Why did Stannis marry Selyse?

[James Arryn]

Stannis grinding his teeth and giving a version of events where he is the victim not getting his due?

Unthinkable.

For the record, in the same speech Stannis actually, seriously and sincerely bitches that Robert did not say, and I quote, "Well done brother. Where ever would I be without you?"

[Mom Like Stoneheart]

Out of duty. Maybe Stannis was betrothed to Selyse before Robert was crowned King.

Most likely reason IMO.

[Bronn Urgandy]

Wow. That's a, well, um, unique way of reading Asha.

Yeah, sorry about that. Thats me being totally extreme in my interpretation of Asha and her thoughts, I figure its on the same lines as all those people who say "Stannis hates women" when the only evidence of that is that he's akward around certain women, and probably feels they have no place in war, which isn't an unusual viewpoint among Westerosi men, and any sane man would find Selyse unbearable. Whereas there is plenty of evidence to suggest he doesn't hold women in low regard, or lower regard than they are already held by the laws of the land. He wouldn't go so far as to name Shireen heir over any kind of son, for example.

This is simply what some boys do when they don't have an intelligent explanation for why the books directly contradict their views of favorate "Heros".

He didn't get the 1980's memo when Freud's Penis Envy theory was discredited as a patriarchal view of upper-class Vienisean women...a mistake GRRM clearly didn't incorporated into Asha's character.

lol condesending comment alert.

To be fair, she has been disinherited and she was raised pretty much as a man, I'll take back cock envy because it was a childish response and as I pointed out above, I think it bears the same amount of weight as "Stannis hates women! Raargh!" I'll disregard him telling Selyse to shut up, she was on her knees begging him to burn his own nephew, she's every bit as bad as Axell Florent. Robert probably would've hit her.

Seriously, if Asha's thoughts had come from someone like Catelyn Stark, a woman who married a middle child who himself was akward around women and came to love him, I'd give her thoughts more creedence, but because it comes from Westeros' ultimate fiercely independent ladette, and after reading her thoughts on Tris Botley and Qarl the Maid, I have to take what she says with a pinch of salt. Maybe women are another race to Stannis, but she herself clearly isnt fond of any kind of shyness or akwardness, prefering boysterous and loud, she almost seems to find the other offensive, and since Stannis isn't shy and says whats on his mind, but is clearly akward, it'd look rude to her.

Like those loud drunk women at hen parties who shout lewd comments at everyone, come and sit at your table then have the cheek to call the one of your mates who doesn't know how to take it and has sort of clammed up "rude" and "boring." Except he's actually usually the funniest one there.

Yes, I realise with that last comment I've walked right into "that 'mate' was probably you. Hur. Hur" Once upon a time it might've been. Except I was never funny. I also want to point out at this stage that Asha is one of my favourite characters, any ironborn that grimaces at "the old way" is a-okay in my book. And she is fun as hell.

Like I say about Stannis though, the evidence points toward akward, but outside of Asha, not contemptous. Could you imagine Stannis calling a woman "cunt!" just because? Or saying a good raping would do her good?

In the very first chapter we see him, he kicks Cressen out of his, err, office? So he can listen to his wifes advice in peace.

[EstEst]

<snip>

Like I say about Stannis though, the evidence points toward akward, but outside of Asha, not contemptous. Could you imagine Stannis calling a woman "cunt!" just because? Or saying a good raping would do her good?

Heh, I once knew a guy who moved to our large city from a godforsaken village. He grew up with 4 brothers and 1 sister, and that sister was more like a brother. When he moved here, he for a long time felt awkward with girls and women, and that was funny since he was 18 years old and 6'2" tall. When he had to talk to a girl, he always suspected she was up to something, never knew what to expect, and that made him nervous. At that, mind you, he felt great respect to women in general, since that was the way his Mom raised him. But they were not his Mom!

I think somehow that is similar to the way Stannis feels for women. First, I'm sure he respects them in general, since that is the way his parents raised him. Second, they're not his mother, whom I think he idealized. And third, he doesn't know what to expect of them, unless they speak directly, like Melisandre or Asha. That's why he's awkward, but not hateful.

[Iona]

Stannis grinding his teeth and giving a version of events where he is the victim not getting his due?

Unthinkable.

