Perhaps you think you know everything about Game of Thrones, but here are some facts that will surprise you. Fans of the iconic series found these parallels between its characters and real historical figures. And they seem to be so similar!
We at Here were totally amazed. How about you?
10. Jon Snow and William the Conqueror
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Both of them were impressive fighters and leaders. Jon Snow, as far as Westeros is concerned, is the bastard son of Ned Stark who managed to become a King of the North. William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy, invaded England in 1066 and was also a bastard son who became a king.
9. Tyrion Lannister and Richard III
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Both were born with disabilities that caused people to look down on them and were used against them by their enemies. But despite this fact, both turned out to be talented administrators.
8. Margaery Tyrell and Anne Boleyn
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We haven’t seen it in the series, but according to the book, before King Robert’s death, his brother Renly with his lover Loras Tyrell had a plan to make Margaery Tyrell the king’s mistress and replace Cersei Lannister as his queen. Anne Boleyn pursued a married king and was engaged in a long political conflict with his previous wife from a powerful noble family.
7. Joffrey Baratheon and Eustace IV of Boulogne
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One of our unloved characters, Joffrey, a cruel and tyrannical king, was poisoned to death at his own wedding. Eustace IV of Boulogne wasn’t popular either. He was an evil man and did more harm than good. And he mysteriously died at a feast.
6. Cersei Lannister and Catherine the Great
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Cersei murdered her husband and became a queen with some considerable political scheming on the way. Catherine was a Prussian princess. She married the Russian Tsar Peter III, who was overthrown. Catherine then took over as Empress of Russia, while her husband was murdered by one of her supporters.
5. Brienne of Tarth and Joan of Arc
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2 strong and brave women, the Maid of Tarth and Joan of Arc, who referred to herself as The Maid. They preferred wearing male clothing and owned armor and swords. Both women were obsessively loyal and ready to give their lives for those they were devoted to.
4. Daenerys Targaryen and Henry Tudor
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One of the most surprising parallels! Daenerys, the mother of dragons, is the last surviving member of her house, living in exile. Henry Tudor was the last surviving member of the Lancastrian family with a claim to the throne in the Wars of the Roses. He was forced to flee to Brittany at the age of 14. He had a red dragon as his banner.
Amazingly, we can find a historical parallel not only for a particular character but for...
3. A whole race: Dothraki and Mongols
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Both are warlike nomadic races. The Dothraki are led by their leaders, the Khals. Mongols, who plundered Central Asia during the 13th century, were led by their leaders, the Khans.
2. A place: The Wall and Hadrian’s Wall
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The Wall in Game of Thrones that divides the White Walkers from the humans is in more or less the same place on the Westeros map that Hadrian’s Wall is on the UK map. Hadrian’s Wall divided the Romans from Scottish barbarians. However, Hadrian’s Wall was less impressive: its height varied from 3 to 6 meters (from 10 to 20 feet) in different parts.
1. Even the main plot: The Starks & Lannisters and the Yorks & Lancasters
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So much of Game of Thrones is very similar to the Wars of the Roses, a series of wars in the 15th century over the throne of England. Battling in these wars were the House of York and the House of Lancaster. Even their names sound so similar.
Bonus: a map of Westeros and maps of Britain and Ireland
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These maps look so identical that it’s hard to believe that fiction wasn’t inspired by reality.
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