European History from the Perspective of Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones is the first installment of the Song of Ice and Fire series and the name of the entire HBO series. In the existing series, author George Martin has built an extraordinarily grand world. The world is divided into the western continent and the eastern continent. To the north of the western continent is the ice wall, which separates the ice and snow world in the north. The south is a kingdom of seven principalities. The eastern continent is a vast expanse of grasslands and deserts. Some port cities in the eastern mainland are free cities, which form an alliance and are relatively independent. The whole series of stories mainly revolves around the Stark family, one of the principalities of the western continent.

Map of Ice and Fire

in terms of the grandeur of the world view, only the Middle Earth world of the Lord of the Rings can be compared with Ice and Fire. But the Lord of the Rings deliberately divorced from reality, elves, dwarves, wizards and other magic elements directly appeared, playing happily in front of the stage. By contrast, the magic elements of "Ice and Fire" are subtle and hidden. The first film talks about the dragon for a long time, but the dragon is just a legend. Obviously, magic is just a background. Martin is obviously more fascinated by the surging fate and complex joys and sorrows. He made reference to a great deal of European history to refine and integrate it. Reading "Ice and Fire" is like reading a book on the fate of mankind, where historical innuendo can be found everywhere. It should be noted that art comes from life and is higher than life. Ice and fire are not a copy of history. In the real world, there is no such high concentration of conspiracy, war, love and hatred in the novel. However, compared with "Ice and Fire" and history, it does produce a new reading perspective.

1.

the core stage of "Ice and Fire" is the seven principalities of the western continent. The organizational form of these seven principalities is very similar to the feudal system of medieval Europe. A series of economic, military and social systems matched with the feudal system also appeared in the novel.

1) enfeoffment and allegiance

in ice and fire, the kingdoms of the western continent coincided with the feudal system of medieval Europe. The king sits on the iron throne of King's Landing, and the lords of the seven principalities owe allegiance to the king. Each principality is quite independent. Some young nobles owe allegiance to their lords. They also have their own territories and castles. There are also some knights who serve kings and nobles. The king has the power to command seven lords, and the lord can call up his own knights and lords. However, "the servant's servant is not my servant", and the king cannot directly command a knight who is loyal to his lord, otherwise that knight is a betrayal. The king has an obligation to protect the whole kingdom. For example, in the novel, the ice wall in the north is repaired and manpower is recruited for the night watchman.

allegiance and oath

allegiance does not mean unlimited obedience. Feudal allegiance in Europe was influenced by Germanic warrior culture. In Germanic culture, warriors conditionally follow the leadership of the leader: the leader must seek the best interests for the warrior. Absolute authority does not exist. I will go with whoever can win with him. Therefore, in the later feudal system of Europe, the powerful aristocracy may fight the king directly. The Duke of Burgundy went straight to the French king. There are also motionless, unreliable, and even renegade subordinates in ice and fire. The Frey family of the Twin City took an oath of allegiance to the Riverside, but did not listen to the command of the Riverside. Bolton, who is loyal to Stark, defected directly to Stark. This ever-changing allegiance, alliance, antagonism and betrayal create all kinds of tense plots for ice and fire.

2) inheritance

another feature of the feudal system is the inheritance of the eldest son. The early Germanic tradition was to divide property equally among descendants, such as the Frankish Empire. This often leads to national decline and melee. In the middle and late Middle Ages, the eldest son inherited and made it as the main way. After all, property and territory in the Middle Ages were acquired mainly by inheritance. Hereditary families have to think about the future in a few generations' time. The eldest son inheritance system can maintain sufficient territorial, military and property integrity, and further maintain the future influence of the family.

