Take a short and fun look behind the scenes of the cultural phenomenon that is 'Game of Thrones' with series co-creators David Benioff and Dan Weiss. Courtesy HBO/GameofThrones
George R.R. Martin seems to have a thing for Richard III. Source: Supplied
GAME of Thrones might seem a bit farfetched at times, but it actually has a solid basis in reality.
Author George RR Martin, whose book series A Song of Ice and Fire spawned the TV show, used bits and pieces of human history as inspiration for his characters and plot.
NOTE: TV watchers, there could be some mild spoilers ahead if you aren't up to date with Game of Thrones. Tread carefully.
Which English king shares some spookily similar traits with Stannis? Source: Supplied
The war between the Starks and Lannisters bears a strong resemblance to a series of conflicts in 15th century England called the Wars of the Roses.
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Between 1455 and 1487, the rival houses of York and Lancaster fought over the English throne, with a Lancastrian, Henry Tudor, eventually becoming king. Like the Starks, the Yorks were northerners. Like the Lannisters, the Lancasters were extremely wealthy. You get the basic idea.
The parallels between Martin's fiction and actual human history aren't all so broad. Many of the characters in A Song of Ice and Fire have roots in reality as well.
George RR Martin admits he drew on reality to create his fictional world. Source: News Limited
EDDARD STARK
Ned shares some striking characteristics with England's last Yorkist king, Richard III.
Before he ascended to the throne, Richard was delegated the twin tasks of governing the north of England and defending the Scottish border. Ned was Warden of the North under King Robert, and he had a lot to do with the Night's Watch, which guards the northernmost boundary of the Seven Kingdoms.
Richard is, admittedly, a polarising figure in history. Many texts, particularly Shakespeare's famous play, cast him as a villain. But kinder accounts speak of Richard's unflinching loyalty (his motto was "Loyalty binds me"), which is reminiscent of Ned's sense of honour.
Richard also had to deal with a succession crisis upon the death of his brother, King Edward IV. Shortly before he died, Edward added a line to his will, indicating Richard should become regent of England. Richard went on to claim that Edward had fathered no legitimate heirs, in a move that mirrors Ned's attitude towards Joffrey.
The Stark patriarch has also been compared to Richard III's father, Richard of York, a reserved man whose head was lopped off and put on a pike by the Lancastrians after the Battle of Wakefield.
A Ned and two Richards. Source: Supplied
ROBERT BARATHEON
At the start of the series, Robert is a portly, obnoxious king who's more interested in hunting, drinking and accidentally fathering bastard children than actually ruling the Seven Kingdoms. He barely resembles the strapping, fearsome warrior who overthrew Aerys Targaryen.
That fall into lasciviousness might have been inspired by the life of Edward IV, a successful warrior who became infamous for indulging in too much food, wine and sex. He died after a fishing trip, as opposed to Robert, who got skewered by an angry boar while hunting.
Each man altered his will on his deathbed, naming a regent to take his place and sparking a succession crisis.
King Robert's flaws mirror those of an older Edward IV. Source: Supplied
CERSEI BARATHEON
Martin appears to have constructed at least part of Cersei's character by conflating Henry IV's wife, Elizabeth Woodville, and Henry VI's spouse, Margaret of Anjou.
Elizabeth was quite similar to Cersei physically, with long blonde hair, and she was said to be the most beautiful woman in the British Isles. In A Song of Ice and Fire, Cersei is supposedly the most beautiful woman in the Seven Kingdoms.
Both queens have been portrayed as schemers who prioritised their own desires, and the needs of their families, over everything else.
Margaret of Anjou spent years ruling on behalf of her mentally unstable husband, Henry VI, and her actions helped spark the Wars of the Roses. Cersei played a similarly prominent role in the governance of Westeros during Joffrey's reign, presiding over the Small Council and issuing orders to the king's subjects.
That's Elizabeth Woodville on the left, and Margaret of Anjou on the right. Source: Supplied
TYRION LANNISTER
If you believe certain historians, Tyrion's physical features almost match those of Richard III.
In the years immediately following Richard's reign, those historians described him as a grotesque, deformed man of "little stature". Their accounts are suspect, as Richard's enemies had assumed power at the time, but the information contained within them came to be accepted broadly. Years later, Shakespeare portrayed Richard as a cunning king with great wit, who just so happened to be completely evil.
