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Tywin Lannister is keen on making Tyrion marry Sansa Stark so that their would-be son will be the heir to Winterfell.

Since Tywin essentially had the entire Stark family murdered at the Red Wedding, why doesn't he just take Winterfell?

It seems that tons of treachery goes on, but heirship is sacred. Is this because the people of the region will rebel if someone other than the true heir tries to reign?

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    If you've ever played Crusader Kings 2, you'd understand how important heirship and marriages are.
    – PixelArtDragon
    Commented Jun 24, 2013 at 3:12
  • @Garan re: CK2, heirship and marriage alliances can be useful, but I've always found that a large army is better at holding a title than either of those. Indeed, once your holdings are large enough (i.e. > 2) you're more likely to lose your crown to a sibling or other relative than to peasants or some external claim to a title you hold.
    – Xantec
    Commented Jun 24, 2013 at 3:16
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    @Garan I'd go even further and said: "If you've ever read a history book..." Human history is full of examples how is heirship important. Many monarchies in Europe during Medieval times until early 20th century played the same game.
    – MartinTeeVarga
    Commented Jun 24, 2013 at 5:08
  • @Xantec But heirship gives you valid claims.
    – PixelArtDragon
    Commented Jun 24, 2013 at 20:58
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    Arguably, this is the whole point of ASOIAF. What is power? How and why do people get it, keep it or lose it? It is explicitly addressed by Varys' riddle: A king, a rich man, and a priest are in a room with a common sellsword. Each one bids him to kill the other two. What does the sellsword do?
    – Royal Canadian Bandit
    Commented May 20, 2014 at 10:03

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You answered your own question. It's because the people from the North won't accept just anyone as their king. And especially not a Lannister who masterminded the deaths of Ned and Robb Stark. The Northmen are portrayed as especially proud and traditionally minded, as seen for example in how they still worship the Old Gods, as opposed the Faith of the Seven.

Tradition in Westeros (inspired by real Medieval tradition) is very important. You can also see another example of it in the Red Wedding: the betrayal of the Freys is particularly horrifying because they break the hospitality rules, which are sacred.

All of the contenders for the Iron Throne are careful to claim some sort of legitimacy. Why else hide the fact Joffrey is not truly a Baratheon, if force of arms is all that matters? Why is Daenerys worried about her Targaryen heritage and being the rightful queen, if force of arms was all that mattered?

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I'm going to have a different point of view than Andres F, who I don't totally disgree with, though. My answer will be directed to the in-question question, not to the in-title question (Why doesn't he just take Winterfell?)

In Westeros, right of conquest is as sacred as heirship. Robert Baratheon is a proof of that statement. He conquered the Iron Throne. The fact that he was related to the Targaryen (by some old marriage a few generations ago) was merely an excuse. He conquered it by killing the Targaryens. Some people call him the Usurper, but he is the rightful king. This is why Daenerys can't just show up saying "Hi, I am the rightful Queen, please let me the throne". The king would just kill her... because she would be a traitor.

So... Tywin Lannister could just take Winterfell, but he would have to fight for it. A marriage with Sansa Stark make him get Winterfell without fighting a single battle. And Tywin Lannister is not a fool. He knows that it will take every worker available to sustain the coming winter, and this means not losing those workers in battle against the northeners.

He wants to make a Lannister heir of Sansa Stark's hypothetical son because it is the easiest way to get Winterfell.

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    Robert had at least a shred of a claim on the throne. Both of them are required, the power and the legitimacy, unless one truly has overwhelming power (Dragons)
    – PearsonArtPhoto
    Commented Jun 24, 2013 at 14:36
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    Exactly, but at this point, Tywin could just say... "Ned Stark was a traitor, so his lands must be given to another man... let's say that man is me". Provided that the king would sign such a paper (and he would, since he his totally manipulated by Tywin), this would make it official. Legitimacy is only a matter of point of view.
    – Kalissar
    Commented Jun 24, 2013 at 15:20
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    @Kalissar That's what I wonder. The King routinely grants and revokes lands. But I think perhaps the point that the people in the north wouldn't obey a Lannister lord without a fight is the right answer.
    – Noah Finch
    Commented Jun 24, 2013 at 18:36
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    After all, as we've seen in ADWD, Northerners still talk with awe and pride about "The Ned".
    – System Down
    Commented Jun 24, 2013 at 23:36
  • Strictly speaking, Daenerys is a pretender, not a traitor. But the consequences are the same if she just turns up and asks for the throne without an army to back her up.
    – Royal Canadian Bandit
    Commented May 20, 2014 at 10:01

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