the marriage arrangement of the Jon Snow family is, in essence, to solve the future livelihood of future generations. Other heirs can only find another way out. One is to follow the religious route and become a priest. The church was the only public organ at that time. Priests have a lot of energy, so it's good to be a monk. The other is the military line, which is equipped with enough equipment to receive enfeoffment through military meritorious service. The mercenary regiment such as the second Sons in the novel is made up of some second sons who do not have the right to inherit. The final choice is to ask for a rich wife through the arrangement of his parents. "eating soft food" has been an industry since ancient times. A series of marriage arrangements between the Old Frey and the Stark family are essentially to arrange a way out for the surplus offspring.

the right of inheritance will change due to some factors. The death of the eldest son is a factor. In the novel, Bran Stark always thought he would become a knight under his brother. After Robb was killed, Bran became the de facto lord. The right of inheritance can also be deprived or granted in some legal ways. Elizabeth I in history was deprived of her inheritance and re-granted. In the ice and fire, after Bran Stark disappeared, the common son Jon Snow was also able to join the Stark family and become the lord's heir through the king's pardon. Once Prince Joffrey's illegitimate status is established, his inheritance becomes illegal. This is also the reason why Stannis Baratheon is making a fuss in this respect. If a family does not have a male heir, it is extended to a female heir, such as Sansa, the eldest daughter of the Stark family. If you marry such a wife, you will gain both fame and fortune. That's why the queen kept Sansa in custody and finally married her to the imp.

the marriage between Sansa and the imp

3) Marriage

Marriage has a strong social function, so there is basically no free marriage. As mentioned above, some people may change because of their marriage.One's own wealth and status. Looking for the family marriage in line with their own identity and status and merging the family interests is the basic means for the family to grow bigger. The Habsburg family in European history acquired a large area of European territory, including Spain, Austria and the Netherlands, through complex marriage arrangements. The aristocratic marriages in Ice and Fire are also arranged on purpose and attach importance to the functions behind the marriage. Prince Joffrey's several marriage arrangements are no exception. Therefore, it is very important whether the marriage is legal or not. When the king got married and went to bed, he had to be notarized in the presence of a priest, which completely lost the pleasure of the bridal chamber.

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such a marriage full of political interests naturally has no loyalty to speak of, and the scenes of cheating naturally emerge one after another. The most representative of Ice and Fire is the chaotic private life of Queen Cersei. She had a dazzling lover, incest with her own brother and gave birth to Prince Joffrey. In terms of lust, the Middle Ages were not inferior. A king like Charlemagne can take multiple wives. Aristocrats regard marriage as a piece of paper and cheat constantly. The queen and aristocratic ladies are not to be outdone and often have an affair. Eleanor of Aquitaine even abandoned the king of France and ran away with the king of England. Even the pope, the spokesman of holiness, has open illegitimate children. The integrity touted by Christianity is only for the inferior and does not apply to those who are in power.

4) chivalry

the military system that cooperates with the feudal system is chivalry. The knight owes allegiance to the lord, enjoys privileges, and acquires his own small territory from the lord. But knights need to bring their own horses and equipment. Such a set of equipment was expensive in the Middle Ages and was not affordable to ordinary farmers or ordinary citizens, so war was also monopolized by knights. On the battlefield, the lord will assign different tasks according to the equipment level of the knight, such as a well-equipped charge and a poorly equipped scout. In the novel, after Robb Stark rebelled, he gathered a large number of loyal knights and finally captured Jaime the Kingslayer alive. After victory, the leader mainly distributes trophies and rewards knights who perform bravely. Because of Theon Greyjoy's bravery, Robb Stark decided to reward Theon with personal freedom.

medieval knights

Castle is the center of chivalry rule. Winterfell in the novel is a strong castle, and the Eagle Nest City built on the mountain is easy to defend and difficult to attack. The construction of the castle mainly serves military purposes. The knights' swords and spears do not threaten the castle. Shooting arrows from the castle can easily kill a knight. As long as the lords hoard enough food and water, they can support it for a long time. This protects the safety of the lord most of the time. Under the heavy siege, Stannis Baratheon stayed in the windy fortress until the reinforcements arrived. The castle protects the people and accommodates certain handicraftsmen. Due to the military deterrent effect of the castle, it is generally safer near the castle, and small towns will gradually gather. The historical Paris town, the island of Siti, is attached to the castle on the north shore of Paris. There are also many poor people living outside King's Landing City in the novel.

