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With The House of the Dragon approaching, many fans are reminiscing about the unforgettable experience that was Game of Thrones (we'll overlook that final season, of course). Beyond the stunning visual effects, grand battles, and memorable dialogues, the show captivated audiences worldwide with its intricate plot and shocking twists that no one saw coming.
As the saying goes, truth often exceeds fiction. A number of unforgettable moments from the series actually have roots in real historical events. Here are 10 such instances! But if you’re among the few who haven’t yet watched Game of Thrones, be warned—spoilers follow.
10. The War of Five Kings / The War of the Roses
The central conflict in Game of Thrones draws significant inspiration from the real-life War of the Roses, which in the series is depicted as the War of Five Kings. This historical conflict, fought between 1455 and 1485, saw various noble houses vie for control of the English throne, with the Lancaster and York houses (representing Lannister and Stark, respectively) at the heart of the struggle.
The despised Joffrey Lannister bears a striking resemblance to the cruel and bloodthirsty Edward of Lancaster, who, like Joffrey, was rumored to be an illegitimate son of King Henry VI. Much like Robert Baratheon, King Henry's death triggered the War of the Roses. Richard, Duke of York, contested the legitimacy of the heir and believed he had a stronger claim to the throne.
Margaret of Anjou, the wife of King Henry and mother of Edward, parallels Cersei with her adulterous relationships, ruthless ambition, and her pivotal role in the conflict. Just as Cersei imprisoned Ned Stark, Margaret of Anjou played a central role in igniting the war, openly preparing to attack the York faction.
Similar to Robb Stark, Richard York initially found success in battle, only to eventually be defeated in the larger conflict. The War of the Roses concluded with Henry Tudor marrying Elizabeth of York, thus uniting the York and Lancaster houses. While the show did not end with a Lannister-Stark marriage to resolve the conflict, we'll skip discussing the finale…
9. Jon Snow's / Julius Caesar's Assassinations
You probably gasped aloud when Jon Snow, the charismatic leader of the Night's Watch, was betrayed and killed by his own men. I certainly did. After all, the show had earned a reputation for killing off fan-favorite characters, and I had already suffered the heartbreak of losing Robb Stark, Khal Drogo, and the honorable Ned Stark. We now know Jon didn't stay dead, but that wait was agonizing.
Jon's death at the hands of his fellow commanders closely mirrors the infamous Ides of March, where Caesar was also stabbed to death by members of the Roman Senate. Caesar had climbed the ranks to become the ruler of Rome and intended to maintain his power. This plan terrified the Senate, which had not elected him but feared he was preparing to declare himself Emperor of Rome, an unprecedented development. Despite his many contributions to Rome and the peace during his reign, the Senate despised his arrogance and opposed the notion of an Empire.
Caesar was ambushed by the Senate and stabbed 23 times, with one of his assassins being his adopted son, Brutus (a figure echoed by Ollie in GoT). In Shakespeare’s interpretation, Caesar's last words were “Et tu, Brute?” (“You too, Brutus?”), a phrase chillingly similar to Jon’s final words as he gasps Ollie’s name before the boy delivers the fatal blow.
The Senate’s actions led to disastrous consequences, as the people of Rome were horrified by the murder and turned against the conspirators. Without a clear successor, Caesar’s death created a power vacuum, plunging the empire into civil war and chaos. Ultimately, Emperor Augustus emerged victorious, and Rome transitioned into an Empire, making Caesar’s assassination utterly pointless and an incredibly poor decision. Oops.
8. The Red Wedding / The Black Dinner
Few scenes are as shocking as the Red Wedding, where the beloved Starks were massacred in the treacherous halls of Walder Frey, ending their war to avenge their lord. While Game of Thrones is filled with death, despair, and unexpected twists, the notion of being murdered while dining with a supposed ally takes betrayal to an entirely new level of despicable.
