Why Game of Thrones reads like a History Book and not a Fantasy Epic

[@ReetBoaTellThee]

Great video, mate. Although Davos has a Geordie accent, not Irish. As a fellow Englishman how could you mistake this? Regardless, your point is a good one and I've subbed for good measure.

[@HistoryBuffs]

Haha I really am a useless southerner lol. Thanks for pointing it out, I'm going to make sure in future not to make the same stupid mistake again

[@ReetBoaTellThee]

It's a small thing, really, and I hate to nitpick, but your videos are full of information and its veracity may be be undermined by small slip ups. Really enjoying the channel, however, and I'm looking forward to seeing it grow.

[@HistoryBuffs]

Thanks Timothy! I really appreciate your support and I'm gonna try to make sure not to make future slip ups

[@breengreg]

@@HistoryBuffs Too be fair he is played by an Irish actor.

[@abbyniloingsigh7188]

True he is played by an Irish actor, but Liam Cunningham has proven himself time and time again to be incredibly good at changing accents for roles. War of the buttons - West Cork Accent (my own accent and he did it very well) Hunger - Northern Irish accent The Guard - North Dublin Accent He’s very talented and I think he was attempting a Geordie accent with Davos. Aiden Gillen on the other hand... I’ve watched him in Love Hate, Charlie Haugheys doc, Calvary, Sing Street and loads more and his accent is always the same.

[@1987Liono]

I read once that the appeal of Game of Thrones is that it feels like real history but it still has the air of mystery to it. If you watch Rome or The Tudors, you will still know the fates of all the characters. Plus people are bound by history to depicit things as they happened. Anne Boelyn never escapes her fate and Julius Caesar always dies. However in Game of Theones it is presented so well, it feels real. When Ned died it shocked us. In our eyes he was the main character. We assumed he would live but George brought the realism to us by killing Ned. He loves history and has used history to craft an intriguing enjoyable series.

[@droideca88]

1987Liono if you had read the books the first couple of seasons closely resemble the series so a lot of people knew about the fates of the characters

[@kitsune9726]

That's how we got all those Red Wedding reaction videos. Readers set up the cameras for their non-reader friends, knowing they'd be gobsmacked.

[@twitch6969S]

You assumed that Sean Bean wouldn't die? It's 99% guaranteed that he will

[@k.laverdiere715]

that's because he's good at dying. a lot of actors suck at dying on screen, so it makes sense to hire someone who does it really well

[@mazadancoseben4818]

@@k.laverdiere715 , 🤣🤣🤣🤣 You got me cracked up

[@Cybermat47]

S8E3: Winter is here! Also S8E3: Winter is over!

[@celia-ov6rm]

I think the Caribbean has had shorter winters...!

[@ismata3274]

@@celia-ov6rm sounds legit. 👍 seeing the long night was about night long, the prophecies were true it seems. 🤔😆😂

[@benjaminkirk4678]

antoine griezzman Not true. HBO gave them the time and budget to do 10 episodes for both season 7 and 8. D&D turned it down because they wanted to move on to their new Star Wars project.

[@pedromotta4231]

@@benjaminkirk4678 hell they even offered for it to be 10 seasons of 10 episodes each but the bastards turned it down because they wanted to move into other projects

[@micshork]

Some have seen too many Winders, or too few.

[@kenj0418]

HB: "...greatest television series of all time!" Me: (checks video date) "Oh, 2015. You sweet summer child."

[@scgamesonline7771]

It is still the second best series behind Breaking bad even though the final season was shit

[@Ian00003]

@@scgamesonline7771 it’s peak was one of the greatest series of all time

[@scgamesonline7771]

@@Ian00003 still is

[@shaneschannel9289]

Valyria is obviously Rome. Once great civilization, lasted 1,000 years, now in ruins, knowledge lost, Dark Age people awed by what once was. "How long do you think it will be before men can build such things again?"

[@andyfoster8011]

+shanes channel I think it's inspired by the myth of atlantis, the sinking of atlantis and the doom of valyria anyway?

[@shaneschannel9289]

In the show they do say it was destroyed by a natural disaster. Sounded like a volcano.

[@acmejia]

+shanes channel The Minoan civilization and the Thera volcano? it has some of that too.

[@shaneschannel9289]

maybe it is a mish mash of all of them.

[@SnipinCatz]

+Annie Mejía Or Mount Vesuvius.

[@NoobFish23]

a historical comparison of the Game of Thrones and not one mention of the War of Roses? For shame.

[@Thraim.]

+Andrew Halverson That's pretty much common knowledge for most fans by now, to be fair. I appreciate that he talks about some historical parallels that are not mentioned every time GoT comes up.

[@NoobFish23]

AdalRoderick fair enough, but I still think he could have devoted at least one sentence to it. For example, "Most fans know how the politics of Game of Thrones parallels the War of Roses, but the historical roots of the novels run much deeper than that."

[@atiliovalderrama]

+Andrew Halverson This is the advanced course. War of Roses comparisons are for rookies LOL.

[@NoobFish23]

Atilio Valderrama *Please see previous comments*

[@TechnoMinarchist]

+Andrew Halverson I wouldn't just compare it to War of Roses either. Westeros is surely modeled after 15th century England+Ireland+Wales+Scotland. I would say that the east is modeled after the rise of the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century (which occurred at the same time as the War of Roses) and that far east (described in the books) sounds very much like 15th century China Ming Dynasty.

[@PedroMata]

George R R Martin has stated in several interviews that the Red Wedding was inspired by the Black Dinner. If the Glencoe Massacre served as additional inspiration to Martin I don't know, but he hasn't mentioned it in any interview I've seen.

[@saidmrabet4474]

He did. But you're right, the Black Dinner is the main inspo.

