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She was in exile after murder of Joffrey but then married to Tyrion. After Petyr took her and gave her in marriage to Ramsay, how can this happen?

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    possible duplicate of Is divorce allowed in Westeros?
    – Kalissar
    Jul 13, 2015 at 7:55
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    I'm not sure that this is a dupe - this is asking about a specific (answerable) part of the story, where the other is asking about a different element that is related.
    – Dr R Dizzle
    Jul 13, 2015 at 8:08
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    Sounds like yet another plot hole missed by the script writers of the tv-show. That role was not played by Sansa in the books.
    – TLP
    Jul 13, 2015 at 9:47
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    @TLP not a tv plot hole. Sansa is set to marry someone in the books, just not Ramsay.
    – kuhl
    Jul 13, 2015 at 12:36
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    @TLP yet she can be engaged to marry Harry? That's the point I'm making, Littlefinger doesn't care that she is already married in either medium.
    – kuhl
    Jul 13, 2015 at 16:21

3 Answers 3

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Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish explained this while talking to Roose Bolton in the episode "High Sparrow":

BAELISH: (They begin walking). I assure you she's still a virgin. Tyrion never consummated the marriage. By the law of the land, she's no man's wife. Inspect her, if you must.

ROOSE: I leave that to the brothel keeper. It's her name I need, not her virtue.

BAELISH: Then I have delivered everything I've promised.

ROOSE: And you prepared for the consequences. When the Lannisters hear I've wed Sansa Stark to Ramsay...

BAELISH: The Lannister name doesn't mean what it once did. Tywin is dead. He kept his house in power through sheer will. Without him, Jaime has one hand and no allies, Tommen is a soft boy, not a king to fear.

ROOSE: The Queen will be enraged.

BAELISH: Queen Margaery adores Sansa. Cersei is Queen Mother, a title whose importance wanes with each passing day.

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    But who says Tyrion didn't consummate? Except Baelish and the Boltons, I mean? That wasn't in the official King's Landing Gazette or anything...
    – einpoklum
    Jul 14, 2015 at 9:33
  • @einpoklum - and who exactly is going to challenge their word? Some random peasant? An enemy?
    – Davor
    Jul 14, 2015 at 9:43
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    @Davor: Touchee.
    – einpoklum
    Jul 14, 2015 at 13:18
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The reason that Sansa could still be betrothed to Ramsay Bolton after her marriage to Tyrion Lannister is that he marriage to Tyrion was never consumated. This means that the marriage was never made official in the eyes of the gods, and as such she is free to go on to marry anyone as officially, the marriage never took place.

We see this in one of Sansa's chapters in the A Song of Ice and Fire book A Storm of Swords, or the episode where Sansa is wed to Tyrion in season 3 of Game of Thrones. Tyrion is unable to consumate the marriage as it is clear that Sansa is terrified and unwilling to go through with it. This is confirmed by Petyr Baelish in season 5 of Game of Thrones when he is setting up the wedding between Sansa and Ramsay.

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    This can only happen if a septon agrees to dissolve the marriage. Did you see that happen? And also, this answer is entirely based on information from the books.
    – TLP
    Jul 13, 2015 at 9:49
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    @TLP I've read the book in which it happens and seen every episode of the show to date. I'm fairly certain that Peter Baelish actually talks to one of the Boltons in season 5 and explains that the marriage between Sansa and Tyrion was never consumated, but I may be wrong about that.
    – Dr R Dizzle
    Jul 13, 2015 at 9:50
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    @DrRDizzle you are not wrong. Boltons know/were told that Sansa was a virgin. Just before Ramsay rapes Sansa, he starts to taunt her by asking why's she still a virgin, was she afraid of dwarf and so on.
    – Nika G.
    Jul 13, 2015 at 10:01
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    But who's informed anybody that Tyrion didn't consummate? Except Baelish and the Boltons, I mean? That wasn't in the official King's Landing Gazette or anything... Any person wanting to remarry a married woman (assuming she hasn't had kids) can claim her marriage wasn't actually consummated.
    – einpoklum
    Jul 14, 2015 at 9:33
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    @einpoklum I believe it is mentioned in the books that Sansa told her chambermaid, who spread the word. At the same time, in the world of ASOIAF they believe that they can check to see if her maidenhood is intact, which it would be.
    – Dr R Dizzle
    Jul 14, 2015 at 9:37
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They never smashed. In that world (and their laws) that means the marriage of Sansa and Tyrion is not legal.

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    Can you provide references for the answer you have written? Answers this short are likely to be deleted. If you can support your claim with quotes and references, and expand upon what you have written, it would probably be a good answer.
    – Wad Cheber
    Jul 14, 2015 at 1:24
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    Actually even in our world, which I assume is what inspired it. In most Western countries if you never had sex when married then you don't need a divorce, you just need a judge/official to declare the marriage null and void (never happened). This process is known as annulment and at least in the UK and most states in the US never having sex is a valid reason for annulment.
    – slebetman
    Jul 14, 2015 at 7:26
  • To back up @siebetman here is the info gov.uk/how-to-annul-marriage. I never knew STD was on there lol.
    – Dreamwalker
    Jul 14, 2015 at 11:58

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