Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones roughly follows the three storylines of A Song of Ice and Fire.^[6] Set in the fictional Seven Kingdoms of Westeros, the series chronicles the violent dynastic struggles among the realm's noble families for control of the Iron Throne. As the series opens, additional threats emerge in the icy North and in the eastern continent of Essos.^[2]
The novels and their adaptation derive aspects of their settings, characters and plot from various events of European history.^[7] A principal inspiration for the novels is the English Wars of the Roses^[8] (1455–85) between the houses of Lancaster and York, reflected in Martin's houses of Lannister and Stark. Most of Westeros, with its castles and knightly tournaments, is reminiscent of High Medieval Western Europe. The scheming Cersei, for instance, calls to mind Isabella, the "she-wolf of France" (1295–1358).^[7] She and her family, as depicted in Maurice Druon's historical novel series The Accursed Kings, in particular, inspired Martin.^[9] Other historical inspirations for elements of the series include Hadrian's Wall (which became Martin's great Wall), the legend of Atlantis (ancient Valyria), Byzantine "Greek fire" ("wildfire"), Icelandic sagas of the Viking Age (the Ironborn) and the Mongol hordes (the Dothraki), as well as elements from the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) and the Italian Renaissance (c. 1400–1500).^[7] The series' great popularity has in part been attributed to Martin's skill at fusing these disparate elements into a seamless whole that appears credible on its own terms as an alternative history.^{[7] ...more!}