[@briannacam.]

He did mention glencoe. But the black diner was the main inspiration

[@stkaiser7]

There's a documentary on the season 5 special features about the real history behind GoT. On that GRRM says that he used both as inspiration for the Red Wedding.

[@GallowglassVT]

Think multiple murders occurring under a flag of hospitality is just a consistent theme in Scottish history tbh.

[@GuineaPigEveryday]

yeah i was confused why Glencoe Massacre is supposed to be the inspiration. I mean the only real similarity is that it was a massacre by what seemed like a friendly occasion and it was surprising. That's it. I mean idk the rest of the story has nothing to do with the Red Dinner and there's plenty other massacres you can make comparisons like that to.

[@BezoRazo]

Growing up with a love of Greek mythology and architecture, I was gutted to learn that the Colossus of Rhodes never actually stood astride the harbor entrance, as strikingly depicted in so many artists' renderings. I suspect GRRM was similarly disappointed with that knowledge, so decided to make his own colossus that would live up to the glorious vision :-)

[@TeeeRobe]

"one of the greatest television series of all times" yea, not sure this video has aged too well

[@OrbitalJeffo]

Too soon!

[@mikemiken1963]

Yeah, the ladt season was had pacing issue so the entire internet had their collective period without a Midol in sight.

[@peterf.229]

oh my some people who didnt like the last season, dont give a shit I enjoyed it just fine.

[@MrPatriot112]

@Ronald Pinkerton All too true mate.

[@henrikg1388]

@Klausbärbel Fömm Well, even if it insults your sensitivity, that is what the history of the World has been like throughout. There are some exceptions, not in the least the Western culture for the last few centuries/decades, but that is just the oddity. Most of it has been cruel psychopaths playing with human life. That said, I am not impressed with the final season, but I am not overly impressed with GRRM either. Easy to weave a cruel story with intricate plots. It's harder to bring it all together, which he never will.

[@dambition7495]

a true history buff notise ships fireing cannons in a scene where Emilia clarke is getting undresed XD

[@jacquesforet3156]

I fucking hate straight ppl

[@twiddlerat9920]

@@jacquesforet3156 uhhhhhh, what

[@malcolmc7985]

Yese verey goode joak XD

[@w0lfra1n]

@@jacquesforet3156 don't worry, we really do not care about your opinion.

[@jacobpulman1343]

Must be gay

[@daDuke42]

did they make the white walkers pay for the wall?

[@xxTheFlyingPigxx]

They tried, but the White Walkers all disappeared. Fortunately, the Night King recently came upon a bit of cash and is on his way south now to pay the debt he owes. He's even bringing along some friends.

[@ruthanna4713]

and do they have any other travel plans? they should go south and see the sights and get a little sun if they can

[@oliverfalkesater2349]

ruth anna Britz They do look rather pale and could use the vitamins.

[@NonApplicable1983]

Kristoff Bjorgman What's funny is that the Others may have actually been involved in building the Wall.

[@NonApplicable1983]

***** It's more likely that they either built the wall themselves or just lent him their iceworking technology. Remember in the show they use very elaborate arms and armor made of what looks like ice.

[@suheti]

Maybe the contrasting accents of flea bottom would be like those in slums of New York in the old days, where people from all over the world bearing all accents come and live together.

[@mikhailborgachov7512]

+Suheti Lee and yell at each other

[@GholaTleilaxu]

Bingo! ;)

[@Robert399]

There's still no explanation for why Davos has the only Geordie accent in the show.

[@CamdenShaw]

Little Finger's accent is intentional. He's a man who comes from a low-born family who has risen to significant power, but his lineage he intentionally keeps a mystery. It is totally believable that he would make considerable efforts to disguise his low-born accent in order to win the affections of the high-born and pretentious nobles in King's Landing. Gendry is the bastard son of a king, while his accent doesn't realistically fit I believe the showrunners chose it as a signifier that he comes from royal lineage. Also, ser Davos said he was born in flea bottom, we can't be sure how long he actually lived there. In poorer regions, even to this day, young children can be sold to trading and smuggling ship's crews in order to help make money for their family so ser Davos might have been a smuggler since he was as young as eight. Lots of time for him to lose his Flea Bottom accent.

[@lemax6865]

I figure it's just actors having trouble with the accents. It's very difficult to convincingly fake an accent consistently.

[@tsukopara2054]

Maxim Bellemare Savage Aidan Gilles did it flawlessly in Season 1. The Irish accent adopted for Littlefinger isn’t his natural one either, it’s totally different to his real voice. The voice change was intentional because it suits the character much better than standard RP.

[@lokkotez]

Joo

[@IncredibleMD]

"Littlefinger sounds like a man constantly on the precipice of his accent slipping because he is." Makes sense to me.

[@MM-xm5vx]

Camden Shaw everybody knows his lineage. He comes from a family of bravosi sellswords who were given lands.

[@jordanneal576]

When the title said "reads" I figured this would be focused on the books not the show.

[@Ignasimp]

He also says "book" i the title.

[@orangensafttee4598]

yea but then he would probably also need to say asoiaf

[@zinkheroofyoutube8004]

@@orangensafttee4598Also, the show is/was generally more popular than the books (sadly)

[@carnage2k4]

... George RR has said the Red Wedding is based off the Black Dinner....

[@iaincampbell5453]

+Carnage2K4 He did mention the Glencoe masacre aswell

[@MrChickennugget360]

their are no shortages of wedding massacres in history.

[@MrBeastknows]

I kind of find the Glencoe Massacre a huge stretch. Like yeah, people that were trusted kills basically the entire family, but that's really it when it comes to comparisons lol. I mean they were guests, not the hosts.

