Hundred Years’ War

Armagnac-Burgundian War, Hundred Years' War, War of the Roses January 21, 2015

More on Aerys and the Mad Kings

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Aerys II Targaryen, the mad king who commanded his pyromancer to set King’s Landing ablaze (before Game of Thrones began), may be inspired by a couple of kings: Charles VI of France and his grandson, Henry VI of England. This article explores some nuances to their madness, possible hereditary sources, and how Charles VI’s madness worked its way into the CW drama Reign, which is about Mary Queen of Scots. Like King Aerys, Charles VI of France’s reign began benevolently…

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Hundred Years' War, War of the Roses October 2, 2014

Black Princes, Lost Kings and Chivalric Savages? The Historical Inspirations for Rhaegar Targaryen

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We are delighted to have this article is by Tom Pert, who recently completed a Masters Degree in early-modern history at the University of Birmingham (UK). Congratulations Tom! Please give him a warm welcome and show your support of him by sharing this article with your friends. After reading a previous article on whether Daenerys Targaryen (marching under a dragon banner in command of a “mercenary” army) is a reimagining of Henry VII, I found myself pondering the question: “Does Rhaegar Targaryen have…

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Ancient History, Hundred Years' War, Hunger Games, Polls May 7, 2014

The Hunger Games and Joan of Arc

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In The Hunger Games series, Suzanne Collins uses history from Ancient Rome and the Hundred Years’ War. Like George RR Martin, Suzanne “meditates” on the effect of war throughout The Hunger Games series. Similar to Martin, Suzanne uses counterfactual (what-if) versions of history and, as far as I can tell, she did not create an historical “allegory.” We’re thinking of maybe doing a series of articles on The Hunger Games this summer. So, we are wondering, do you like The Hunger Games?…

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Gruesome, Hundred Years' War April 10, 2014

Flaying Update, House Bolton, & Other Types of Skinners (Second Sons)

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Flaying update? Just what you wanted, right? (I was relieved not to see Theon in “Two Swords” (last Sunday night) because, frankly, I find the Theon scenes a little hard to watch. With that said, sometimes the gory can be a little fascinating.) A while back, I wrote an article about House Bolton and flaying in the Middle Ages. Here are a few tidbits I’ve learned since then that I thought I’d share with you – these ones are a…

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Armagnac-Burgundian War, Hundred Years' War, War of the Roses April 4, 2014

Jaime, Ned, and the Assassination of Louis of Orleans

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  Jaime’s men ambush Ned and his party © HBO The ambush and assassination of Louis of Orleans. In the Season 1 episode, “The Wolf and the Lion,” Arya chases a cat into the dungeon. Hearing voices, she hides behind a dragon skull where she overhears Varys telling his spy, “The Wolf and Lion will be at each other’s throats. We will be at war soon, my friend.” Later in that episode, a pivotal ambush puts the Lannisters and the Starks…

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Armagnac-Burgundian War, Hundred Years' War, War of the Roses April 3, 2014

Kidnapping a King’s Son, “Kidnapping” Tyrion: The Armagnac-Burgundian War continued

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One key episode that led to war between the Armagnac/Orleans and Burgundian parties was the kidnapping of the king’s heir, which caused Burgundy and Orleans’ relationship to disintegrate.  Curiously, one of the key episodes that derailed the Stark-Lannister relationship was Catelyn Stark’s “arrest” or “kidnapping” of Tyrion for allegedly attempting to kill Bran. [This article is continued from here.] In August 1405, John of Burgundy – unhappy with his fading power and diminishing payments — marched for Paris with an 800-man…

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Armagnac-Burgundian War, Hundred Years' War, War of the Roses April 2, 2014

The Stark-Lannister Conflict and the Armagnac-Burgundian War continued…

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Admittedly, the Stark-Lannister conflict does not last nearly as long as the Armagnac-Burgundian War. However, the seeds of the Stark-Lannister conflict were planted years before the Wars of the Five Kings began. [This article is continued from here.] First, Ned walks into the throne room immediately after Jaime kills the mad king (Aerys Targaryen) and Ned automatically assumes Jaime killed the king without honor. The knowledge of Ned’s judgment rankles Jaime for years, long before Ned arrives in King’s Landing….

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Armagnac-Burgundian War, Hundred Years' War, War of the Roses March 31, 2014

The French Wars of the Roses: the Lion vs. the (Dire) Wolf

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At the end of last season, the House Stark was gutted of its leadership. All the adults are gone: Ned Stark, Robb Stark, and Catelyn Stark are all dead. Since the Stark/Lannister conflict may be winding down, let’s examine one possible event that may have inspired it – Armagnac-Burgundian War, sometimes dubbed the “French Wars of the Roses.” There are striking parallels between the start of the Armagnac-Burgundian War (that is, the events leading up to the assassination of Duke Louis…

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Hundred Years' War March 25, 2014

Arya, the Hound, and Men of the Hundred Years War

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While rewatching the near gang rape of Brienne, it is striking how Jaime knew that Locke’s men would try to rape Brienne. Jaime knew because, for many soldiers in the periods on which the novels are based, rape was the standard behavior for many soldiers. At a six-hundred year remove, it is easy for the level of violence of these men to escape us. Historians assume and, consequently, neglect to elaborate on the “standard operating procedure” of medieval soldiers. In Medieval Warfare…

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Characters, Hundred Years' War, War of the Roses February 20, 2014

A Valentine for Tywin: That Bastard (Feudal) Poster Boy

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Call this a late Valentine, but I love Game of Thrones‘ villain Tywin Lannister – even when he is at his most heinous. As the Machiavellian mastermind behind the Red Wedding, Tywin dwells down there with villains like Cersei, Joffrey, and the Boltons. Still, from a literary and historical perspective, Tywin gives us a lot to love. Tywin exemplifies the old guard in early phases of the Wars of the Roses: the brutal veterans of the Hundred Years’ War. You can’t…

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