Talisa, being pregnant and having already chosen a name for the child, ended up suffering the tragic fate of Eddard Stark not once, but twice. It’s a deeply unjust turn of events.
The infamous 'Red Wedding' scene found its inspiration in history, as the writer himself confirmed. George R.R. Martin revealed that it was based on the Black Dinner, a historical event in medieval Scotland.
William, the sixteen-year-old Earl of Douglas, and his younger brother David, were invited to join ten-year-old King James II for dinner. While James and William had a friendly relationship, the Black Douglas clan posed a threat to the king's rule, making this dinner a calculated trap set by the Scottish Chancellor, Sir William Crichton.
As they sat down, the two Douglas boys were presented with a plate that bore the head of a black bull—a symbol marking the end of the Black Douglas clan. It seems that even in history, people enjoyed making bold symbolic gestures, much like how George R.R. Martin drew parallels between the severed bull’s head and the beheading of Robb and his direwolf.
After receiving this disturbing symbolic dish, the two boys were arrested, subjected to a mock trial, and executed by beheading.
The Glencoe Massacre of 1692 was another historical event that inspired the Red Wedding, though in this case, the roles were reversed. Captain Robert Campbell, after receiving the hospitality of the MacDonald clan, turned on his hosts and slaughtered them. In both events, the sacred tradition of hospitality was violated, adding to the horror that unfolded in Walder Frey’s hall.
7. The Wall / Hadrian’s Wall
One of the most iconic and unforgettable visual features of the show—besides, of course, the dragons—was the towering ‘wall’ of ice, which separated the Seven Kingdoms from the ‘Wildlings.’ This was a direct homage to Hadrian’s Wall, a remarkable 117-kilometer (73-mile) stretch that spanned the width of modern-day United Kingdom.
Constructed under Emperor Hadrian’s rule, the wall was designed to protect the Roman province of Britannia from the unconquered land of Caledonia. Much like the Wildlings in the North, the tribes of Caledonia were considered savage and lawless, with frequent raids on Roman settlements. Tensions ran high between the Romans and the neighboring tribes, and the wall was seen as a way to keep them at a distance. Fortunately, the Romans didn’t have the undead horde to contend with either.
6. The Dothraki / Mongol Empire
When young Daenerys Targaryen is wed to Khal Drogo, we get a glimpse into the brutal, harsh lifestyle of the nomadic warlord. In Dothraki culture, strength reigns supreme, and their reputation as some of the deadliest warriors in the world spread fear across the land.
This mirrors the Mongol Empire, which dominated vast portions of Asia and Europe during the 13th and 14th centuries. Like the Dothraki, the Mongols were master horsemen and formidable warriors who defeated their enemies from horseback, constantly on the move. Mongol children were trained in archery and horseback riding from an early age, a tradition the Dothraki also embraced—beginning their training at the tender age of four.
The Mongol Empire was established by the fearsome Genghis Khan, a legendary warrior and notorious lover who, even today, is said to be responsible for about 0.5 percent of the world’s male population. He served as the direct inspiration for Khal Drogo, who was worshipped as the fiercest Khal of all.
5. The Battle of Blackwater Bay / The Siege of Constantinople
One of the standout moments of the show was the Battle of Blackwater Bay, where viewers were torn between wanting Stannis to finally triumph over the detested Lannisters, and at the same time, cheering for Tyrion, the only Lannister with any redeeming qualities. In the show, the clever dwarf outwits the larger Baratheon forces with Wildfire, a fearsome substance capable of burning through stone, steel, wood, and flesh.
The concept behind this tactic likely originated during the second siege of Constantinople. In that conflict, the attacking Arab forces were decisively defeated by a substance known as 'Greek Fire,' which, much like Wildfire, had the uncanny ability to keep burning even on water. As Stannis’s fleet was annihilated, so too was the Arab fleet during the siege, their ships destroyed by the inferno before they could ever reach the city’s walls.
The exact formula for Greek Fire remains a mystery to this day.