[@RedRose9137]

Well actually the politics behind the Red Wedding and the Glencoe Massacre are very similar. What this video doesn't clearly point out is that the soldiers who murdered the MacDonalds were men of Clan Campbell who were also highlanders. The Campbells betrayed their own kind (Scottish Clansmen) because they were greedy for power, land and riches which the Crown promised them if they did the deed. Much like the Boltons and Freys who betrayed the Starks for promise of power, land, and riches. Also there is the whole idea of "the North remembers" in regards to the Red Wedding, and this was the same with the Glencoe Massacre. Like the video said, the massacre became propaganda for inspiring revenge against the Crown and still to this day there are some Scots who still believe being a Campbell is a dirty thing. The betrayal and massacre is well known history in Scotland because "the North remembers". The actual event of the Black Dinner doesn't really match up with the Red Wedding in regards to the politics behind it and who was killed (just two people after a quick trial). The only common themes is that they both have a name that involves a colour and celebration and that there was a foreboding symbol (Bull's head/Rains of Castamere).

[@iaincampbell5453]

RedRose9137 The Glencoe Massacre was more of a government plot for genocide, which was played on the Campbell's. The Campbell men were unaware of their orders until the night of the killings and, though the commander of the Argyl regiment was a Campbell, most of the men were lowlanders. Many more McDonalds would have died if Campbell men had not warned them and had the Campbell officers not left the most obvious escape from the Glen open, while only guarding the two less useful escape routs.

[@SEHmmmmmm]

Casting Director: "Can you do a received pronunciation, 'Southern accent?" Sean Bean: "No" CD to everyone else 'from' 'The North'': "You all better do Yorkshire then"...

[@brandonhey7797]

Because it's HBO, they think the North of England and the South of England have one accent each. 😂

[@notverysur3rightnow145]

@@brandonhey7797 Liverpool would like a word with hbo

[@darkgaara787]

Nothing about the War of the Roses?

[@rosegolightly1804]

Ikr. And winter is already here.

[@fattshea6312]

Everyone's already done that, the fact that you know about it more it pointless to even mention.

[@darkgaara787]

Rose Golightly That I' can understand because he was refering the show, and winter haven't reached the show yet.

[@xvvalkyrie2180]

It did but k.

[@dindjarinthemandalorian1669]

Well it's so extensive how much the show is based off of history that it would take hours.

[@nay2d2]

jon snow being stabbed is reminiscent of julius cesar

[@MrNadjiboss]

Nay2D2 ollie = brutus

[@legion65]

Nay2D2 *eagon tagaryen

[@flameknightplayz2939]

Nay2D2 Et Tu Brutus

[@kiaraphillips2510]

Nay2D2 WE SHOULD HAVE JUST STABBED CAESAR

[@jiayu913]

Brutus is edmund tully!!

[@FunZies.]

I'm from the future. Season 8 has long since ended and fan disappointment is at an all time high. *And winter never came!*

[@thepsychicspoon5984]

It did but for like 30 mins.

[@OfficialRedTeamReview]

LMAO HGAHAHAHA ".....when?" i died there HAAAAAAHAHAH good video

[@OfficialRedTeamReview]

+John Marlowe

[@kezzirt]

+RedTeamReview Thanks Carmine :D

[@johannaadams9667]

When Viserys is killed by Drogo with a crown of gold it is copying the story from the Robert the Bruce era when Edward II rewarded a blacksmith spy with "all the gold he could carry" by pouring molten gold down his throat. GRRM lifted the majority of his stories from history

[@guidokreeuseler9566]

+Johanna Adams Also the execution of the Roman Governor of Asia (Manius Aquilius) by Mithridates in 88BC comes to mind, who was also killed in this manner

[@hebanker3372]

+Guido Kreeuseler The most famous person,to be killed that way,was the Roman Marcus Licinius Crassus,after leading an ill-fated invasion against the Parthians,he was captured and executed that way.

[@guidokreeuseler9566]

Indeed he was! And for both Romans the punishment was chosen because of their infamous greed

[@hebanker3372]

Precicely

[@macferthi]

+Ο Τραπεζίτης Same thing happened to the sultan of Otrar, when for vengeance for not surrendering his city and killing envoys Ghengis Khan ordered silver to be poured in his eyes and hears.

[@Luminaaaz]

Winter was so short it was only 3 episodes long and was mentioned for 5 seasons I WAS NOT HAPPY but this was a really cool video to see where each event was inspired from

[@Shadowman4710]

Game of Thrones reads like a history book. A Feast for Crows reads like a Japanese Stereo manual.

[@adamkm9348]

+Shadowman4710 YAAAAAAAAS

[@granim32]

+Shadowman4710 so true, I do like all the books, but that one, ouch.

[@zbynek.gazdik]

*+Shadowman4710* Let's just be glad it's the shortest one. ...Although it feels like the longest.

[@Shadowman4710]

Zbynďa Gazdík I've read it at least 5 times...it never gets any shorter. Or better.

[@jehaert]

+Zbynďa Gazdík it is not the shortest one. a clash of kings and a game of thrones are both shorter. GoT at least being considerably shorter.

[@henkwaterlander3038]

The Red Wedding was based on the Black Dinner, not the Glemcoe massacre.

[@jarktheshark3740]

Who says it couldn't be a bit of both?

[@Anttimation]

That's funny. I always thought it was based on the Stockholm bloodpath in the early 16th century where a hundred Swedish nobles were slaughtered after a feast.

[@alicecheshire5312]

can be both like the lannisters are the Lancasters and the borgias

[@jdog14976]

It also has significant similarities to the Pazzi Conspiracy, a bit looser though.

[@DiamantRush12]

+Antti Palosaari I thought it was based on the Blood wedding in France. Because, well, everything fits.