For the record, in the same speech Stannis actually, seriously and sincerely bitches that Robert did not say, and I quote, "Well done brother. Where ever would I be without you?"

It is a possibility. I can see Bobby enjoying his fifth flagon of wine when Stannis comes back and tells him the last Targaryens escaped him. What follows might not be a scene of brotherly love and mutual praise.

[Arya kiddin']

Is it possible that Stannis married Selyse to help him celibate? The guy lives like an ascetic, I'm sure he doesn't enjoys those * ahem marriage duties either. :lol:

:leaving:

[Lady Sharya]

I think somehow that is similar to the way Stannis feels for women. First, I'm sure he respects them in general, since that is the way his parents raised him. Second, they're not his mother, whom I think he idealized. And third, he doesn't know what to expect of them, unless they speak directly, like Melisandre or Asha. That's why he's awkward, but not hateful.

Of coarse that's it...the big fuzzy Luv Bug!;)

[LordFirkraag]

It's not that surprising...House Florent is a fairly logical option and one of the most powerful of the major Houses that isn't already bound to Robert's cause.

He has the Westerlands through Cersei, the North and the Riverlands through Ned, the Vale through Aryn. Dorne hates his guts and would spurn any marriage proposal from the royal family.

For whatever reason, the Tyrells must have been out of bounds. Maybe Mace Tyrell is still bitter about Stannis basically humiliating him by holding Storm's End. House Florent is a fairly logical second choice. They don't have the biggest army in the world, but they have gold and history and (if need be) a claim to ascendancy over the Reach.

[( Bloodraven )]

<snip>

I think somehow that is similar to the way Stannis feels for women. First, I'm sure he respects them in general, since that is the way his parents raised him. Second, they're not his mother, whom I think he idealized. And third, he doesn't know what to expect of them, unless they speak directly, like Melisandre or Asha. That's why he's awkward, but not hateful.

I've been thinking the same thing... When talking about his parents, he always mention his mother first, and during the parley w/ Renly, he says something like "For the sake of the mother who bore us both..." Tiny details I know. But compare it to Dany or Ned who iirc, never wonder about their mothers in all their POVs...

[Djinn]

Stannis marries Selyse a few years after the rebellion, so chances are that the match was made by Robert. It's a match of the King's brother with a niece of the Lord of Brightwater, that has a claim to Highgarden. Clearly a way to threaten and undermine the Tyrells. The question is : was it the best match? Well, the Florent threaten the Tyrells in the claim to Highgarden, but not really in anything else. Hightower, Redwyne, Rowan or maybe even Oakheart have far greater capability to challenge the Tyrells or at least deny them considerable part of the Reach military capabilities. Also Selyse i a niece of the head of the House, not a daughter, so her chances of inheritance are very low, and she isn't gifted with any personal traits that would make the match a better deal(beauty, talent,etc). Meanwhile, another niece of Lord Florent, Delena, is also available and is actually atractive.

So all in all, Robert needed allies within the Reach to threaten the Tyrells, decide to gain them by a marriage to his brother, and picked the less atractive one fo it so that he could hook up with the pretty one. All the gain for him. And Stannis does his duty.

Renly could've been engaged to Margaery at the time already, Stannis could've been married to Lynesse or Delena or even one of Rowan/Tarly's daughters. But that would only give political gain for Robert, not personal.

[Pod The Impaler]

Yeah, sorry about that. Thats me being totally extreme in my interpretation of Asha and her thoughts, I figure its on the same lines as all those people who say "Stannis hates women" when the only evidence of that is that he's akward around certain women, and probably feels they have no place in war, which isn't an unusual viewpoint among Westerosi men, and any sane man would find Selyse unbearable. Whereas there is plenty of evidence to suggest he doesn't hold women in low regard, or lower regard than they are already held by the laws of the land.

I think Asha had him dead-to-rights there. He's a hardline straight-arrow male, and women are tougher for him to figure out than for most, especially their emotions.

Well, to give Stannis some credit (?), he seems to have somewhat less trouble relating to Melisandre. Any discussion of his relationships is incomplete without reference to her.

Selyse is the wife he was given, and accepted because it was his duty. Yet, Stannis, "Mr. Tradition" is basically in a sort of "open relationship" now, where he's been bedding Melisandre, and prudish / frigid / fundamentalist Selyse seems to be strangely okay with it. (I have a crackpot theory about why that is.)