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Game of Thrones is roughly based on the storylines of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R. R. Martin, set in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and the continent of Essos.
00:00Ever wondered why the world of Westeros feels so real, so raw, and so incredibly familiar?
00:07Beyond the Dragons and the White Walkers, George R.R. Martin built his epic fantasy on a foundation of solid real-world history.
00:16Today, we are re-pulling back the curtain to analyze the historical blueprints that make Game of Thrones a timeless masterpiece.
00:23So grab your valiant steel, and let's dive into the history books.
00:28Let's start with the heart of the conflict, the Seven Kingdoms.
00:32The core struggle between House Lannister and House Stark isn't just a fantasy feud.
00:38It's a direct reflection of one of England's most brutal civil wars, the War of the Roses.
00:45This 15th-century conflict pitted to rival branches of the royal family, the House of Lancaster.
00:51Symbolized by a red rose against the House of York.
00:56Symbolized by a white rose.
00:58Sound familiar?
01:00Lannister vs. Stark.
01:02Red vs. White.
01:04It's all there.
01:05The ambition, the betrayal, the shifting alliances.
01:08And the devastating cost of a crown et's, a story ripped straight from the pages of English history.
01:15But the inspirations go back even further.
01:18Look at the sheer scale of the Seven Kingdoms before the series begins.
01:22Vast, unified continent under one rule.
01:26This mirrors the immense reach of the Roman Empire, which controlled a massive territory through military might and complex governance.
01:33And just like Rome, Westeros is always on the brink of fracturing from internal strife and external threats.
01:41And speaking of external threats, let's talk about the Night's Watch.
01:46A dedicated brotherhood standing guard at a massive wall to protect the civilized realm from so-called barbarians from the north.
01:53That's Hadrian's Wall, built by the Romans in Britain to defend against the Pictish tribes.
01:58The Night's Watch, with their vows and their lonely outposts, are the legionaries of Westeros, holding the line against the unknown.
02:08The very structure of Westerosi society, with its powerful lords, loyal vassals, and complex web of allegiances,
02:15is built upon the feudal system of medieval Europe, which dictated every aspect of life, from land ownership to military service.
02:24Now, let's venture beyond the wall.
02:26The fierce, independent people known as the Wildlings share a striking resemblance to the ancient Celtic tribes of Scotland, particularly the Picts.
02:36The Romans saw them as untamed barbarians.
02:39But they were a collection of proud, resilient cultures who fiercely resisted foreign domination.
02:45Their deep connection to the land and their clan-based society are echoed in the Free Folk's way of life.
02:51The Wildlings aren't just savages.
02:55They are people fighting to preserve their freedom, just like the historical tribes who defied the might of Rome.
03:01Let's sail across to the Iron Islands.
03:04What is dead may never die.
03:06The Iron Burns, reaving.
03:08Seafaring culture and their distinct religion feel deeply inspired by the Vikings of Norse history.
03:14Their longships, their love for raiding richer coastlines, and their belief in a glorious, watery afterlife, all scream Viking.
03:23The drowned god is a harsher, more demanding deity, much like the old Norse gods, demanding sacrifice and rewarding strength.
03:32The Ironborn aren't just pirates.
03:34They are a society built on the principles of a historical warrior culture that once terrorized the seas of Europe.
03:42But what about the ultimate threat from the north?
03:45The Night King and his army of the dead.
03:48While they are fantastical, their existence taps into ancient human fears about winter and survival.
03:55You can see parallels in the stories of Ice Age civilizations,
03:59where survival against an unforgiving, frozen landscape was a daily struggle.
04:03The others represent a force of nature, an unstoppable winter that threatens to extinguish all life and warmth.
04:11Primal fear that has been part of human consciousness for millennia.
04:16Now let's journey east, to the continent of Essos.
04:19The free cities with their complex politics, trade guilds, and independent spirit,
04:25are reminiscent of the Italian city-states of the Renaissance, like Venice and Florence.