[@axelelmfeldt6085]

I would say the red wedding is based on the Stockholm massacre, it's basically the red wedding, with the difference that it was a banquet and not a wedding. King Christian of Denmark (and Sweden and Norway) invited all Swedish high nobles to a banquet when he visited Stockholm. He then closed the gates and imprisoned everyone. Panic broke out and the people trying to fight found themselves with a lot of arrows in their backs. His executioner later killed all people who didn't put up a fight. The only surviver was Gustav Vasa who later became the founder of Sweden.

[@knotten55]

Founder of Sweden????????????????????????? But yeah

[@axelelmfeldt6085]

knotten55 Gustav Vasa would actually be the foundation of sweden.

[@knotten55]

@@axelelmfeldt6085 No, he would become its first King after the Kalmar union

[@axelelmfeldt6085]

knotten55 Sveriges grundare inte svearikes grundare

[@knotten55]

@@axelelmfeldt6085 ganske sikker på at Kalmar kongene var kjent som konger av Sverige ikke sveariket

[@tudoproductions]

"Winter is coming" most of the times doesn't mean actual winter season is coming. It's House Stark's motto, and it means that even if everything seems fine, which is attributed to "summer", things can get bad and you must always be prepared for something bad to happen, which the bad things are associated with the "winter". There's an episode where I think Ned Stark says that winter is coming , so they must be prepared because bad things will happen.

[@bigredxxx]

It means death is coming

[@theeponym]

You could also think of Valyrian steel as Viking crucible steel. It was very rare and the people who knew how to make it were few and far between. But somehow through their dealings with the east, they learned how to make it centuries before (it's similar, but notably different from Damascus steel).

[@RoberttheotherWeasley]

I just discovered your channel and I have to say whoever did the animation did an amazing job! Really entertaining video! I have always thought the books were basically history books rather than a big epic fantasy novel like LotR and Eragon. George has such a unique writing style.

[@kingjonstarkgeryan8573]

The Medieval warm period and mini Ice age are not theories they are fact, and ...... Winter is coming.

[@stannisthemannisbaratheon1039]

And Stannis will end the long night

[@kingjonstarkgeryan8573]

Stannis The Mannis Baratheon No you won't. Show you is dead and book you is about to die. Both show and book Jon are coming back with a vengeance.

[@kingjonstarkgeryan8573]

***** I live in Cal Winter doesn't come until like a week until Christmas and that is early. Our weather is weird.

[@thesilentstorms-]

+King Jon Starkgeryan Stannis will be your Hand of the King.

[@kingjonstarkgeryan8573]

TheSilentStorm My hand of the King is Samwell Tarly, my Master of Coin is Lord Wyman Manderly,my Master of Ships is Lord Davos Seaworth, my Master of Laws is Howland Reed, my Master of Whispers is either Varys or Bran, and my Lord Commander of my Kingsguard is either Ser Baristan Selmy or Ser Brynden "The Blackfish" Tully. Stanis is dead so I can't make him my Hand also he would never surrender.

[@elsasslotharingen7507]

Wildfire can't melt Valyrian Steel beams!

[@CybermanKing]

+Guardia Rossa The 14 Fires can, though.

[@RAZRfreak]

Wild Fire was not invented until Aerys the Mad King told his pyromancers to make them.

[@LOLKrlos]

That's not true. There is no exact year, but wildfire hwas used as far as a hundred years before Aerys' rule. Aegon IV The Unworthy used "fire cannons" of wildfire in an attempt to conquer Dorne.

[@LOLKrlos]

RAZRfreak RAZRfreak I mispoke. Aegon IV did not try to conquer Dorne, since it was already annexed by marriage with Baelor I. However, Aegon IV did attacked Dorne do to a harsh relationship with his son, who had a good one with the Prince of Dorne. In this unprovocked attack, Aegon IV commanded his pyrimancers to “build him” dragons (the wildfire cannons). All of this is mentioned in The World of Ice And Fire page 96 under the section “The Targaryen Kings”.

[@JollyJoel]

I despise 9/11 truthers but that was fuckin' hilarious...

[@justinchetham-strode5234]

I'm surprised you didn't feature the Wars of the Roses more, as that was supposedly a large part of the inspiration behind the plot - the alliances and betrayals between the major houses, and some of the major players resembling (to a certain extent) real historical figures.

[@potterpal5]

Winter has come already. The show just forgot to mention it.

[@OfficialRedTeamReview]

+Jacob Taber In season 2 episode 1 they mention it. its just slow to arrive.

[@potterpal5]

RedTeamReview I was referring to the scene in the fifth book where the citadel officially announced winter had come. I think the scene in season two was when autumn had arrived, though I may be wrong about that.

[@bobmarley7744]

+Jacob Taber wasn't that also in a feast for crows? Doesn't Jamie get a letter or something in his last chapter that says winter has become? And it's also snowing in Riverrun.

[@izzydizzi1]

+Jacob Taber Jaime gets a letter, and assumes that Winter has come because of the snow, but it hasn't

[@nofanfelani6924]

+Jacob Taber so, the winter is coming... haha

[@TheFrostyVision]

astapor, yunkai, and mereen resemble bronze age empires or iron age empires more then anything else(like the sumerians babylonians and even more recent phoenecians and persians). Qarth also has this feel but a bit different qarth kind of has a greece/rome/carthage feel because it's an oligarchy of rivaling groups rather then an oligarchy by like minded groups like the rest of those nations.

[@wolfgamiing89]

“The white walkers will be building us a new wall” - Trump 2020

[@nickcara97]

DeadWolf Gaming “and the wildlings are going to pay for it”

[@KTChamberlain]

Everyone: "Winter is coming!" Nick: "When?" Me: "Season 6 Episode 10."

