The war of the Roses

The battle for control between many families might be considered the defining narrative of the first few seasons of Game of Thrones. However, this would not only apply to Game of Thrones but also to the War of the Roses. There are many direct connections between real-world and fictitious conflicts, and George R. R. Martin, who is well known for drawing inspiration from The War of the Roses when creating A Song of Ice and Fire trilogy, has studied the topic extensively.

The War of the Roses was a multigenerational conflict in the UK between the families of Lancaster and York. Even a mad king, a young king, and a Hand of the King participated in the conflict (Protector of the Realm). The houses of Lannister and Stark in Westeros and the two families in the War of the Roses have many things in common. Two competing royal families—the Yorks and the Lancasters—fought for control of England's throne throughout the battle. The comparison to the struggle for control of Westeros' Iron Throne between the Stark and Lannister families is fairly obvious, but Martin is a diligent researcher, so the parallels extend much further than just the names. Mad kings, heirs being spirited away, and alliance-sealing marriages are all plot points in both Game of Thrones and its real-world counterpart.