Anarchy: The Real War That Inspired HBO's House of the Dragons

Hello Readers!

 

Have I ever told you that I am a secret history nerd? Well, one of my favorite ventures is to spot and research the historical inspirations for some of our favorite shows. And today that show is, George R. R. Martin’s House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones.

 

Let’s fly into the magical world of Westeros and look at one of the craziest wars that inspired it all!

 

Spoilers Alert if you have not seen House of the Dragon or Game of Thrones! You have been warned!

 

Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen and Empress Matilda: The Lady of the English

 

It has been said before that Game of Thrones is loosely based on the War of the Roses a.k.a. England’s Civil War in the 15th Century between the Lancasters, Yorks, and Tudors. Only to be won by Henry Tudor of House Tudor on August 22nd, 1485, A.D. You know, these names sound awfully familiar to the Lannisters, Starks, and Targaryens; I'm just saying.

 

But have you heard of a little-known English Civil War called the Anarchy?

 

Let’s rewind the clock to 12th-century England, before the War of the Five Kings started by the crazy King Joeffrey (RIP: Ned Stark), to the Targaryen Civil War and to the civil war declared by Empress Matilda, the Lady of the English!

 

Princess Matilda was born on February 7th, 1102 A.D. in Sutton Courtenay in Oxfordshire, England. Similar to House of the Dragon, Matilda’s father, King Henry I of England intended for his firstborn son, Prince William Adelin to inherit the throne. But things took a turn when the prince and his friends got a little too crazy on a party boat that sunk faster than the Titanic on November 25, 1120 A.D in what became known as the White Ship Tragedy. Sad partings to the prince; forcing the king to name his only daughter, Matilda to be named heir to the English empire. Both Rhaenyra and Matilda would have been the first women to rule their kingdoms. As a result, in both series and in real life, the kings had their noblemen pledge fidelity to their daughters to assure their succession to become queens.

 

However, when both kings died, there were, how you say “arguments” that the king suddenly changed his mind on his deathbed on who should actually ascend to the throne. For Rhaenyra, this change meant her younger half-brother Prince Aegon should be king. For Matilda, this meant that the throne should pass to her male cousin, Stephen of Blois.

 

Quite suspicious, if you ask me.

 

The king suddenly changed his mind after publicly declaring his next heir? Sniff Sniff…I’m smelling a little foul play if you know what I mean. Well, as you might have guessed, in both the cases the men seized the throne and became king. While the daughters of the former king (In House of Dragon – Rhaenyra and in 12th Century England – Matilda) rallied their armies and declared themselves as the rightful rulers, rifting the families apart and plunging their nations into civil war! Man, that would be one awkward Thanksgiving!

 

For the now, Empress Matilda, this war lasted from the year 1135 A.D. to 1153 A.D., filled with battles, sieges, captures, and the imprisonment of King Stephen! Gasp! Only for him to be released in a prison exchange when the other side had her half-brother, Robert of Gloucester.

The End of the War

 

Growing tired, after many years of the brutalities of war, both King Stephen and Empress Matilda came together to form the Treaty of Wallingford, which allowed King Stephen to finish out his reign as ruler but declared that Matilda's son Henry would be his heir. Thus, on December 19th, 1154 A.D., Henry became King Henry II of England after the passing of King Stephen of Blois.

 

While Empress Matilda never officially sat on the English throne, she did secure it for her son and is still remembered today as The Lady of the English! But will Queen Rhaenyra have a similar fate in the upcoming seasons of House of the Dragon? Hmmm. Only time will tell.

 

But don’t worry. George R. R. Martin has already finished the book, Fire & Blood, a.k.a. the book that House of the Dragon is based on. Thus, there should not be a repeat of Game of Thrones, season 8! Cough! Cough! HBO, I’m looking at you!

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