Game of Thrones offers a unique and interesting way to introduce students to the study of how Medieval Europe fit into the larger picture of the world as it once existed. This can be done by using the multiple perspectives that are offered in Game of Thrones to introduce students to looking at the Middle Ages from a similar variety of perspectives.
Currently, most courses on the Middle Ages look only at what was happening in Western Europe during this time period, and fail to appreciate the numerous cultures and geographic areas that influenced one another throughout this era. Especially with the growing desire for multiculturalism and diversity within education, it is crucial for students to engage with this significant period of history from as many perspectives as possible. George R.R. Martin’s fictional universe offers an excellent way to spark students’ excitement regarding this topic, as his narrative is told not from a single perspective, but from many. Characters in this series of novels vary drastically in their religious beliefs, ethnicity, sexual preferences, gender, cultural norms and many other respects. By utilizing these numerous and varied perspectives to analyze Westeros – which is in many ways a loose reimagining of Western Europe and a product of medievalism – students can move on to apply this same approach to analyzing Western Europe in the Middle Ages from the perspectives of those who lived outside of it. By doing this, students can reverse the traditional view of historians, and look at Christendom as a periphery to the rest of the world instead of the opposite.
A good place to start with this analysis of Western Europe vis-a-vis Westeros is in the military and political strength that they each possessed in relation to the rest of the world. In Martin’s universe, Westeros is relatively weak compared to the empires and kingdoms that exist – or once existed – across the Narrow Sea. From the very beginning of the main storyline even, Robert Baratheon expressed his fear of a Dothraki invasion from across the Narrow Sea. This weakness came from the political nature of the Seven Kingdoms, which are exactly that: seven separate kingdoms loosely united under a single monarch who had limited control over his vassals. This organization appears vastly inferior to the efficiently organized empires across the sea, which were able to field enormous armies and control massive tracts of land. Even the “primitive” Dothraki commanded armies far larger than any in the Seven Kingdoms, despite the Westerosi’s belief that they were somehow superior to the “barbarians” across the sea. Though these empires have largely faded away by the events of Martin’s main story line, Westeros still remains the weaker of the two continents due to its disunity.
This disparity in political organization and thus military strength can also be observed by students in the real Middle Ages. Christendom, like Westeros, was frequently divided against itself throughout the Middle Ages, and was never united under a single state apparatus after the fall of the last Roman Emperor in 476. Though much of the organizational framework of Rome remained, it did so in fragmentary pieces, divided under the control of numerous warlords who founded “successor kingdoms” in the aftermath of Romulus Augustus’ deposition by Odovacer. In stark contrast to this, the areas that Westerners traditionally have viewed as the peripheries of Europe throughout the Middle Ages possessed highly organized political structures. Byzantium, for instance, continued the Eastern Roman Empire, and at the height of its power was able to maintain control over an area that stretched from Southern Italy to Baghdad. Useful readings for students and instructors regarding Byzantium’s military power and organization can be found on the Internet Medieval Sourcebook , and can allow students to study the Middle Ages from the perspective of Byzantine Greek writers. After the decline of Byzantium, the Islamic Empire controlled an equally impressive amount of land which stretched from the Iberian Peninsula to modern-day Afghanistan. Compared to these empires, Western European kingdoms were small and quite weak, being unable to exert the same level of bureaucratic control over their lands that these peripheral empires did over their own. By comparing these empires and their capabilities to Europe, students can understand the position of Western Europe in the grand scheme of the World during the Middle Ages, allowing them to appreciate the differences that a new perspective can make on the study of history. Additionally, appreciating these differences can breakdown the idea of Euro-centrism, as the Europe of the Middle Ages was far from the world power that many students mistakenly consider it to have been.
An effective classroom exercise to increase student’s understandings of Byzantium and its relationship to Western Europe is to assign a section of Anna Comnena’s Alexiad to be read. In particular, Comnena’s passage which pertains to the Peasant’s Crusade and the arrival of the army of the First Crusade in Constantinople can allow students to be exposed to an outsider’s view of the armies of Christendom. Another primary source that can illuminate the Near East’s opinions of Western European military forces is The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, which can communicate to students a Muslim’s perspective on the Crusaders in the Holy Land, here referred to as “Franks”.