Eyries: Eagle Nest City

5) Agriculture

the feudal system was based on agriculture. Throughout the Middle Ages, agriculture was the absolute foundation of the economy. This is also the fundamental reason why the aristocrats and knights want to expand their territory. Farmers need to provide everything from basic grains to livestock products to expensive wine. The feudal lords provided armed protection to their peasants, while the peasants concentrated on farming and handed over a considerable part of their agricultural products. In the late Middle Ages, with the development of commodity economy, it was changed to monetary tax. In the Middle Ages, the work was quite hard, and the farmer's life was day after day. It is the farmer's support that the aristocracy can have relatively rich enjoyment, and the knights have time to fight and kill. In ice and fire, lords also often deal with agricultural issues, such as organizing harvests. The author obviously has deep sympathy for the underclass like the farmer.

2. Towns

if feudalism was the main body of medieval Europe, then the town dotted with it was an anomaly. In addition to the small towns attached to the castle, many towns are naturally formed in places with convenient transportation to facilitate trade. Several free cities in "Ice and Fire", such as Braavos, have excellent traffic conditions. In history, in the middle and late Middle Ages, with the demand of the Crusades, the development of European trade routes and the prosperity of commodity economy, European commerce began to develop rapidly in cities and towns. Some advantageous ports and commercial transit places have become important business hubs. This includes Lubeck on the Baltic Sea and Cologne on the Rhine. Many commercial towns later developed into important cities.

Kakasong

cities and towns have given birth to the civic class. Citizens do not owe allegiance to special people. The composition of these citizens is complex, including clergy, businessmen, handicraftsmen, service providers, mercenaries, prostitutes, beggars and so on. Because of the complex composition, the atmosphere of the town is usually more relaxed and free. In the late Middle Ages, with the prosperity of the town economy, many kings and aristocrats needed financial, human, and even direct military support from the town. Gradually, by dealing with aristocrats, these towns gained considerable independence and from time to time gained monopoly trade rights in goods and waterways from the feudal system. Venice monopolized trade within the Eastern Roman Empire. Illyrio, the businessman in the novel, made a lot of money by trading with the prairie people. He also consolidated his trade position through the marriage of the prairie leader and the dragon mother.

the alliance of cities and towns can expand their influence. Although towns can gain a certain degree of independence, it is also easy for kings to use force to forcibly annex them. The alliance of cities and towns can increase the bargaining chips against the feudal lords and enhance the ability of military protection, so as to ensure the independence of the towns themselves. And the cities and towns in a region are allied with each other.Greater trade gains can also be achieved by reducing tariffs and monopolizing trade. The nine free cities in the novel form such an alliance. Historically, the Hanseatic League in northern Germany mastered the commodity economy in continental Europe, and even extended its tentacles to Britain, monopolizing trade in London.

Hanseatic League's sphere of influence

3.

the central region of medieval Europe was southern and northwestern Europe. The religion, culture and language of these regions are relatively unified. Outside this central area, prairie peoples live in the east and Vikings in northern Europe. Europeans believe that these peoples are barbaric and unblooming. But the powerful force of these peripheral peoples frightens Europeans. Similarly, there are similar peripheral ethnic groups in the world of "Ice and Fire".