[@OrbitalJeffo]

Aaaaaand it was the mildest winter Westeros has ever seen

[@peterf.229]

it was the Stark's motto so half of those clips of them saying it was sorta stupid haha

[@Frankovelli]

2:45 Only History Buffs would describe a 700 ft high, 300 mile long wall of solid magic infused ice as a "weak border defense" lol

[@crazyafrican9955]

The Night watch is a weak border gaurd a wall is useless if knowone defends it

[@ispartacus1337]

Well the wildlings scaled and attacked the nights watch in the span of a few days.

[@Erikaaaaaaaaaaaaa]

**Whispers** Carmine sends his regards

[@MrPatriot112]

You should make a Part 2 of this episode, which shows other influences that Martin used. Overall, good work!

[@darkmatter2989]

+Drew Cobb (Patriot-112) If you like the history behind game of thrones, check out my channel, specifically the video about historical figures and events that inspired the show

[@MrPatriot112]

Thanks for the info!

[@darkmatter2989]

You're welcome

[@MrPatriot112]

I also found out that Aidan Gillen, the actor who plays Petyr Baelish, is actually Irish, born in Drumcondra, Dublin.

[@Eoinster]

Quite a few of the actors are Irish- Davos, Joffrey, Roose and Varys are all Irish too.

[@TheSquirter]

I must admit, a historically inaccurate background painting wasn’t what I was paying attention to in that particular scene

[@AdobadoFantastico]

Everyone compares the Dothraki to Mongols, but I really think the general Scythian region is a much a better comparison. Especially given that the slaving cities they primarily trade with resemble the Near East more than anything, and the Mongol's origin is much further east. Mongol heavily favored the bow and vastly different tactics. But the Dothraki tend to favor swords. They're light cavalry, not mounted archers. So anything among the Turks, Huns, Alans, and Avars make more sense(there's a whole lot of interrelated groups in the area). The Persian and Mesopotamian influences on the slaving cities is pretty clear. So a more nearby nomadic people makes much more sense if we're going to assign a specific group. Picking a group further west also puts it iin closer proximity to Egypt where the Kopesh is obviously the inspiration for the Dothraki swords.

[@davidking6242]

I think the jogos nhai are the Mongols not the dothraki who are more huns or turks or sythians

[@AdobadoFantastico]

***** The Huns are the under appreciated original Scourge of God.

[@wackyruss]

I live in Kazakhstan and they still eat a lot of horse today. Whenever I sit down and enjoy an enormous horse steak I can't help thinking of the Dothraki

[@alexanderbemis9065]

They look kind of northern Native American imo, but definitely pull a nice mix of the Mongols and Huns

[@zegrasisinnocent]

dothraki used bows too

[@MrJovank]

Kings Landing is Nova Roma - Constantinople, created at the sunset of once great empire Ancient Rome/Valyria, defended by Blackwater bay/Golden Horn and famous chains in the mounth of Golden horn. Great walls and Red keep represent Theodosian walls and Emperors pallace. Event the Great Sept of Baelor looks just like Hagia Sophia :) It is known:)

[@arnoldrivas4590]

Jovan Kovacevic That’s a great comparison. This show allows you to put in logical periods of our own history to it. Whether contemporary or from centuries past.

[@mrcliff3709]

I kind of always thought Volantis was more of a constantinople than king's landing

[@MM-xm5vx]

Kings landing is Paris. Qarth or Volantis more mirror Constantinople. They are remnants of great empires and bridge east and west.

[@mrcliff3709]

@@MM-xm5vx volantis considered themselves successors to Valyria like Constantinople. But Qarth does fit the description of the city itself like you said as a hub to trade at it's time

[@zachseatdriver9671]

Day 2829, the show has come and gone, the world ended, and yet we still await the winds of winter

[@gaylordzapikowski9053]

Why did he ever change that intro? I hope the reason was technical because that intro gives me a Historyboner (trademarked)

[@con8200]

Cuman of Cumania It was way too long

[@gaylordzapikowski9053]

But, it was better,

[@Anttimation]

This is probably the only channel where I appreciate(d) a long intro!

[@blahblahooooooooblah]

It's personally too long for me, I enjoyed skipping it though.

[@ithinkimaybelosingit]

Because of Copyright

[@NAVEMAN3]

"One of the greatest shows of all time." Keep that nice thought when you watch season 8. Also, I thought Wild Fire was based off napalm.

[@thebeatleswin1]

Kept that thought through season 8, Thoroughly enjoyed the show, 10/10 for sure the best multiseason show in recent history.

[@AtlasNL]

thebeatleswin1 Hahhahaha no.

[@ispartacus1337]

Nope, Greek fire. Edit: just got to that part.

[@ieuanhunt552]

There was no season 8. The show finished in season 6

[@cristianyampasi4692]

Season 7 was almost as bad as season 8, but season 5 and 6 were not as strong as seasons 1,2,3 and 4. Sorry for my bad english

[@trwsandford]

Near the end of the Medieval warm period, they got rid of all of their SUV's.

[@saketg5954]

Stannis killing his daughter reminds of Homer's Iliad where Agamemnon killed his daughter before attacking Troy

[@justinstark5732]

SaketG His wife committing suicide while stannis charges into a losing battle while emotional numb reminded me of Macbeth

[@samsid3701]

It reminds me of poor writing.

[@LOLKrlos]

Stannis will not kill Shireen in the books, that's just stupid.

[@aleynaneon6763]

Stannis will not kill Shireen in the books "yet"

[@eternalanglo4452]

Carlos.C, he might if he believes it is necessary to thwart the White Walker invasion.

