‘Game of Thrones is arguably the greatest and most popular television series that has ever been created. From blood magic to fire breathing dragons to ice zombies, the show epitomises the genre of fantasy.

Author George RR Martin, whose A Song of Ice and Fire book series is the inspiration behind the show, has crafted a world that features both the supernatural and a modern-esque take on geo-politics. Many characters in the series are inspired from real historical figures and seem to draw many of the traits of these said figures.

Here’s a list of some characters from Game of Thrones and the historical figures that they are inspired from.

Joffrey Baratheon

Joffrey’s character is loosely based on Edward of Lancaster, son of King Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou, who herself is the real life equivalent of Joffrey’s mother, Cersei Lannister. Like the wicked Joffrey, Edward was also cruel and was largely suspected to be illegitimate.

Robb Stark

Like Joffrey, Robb’s character also drew inspiration from a medieval English king – Edward of York. A contemporary of Edward of Lancaster, this Edward also inherited position at a very young age, married unwisely and suffered betrayal at the hands of his own vassals.

Daenerys Targaryen

Danny’s character is loosely based on Justa Grata Honoria, the sister of Western Roman King Valentinian III. Like Danny, Honoria wed a horse-lord in Atilla the Hun who was promised half of Gaul if he overthrew her brother from the throne.

Danny’s marriage on the show ended unexpectedly after Khal Drogo’s death while Honoria was also robbed off her husband after Atilla’s untimely demise.

Melisandre

The Red priestess Melisandre was a constant shadow of Stannis Baratheon. Her historical counterpart is Grigori Rasputin who was notoriously close to Russian Tsar Nicholas’ family. Like Melisandre, Rasputin was also seemingly immune to assassination plots as he survived several deadly attacks on his person that included stabbings and poisoning.

Jaime Lannister

Jaime began wearing a shiny new golden hand at the beginning of season 4. This has a historical connection because Gottfried von Berlichingen, a German Imperial Knight, was also famous for wearing a metallic hand for which he was conferred with the moniker ‘Gotz of the Iron Hand’.

Barristan Selmy

The old knight is a seasoned warrior and a member of the Kingsguard who served under many monarchs. His ability with a sword and a lance made him famous throughout Westeros and beyond.

There is only one historical figure who comes close to his bearing and that is Pierre Terrail or ‘the Knight Without Fear and Beyond Reproach’ as he was called. He served under no less than three French kings and once stood his ground against 200 Spanish knights.

PNN