Oh way worse. For one thing, unlike the Ironborn, the Vikings were perfectly happy to farm and trade and craft – one of the big reasons they launched their raids and then their conquests was that they didn’t have enough farmland and wanted to get their hands on more. Likewise, when it came to governance, once they transitioned from raiders and conquerors to kings, they were generally quite effective, whether we’re talking about Cnut’s North Sea Empire or the Norman Kings of Sicily.
Author: stevenattewell
POLITICS OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS: THE RIVERLANDS (PART II)
POLITICS OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS: THE RIVERLANDS (PART II)
Credit to J.E Fullerton/Ser Other-in-Law
When last we left off in the story of the political development of the Riverlands, the grip of the Stormlanders on their province was beginning to slip, and the Ironborn were rowing across Ironman’s Bay, looking to shake it loose for good…
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I recently started reading Sharon Kay Penman and I love her books about the Anarchy. Have you read Ellis Peter’s “Brother Cadfael” series?
You better believe it!
Have you read any of The Wheel of Time?
Yeah, I read a bunch and then dropped the series.
What’s your opinion of Ken Follett’s historical fiction novels The Pillars of the Earth and World Without End?
Not bad. My favorite author on that period is Sharon Kay Penman, but Follett does a good enough job.
When discussing the nature of slavery, Xaro argues that slavery is a necessary evil for mankind (at least part of it) to “reach the stars” Instead of unable to come up with arguments, why doesn’t Dany throw Braavos in Xaro’s face? She has lived there and probably knows of the high living standards compared to the rest of Essos
Because A. Dany hasn’t been in Braavos since she was a little girl, B. she’s not a political philosopher by training.
TWOIAF says Nymeria repelled an attempted conquest from Storm King Durran the Third, but this is happening relatively late in the timeline and after around twenty other Durrans. Is there any way to reconcile this or is it just another continuity error?
According to Elio Garcia, that’s not a mistake, but who knows?
Maester Steven, given your recent Riverlands essay, I had to ask, which of the faiths do you think young Benedict Justman and his line, followed upon their rise to kingship over the Riverlands? Thanks!
Good question! I’m guessing Benedict went in for an
ecumenical “Old Gods and the New” approach.
RFTIT Tumblr Weekly Roundup!
Hello folks! I’m on track to finish Part II of the Politics of the Riverlands for Monday, and after that it’s back to ASOS for a while. So I’m not hurting for content at the moment, but I’ve had a pretty solid week on Tumblr so I thought I might as well get this one out: Followup on a Blackfyre Kingdom in the Three Daughters. How does the longaxe work with shield wall formations? Thoughts on why…
What would happen to a Faceless Man who chose to reclaim his identity and leave the organization?
We’re about to find out…
As with everything else with Arya’s storyline, I recommend consulting Batman Begins…
RFTIT Tumblr Backup 