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I hope this isn’t too off-topic, but I’ve been reading Maurice Druon’s Accursed Kings lately, and had some questions about it. How historically valid are some of the more lurid or conspiratorial events Druon depicts, like Marguerite and Blanche taking lovers; Marguerite being strangled in prison; the poisoning of Guillaume de Nogaret, Louis X, “John I”, Mahaut of Artois, and her daughter Jeanne; and the massive (heh) role the dispute over the Artois inheritance had on the events of the books?

For the most part, Druon as the French academic he was, is quite accurate. But because he was writing historical fiction, he sometimes embellished. 

  • The Tour de Nesle Affair was quite real, and Marguerite was strangled to death by the executioner, according to one account by her own shroud, which is a nice Gothic touch.
  • It’s unclear whether Guillaume de Nogaret was poisoned; we do know that he died “with his tongue horribly thrust out,” which could mean a great many different things.
  • What part of Louis X’s story are you unsure about?
  • As far as Jon I goes, there was a real-life case where an Italian named  Giannino Baglioni claimed to be the true King of France during the reign of Jon II, was briefly given credence by the kings of Hungary, but then was arrested and died in prison. Druon thought it would be more fun if he really was the real Jon.
  • Mahaut’s feud with Robert over Artois was quite real, and not only did it lead to the events of the books, but it also played a quite pivotal role in starting the Hundred Years War. 

Krim here, your critique of episode 9 got me thinking, how does a commander who fights on the frontline (which you’ve acknowledged as a useful if risky tactic in its own right) like Robb or Alexander the Great manage to exercise tactical control while stuck in the chaos of battle?

Delegating to trusted commanders – Alexander had his “Companions,” who he trusted at a bone-deep level, due to their shared upbringing and a whole set of Macedonian customs that bound them to the king for life. That way, you can have subordinates carrying out the parts of your plan you don’t need to be in person for, while acting yourself. 

Mobility – there’s a reason why frontline commanders fought on horseback rather than on foot; it allows you to see more of the battlefield, move about to where you’re needed, and cavalry are ideal for quick, decisive movements that can make the difference between victory and defeat. 

Backup – as with Robb and Alexander, commanders don’t fight by themselves – instead, you have a good force of elite soldiers whose job it is to keep the commander alive. At the same time, you’re still going to avoid targets that might get you stuck in enemy formations for extended periods of time. 

Communication –  with pre-military revolution armies, generally speaking, a commander could usually see most if not all of his army on the field, be heard by at least a fraction of it (hence the importance of Robert having a “battlefield voice”), and at the very least be able to send riders with fresh orders. 

So when (if ever) has the “blocking in” spear and shield tactic that Ramsay Bolton used to surround Jon’s force (on GoT last night) been used in history? How does it usually work?

Ramsay’s tactic is not that different from Hannibal’s double envelopment at Cannae, or Miltiades at Maratheon.

My issue with it is that, with the way the battle’s been set up, both sides’ cavalry and Jon’s infantry have charged into the middle of a field, so it’s going to take a long time for Ramsay’s pike and shield-carrying infantry to complete their encirclement. 

There’s no good reason besides narrative necessity that Jon’s entire army would stand there and watch without trying to redeploy or attempt a breakout or something. 

Is moontea, or other forms of contraception, available to the small folk? I can only remember it being quoted in relation to Lysa, Margaery and Cersei in the books. On the one hand, most bastards seem to come from lowborn women, with notable exceptions such as Edric Storm. On the other hand, among the free folk it seems like a common enough practice, so is it a matter of availablity or a more conservative, possibly Faith of the Seven-y, culture?

If the Free Folk have it, and they do  (Jon II, ASOS) the smallfolk have it. 

Thoughts on HBO’s Game of Thrones, Season 6 Episode 9, “Battle of the Bastards”

regularsizedhammy:

poorquentyn:

racefortheironthrone:

Thoughts on HBO’s Game of Thrones, Season 6 Episode 9, “Battle of the Bastards”

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Well, the penultimate episode of the season is here, so let’s take a look. (Apologies for the lateness of the post, but had a nasty case of food poisoning last night…) Thoughts below the cut to avoid spoilers, as per usual:
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Agreed. The visuals were often spectacular, but the themes and characterization were muddled all to hell. The writing is the foundation; you can’t successfully build your aesthetic on a wobbly Jenga tower.

Why would ramsay just keep shooting arrows when he sees someone charging at him with only a shield…makes no sense!

Yup. At the very least, if the guy’s covering his head, shoot him in the legs.

RFTIT Tumblr Weekly Roundup

RFTIT Tumblr Weekly Roundup

Hey folks! Work on Politics of the Seven Kingdoms, Part II (The North) continues – currently up to 16,000 words and I’m finally into Theon the Hungry Wolf who has to be on the list of the top five most important Stark Kings – but in the meantime, here’s some Tumblering: An extended discussion of House Lannister’s navy and political/class divisions.  A necessary correction.   How would a forged…

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Would you say the NW’s vows of celibacy are beneficial or detrimental? I understand foreswearing lands and titles, and how that could extend to marriage, so that your only loyalties are to the Wall. So you don’t hesitate when it comes time to die for the Watch. But that means it’s harder to replenish their manpower, it makes joining seem like a punishment (even if you are joining willingly), and I feel like it gives the lifestyle a sense of hopelessness which affects morale. Maybe I’m off-base?

I’ve written about this somewhat in my discussion of Jon chapters. 

While barring marriage goes along with the forswearing of lands and titles – since people have this stubborn inclination to try to pass wealth down through family lines – I think celibacy has been a long-term mistake, because it means that the Watch doesn’t naturally reproduce its own manpower. 

If it was up to me, I’d embrace a somewhat Spartan model – communal reproduction, child-rearing, and education, all to build identification to the group as opposed to the fortunes of the individual family.