Tyrion is a dwarf, so he certainly has the "little stature" part covered. An injury suffered during the Battle of the Blackwater left his face deformed, and although he's a good character at heart, his reputation across Westeros is undoubtedly negative.
One of season four's major plot threads ties Richard and Tyrion together even more tightly. To become king, Richard had to kick his young nephew, Edward V, off the throne. The boy disappeared without a trace, and historians have suggested that Richard killed him.
In Game of Thrones, Tyrion has been accused of killing his own young nephew, King Joffrey.
Richard III seems to have informed the creation of more than one character. Source: Supplied
DAENERYS TARGARYEN
Henry Tudor took the throne from Richard III after crossing the English Channel with a foreign army in tow. Before that, he spent about 20 years in France, forging alliances while chaos spread back in England.
The parallels with Daenerys are mind-numbingly obvious. Having fled Westeros as an infant, Daenerys gradually built a huge military force in the neighbouring continent, Essos, across the Narrow Sea. Her plan was always to invade Westeros and claim the Iron Throne ... at some point.
This comparison tends to spark fierce debate among fans of the books. Source: Supplied
ROBB STARK
Robb has been compared to a young Edward IV, who also rebelled against the throne at a young age, leading his armies to a series of crushing victories over the Lancastrians.
Edward's father, Richard of York, was killed during the Battle of Wakefield in 1460. The Lancastrians relieved Richard of his head and displayed it on a pike, mirroring Joffrey's treatment of Robb's father, Ned.
Edward also rushed into an impulsive marriage which alienated one of his key allies, the Earl of Warwick. That decision cost Edward later, when the Earl rebelled against him. Of course, we all know what happened to Robb Stark when he angered Walder Frey by marrying Jeyne/Talisa (the identity of his wife was changed in the TV show).
Robb is much like Edward IV in his younger years. Source: Supplied
STANNIS BARATHEON
Stannis is the third character on this list with ties to Richard III.
He was unfailingly loyal to his brother, King Robert, for the man's entire reign. But when Joffrey took the crown, Stannis said his nephews were illegitimate, and tried to claim the throne for himself.
Richard's story is practically identical. He remained loyal to his brother, Edward IV, until the king's death, then claimed his nephews were not true heirs. Unlike Stannis (thus far), Richard did go on to become king.
Hello again, Richard. Source: Supplied
JOFFREY BARATHEON
Edward of Lancaster never became king, and if you believe the rumours about him, that's definitely a good thing.
Edward died in battle at the age of 17. He was the son of Cersei's aforementioned counterpart, Margaret of Anjou, and the heir apparent to the English throne.
He's generally portrayed as a sadistic, bloodthirsty boy who was cruel to his wife, Anne Neville. Sound familiar? Sansa would spot the resemblance in an instant.
Joffrey could be modelled on Margaret of Anjou's son. Source: Supplied
PETYR BAELISH
There are some intriguing parallels between Littlefinger and Thomas Cromwell, who served as England's Chief Minister for eight years under Henry VIII.
As the son of a brewer, Cromwell started life on one of the low rungs of English society, but he gradually climbed up the ladder (chaos is a ladder, remember?), becoming an accountant, studying law and marrying a wealthy widow. He went on to become a skilful and influential player at court.
Littlefinger also came from humble origins. He eventually earned a seat on the king's Small Council as Master of Coin, then married a wealthy widow, Lysa Arryn, and became Lord of the Vale.
Cromwell was executed after falling out of favour with Henry. If Littlefinger's schemes ever fall apart, he could meet a similar fate.
Littlefinger and Thomas Cromwell. What a pair of schemers. Source: Supplied
WALDER FREY
Walder betrayed and killed Robb Stark because the Young Wolf, having agreed to marry one of Walder's daughters, got hitched to someone else instead.
Edward IV made the same mistake when he secretly married a woman called Elizabeth Woodville. One of the men who put Edward on the throne, Richard Neville, had arranged for the king to marry the sister-in-law of the French monarch, Louis XI.
Neville also happened to harbour a visceral dislike the Woodvilles, and when he learned of the secret marriage, he pretty much flipped out. In 1469, he rebelled against the king.
Walder's nickname, "the late Walder Frey", could have been inspired by the politically opportunistic Earl of Derby, Thomas Stanley. The Earl preferred to know who would win before committing to one side of a conflict. His soldiers were often late to battle ... if they arrived at all.
That's Richard Neville on the left, and Thomas Stanley on the right. They all actually look kind of similar. Source: Supplied
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