Westeros also falls behind its Eastern counterparts in its architectural development. Though some areas of the Western continent have impressive examples of architecture, these are uncommon in Westeros, as most structures are of relatively simple wood and stone construction with little innovation or variation. This is especially true of the common buildings in Westeros, which are inhabited by serfs and peasants, who make up the majority of the continent’s population. In contrast to these simple structures, Essos is filled with enormous cities made largely out of stone, incorporating impressive feats of construction. These stone buildings even make up the housing of the lower classes in cities like Pentos and Lys, illustrating a clear difference between building methods in Essos and Westeros. Even Braavos, which was for a long time the poorest of the Free Cities of Essos, has erected a towering statue of a warrior to marks its gates, an impressive architectural feat that has no match in all of Westeros. Much of these architectural feats are also carry-overs from the continent’s past Empires, like Old Ghis and Valyria. This has resulted in cities that are not only architecturally more impressive than those in Westeros, but also ones that are far larger in both population and geographic footprint. The most impressive examples of architecture in Essos are the pyramids of Mereen, the walls of Qarth, and the “long bridge” of Volantis. Each of these examples can be seen in the HBO television series, and are described in detail in both the A Song of Ice and Fire novels and the companion text The World of Ice and Fire. The series of youtube videos called “Game of Thrones’ Histories and Lore” are also useful in describing some of these architectural feats, and can be easily incorporated into a classroom discussion of this topic. These forms of media offer students excellent ways to engage with the brilliant architecture which exists across the sea from Westeros.
These differences in architecture are also present in similar ways in Medieval Europe. Though much of the architecture of Ancient Rome survived the disappearance of the Western Empire, few rulers engaged in large-scale city building in Western Europe, apart from the Visigoths. It was not until the Central Middle Ages that large construction projects began to be undertaken, and this was on a relatively limited basis. This is not to say that the Gothic Cathedrals that were constructed in Western Europe were not impressive, as they certainly were, however the vast majority of architectural endeavours in Europe throughout this period remained rather modest and simple. Outside of Europe, however, Byzantium continued to engage in large scale construction of cities and towns, using stone very often to accomplish these tasks. Constantinople, for instance, built the Hagia Sophia in 537 C.E., which still remains as one of the most spectacular architectural achievements of the Late Antique world. At the same time in Western Europe, little to no building was taking place, and nothing on the same scale as the Hagia Sophia would occur until cathedrals began to be erected in the 11th century. Even the common buildings which were made by societies outside of Europe were more impressive than those in Christendom, as the Islamic Empire built and expanded numerous cities within their control from the 8th century on. The Dome of the Rock is another example of an Eastern piece of architecture which was constructed using methods that would not be used by Western Europeans until much later in the Middle Ages. Built in 685 by the Islamic Empire, this temple’s most impressive feature is a massive dome, technology which the West was unable to replicate at the time. By examining these examples of architecture from outside of Europe, students can engage with the Middle Ages from a non-Western perspective, and expel the myth of Western supremacy that has developed in many fields of history. In addition, students can begin to appreciate the way that the peripheries influenced Europe, as many architectural features from the Islamic Empire were brought back to Europe by Crusaders in the Central and Late Middle Ages.
Another area in which the civilizations of Essos surpassed those of Westeros is in the development and maintenance of infrastructure. In the Seven Kingdoms, there are few major roads that are well-maintained, and even large sections of the most important roadway, the Kingsroad, are simply dirt paths. In Essos, on the other hand, Valyrian roads still connect many of the Free Cities, a carry-over from the ancient Freehold. These roads have been maintained in many cases by the cities that succeeded the Freehold in dominating the Southern portion of Essos, like Volantis and Lys. These roads keep the cities of Essos connected for purposes of communication and trade, thus serving a vital function within their societies. This difference is in some ways observable in the real Middle Ages, as the civilizations of the Near East, namely Byzantium and the Islamic Empire, built or maintained superb infrastructure to allow for efficient communication and travel between cities, which was crucial given the vast tracts of land that these empires administered. In Western Europe, on the other hand, the Roman roads that did exist were largely left to decay over centuries of neglect, as none of the successor kingdoms after 476 had the means to maintain them. This is another way in which the peripheries of Europe surpassed the civilizations of Christendom, and can be used to further impress upon students the importance of looking at Europe from the outsider’s perspective in order to more fully appreciate the place that Europe occupied on the global stage of the Middle Ages. These differences can also be used to partially explain other difference between West and East, as efficient infrastructure was a hallmark of successful empires, while Western Europe lacked both infrastructure and large empires. These factors will convey to students the important role that efficient infrastructure played in the formation of successful states in the Middle Ages.
