Winning the Game of Thrones: The Host of Characters and their Agendas by Valerie Frankel
Authors: Valerie Frankel
Ads: Link
War of the Five Kings appears to be a retelling of the English Wars of the Roses (1455-85), between the Houses of Lancaster and York like the Houses of Lannister and Stark. Many first names, only altered slightly, are shared between series: Jon, Robert, Edmund, Edward/Eddard, Richard/Rickard, Geoffrey/Joffrey, Thomas/Tommen, Walter/Walder, James/Jaime, Jane/Jeyne, Margret/Margaery, Marcella/Myrcella, Caitlyn/Catelyn, and Lisa/Lysa.
Henry VI of House Lancaster was placid and amiable when not seized by debilitating fits. His more forceful wife, Margaret of Anjou, claimed the regency and ruled through her young son, unfortunately cultivating his cruelty and violence. Cersei Lannister and her two sons are a close parallel, of course.
Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York and next in line for the crown, declared her son illegitimate and marched on London. Outnumbered, he was arrested and, like Ned Stark, forced to swear allegiance to the king. However, he later had a more successful bid, as he became“Protector of the Realm” and regent, as Ned Stark was meant to be for young King Joffrey. The Duke of York was even named King Henry’s heir as a compromise.
However, Margaret refused to let her son’s rights be put aside. Civil war began, north against south. The Lancastrians surprised and killed York, andstuck his head on a pike, but York’s heir,Edward, defeated the Lancastersand was crowned King Edward IV. Margaret’sson Edward died in a heroic last stand like Prince Rhaegar’s. Henry VI was quietly executed in the Tower of London, and Margaret fled.
The new King Edward IV was fat and over-devoted to pleasure and women, much like King Robert Baratheon, who’s based on him, as Martin acknowledges. [31] Despite negotiations abroad, Edward secretly wed Elizabeth Woodville, a politically unwise choice that angered some nobles as much as Robb’s wedding. When Edward died suddenly from unhealthy living, illness, or possibly even poison, his youngest brother, the future Richard III, cut Edward’s sons from the succession, claiming they were bastards. He also arranged for the death of his third brother, and many nobles he accused of treason. In this and other ways, he came to echo Stannis, the largely-disliked heir to his kingly brother.
At last, Henry VII, the last distant descendant of the Lancasters, sailed from over the sea to defeat Richard and claim the crown (this plot will likely fall to Daenerys, the “prince who was promised”). Henry wed Edward IV’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth, and united the red and white roses of their house sigils to create the Tudor Rose.
Cersei as Margaret and Robert as Edward IV are close analogies. Likewise, the realm in chaos at King Robert’s death, with his children declared bastards and Starks and Lannisters vying for the throne echoes this time period.
How will this all end? It’s unclear. Richard, Duke of York (basically the Ned Stark character) never inherited England, but his sons Edward IV and Richard III did, followed by Edward’s daughter Elizabeth. Will Ned’s son Jon Snow inherit such a destiny, ending the war by wedding the Targaryen heir, Daenerys? Or will Sansa make the dynastic wedding? Martin notes, “The Lancasters and Yorks fought themselves to extinction until the Tudors came in. But the Tudors were really a new dynasty; they weren’t Lancasters. So...” [32] It seems the Targaryens will take the throne from both, after a fight nearly “to extinction.”
Of course, Martin notes that his characters are only loosely historical:
You can do one-for-one conversions of the real-world to fantasy, but if you’re going to do one-for-one, you might as well just write straight historical fiction. Why write about a character who’s exactly like Henry VIII? If you want to do that, then just write about Henry VIII.
It makes more sense to take certain interesting elements of Henry VIII and certain interesting elements of
Henry VI of House Lancaster was placid and amiable when not seized by debilitating fits. His more forceful wife, Margaret of Anjou, claimed the regency and ruled through her young son, unfortunately cultivating his cruelty and violence. Cersei Lannister and her two sons are a close parallel, of course.
Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York and next in line for the crown, declared her son illegitimate and marched on London. Outnumbered, he was arrested and, like Ned Stark, forced to swear allegiance to the king. However, he later had a more successful bid, as he became“Protector of the Realm” and regent, as Ned Stark was meant to be for young King Joffrey. The Duke of York was even named King Henry’s heir as a compromise.
However, Margaret refused to let her son’s rights be put aside. Civil war began, north against south. The Lancastrians surprised and killed York, andstuck his head on a pike, but York’s heir,Edward, defeated the Lancastersand was crowned King Edward IV. Margaret’sson Edward died in a heroic last stand like Prince Rhaegar’s. Henry VI was quietly executed in the Tower of London, and Margaret fled.
The new King Edward IV was fat and over-devoted to pleasure and women, much like King Robert Baratheon, who’s based on him, as Martin acknowledges. [31] Despite negotiations abroad, Edward secretly wed Elizabeth Woodville, a politically unwise choice that angered some nobles as much as Robb’s wedding. When Edward died suddenly from unhealthy living, illness, or possibly even poison, his youngest brother, the future Richard III, cut Edward’s sons from the succession, claiming they were bastards. He also arranged for the death of his third brother, and many nobles he accused of treason. In this and other ways, he came to echo Stannis, the largely-disliked heir to his kingly brother.
At last, Henry VII, the last distant descendant of the Lancasters, sailed from over the sea to defeat Richard and claim the crown (this plot will likely fall to Daenerys, the “prince who was promised”). Henry wed Edward IV’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth, and united the red and white roses of their house sigils to create the Tudor Rose.
Cersei as Margaret and Robert as Edward IV are close analogies. Likewise, the realm in chaos at King Robert’s death, with his children declared bastards and Starks and Lannisters vying for the throne echoes this time period.
How will this all end? It’s unclear. Richard, Duke of York (basically the Ned Stark character) never inherited England, but his sons Edward IV and Richard III did, followed by Edward’s daughter Elizabeth. Will Ned’s son Jon Snow inherit such a destiny, ending the war by wedding the Targaryen heir, Daenerys? Or will Sansa make the dynastic wedding? Martin notes, “The Lancasters and Yorks fought themselves to extinction until the Tudors came in. But the Tudors were really a new dynasty; they weren’t Lancasters. So...” [32] It seems the Targaryens will take the throne from both, after a fight nearly “to extinction.”
Of course, Martin notes that his characters are only loosely historical:
You can do one-for-one conversions of the real-world to fantasy, but if you’re going to do one-for-one, you might as well just write straight historical fiction. Why write about a character who’s exactly like Henry VIII? If you want to do that, then just write about Henry VIII.
It makes more sense to take certain interesting elements of Henry VIII and certain interesting elements of
Similar Books