4. Ramsay Bolton / King Ashurbanipal
One of the most gratifying moments in the series was witnessing the cruel and unpredictable Joffrey Baratheon meet his deserved, violent end. Had we known the level of malice that awaited us in the next villain, however, we might have preferred enduring Joffrey’s reign instead.
Ramsay Bolton took his house’s sigil—the flayed man—literally, and indulged in the act of flaying on a whim. His sadistic pleasure in inflicting pain was sickening, and it was even more disturbing to realize that his character was inspired by a real historical figure.
The Assyrians were feared not only for their skill in warfare but also for their insatiable appetite for torture. King Ashurbanipal, like many of his predecessors, used torture as a method of psychological warfare. Beyond gruesome practices like impalement and crucifixion, Ashurbanipal took particular pleasure in the public display of flaying, using it to assert his dominance. Victims had their skin slowly peeled off starting from the lower legs or buttocks, and in a chilling display of power, King Ashurbanipal would hang the flayed skin around the walls of his city as a grim warning to anyone who dared defy him. Truly horrific.
3. The Lord of Light / Zoroastrianism
"For the night is dark and full of terrors." One of the most complex character dilemmas in the series revolves around the Red Woman and her 'Lord of Light.' By the series' end—which, admittedly, was frustratingly mishandled—it becomes clear that Melisandre had a significant role to play. Despite this, her willingness to burn people alive, including the innocent princess Shereen, cemented her as ultimately a force of evil.
The Lord of Light, also known as R’hllor, is a reference to what is arguably the oldest known monotheistic religion, Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrians worshiped a single god and revered fire as a sacred symbol, representing light, warmth, and the power to purify. Melisandre and other devotees of R’hllor speak of fire as a means of 'burning away the sins,' with death by fire considered to be the 'purest death.'
2. Jamie Lannister’s / Götz von Berlichingen’s Prosthetic Hands
Jamie Lannister is a divisive figure. On one side, we cheered for the charismatic, smooth-talking Lannister, hoping for his redemption and for him to transform into the noble man Brienne of Tarth believed he could be. Who doesn't enjoy a good character development story?
Yet, on the flip side, he did throw a child from a window.
Regardless, Jamie’s loss of his sword hand was an unexpected and tragic event that made you sympathize with him. Losing a hand might be a tough break for anyone, but for the Kingslayer, it was an even deeper blow—'I was that hand,' as he famously said. Upon his return to King’s Landing, he is fitted with a gold prosthetic, which, though undeniably Lannister in style, must have been incredibly heavy and cumbersome, don’t you think?
It turns out that Jamie's prosthetic hand has a historical counterpart. The German knight Gotz von Berlichingen lost his right hand at 23 years old in battle due to cannon fire. Details of the incident vary, with some reports saying his sword was hit by the blast, severing his arm, while others claim the cannonball simply took the arm away. No matter the specifics, Berlichingen left the battlefield with one less hand.
Much like Jamie, Berlichingen lost his fighting hand, but instead of a gold replacement, he received an iron prosthetic. This iron hand was equipped with joints that allowed him to continue using it for combat. By tightening the joints with his left hand, he could hold a sword in the prosthetic. Known as 'Götz of the Iron Hand,' he fought on until the age of 64 before retiring.
1. The Deaths of Joffrey and Attila the Hun
When discussing Joffrey’s death, it’s impossible not to draw parallels with the tragic end of the infamous Attila the Hun.
Much like Joffrey, Attila met his untimely death on the night of his wedding. After celebrating his marriage to the beautiful Ildico, Attila indulged in a bit too much alcohol. A rite of passage for newlyweds, right?
Unfortunately, his joy was fleeting. He was found dead the following morning under mysterious circumstances, with blood coming from his nose and mouth. The cause of death is debated, with some claiming internal bleeding due to heavy drinking, while others believe he choked on his own blood after suffering a nosebleed. Regardless, the description eerily echoes the suffering that marked Joffrey’s final moments.