04:30But Braavos, the city of canals founded by escaped slaves, with its powerful iron bank,
04:38feels particularly inspired by the historical Republic of Vanessa Naval,
04:42an economic powerhouse built on trade and finance.
04:46Volantis, the oldest and grandest of the free cities, carries the legacy of a fallen empire,
04:52much like the Byzantine Empire, which saw itself as the true successor to Rome.
04:57Its grandeur and its slow decay reflect the long-storied history of Constantinople.
05:04Further east, we encounter the Dothraki,
05:08a nomadic horde of unstoppable horse warriors led by a powerful coal,
05:12sweeping across the plains and overwhelming established civilizations.
05:17That is the story of the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan.
05:20The Mongols' tactical brilliance on horseback.
05:25Their brutal effectiveness in warfare, and their ability to unite disparate tribes into a single
05:30terrifying force, are mirrored perfectly in Daenerys' journey with her Dothraki.
05:35They are a force of nature that reshapes the world through conquest.
05:40And what of Slaver's Bay?
05:41The cities of Astapar, Yunkai, and Mirren, with their pyramid-based architecture.
05:48Hot climates and economies built on human bondage evoke ancient civilizations of the Middle East and
05:54North Africa, like Egypt and Mesopotamia.
05:58The societal structure, the exoticism, and the brutal reality of the slave trade draw from a dark
06:04but very real part of human history, adding a layer of uncomfortable authenticity to Dainey's campaign
06:11of liberation.
06:12Of course, no historical deep dive would be complete without looking at religion.
06:18The faith of the seven, with its hierarchical structure,
06:21its septons and septas, and its high septon in King's Landing,
06:25is a clear parallel to the medieval Catholic Church and the Pope in Rome.
06:30The faith militant S.
06:31Struggle for power against the crown mirrors the historical conflicts between kings and popes
06:37who vied for ultimate authority over the hearts and minds of the people.
06:42Then there's the Lord of Light, R'lalr.
06:45This religion, centered on the eternal struggle between light and darkness,
06:50fire and ice, good and evil, has strong echoes of ancient dualistic faiths like Zoroastrianism,
06:58originating in ancient Persia.
06:59Zoroastrianism was one of the first religions to propose a cosmic battle between a benevolent
07:06god of light and a destructive spirit of darkness.
07:10Melisandre's fire magic, prophecies, and unwavering devotion all tap into this powerful religious
07:16concept.
07:17Finally, we have the old gods of the north.
07:20This nature-based faith, with its reverence for sacred weirwood trees and its lack of rigid
07:26doctrine, reflects the pagan and animistic beliefs of pre-Christian Europe.
07:31Think of the beliefs of the Celts or Germanic tribes, who saw divinity in nature and ancient
07:37forests, rivers, and stones.
07:40The quiet, personal worship of the Starks is a world away from the grand cathedrals of the
07:44south, representing an older, more primal connection to the world.
07:48So why does this all matter?
07:51Because George R. R. Martin's genius lies in his ability to weave these disparate threads of human
07:57history into a cohesive and believable fantasy world.
08:01The cyclical nature of power, the sting of betrayal, the endless wars fought for pride and ambition,
08:07these are not just plot points in a story.
08:10They are the repeating patterns of our own past.
08:13Westeros feels real, because, in many ways, it is real.
08:18It's a distorted mirror reflecting the triumphs and tragedies of human civilization.
08:24Our enduring fascination with this world isn't just about the fantasy.
08:28It's about the profound and sometimes unsettling realism inspired by the grand, bloody, and fascinating
08:34tapestry of our own history.
08:37Thanks so much for watching.
08:38If you enjoyed this journey through the history of Westeros, don't forget to hit that like
08:42button and subscribe for more deep dives into your favorite fantasy worlds.
08:47Let me know in the comments which historical parallel you find the most fascinating.
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