Top 10 Historical Events that Inspired Game of Thrones

The Ironborn have a lot in common with the seafaring fighters of Scandinavia. Native to the Iron Islands, the Ironborn pillage the coasts of Westeros in a similar way that historical Vikings raided medieval Europe. Both groups are also renowned sailors. However, George R. R. Martin has said that the Ironborn are only partially inspired by the Vikings. The fictional group certainly take their way of life to extremes, with the motto of House Greyjoy emphasizing their pride in conquest. In this way, Ironborn have more in common with the cultural reputation of Vikings than the real-life people.

Much like medieval Europe, the feudalism in the world of “Game of Thrones” was preceded by a great empire — Valyria. Just as the fall of the Western Roman Empire gave rise to many smaller kingdoms throughout Europe, the Doom of Valyria created many smaller states throughout Essos. These include the Free Cities and Slaver’s Bay. The Roman Empire’s prolonged collapse was due to a number of factors, from invading forces to economic challenges and geographic vulnerability. On the other hand, the catastrophic Doom of Valyria was rather more dramatic, making it comparable to the destruction of Pompeii or the sinking of Atlantis.

As far as blatant comparisons go, a gigantic wall of ice is pretty hard to miss. The Wall in “Game of Thrones” may be far larger than Hadrian’s Wall, which stretched across most of northern England, but they both served a similar purpose. And no, we don’t mean keeping out ice zombies — although Europe’s so-called “Little Ice Age” may have also had an influence on George R. R. Martin’s story. Rather, both fortifications were meant to keep out the supposedly hostile invaders to the north. Both structures featured forts built along their length, manned by soldiers. Of course in history and in fiction, the people being kept out had worries of their own.

One of many historical figures George R. R. Martin drew on for his cast of characters was the second Roman emperor, Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus. Martin credited the performance of George Baker as Tiberius in the celebrated British miniseries “I, Claudius” as an inspiration for Stannis. Both often overlooked in favor of their more charismatic relatives, the bitter personalities of Tiberius and Stannis tend to alienate those around them. While certainly not good men, they can evoke sympathy despite their poor choices. And, at the end of the day, both would likely have made better rulers than Caligula and Joffrey.

George R. R. Martin has identified several sources of inspiration for the Dothraki, from Native American tribes to the Huns to other horse-riding cultures. Perhaps the fictional race’s closest counterpart is the Mongol Empire. The Mongols established a massive empire across most of Eurasia during the 13th and 14th centuries, similar to how the Dothraki control a vast stretch of central Essos. The swift and brutal horse warriors of history developed a cultural notoriety, with their mounted archers becoming famous. The Dothraki have a similar reputation as fearsome fighters in “Game of Thrones,” although many viewers may have liked to see them in action more often.

One of the most iconic battle scenes in “Game of Thrones” has its roots in history. The second Arab siege of Constantinople saw forces of the Umayyad Caliphate lay siege to the Byzantine capital by land and by sea. In the fictional Westeros, Stannis plans to use similar tactics to conquer King’s Landing, leading to the Battle of the Blackwater. While the real-life siege lasted considerably longer than its HBO counterpart, both campaigns feature key similarities in their action at sea. The Byzantine navy was able to defend the waters with Greek fire, a potent and mysterious substance, and the forces of King’s Landing employed the magical, unwieldy substance wildfire.

One of England’s most controversial monarchs was Richard III. He is often vilified by both contemporary and later accounts, with special mention being made to his supposed hunchback and the rumored murder of his nephews. Many, including George R. R. Martin himself, have drawn a parallel with the character of Tyrion Lannister. Although Tyrion likely experiences more outright prejudice due to his dwarfism, there are other commonalities. He’s also accused of killing his nephew, Joffrey — whose shocking death may have been inspired by Attila the Hun’s mysterious death at a feast.

One of the most famous assassinations in history, Roman dictator Julius Caesar was killed by members of the senate in the Theatre of Pompey. Many have compared the event to Jon Snow’s death in “Game of Thrones.” Both strong fighters and military leaders, Caesar and Jon were each betrayed by a group of men who disagreed with their political directions. Jon’s plea to Olly even has echoes of Caesar’s apocryphal final words, “Et tu, Brute.” And in both cases, the things the conspirators were trying to stop — in history, a Roman Empire, and in fantasy, an alliance with Wildlings — came to pass anyway.

Perhaps the most infamous event in “Game of Thrones” is the Red Wedding. The massacre sees Robb Stark — along with his mother, wife, unborn child, and many of his bannermen — betrayed and killed at his uncle’s wedding. But the shocking fictional event is based in part on two similar ones in Scottish history. The first of these was the Black Dinner in 1440, when a young Scottish earl and his brother were executed on baseless charges while attending a dinner with the King of Scotland. The other was the Massacre of Glencoe, which saw around 30 members of Clan MacDonald murdered partially as punishment for not bending the knee. Like the North, the Jacobites remembered, and the event became a symbol in later uprisings.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

William the Conqueror
The Nickname Isn’t the Only Commonality between William & Aegon the Conqueror

Zoroastrianism
Followers of the Lord of Light & This Religion Both Hold Fire Sacred

Götz von Berlichingen’s Prosthetic Hand
A Famed Fighter Who Lost a Hand Sounds Familiar

Anne Boleyn’s Brotherly Love
The Lannisters Should Repay Their Debt to This English Queen Charged with an Inappropriate Familial Relationship

The most obvious and prevalent historical influences on “Game of Thrones” are the Wars of the Roses. During these English civil wars, branches of the House of York and the House Lancaster battled for the throne. The similarities to Stark and Lannister are not coincidental. Several of the characters also have direct historical parallels, including Richard III and Edward IV, who had a secret marriage similar to Robb Stark’s. The shifting alliances and constant vying for power across multiple generations in the fifteenth century inspired some of the War of the Five Kings, the central conflict of George R. R. Martin’s story.


Did any of these historical inspirations surprise you? Let us know in the comments.