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Game of Thrones is one of the biggest shows that's ever been on television.

Back for a seventh series, its blood lust, chivalry, cruelty, love and revenge have made household names of characters like Jon Snow, Cersei and Daenerys Targaryen.

It's based on the books of George RR Martin - fiction, of course - but there are actually some surprising parallels with the real-life bloody history of Wales.

Wales has more castles than any other country in the world and they have a history that often makes Game of Thrones look tame.

Game of Thrones superfans know George RR Martin based the Red Wedding massacre on a real-life incident in Scottish history, known as the Black Dinner of 1440, but life in Wales was just as bloody.

WARNING - spoilers aplenty ahead.

1. The Red Wedding massacre

(Image: HBO)

Series three of Game of Thrones produced one of the most shocking scenes in recent television history when the Starks and the Tullys were massacred at the Red Wedding.

The Red Wedding took place when Lord Walder Frey invited Houses Stark and Tully to his castle for the wedding of Lord Edmure Tully and his daughter Rosaline Frey.

With the Starks and the Tullys in open rebellion against the Iron Throne, Lord Frey lulled his guests into a false sense of security before having both families murdered in cold blood as revenge for Robb Stark, the King in the North, reneging on a deal to marry his daughter.

This act of barbarity left viewers stunned, however Abergavenny Castle can boast a tale almost as shocking as Lord Frey’s betrayal.

On Christmas Day 1175, Abergavenny Castle was the scene of one of the most barbaric acts in the history of Medieval Europe.

After years of warfare between the Normans and the Welsh, a Norman Baron named William de Braose invited a Welsh chieftain named Sytsylt ap Dyferwald and his fellow Welsh Lords to what they believed was a peace offering at the castle.

With weapons stacked outside and the ale flowing, the doors to the castle’s great hall were suddenly locked and a massacre began. Sytsylt and all his allies were brutally cut down and butchered in an act of savagery not far removed from HBO’s interpretation of the Red Wedding.

2. Daenerys Targaryen's quest to take the Seven Kingdoms

This might be a bit premature as Daenerys Targaryen has yet to take the Seven Kingdoms and regain her father’s throne. However, considering she has the biggest army in Westeros and three fire-breathing dragons at her side let’s give her the benefit of the doubt.

Despite the difference in gender there are obvious similarities between the Dragon Queen and the Pembroke Castle-born Henry Tudor, later to be crowned King Henry VII. To begin with, they both spent most of their early years in exile, while both felt the pressure of being the last remaining hope for a dynasty.

The young Henry fled Pembrokeshire with his uncle Jasper Tudor and spent a number of years hiding from the Yorkists in Britanny during the War of the Roses.

The latter half of the 15th century was marred by civil war and social unrest throughout Britain, the Wars of the Roses. It is no secret that Game of Thrones author George RR Martin has based a sizeable amount of his work on this most savage of eras.

During this period of backstabbing and warfare the English throne passed through various monarchs belonging to the Houses of York and Lancaster.

In the TV series, Daenerys’s father, Aerys II or the Mad King, is murdered by his own kingsguard Ser Jaime Lannister paving the way for Robert Baratheon to take the Iron Throne, resulting in Daenerys and her older brother Viserys heading into exile.

While hiding across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys acquires a large army, while various members of the nobility who have fallen out of favour with the status quo rally to her side.

Henry Tudor follows a similar path to Daenerys, crossing the channel and landing in his native Pembrokeshire before eventually defeating the Yorkist King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Henry’s victory puts an end to the Wars of the Roses and establishes the House of Tudor.

It remains to be seen whether the Targaryen queen’s homecoming turns out to be as successful as her real life counterpart, however, given that she is currently preparing for battle in Westeros, we won’t have to wait long to find out.

3. Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard

Pembroke Castle may as well be a location on Game of Thrones such was its significance in Medieval Europe. Not only was it the birthplace of a future King of England in the shape of Henry Tudor but it was also home to one of the most decorated knights in the Medieval world.

In Game of Thrones each monarch is protected day and night by a group of glorified bodyguards called the Kingsguard. In the show one of the greatest of their members is Ser Barristan Selmy, who is widely thought of as the greatest fighter in Westeros and who served under three different monarchs before falling out with King Joffrey and seeking out Daenerys instead.

Ser Barristan could easily be based on William Marshall who, like his fictional counterpart, rose to power not through a famous name but through his bravery in battle and his skill with a sword.

By the 1170s William had become somewhat of a superstar of the tournament circuit, similar to Selmy. Such was his effectiveness in battle William was appointed to the household of Prince Henry, who was the son of Henry II and later for the King himself leading the fight against his rebellious son, Richard the Lionheart.

William went on to serve under four other kings including Richard and King John, while he was also a leading figure in the Magna Carta negotiations. Similarly, Ser Barriston served the Mad King, Robert Baratheon and Daenerys Targaryen outliving two monarchs.

4. The tourney at Harrenhall

Tourneys are a large part of the culture of Westeros in Game of Thrones, while similar tournaments were extremely popular with the nobility in Medieval Britain.

In the world of Game of Thrones we are told the tale of the Tourney of Harrenhall, which included all of the greatest knights in Westeros with all the nobility including the royal family present.

The last great tournament of knights was held at Carew Castle, Pembrokeshire, in 1507 by Welsh lord Rhys Ap Thomas, who many believe was the man who killed Richard III at the battle of Bosworth Field.

The tournament was on a large scale similar to Harrenhall and was held over the course of five days, with 600 nobles present to witness competitions determined by activities such as jousting and single combat.

In Game of Thrones some of the greatest fighters in the world are present including Barriston Selmy, Ser Jamie Lannister and Rhaegar Targaryen, with the tournament famous for setting off Robert Baratheon’s rebellion when Rhaegar Targaryen fell in love with Robert’s betrothed Lyanna Stark.

5. The siege of Storms End

In Game of Thrones, Stannis Baratheon and his skeleton army are holed up in Storm’s End, the Baratheon family stronghold, for a year, withstanding a siege from the Mad King’s forces during Robert’s Rebellion.

When the Royalists realised that they couldn’t tear down the castle walls they attempted to starve them out, with the Baratheons forced to eat their own horses.

(Image: Cadw Photographic Library)

Despite the fact that medieval history is littered with similar sieges there are striking similarities between the siege of Storm’s End and the Siege of Harlech.

That was the longest military siege in British history, lasting for seven long years during the Wars of the Roses. For most of the seven years, Harlech acted as a base for Lancastrian plots, similar to the Baratheons during Robert’s Rebellion.

The castle was under intense bombardment for most of the seven years, with the Yorkists unable to break their will for survival, before eventually agreeing terms in 1468.