Another major difference between Westeros and Essos is the ethnic and religious diversity present in each continent. Though the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros have some distinct traditions or beliefs which differentiate each kingdom from the others, as a whole the continent is largely made up of Andals who believe in the Faith of the Seven. In Essos, however, countless religious beliefs proliferate within single cities, and people from across Martin’s fictional universe intermingle and live among one another. This diversity makes Essos seem in many ways more highly developed to a modern audience, as we typically associate diversity with modernity. This is especially true of university students, who will likely identify Essos as being the more moderate and accepting of the two continents because of its diversity and religious tolerance.
The differences that students can observe between these two continents can also be observed in the Medieval world, as Western Europe was largely homogenous, while cultures outside of Europe were often diverse and more accepting of variation among their peoples. Christianity was dominant throughout Western Europe for the duration of the Middle Ages, and the church proved to be quite intolerant of religious deviation, branding dissidents as heretics and persecuting them for any variations in Christian belief not supported by the Papacy. In the Islamic Empire though, Christians, Jews and Muslims lived side-by-side in peace, and members of each religion were often involved in local bureaucracy and governance. In addition, people of multiple cultural and ethnic backgrounds also mingled within the Islamic Empire, partially because of the vast geographic area that it encompassed. Milka Levy-Rubin’s book Non-Muslims in the Early Islamic Empire: From Surrender to Coexistence is a good resource for instructors and students regarding this topic, and sections from it could be utilized as effective course readings to inform class discussions. A more concise reading can also be found in Chapter 10 of The Humanistic Tradition, by Gloria Fiero, which discusses the rise of Islam in the seventh century. Another factor to consider is that the Near East was the “meeting point” that linked Europe, Asia and Africa, again contributing to the diversity present in this area during the Middle Ages. Just like Essos, students will likely identify this diversity as a positive attribute of the Islamic Empire, further reinforcing the importance of appreciating the qualities of the peripheral societies that existed outside of Europe.
It is also worth mentioning to students that Europeans during the Middle Ages did not fully understand the areas that existed outside of Europe, and regarded these “peripheral” places with suspicion and superstition. For a more thorough discussion of how the unknown outside of Europe influenced the Medieval worldview, see the section of this site entitled “‘Beyond the Known World’: Medieval Travel Literature and Orientalism.”
By incorporating some of these strategies into the classroom, instructors will be able to use Game of Thrones to engage students with the concept of studying history from multiple perspectives, and will be able to transfer this concept to the study of the real Middle Ages.
References and Resources:
“Anna Comnena’s Alexiad” in The First Crusade: The Accounts of Eye-witnesses and Participants, translated by A.C. Krey. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1921.
Fiero, Gloria. “Chapter 10: The Islamic World: Religion and Culture” in The Humanistic Tradition. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Publishing, 2005.
Internet Medieval Sourcebook. Last Modified November 4th 2011. http://legacy.fordham.edu/halsall/sbook.asp
Levy-Rubin, Milka. Non-Muslims in the Early Islamic Empire: From Surrender to Coexistence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Martin, George R.R. A Dance with Dragons. New York: Bantam Books, 2011.
Martin, George R.R., Elio M. Garcia, Jr. and Linda Antonsson. The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones. New York: Bantam Books, 2014.
The Travels of Ibn Jubayr, translated by R.J.C. Broadhurst. London: Jonathan Cape, 1952.
A Wiki of Ice and Fire. Last modified December 4th 2015. http://awoiaf.westeros.org/
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