After his death at the battle of Wakefield, his head ended up on a spike, and his son, Edward of York (later Edward IV) – Robb Stark – took up the claim. Eddard (Ned) Stark, the protagonist in the first series, played by Sean Bean, looks very much like Richard, Duke of York, who staked a claim to the English throne in 1460 – arguing that he had senior descent in the female line from Edward III, which made the House of Lancaster usurpers. The true history of England’s bloody medieval battles has provided a rich seam for Martin. There are parallels that can be made between our favourite Game of Thrones characters and their real-life equivalents: Robert Baratheon, for example, bears more than a passing resemblance to King Edward IV – a formidable warrior who had degenerated by his death at the age of 40 into debauchery, inactivity and obesity.īaratheon’s not the only one. Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) and Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) in the first episode of season six.
