In light of the phenomenon that is Game of Thrones, it’s interesting to the return
to the history that inspires the story -- and even more than the facts, to try to uncover
the messages, themes, and lessons that might be learned (and repeated) from history.
[Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor. And it can never be used to hurt you.]
This history gives us models for rulers like Daenerys or Cersei and shows us how their
leadership style panned out in reality -- which offers compelling predictions for how they’ll
fare in the Game of Thrones.
[The show is about who wants power, and probably more than anything else, it's about what power costs people.]
And the history teaches us that power corrupts, destroys friendships and families, and makes
the highest members of society live their lives in the shadow of fear.
Game of Thrones’ pseudo-medieval setting makes us think of honor and chivalry, romantic
yet tragic endings, and a violent society.
As many fans know, the English Wars of the Roses
in the late 15th century are the show's biggest historical influence. The conflict between the Starks and the
Lannisters echoes the longstanding battle between two noble families: Lancaster
and York.
The name “Wars of the Roses” comes from the fact that William Shakespeare and others
have written that Lancaster used a red rose as an emblem, and York a white rose,.
In the first few seasons, the Lannisters are much like the victorious Lancastrians.
The Starks are like the Yorkists, many of whom were killed.
The names even sound similar (Lannister/ Lancaster and Stark/York) and the families' respective emblem
colors are also similar.
Another name for the Wars of the Roses was the ‘Cousins Wars” since the noble families
were related.
The brutal and tragic deaths in Game of Thrones aren’t just for ratings or excitement -- they
highlight the gruesome realities of these historical wars like the Wars of the Roses, in which families
might find themselves suddenly hunted or nearly wiped out.
Martin's hardly the first to take inspiration from these wars.
Shakespeare used them as loose material for some of his most notable histories.
And looking closer at the Wars of the Roses, we can see the themes that Shakespeare
found so dramatic: Ambition, betrayal, and family members battling each other to the death.
It’s striking that one of the most popular shows on TV today draws from the same material
that entertained crowds in the bard’s day, suggesting its timeless appeal.
The famous line from Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part II, encapsulates a key focus in Game
of Thrones as well -- power is never secure, just as no one ever sits comfortably
on an Iron Throne made of sharp swords.
The takeaway from the Wars of the Roses and for Game of Thrones is that the greatness
and rule these characters strive for can be lost in an instant.
These people live at the top of society, with wealth and class superiority, yet they are
unsafe and insecure of their positions - they live in fear for their lives.
[What good is power, if you can not protect the ones that you love.]
Within the history of the Wars of the Roses, Henry Tudor shared some key similarities with
Daenerys Targaryen’s storyline.
Tudor eventually emerged triumphant in the Wars of the Roses -- so this could be a good
omen for Dany.
A direct descendant of the first Duke of Lancaster, he also claimed to be a descendant to King
Arthur himself -- just as Dany descends from a mythical figure: Aegon the Conqueror who
united six of the seven kingdoms and established the Iron Throne.
Like Daenerys, Henry spent much of his early life in exile.
And just as the Targaryens have a special connection to dragons and use the
dragon and use it on their house sigil, Henry Tudor sometimes displayed Arthur’s standard, a
dragon.
Tudor bridged an alliance with the Yorkists when he married Elizabeth of York and his
Tudor descendants ruled until 1603.
If his story proves to be anything like Daenerys’s she may be able to claim the Iron Throne and bring
peace to the Seven Kingdoms through a strategic marriage
Many fans would be happy if this were an alliance with her relative, Jon Snow.
[I will fight for you. I will fight for the North. When you bend the knee.]
A lot of us root for Daenerys because we aspire to see a victor who triumphs against unbelievable
odds.
Like Henry, she is an outsider who appears like a long shot for the Throne, but who
represents to people a new form of rule, and an end to the infighting.
However, we’ve seen of late that Daenerys-- like others before her -- is finding the climb
to power a slippery slope, and she risks losing track of the ideals that were easier to serve
when she wasn’t so close to claiming the throne she fervently desires.
[Bend the knee and join me. Together we will leave the world a better place than we found it
Or refuse and die.]
Although there is much debate on whether or not Tudor was a great king, we know that he
was a successful one.
