh! Shiny!"

[Lost Melnibonean]

8 hours ago, Lord Wraith said:

Mayhaps he thinks a child from a Valyrian like Dany would produce the Stallion that Mounts the world?

I got a gold dragon says the perfumed magister suggested as much to the khal. 

[Lost Melnibonean]

8 hours ago, Hodor the Articulate said:

Uh... yeah, she's a princess, the last female Targ, and a recognised descent of Aegon. She's like a super rare collectable. Of course Drogo wants a piece of that.

If he just wanted a purple eyed blond with Valyrian blood, there's a whole city of them he could have chosen from.

That's what Illyrio did!

[Aegon VII]

I have to believe 90% of why he married her is because she's smoking hot. Beauty is an indicator of good health and good genes, which is valuable information when choosing a partner, even subconsciously. Beauty-status exchange. There's different ways someone can bring value to a relationship. Physical appearance should not be underestimated. 

 

The other 10% is that she's exotic and from a foreign noble family. I guarantee though, if she wasn't beautiful Kahl Drogo would have passed on the marriage. Kind of the whole point of him seeing her and riding off without a word at the beginning of got.

[40 Thousand Skeletons]

2 hours ago, Aegon VII said:

I have to believe 90% of why he married her is because she's smoking hot. Beauty is an indicator of good health and good genes, which is valuable information when choosing a partner, even subconsciously. Beauty-status exchange. There's different ways someone can bring value to a relationship. Physical appearance should not be underestimated. 

 

The other 10% is that she's exotic and from a foreign noble family. I guarantee though, if she wasn't beautiful Kahl Drogo would have passed on the marriage. Kind of the whole point of him seeing her and riding off without a word at the beginning of got.

Get out of here with your show references 

That never fucking happened.

People, Dany was 13. I don't care how hot of a 13 year old she was. Drogo absolutely could have married a more attractive person. You know, like a random hot 18 year old.

[40 Thousand Skeletons]

12 hours ago, Hodor the Articulate said:

Uh... yeah, she's a princess, the last female Targ, and a recognised descent of Aegon. She's like a super rare collectable. Of course Drogo wants a piece of that.

If he just wanted a purple eyed blond with Valyrian blood, there's a whole city of them he could have chosen from.

Where in Dothraki culture does it ever hint that they would value having a super rare collectable wife? You are oddly complicating the situation. Dothraki have exactly one core religious belief: TSWMTW will some day unite all of them and conquer the world. Drogo is trying to give birth to this person because he is ambitious and obviously thinks Dany's blood is the key, probably because the dosh khaleen told him so.

Dany is not a princess. She is sister to a beggar.