1) grassland

the center of the eastern continent is the grassland. The prairie gave birth to the savage nomadic Dosraki. This nomadic nation advocates force and has amazing combat effectiveness. They plundered and slaughtered everywhere, and turned the conquered into their own slaves. The prairie people described by the author are based on the Mazar and Mongols who threatened Europe in the Middle Ages. The riding and shooting tactics of these prairie peoples are rampant, and the psychological shock and awe caused by the slaughter of cities has cast a shadow on the minds of Europeans. However, the productivity of the prairie is not enough to support high-level civilization. The prairie peoples described by the author are also relatively uncivilized, such as oral culture, such as promiscuous sex at weddings, such as refusing medicine, and so on. In the world of "ice and fire", because of the narrow sea, the grassland peoples do not pose much threat to the western continent, but King Ma's words are full of the flavor of conquering the world, reminiscent of Genghis Khan.

Khal Drogo

2)

pirates attacked the mainland. The pirates we remember now are like Captain Jack, with a ship of people wielding knives and robbing one merchant ship after another. But the Vikings in the middle of the Middle Ages turned out to be much bigger than that. These Scandinavians built boats that could hold dozens of people, armed with weapons, rowed by wind and oars, and haunted vast waters in the west to North America, to Russia in the east, and to the Mediterranean in the south. They not only robbed all the areas along the way, but also set up territories and countries along the way. Normandy, France, Sicily in the Mediterranean, Iceland and Greenland in the North Atlantic are all home to Vikings. In the ice and fire, the Greyjoy family of the Iron Islands also took advantage of navigation, plundered and harassed the Western continent, and briefly occupied Winterfell.

Viking ship

4. Religion

1) Old gods

believe in natural elements. It was once the mainstream belief in the western continent. The old gods were later replaced by the seven gods, but the inhabitants of the north retained this belief. This religion is just handed down by word of mouth, with no priests, no organization, no teaching materials, no rituals. The only thing that can be considered formal is to pray to the tree. The heart tree is considered sacred and is the core of faith. Such a simple worship of nature is very similar to the beliefs of early civilization in history. The Egyptians worshipped the sun, the Aztec warriors worshipped eagles, and the Germans believed that the forest was full of gods. Primitive religion believed that many things had gods, so it was possible to worship multiple gods. This situation was not completely changed until the rise of monotheistic religions such as Christianity and Islam.

in addition to worshipping natural things, primitive religion believed that people could be "psychic" with specific spells. The so-called "channeling" here is different from monotheistic prayer to God, which is a relatively equal dialogue with nature. Celtic druids are respected elders. They are thought to be able to talk to elves and animals and transform into animal forms. In addition, druids can predict the future through the flight of birds. In early religions, the line between God and man was still relatively blurred, not as hierarchical as it was later. The gods in Greek mythology not only have the same personality, but also often make trouble in the world like children. In Ice and Fire, the Stark family who believed in the old gods had obvious psychic powers. Children can establish a certain degree of spiritual connection with wolves, and Bran can also talk to crows and predict the future.

Heart Tree

2) Seven gods believe

Seven gods are actually one god, seven in one. A God has seven sides, each of which sets a moral code on the one hand. The seven gods are the main beliefs in the western continent at present. It strongly rejects paganism, holds high the banner of morality, and opposes gambling, adultery and regicide. Historically, Christianity also has the doctrine of trinity, with special emphasis on morality, similar to the belief in the seven gods. The seven gods are considered omnipotent and can even decide the outcome of a duel. The same is true of Christian God.

the church of the seven gods is large and tightly structured. Its monks and warriors perform their respective duties, making the church a powerful secular organization. The same is true of the Roman church in history, with churches and monasteries all over Europe, and the order of knights under the orders of the pope set off several expeditions in an attempt to retake the holy city of Jerusalem. Because of its active participation in social affairs, the church must be in close contact with the regime. In Ice and Fire, the Seven Gods Church has long cooperated with the royal government to sanctify the monarch and stabilize the hearts and minds of the people. But churches with too much influence sometimes rob the host and even have the right to punish Queen Cersei. Similarly, popes in history have punished the emperor Henry IV. In addition, the Seven Gods also have scriptures like the Bible, which are used to widely spread teachings.