He strengthened the treasury and judicial system, and left the monarchy secure and wealthy for
his son.
His history could imply that Daenerys will
be a successful leader and affect some lasting change in the end.
The other queen in the picture, Cersei Lannister channels iconic examples of the fallen or
unfaithful woman from history and legend.
She has a strikingly similar history to Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI—who was defeated
in the Wars of Roses, again a good omen for Dany.
Margaret had an unhappy arranged marriage like Cersei's to Robert Baratheon and
rumors swirled that her son Edward was illegitimate just like Cersei’s three children.
Lena Headey even bares some resemblance to Margaret Anjou.
Another historical character that Cersei can relate to is Anne Boleyn who was charged with
crimes of adultery including sleeping with her own twin brother.
Sound familiar?
In Boleyn’s case, the rumors might not have been true and were more likely motivated by Henry VIII’s
desire to get rid of his second wife via beheading.
Cersei also evokes the mythical queen Guinevere who committed adultery with King Arthur’s
best knight Lancelot.
Guinevere was sentenced to public humiliation for these crimes, while the knightly Jaime
is a twist on a Lancelot figure.
Lena Headey actually played Guinevere in Merlin (1998).
Meanwhile, Cersei’s Walk of Shame is rooted in French medieval history
-- adultery was punishable by the man and woman being roped together naked and forced
to walk through town.
Although Game of Thrones adds the fantastical element and exaggerates this kind of history
Knowing that Cersei descends from these fallen women of history and legend who were vilified for
their infidelity or other sexual behavior, makes the character all the more intriguing
and real.
And these connections help us understand why we are so drawn to Cersei’s character because, while
we’re shocked by her ruthless nature, we sympathize with her as we realize she is human underneath the many wounds
she’s lived through.
We can’t help but feel sorry for her when she fleetingly expresses vulnerability.
[She was nothing like me. No meanness, no jealously. Just good.]
[I know.]
[I thought if I could make something so good, so pure, maybe I'm not a monster.]
But she inevitably doubles down on her hard exterior shell, and with this fallen woman
trope in mind, we all know what’s coming for Cersei -- the only question is when and how spectacular
her final downfall will be.
Ned Stark’s fate was sealed much like Richard of York’s fate.
Richard of York was the closest advisor and trusted friend of Henry VI -- just as Ned Stark was
to Robert Baratheon.
The wife of Henry VI, Margaret, echoing Cersei -- was distrustful of Richard and did everything in her power
to keep York down.
Later, York was banished to Ireland but became Protector of England, similar to Ned’s title
of Hand of the King.
York eventually died at the hands of Margaret’s armies.
The real-life story reminds us that, amidst the brutality, members of these warring houses
did try to form bonds and alliances.
We can all relate to the underlying realities of betrayals and friendships that were sacrificed
to ambition.
The Baratheon in-fighting takes after the story of Richard III -- the son of the Richard
of York we just discussed -- who was famously villainized in Shakespeare’s play.
Richard argued that his older brother Edward IV’s sons were illegitimate and took the
throne for himself.
This reminds us of Stannis Baratheon who argues (correctly) that his nephews Joffrey and Tommen
are illegitimate.
The story of Richard III is evidence of how power rots families from within, causing not
just cousins and friends, but brothers, uncles and nephews, to war. Just like the Baratheons, historical
family members have pitted themselves against each other in the name of seizing
the crown.
Interestingly, Ned Stark also has some comparisons to Richard III, as a gruff northerner who
was later vilified by the history written by the victors from the south -- so the fact
that contrasting accounts of this same historical person could partially inspire such divergent
characters, reminds us just how differently history is recorded by its winners versus
the dissenters, and how little we truly can know for sure about past individuals.
Martin has blended together multiple inspirations and mixed-and-matched histories
in his characters, to draw on the material that best serves his deeper themes.
There are even more character echoes than what we’ve named here but these crucial
similarities from history tell us that Martin and the show creators aren’t just copying
entertaining details -- they’re looking at the deep lessons revealed by this history.
The fact that these historical truths are as relevant as ever today tells us how little
we tend to learn from our own history, and how inevitably this history repeats again and again.
[If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention.]