[@wolfthornnholtzklau4913]

Great shout out to the Celtic Punk Rock band, The Real McKenzies!! Celtic Punk, from the Pogues, to the Tossers, to Flogging Molly, to the ever popular Dropkick Murphys...Celtic Punk has had many a song based on history and Celtic lore.

[@krumpls]

13:42 Yet again the appearance of the legendary Ser Twenty of House Goodmen.

[@182scotty182]

The red wedding is more like the Black dinner than Glencoe, where young earls were invited to Edinburgh castle for a feast and then served a black bulls head (a symbol of death) and the king ordered them killed shortly after.

[@darthslackus499]

Make Westeros great again Update: Nevermind, just make GoT great again!

[@johnandersonii]

Winter is here! I think it's very telling that you can literally see the point at which HBO ran out of materials from the books. When the paced kicked up, and the storytelling disappeared, that's when they ran out of material. One of the things that makes the books so great is that the author invented *a lot* of history of the seven kingdoms, and that history really informs the story that takes presently in the books.

[@ChadfromChad]

I think Davos has more of a Geordie accent than a Irish one

[@27b4]

+Vincent Jan - Of course he has, bonny lad.

[@jeremymason500]

+Vincent Jan +rod patterson definitely a Northumbrian accent deliberately chosen by the actor and skillfully accomplished. It's difficult to get right and can quickly fall into pastiche, but he manages it well. Littlefinger's accent is clear to my ears at least. Aidan Gillen is Irish with a light accent only really heard on those long vowels and his character's voice is supposed to be aping the aristocratic style, similar to U speech or RP. This is the reason people hear it straying into an English accent, even though it is actually consistent. Much more jarring to me is the mishmash of northern accents within the Stark family.

[@libbybollinger5901]

And I have to say, it makes sense for there to be varied accents in a city, with tons of trade and contact, and individuals of fairly diverse backgrounds (there's probably gonna be quite a few foreign merchants, and quite some rural immigrants)

[@MrAyoubtube]

bloody allen shearer

[@jeremymason500]

Libby Bollinger But not within the same family born and bred in one location.

[@c.d.dailey8013]

Wow. I do remember a parallel in England when you mention it. I learned a bit about that, when I was studying the Beatles. The Beatles came from Liverpool, which is in the northern part of England. The city is a port city and it is industrial. There is more of the working class vibe. The Beatles have a working class background. The people have more plain accents. They sound more like Americans. This is probably due to being a port city and so have better access to American goods. The Beatles got thier inspiration from imported American music like Little Richard, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley. This is like the Starks. The Starks are in the north, and they are more down to earth. There is more comradely. The southern part of England, like London, is a bit different. There is more royalty, and there is a bit more focus on upper class. There is a fancier accent. The Beatles actually move down to London in order to make records and become successful. This is like the Lannisters. The Lannisters are in the south, and they indulge with riches and the appearence of royalty. They play thier political games. They are stuck up. Maybe I am generalizing north and south England a bit too much. I am sory if I am. Still I can see a bit of a parrallel. Game of Thrones really reads like history or lore. It has a lot of messy interactions of characters and factions. There is a ton of politics and war with a gritty realistic feel. I am amazed that the long seasons can apply. It is very relevent to modern times with the whole global warming thing. The affluent people of Westeros are oblivious to the White Walkers, while the poor Night's Watch have to deal with the issue themselves. That is just like in the real world where the affluent ignore global warming while the poor scientists have to deal with with it. Oil companies have become very wealthy. They perpetuate global warming denial in order to cover their tracks. That is an attempt to avoid responsibility of their pollution and to avoid paying for clean up. Beware! Summer is coming!!

[@iluvujeasus2239]

I think Liverpool is giving me more riverlands vibes

[@aprilcanipe2614]

You have the best opening of any KZbin creator, hands down. It's beyond epic

[@Maderr4]

What is the music in the intro?

[@HistoryBuffs]

Palladio by Escala

[@gerardhogan8122]

+History Buffs it's such a good intro

[@DjDoxastic]

+Maderra -4 its the song from the diamonds are forever commercial from the 80s/90s..

[@Trepur349]

+History Buffs and which movies are dipected, some of those scenes looked cool and were from movies I haven't seen...

[@alexboston343]

Darude - sandstorm ...I'm sorry.

[@herodontus]

KZbin was showing only part of the title and I wanted to find out "Why Game of Thrones reads like a History Book and not a Fanta"

[@HistoryBuffs]

HAHAHA well now you know!

[@Dimetropteryx]

+ilyriandevil Inspiration, not carbon copies. That's all I can bring myself to respond with right now, apart from this: The North or Iron Islands have almost nothing in common with Scandinavia.

[@midas9197]

The song "The Massacre of Glenncoe" was originally by The Corries, from 1975, it was covered by the punk band much later

[@123legosandletsplays]

i came here yesterday and there were like 19k subs. now there's 22k. They grow up so fast :'D

[@123legosandletsplays]

Now a few hours later there is 24k

[@mot1614]

30k :)

[@fairguinevere666]

I think reddit may have helped. There was a post about these guys with 5000 and rising when I last saw it.

[@123legosandletsplays]

34k now

[@colem6913]

+billybob jenkins holy shit 51k now

[@SidheKnight]

The Ironborn are partially based on the Vikings. Seafaring reavers and raiders who have "longships" (Drakkar). Dorne is in many aspects reminiscent of Medieval Spain.

[@stormsmith1319]

+SidheKnight The Iron Islanders also based heavily on the Irish, who raided the western coasts of Britain in much the same fashion (Saint Patrick is a famous example of a slave taken by Irishman in such a fashion for example), and their religion has much more in common with Irish paganism than with Germanic/Scandinavian paganism, with the drowned priests behaving more like druids wandering around in nature than the settled Gothi, who maintained halls for ceremonies. I think Asha Greyjoy may even be inspired by Grace O'Malley, who led her entire clan into piracy during the Golden Age of Piracy.

