The Seven Kingdoms of Game of Thrones
GoT’s Seven Kingdoms mirror England’s heptarchy. Aegon’s conquest parallels historical events, drawing intriguing parallels.
Photo by Brandi Alexandra on Unsplash
Some 300 years before the action of Game of Thrones (GoT), there were seven independent kingdoms: Dorne (Kingdom of House Martell), Highgarden (Kingdom of House Tyrell), Storm’s End (Kingdom of House Baratheon), Casterly Rock (Kingdom of House Lannister) the Riverlands and Trident (House Tully), the Vale of Arryn (House Arryn), and the Kingdom of the North (House Stark).
Aegon Targaryen and his two sisters once pointed their dragons at these kingdoms and conquered them. This was the Targaryen Conquest, an event that turned the seven kingdoms into one great kingdom ruled by House Targaryen.
In GoT, Westeros, the continent whose coasts resemble England, is still called the Seven Kingdoms. Although George R.R. Martin has said that Westeros is the size of South America, it is clear that Westeros bears an unexpected resemblance to England — provided we turn the map upside down.
The American writer could have drawn inspiration for Westeros from England in the dark ages of the Middle Ages. Back then (i.e., between 500 and 850), England still had seven kingdoms: Northumbria, Mercia, East Anglia, Kent, Essex, Sussex, and Wessex. These formed the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy.
Northumbria was the mighty northern kingdom, which may have been the basis of the north kingdom of GoT (Winterfell).
In GoT, there is talk of a war between House Stark and House Greyjoy, led by Theon’s father, the Viking-like Balon (not the best father anyone could wish for, but that’s another matter entirely). In the 9th century, there were also wars between Northumbria and the Vikings. However, unlike GoT, Northumbria was partially conquered, and York was (also somewhat) under Danish rule.
In GoT, when the North people denounce Joffrey’s law and proclaim Robb Stark King of the North, they officially announce the North’s intention to break away from the rest of the kingdom and declare its independence. They were rejecting the Targaryen Conquest in favor of the pre-conquest situation. In the story upon which the action of GoT is based, the last king of the North swore allegiance to Aegon Targaryen 300 years before the events we know began.
GoT is the story of England in some ways, with some differences. Unlike the northern kingdom, Northumbria did not submit to the conqueror. Northumbria submitted to Norman law during the reign of William the Conqueror’s son, William Rufus. Still, even that was a process that happened over time.
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