3) Illuminati

Illuminati is a religion from the East. It has just begun to spread in the western continent. Stannis converted from the seven gods to this religion.This religion believes that the world is two-sided: light and darkness. This is very similar to Persian Zoroastrianism in history. The main feature of this religion is binary opposition, believing that there are two existence, namely, the god of light and the ancient alien gods. The worship of fire in this religion is very similar to Zoroastrianism. But the Illuminati seems to have some magical witchcraft, such as sacrifice and resurrection.

historically Zoroastrianism existed before Christianity, so some of its teachings were absorbed by other religions. Mithra, the Zoroastrian god, entered Rome and was widely worshipped in the barracks. Some "dualistic" ideas also exist in Christianity, such as the opposition between God and the devil. The saying of "doomsday judgment" also originated from Zoroastrianism. Later, Persia was destroyed, the Arab region was Islamized, and Zoroastrianism gradually declined. Islamists denounce Zoroastrianism as "Zoroastrianism". "Ming Religion" in Jin Yong's novels is also a variant religion originated from Zoroastrianism.

* the previous religious correspondence is incorrect, correct. Thank you for your tireless correction.

5. Scholars

there is such a group of baccalaureates in Ice and Fire. They are knowledgeable, have a wealth of astronomy, geography, chemistry, history, medicine and other knowledge, and even master the most important mail system: crows. These people serve in various territories, abide by strict vows and provide the best advice to lords. A bachelor's degree requires long training. Historically, such knowledgeable "multi-functional" intelligent people did exist, and classical education in Greece was designed to cultivate generalists. Similar groups include Celtic druids, medieval priests, Calvinist elders, and so on.

6. War

1) Stannis attacked King's Landing

King's Landing is the capital of the Seven Kingdoms and a prosperous and densely populated city. The city is built on a hill adjacent to water, surrounded by water on both sides, and protected by strong walls. King's Landing is similar to Constantinople in history. Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and the Ottoman Turkish Empire. Stannis launched a large army to attack King's Landing, and there was also the shadow of the Turks attacking Constantinople. In the novel, the guards of King's Landing blockade the river and repel their opponents with fire, all of which are similar to the defenses of Constantinople. But King's Landing finally succeeded in defending the city, and Constantinople in history was breached by the Turks.

Burning warships

2) the standoff between Stark and Lannister

the battle between Stark and the Lannister family is the highlight of Ice and Fire. Martin describes the confrontation between the two families according to the English Rose War. In British history, the Lancaster family and the York family, who also had the right to inherit the throne, fought for the British throne. The whole process of the war had ups and downs, and the two sides gained power alternately. The British aristocracy was forced to take sides and take part in the war. In the novel, the Lannister family controls the throne, while the Stark family raises the legal system of the "King of the North". The old sorrows and new hatreds were added together, and the two families fought inextricably. Other families also join different camps according to their closeness. In the novel, the young wolf has a wrong love that makes him lose his advantage. Edward IV of York also turned against his allies because of his impulsive marriage in the War of the Roses.

3) Blood marriage

Blood marriage in Ice and Fire is an abnormally abusive scene. Young wolf owner Robb wants to borrow the Twin City to return to the north. But because the young wolf owner betrayed the engagement, it infuriated the old Frey of Twin City. As compensation, old Frey asked Robb's uncle to marry his granddaughter. But this wedding is a conspiracy. The Frei family took advantage of the Stark family to lay down their guard and simply slaughtered almost the entire army, including Robb. Such dishonorable massacres have also taken place in history. During the French religious War, the French royal family wanted to arrange a wedding between the two sides to resolve the conflict. But on the wedding night, the king of France changed his mind and ordered the slaughter of thousands of Protestants who came to the wedding.

Blood marriage

after watching Game of Thrones, I became very interested in the medieval history of Europe. The back and forth of allegiance, marriage, confrontation and conspiracy in this fantasy novel is simply a condensation of the history of medieval Europe.