[@SidheKnight]

Storm Smith I didn't know that. Cool.

[@wackyruss]

Dorne reminds me of a mixture of Turkish and Spanish

[@gordonpeden6234]

Just stumbled across this site and I Have to say Nick the intro is brilliant especially the Scots greys charging out of the portrait. WOW! Love the massacre of Glencoe song I've never heard that Punk Version before (it's Good!) Try listening to the Corries version. Great vid!

[@Princescyther]

I blame the Red Wedding for the shit storm or reaction channels we now see on KZbin today.

[@wilpshot]

Great clip! Some ideas: The Iron Born might be based on the Vikings. The Unsullied might be based on the Janissaries. Is the characther Tyrion Lannister based on the book "The Dwarf" by swedish author Pär Lagerkvist? Peter Dinklage is going to play that character in an upcoming movie. House Red Team sends its regards.

[@PedroNogueiranunes]

Damn, production value on this channel is great

[@abejaran]

Very good video, loved the comparisons, House Red Team sends its regards my friend.

[@HistoryBuffs]

+Alex Bejaran Thanks Alex!

[@pettersundbyindrevoll6522]

+History Buffs nonrelated, but what movie is the naval battle in your intro taken from? Great video by the way.

[@mn3zx]

The wall is made of ice and stone, not just of ice

[@minatonamikaze1622]

O Menezes no its just ice get your facts straight

[@mn3zx]

+suhail alhameli Have you saw the 6th season ? Because Benjin say: "The Wall is not just ice *and stone* there are spells protecting it bla bla bla"

[@sauna-man3024]

O Menezes When he says stone I think he's referring to the castles on the wall.

[@mn3zx]

Ahhnn, yeah that could be right.

[@RAZRfreak]

The wall is just made of ice and in constant decay while some parts fall down due to rising temperature in the summer. In the books the Night's Watch even repairs some parts of the wall with new ice.

[@sincitysinner9239]

History buffs is one of my favorite, and one of the single best KZbin channels there is. I have watched every damn episode of History buffs at least once, and there are some episodes (The Mel Gibson episodes in particular) multiple times, and I always get a bit giddy whenever there is a new episodes uploaded. The last couple of episodes (goodfellas and Casino) have been just as well researched and put together as any previous video's, and I cannot wait for whatever the next piece of media being researched for the newest episode of History buffs. Keep up the great work my friend, you have made a huge fan of your video's here in Las Vegas.

[@askimbeatrix8245]

There’s a really good reason for Davos and Gendry having different accents. Gendry grew up as a smith’s apprentice, Davos grew up at sea. Davos would have more of a noticeable accent, while if Gendry is trying to sell to nobles, it would be nicer. Davos grew up with pirates. That’s the reason they sound so different.

[@Maidaseu]

No it's because one actor is Irish and the other British

[@askimbeatrix8245]

@@Maidaseu dude, I was trying to go with an in universe explanation, why do you have to be such a buzz kill? And how did you even find this dead comment I made 9 months ago?

[@hpsauce1078]

Well winter came and it only lasted one episode and then it was over so overall it wasn't worth getting fussed about in the first place

[@mikemiken1963]

Except it was. Remember the hundreds of other people the white walkers killed? Remember the fist of the first men? Hardholme? The rxcursion beyond tge wall? Last hearth? The attempted assasination of Lord Commander Mormont? No, bc you saw your aunt posting facebook memes about the last season...It had 3 episodes in a 6 episode season dedicated, people bitch.

[@youdoitillwatch]

Aiden Gillen's changing accents is actually rather brilliant. Remember that Baelish, whilst noble, was originally from the dumpiest little backwater in any of the southern kingdoms. He's a provincial who left home while still a child, to be educated amongst the true elite, and as sometimes happens in our world (especially in the UK, where class is heavily tied to accent), Baelish affects an accent while among his social betters, but has a tendency to slip back into his old habits when away from court.

[@leejones2557]

it's mount and blade warband, c'mon

[@Danii_love]

Lee Jones hi

[@leejones2557]

Hi

[@blackferdinand2260]

Lee Jones hi

[@leejones2557]

SentinelS+ Hi

[@nilsvanbrucom]

hi

[@mrcrackdonald_1]

I always thought that westeros was more like europe, more specifically the roman empire but with aspects of medieval england. And King’s Landing is more like Rome with aspects of medieval england.

[@nannyoggsally]

You even quote a punk rock band! Officially best youtube channel ever!

[@Siureivax]

13:47 Wait... Twenty? My God! Do you mean *_twenty good men_* ??

[@ZaeBae22]

FYI about "winter is coming" ... Season six winds of winter.

[@bbdawise]

+MxZeal Lol and the 7th book is going to be named the Song of Spring or something to that effect. So winter apparently will only last for 1 1/2 or 2 books. :P

[@yyZiggurat]

+bbdawise No, the 7th book will be called A Dream of Spring. Which I take to mean the book will still take place during winter.

[@DanielFair]

+bbdawise A Dream of Spring, as in they're wishing for Winter to be over.

[@kyliekoss8136]

I think it’s still fair to say no one will every forgive that ending

[@terryharrison8669]

Gordie accent, Ser Davos has a Gordie accent, as in he's from Newcastle not Ireland.

[@garymacl1670]

Irish

[@24SparrowJack]

liam cunnogham is from ireland

[@terryharrison8669]

I know the Actor is but in this he sounds Geordie-ish to me. But there sgain , I am a bit mutton.

[@danny148mb]

i dont hear it. He sounds like most of the the lads from the part of Dublin im from.

[@jencheevers983]

Exactly he has a geordie accent but the actor is Irish.

