Petyr Baelish

Lord Petyr Baelish, nicknamed Littlefinger, is a fictional character created by American author George R. R. Martin. He is a prominent non-point of view character in Martin's award-winning A Song of Ice and Fire series, and a main character in HBO's adaptation of the series, Game of Thrones, where he is portrayed by Aidan Gillen. In A Feast for Crows it is revealed that several major plot points have hinged on Baelish's intrigues, including the framing of Tyrion Lannister for the attempt on Bran Stark's life, the downfall of Ned Stark, the deaths of Jon Arryn and King Joffrey, and the War of the Five Kings.

Character

Despite the title of Lord, his ancestral holding is an extremely small and poor stretch of land on the Fingers, in the Vale of Arryn. As a child he was a ward of Lord Hoster Tully and reared at Riverrun with Hoster's daughters Catelyn and Lysa. When Catelyn was betrothed to Brandon Stark (Ned Stark's brother), Petyr challenged him to a duel for her hand in marriage and lost. He later sired a child by Lysa, but the pregnancy ended in a forced abortion. Lysa's patronage gives Baelish a succession of important positions, culminating in his appointment as Master of Coin (treasurer) of the Seven Kingdoms.

Storylines

Petyr is first introduced in A Game of Thrones as a member of the Small Council when Eddard and his daughters arrive at King's Landing. He hides Catelyn at one of his brothels when she brings the news of the attempt on Bran's life, and tells her the dagger used was won from him by Tyrion Lannister. This leads to Catelyn's capture of Tyrion; but this information is later identified as a lie. Petyr helps Eddard expose the secret parentage of the royal children; but later betrays Lord Stark and aids his arrest.

After the death of Renly Baratheon in A Clash of Kings, Petyr arranges an alliance between the Lannisters and the powerful House Tyrell, which leads to Stannis Baratheon's defeat. When Joffrey is convinced to marry Renly's widow, Margaery, in A Storm of Swords, Petyr is named Lord of Harrenhal and Lord Paramount of the Trident in place of Edmure Tully. He is also given charge to marry Lysa Arryn and bring the Vale under the control of the Lannisters; before departing he reveals Olenna Tyrell's plan to marry Sansa to Willas Tyrell, leading to Sansa's forced marriage to Tyrion. When Sansa is accused of Joffrey's murder, Petyr takes her to the Vale disguised as his illegitimate daughter. At the Eyrie, he spends much of the time asserting his new authority over the lords of the Vale. Near the end of the book, he kisses Sansa after helping her build a replica of Winterfell from snow. Witnessing the encounter, Lysa tries to kill Sansa a short time later, only to be murdered by Petyr instead.

Blaming Lysa's death on the only other witness, a minstrel, Petyr names himself Lord Protector and claims Lysa's son Robert as his ward. The Lords of the Vale try to claim Robert, but Petyr plots to eliminate them or win them to his side, and to help Sansa regain the North. Over the course of his storyline it is gradually revealed that it was he who convinced Lysa to poison Jon Arryn and blame the Lannisters, and that he conspired with Olenna Tyrell to murder Joffrey.