Politics is notoriously brutal, filled with wildly ambitious characters jockeying for influence in a competitive world, where money goes a long way and nobody is safe.

Incidentally, that summarizes most of the plot of the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, based on a series of popular novels by George R.R. Martin.

Just like in Washington, competing factions loaded with cash are fighting for their political survival, with all eyes on the top prize.

Here, we dissect some of the best political lessons from the land of Westeros.

Note: This slideshow contains spoilers for seasons 1 and 2 only.