[@Reflox1]

Mereen, Astapor, Yunkai and New Ghis are cleary inspired by Ancient Mesopotamian cultures like Sumerians, Babylonians and Akkadians. They all worship the Harpy, which resembles many godesses from mesoptamian mythology and build pyramids, like the the babylonian Ziggurats. If I had to point my finger I'd say the Ghiscari are the persians of ASOIAF.

[@0newingedangel399]

Okay I've really enjoyed your videos for the past year and now I love it even more that you played the real Mckenzies

[@kkonstantinosss2]

Winter is coming! Winter is coming. Winter is coming! Winter: Gahhhhhhhh!

[@arcanekanuck]

J R.R. Tolkien approached The Lord of The Rings the Same Way As if it was forgotten Anglo Saxon Pre History

[@Heisenberg-dy6sy]

Bro this is 1 of my favorite channels im nt big into the ancient history stuff im more ww1 to president day...but im a movie buff also so incorporating it into the movie w true history is good...il say it again solid channel

[@pbh9195]

do you think u can do another GOT video talking about other historical inspiration like dorne the iron island and the religion of westerous.

[@HistoryBuffs]

I may just yet, I need to think of something good to write about

[@pbh9195]

+History Buffs another thing to talk about in game of thrones are what characters in history inspired these characters. like the made king/Ivan the terrible, and Tywin as Edward Longshanks. I also like to think Roberts rebellion is abit similar to how the Trojan war began and end.

[@roguechevelle]

I heard george had inspiration from the war of the roses too

[@JimBCameron]

Thought 'the 'Red Wedding' was based on 'the Black Dinner' of 1440 on the Clan Douglas?

[@PetraPuppy]

Absolutely brilliant analysis of George RRRRRR's use of real history in writing GOT, I also equated the Anglo-saxons with the Andals, with the First Men as the ancient Britons & Children of the Forest as Druid-like 'people'... which I guess makes the Aegon the Conqueror , William the Conqueror ..??

[@brianseguel5308]

I was expecting a "Mongoltage" :c

[@attercops]

Well they are the exception.

[@onnidnmusic]

Wait for it....

[@mcdolan1526]

the Mongols!

[@onnidnmusic]

**mongol montage horde intensifies**

[@nyvoodoochild]

wildfire doesn't melt valerian steal beams, throneluminati confirmed.

[@Jockeylotforfun]

great video. The citadel in old town on game of thrones, seat of the University of the maesters, holds a striking resemblance to the ancient light house of Alexandria. It is said that it was a very tall rectangular tower with a great flame at the top visible for many miles. It also contained the greatest collection of wisdom in its libraries that the world had ever known. You can read about it and the theories of its demise. It was one of the greatest structures of the ancient world. thanks for your video, I enjoyed this!

[@thomasalvarez6456]

You need more subscribers.

[@DrMohanadHouse]

Carmine sends his regards

[@briansanchez1740]

"When is winter coming.." 3 years later... WINTER IS FUCKING HERE! THE KING IN DA NORF!!

[@BirdOnATypwriter]

Greek fire was mostly based on petroleum, this is why it couldn't be put out with water.

[@indianawilson6973]

2:23 tfw when you have to pull out an imperial to metric converter to know the actual size of something

[@gus7814]

Easy. 700 feet = 35 giraffes and 300 miles = 333 city blocks. Hope I helped...two years later.

[@gus7814]

@Alexander Supertramp Awww, cutie. Look who got so upset for nothing. I accidentally multiplied by 0.9 as a standard city block, at least in NYC is 264x900 feet. What happened to you that you get so vicious for essentially a small and insignificant mistake?

[@disc_golfing_with_d]

This video could have been 2 hours long and i still would have been glued to the screen.

[@il343]

I disagree that Westeros is entirely based on the British Isles. Dorne is quite clearly based on Spain as noted by their several cultures most resembling the different cultures in Northern, Central, and Southern Spain, and the accent in the show.

[@Rambo-du6pu]

Wilhelm Bèthvéder Spain or the ottomans.

[@GholaTleilaxu]

+Ronnie Saunders Spain under Moorish rule ;)

[@danielgardecki1046]

Westeros is the British Isles, France and Spain.

[@ub3rfr3nzy94]

Nah It's just Britain.

[@couchgrouches7667]

GRRM has said that Dornish people have Spanish, Palestinian and Welsh influence (weird combo).

[@johnparks4345]

hopefully we will get Winds of Winter before the year is out

[@lovablesnowman]

+Kevin Santore It was supposed to be put before the new TV series but GRRM is late again... In other news grass is green and water is wet

[@noahmiller8042]

+john parks actually at this point it would not be surprisng if he died before completing the books!

[@error2k2]

+john parks My sweet summer child.

[@bethfinne3260]

June 2020. Still waiting. sigh

[@Shield_OW]

this is probably the best intro i have ever seen in a youtube channel

[@jaime5367]

Another more "european" steel blade that I think is more likely to have inspired the valyrian steel would be the +ulfberht+ swords. They were made with crucible steel in the 10th century, which was a technique far superior to that usually employed (welding small red-hot pieces together). This way of working with steel was forgotten in europe until the early 18th century, and those swords were thought to have mythical powers in the middle ages. Congrats on your chanel :)

[@Mrtheunnameable]

It could be either (or both), but ulfberht swords were from an earlier period than the show seems to portray.

[@yugiohaddictedfan7]

Carmine sends his regards!

[@OfficialRedTeamReview]

+yugiohaddictedfan7 Yes I do

[@Horticarter41]

Is it weird that I'll randomly decide to binge watch every episode of this channel?

[@Aspie_Aunty]

"A winter that we're still waiting for!" And it finally arrived with a bang in the seventh season