HBO’s Game of Thrones is a worldwide sensation, mixing compelling political intrigue with high fantasy concepts. The stories seem so rooted in reality it can be easy (well, not that easy) to forget you are watching a program about dragons and the walking dead. Of course, there may well be a reason for that.
George R.R Martin has made no secret of the parallels between his work and the War of the Roses (a civil war that inflicted England in the 15th century), with many of the events in both the book and the tv show echoing those that occurred between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. Indeed, many of the characters themselves share many similarities with historical figures involved in the period (and even some who weren’t!).
Let’s check some our, shall we?: