Season 4 of "Game of Thrones" has reached its end and season 4 has seen many gruesome deaths not unlike the previous seasons. This has paved the way for other characters to take more central roles in the series including the scheming little man called Littlefinger who was first encountered in season 1 as Robert Baratheon's Master of Coin.

Petyr Baelish was the man in charge of taking care of the crown's finances and he was also quite a businessman himself, running some of the city's best brothels. Since the initial interest in the sex and nudity in the first season has waned and audiences have become more engrossed in the actual plot, Littlefinger's scenes have been overshadowed by beheadings, weddings and other interesting incidents. Baelish has taken a back seat to the more action packed storylines involving other characters only to resurface as Sansa Stark's saviour in Season 4.

Who is Petyr Baelish and why is he called Littlefinger?

Petyr Baelish was born to a small insignificant Noble family in the Vale who are owners of a small property which is the smallest sliver of a group of four narrow peninsulas in the Vale of Arryn. The four strips of land are nicknamed the fingers and because his family owns the smallest one, Petyr had become to be known as Littlefinger.

Despite being of relatively low birth and not being particularly rich, Petyr is a very ambitious and smart boy. His slender built and quiet disposition often leads higher Lords to underestimate his abilities.

Petyr meets Catelyn and Lysa Tully.

Petyr's father became friends with Lord Hoster Tully of Riverrun while fighting together in the War of the Ninepenny Kings which led to Lord Tully later inviting PEtyr to come to Riverrun as a ward. This was when he first encountered the Tully sisters who are now know as Catelyn Stark and Lysa Arryn.

Petyr Loves Catelyn.

Petyr fell in love with Catelyn who was betrothed to Brandon Stark, Eddard's older brother and at that time, was next in line to become Lord of the North. Petyr challenged Brandon to a duel where he was defeated easily and Brandon only spared his life at Catelyn's request.

Lysa loves Petyr.

Lysa, on the other hand was in love with Petyr and nursed the injured and broken hearted Littlefinger. She took advantage of his delirium and bedded him while he was drunk with grief. The encounter happened twice and this resulted in Lysa becoming pregnant with Petyr's child. Lord Hoster Tully, upon finding out, instead of allowing Lysa to marry Petyr, ordered her to drink moontea to abort the child and hastily arranged for her to marry the ageing Lord of the Vale, Jon Arryn, who needed a child bearing wife to give him an heir.

Lysa had been waiting for the opportunity to be reunited and finally marry Petyr Baelish which explains her behaviour in season 4 as well as many of the lines that she speaks to him in their scenes together.

Petyr's ambition.

After Lysa was married to Jon Arryn, Petyr kept in touch with her and was able to make her convince her husband to allow him customs privileges in Gulltown's ports. His keen business sense allowed Petyr to elevate his status in life and this landed him where he was first introduced in the series and Robert Baratheon's Master of Coin.

At this point in the series, Baelish has found himself on the good side of the ruling Lannisters and now, after Lysa's death, he is also Lord Protector of the Vale and also has in his care the oldest living claimant to the North in the form of Sansa Stark. It only remains to be seen how far his ambition will take him in future seasons.