Since it first aired in 2011, Game of Thrones galloped up the ratings to become the most watched show in HBO s history. It is no secret that creator George R.R. Martin was inspired by late 15th century Europe when writing A Song of Ice and Fire, the sprawling saga on which the show is based. Aside from the fantastical elements, Game of Thrones really does mirror historic events and bloody battles of medieval times but how closely?Game of Thrones versus History: Written in Blood is a collection of thought-provoking essays by medieval historians who explore how the enormously popular HBO series and fantasy literature of George R. R. Martin are both informed by and differ significantly from real historical figures, events, beliefs, and practices of the medieval world. From a variety of perspectives, the authors delve into Martin s plots, characterizations, and settings, offering insights into whether his creations are historical possibilities or pure flights of fantasy. Topics include the Wars of the Roses, barbarian colonizers, sieges and the nature of medieval warfare, women and agency, slavery, celibate societies in Westeros, myths and legends of medieval Europe, and many more. While life was certainly not a game during the Middle Ages, Game of Thrones versus History: Written in Blood reveals how a surprising number of otherworldly elements of George R. R. Martin s fantasy are rooted deeply in the all-too-real world of medieval Europe. Find suggested readings, recommended links, and more from editor Brian Pavlac at gameofthronesversushistory.com.

Since it first aired in 2011, Game of Thrones galloped up the ratings to become the most watched show in HBO's history. It is no secret that creator George R.R. Martin was inspired by late 15th century Europe when writing A Song of Ice and Fire, the sprawling saga on which the show is based. Aside from the fantastical elements, Game of Thrones really does mirror historic events and bloody battles of medieval times--but how closely?Game of Thrones versus History: Written in Blood is a collection of thought-provoking essays by medieval historians who explore how the enormously popular HBO series and fantasy literature of George R. R. Martin are both informed by and differ significantly from real historical figures, events, beliefs, and practices of the medieval world. From a variety of perspectives, the authors delve into Martin's plots, characterizations, and settings, offering insights into whether his creations are historical possibilities or pure flights of fantasy.Topics include the Wars of the Roses, barbarian colonizers, sieges and the nature of medieval warfare, women and agency, slavery, celibate societies in Westeros, myths and legends of medieval Europe, and many more. While life was certainly not a game during the Middle Ages, Game of Thrones versus History: Written in Blood reveals how a surprising number of otherworldly elements of George R. R. Martin's fantasy are rooted deeply in the all-too-real world of medieval Europe.Find suggested readings, recommended links, and more from editor Brian Pavlac at gameofthronesversushistory.com.

Notes on Contributors ixForeword by William Irwin xiiiAcknowledgments xvIntroduction: The Winter of Our Discontent 1Brian A. PavlacPart I Kings, Queens, Knights, and Strategy 171 High and Mighty Queens of Westeros 19Kavita Mudan Finn2 A Machiavellian Discourse on Game of Thrones 33Jacopo della Quercia3 Chivalry in Westeros 47Steven Muhlberger4 Of Kings, Their Battles, and Castles 57Brian A. PavlacPart II Slaves, Barbarians, and Other Others 715 Barbarian Colonizers and Postcolonialism in Westeros and Britain 73Shiloh Carroll6 A Defense against the "Other": Constructing Sites on the Edge of Civilization and Savagery 85Brian de Ruiter7 The Eastern Question 97Mat Hardy8 Slaves with Swords: Slave-Soldiers in Essos and in the Islamic World 111Robert J. HaugPart III Women and Children 1239 Rocking Cradles and Hatching Dragons: Parents in Game of Thrones 125Janice Liedl10 "Oh, my sweet summer child": Children and Childhood in Game of Thrones 137Helle Strandgaard Jensen and Magnus Qvistgaard11 Writing the Rules of Their Own Game: Medieval Female Agency and Game of Thrones 147Nicole M. Mares12 The Power of Sansa Stark: A Representation of Female Agency in Late Medieval England 161Danielle AlesiPart IV Religion 17113 Continuity and Transformation in the Religions of Westeros and Western Europe 173Don Riggs14 Religious Violence in Game of Thrones: An Historical Background from Antiquity to the European Wars of Religion 185Maureen Attali15 Coexistence and Conflict in the Religions of Game of Thrones 195Daniel J. Clasby16 "I shall take no wife": Celibate Societies in Westeros and in Western Civilization 209Kris SwankPart V The Background 22517 By Whisper and Raven: Information and Communication in Game of Thrones 227Giacomo Giudici18 What's in a Name? History and Fantasy in Game of Thrones 241Sara L. Uckelman, Sonia Murphy, and Joseph Percer19 Setting up Westeros: The Medievalesque World of Game of Thrones 251Gillian PolackAppendix: List of Books and Episodes 261Index 265