Is there Truth Behind the Fantasy World of George R. R. Martin?

In both “Game of Thrones" and the prequel series “House of the Dragon”, we find more than a few examples of mad monarchs, male and female. But how much inspiration did George R. R. Martin draw from actual historic figures?

When mad monarchs come to mind then Ludwig II of Bavaria is madder than mad. He had a compulsion of spending uncontrollably on opulent castles which led to an arrangement between his ministers and a panel of psychiatrists to declare him mentally insane and he died soon after at age 22 having built three amazing castles including the one that inspired the Disney logo. (naumenkophoto / Adobe Stock)

The Real Mad Monarchs and Their Madness

To begin, we can look at real historical instances of the so-called “game of thrones,” which refers to the pursuit of political power. Such struggles have existed throughout history, tempting and corrupting those who seek them. In fact, many of the mad monarchs we see in history inspired fictional counterparts in literature. One source of inspiration for Martin is The Accursed Kings by Maurice Druon, a historical novel series about the 14th-century French monarchy. Martin himself referred to this series as "the original Game of Thrones."

But what about real life? History has seen numerous mad rulers, some of whom were driven insane by power, while others were seemingly born with mental instability.

Notable examples include:

• Charles VI of France, also known as “Charles the Mad,” who suffered from psychosis and a delusion that his body was made of glass.
• Eric XIV of Sweden, whose paranoia and erratic behavior led to bouts of violence.
• George III of Great Britain, who suffered from logorrhea and severe depression.
• Ludwig II of Bavaria, whose compulsive spending on extravagant castles led to his declaration as mentally unstable.

Even female rulers were not exempt from this madness. For example, Joanna I of Castile, known as “Joanna the Mad,” experienced deep melancholia, and Maria I of Portugal, or “Mary the Mad,” suffered from religious delusions. These cases show that madness in monarchs could take many forms, some of which were trends or behaviors rather than outright insanity.

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Philip II of Spain (reign: January 1556–September 1598 AD) was incredibly mad. He hated the heretic "virgin" Queen Elizabeth I. And he loved to collect ancient human bones which were used in great amounts as protection in royal beds for a long time. But he died young at age 42. (Antonio Moro (1519-1575) / Public domain)

Obsessive Behaviors, Magic, and Madness

A particularly extreme historical example of royal obsession is the Spanish monarchs’ macabre fascination with holy relics. Philip II of Spain, for instance, spent vast sums of money acquiring the remains of saints, amassing a collection of 12 full skeletons and thousands of bones. These relics were often placed in the beds of sick royal family members, as they were believed to have healing powers.

One such instance occurred when Philip II’s son, Prince Carlos, fell ill. His bed was filled with relics, and when that failed to work, the remains of a long-dead priest were brought in, after which the prince recovered—whether through divine intervention or sheer shock, we may never know.

This bizarre treatment persisted for centuries, with another king, Philip III, attempting the same treatment with the remains of a non-canonized farmer, who was later declared a saint. The royal obsession with relics often extended to bizarre lengths, such as when Queen Juana Manuel took a severed hand as a souvenir, or when a servant bit off a saint's toe.

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This is a poster for the television series called House of the Dragon was imagined by world famous writer George R. R. Martin whose A Song of Ice and Fire became Game of Thrones. The rights to the House of the Dragon TV series and this poster art copyright belong to HBO and the graphic artist who made this poster. (HBO)

So there have certainly been plenty of mad monarchs to draw upon for material, even if there traits are elaborated on or twisted to fit Martin’s plot line.

With Game of Thrones having become one of the most successful and widely pirated TV series in history, fans eagerly anticipated the prequel series, House of the Dragon, based on George R. R. Martin’s novel Fire & Blood. This series explores the history of House Targaryen, delving further into the themes of power, politics, and dragons.

By watching House of the Dragon, we can continue to to get an indication at least of how ancient societies viewed power.

Top image: Mad monarchs usually battled themselves, but internal struggles often led to unforeseen encounters with other powerful forces like dragons! Source: Dusan Kostic / Adobe Stock

By Ancient Origins