The Real War Which Inspired Game of Thrones
|By- Gayatri Tilgulkar|
The popular HBO series Game of Thrones had suddenly lost the charm it built for years after the ending disappointed the fans. However, only a few of them know that it was inspired by a real life war. Did it have an ending that can be called as satisfactory? This #TerrificTuesday, let us figure that out.
If you want peace, prepare for a war. Lock and load, jump the gun, call the shots because the end justifies the means. Perchance that’s what they thought when war of roses, arose. Hell broke loose after the hundred year’s war.
The death of King Edward III in 1377 got the show on the road. A ten-year-old grandson, the inheritor to the throne started a fire drill among families making their blood run cold. “Why King Edward III’s grandson is given a chance when late Edward III's very much alive sons aren’t even in the line?” They pounded this question on the doors of the realm.
Particularly Lancaster(s) (red roses) a bloodline of Edward III’s third’s son and York (white roses) Edward III’s fourth’s son. Games of thrones calls them Lannister and Starks respectively.
1399 Henry of Bolingbroke (Henry IV), a Lancaster snatched the throne, and his bloodline went a couple steps ahead to make his eight month old grandson the king. King Henry VI. York(s) was a stronger house but Lancaster sat on the throne since the clash started, 1399.
King Henry VI, who for many reasons wasn’t the best ruler. His judgments did not serve to region’s best interest, one of the judgments was marrying Margaret of Anjou. Margaret capitalized on several advantages, became the silent ruler. King and queen had a son Edward of Westminster which is the inspiration for Joffrey.
Cersei Lannister, fictional version of Margaret of Anjou (red rose) wasn’t enthusiastic about Richard of York (white rose), the inspiration for Ned stark coming any close to the king.
King saw him as a trusted general, but with queen’s constant jabs Richard protested against Lancaster’s. When the king fell ill, Richard was next in line to be the king. However, king recovered, and his dreams vanished into thin air. Only this time he retaliated.
1455, the first battle of St Albans started the first chapter of war. Richard of York made sure his heirs are next succession to the throne, even if the price was his own life. Edward IV, son of late Richard was a terror to Lancaster’s. He is represented by Robb Stark. After Edward IV, demise in 1483, Richard III, who was his younger brother captured the throne even though Edward IV’s son was the direct legatee.
“History won’t repeat itself, an illegitimate son won’t be the king again” Richard III must have said something along the lines while locking the gateways for prison. Richard III is depicted by Stannis Baratheon.
Roose Bolton drew inspiration from Earl of Warwick who turned countless people against Edward IV.
Economic disruption, political crises and a never-ending terror to the entire kingdom was caused because a family couldn’t figure out their own mess. Henry Tudor (Henry VII), a descendant of the first duke of Lancaster (red rose) put forward an army in France which defeated Richard III. He is portrayed by Daenerys Targaryen. He married Elizabeth of York (white rose) and ended the war of roses.
Rather than a systematic inheritance of throne, Lancasters and Yorks took part in a game of musical chairs for the throne. Powers constantly shifting with questionable loyalty and a false sense of superiority. In twenty five years, five different rulers dictated the kingdom.
In a way, Henry Tudor joined forces with his enemy, but for years to come it was the most extreme decision. An incredible institution that is the marriage of two roses. However the aftermath wasn’t the greatest (ask some angry Game of Throne fans).It was a different measure of insignificance and a terror of how kingdom would function with constant change of power. Henry Tudor may have perceived that he ended the war, but he was setting himself and the kingdom for a slow demise.
After the war ended, nothing was fair for everyone who fought with everything they owed and nothing left to lose, a marriage between Yorks and Lancasters questioned; was everything fair in love and war? -The war of roses.
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