Game of Thrones is celebrated as a more grounded, historical take on fantasy fiction. Contrasted against Lord of the Rings, A Song of Ice and Fire feels like a documentary. It takes notes from ancient events and the grim realities of war and politics. The dragons and magic feel like secondary elements. Episodes go by without supernatural incursions. Further examination reveals a period called the Age of Heroes, which feels much closer to classic fantasy.
History is a big part of fantasy. Most fantastical universes have millennia of backstories that lend context to all the magic and intrigue. Fans typically know more about Middle-earth, Narnia, or the Discworld than they do about Earth and its people. Westeros and the "known world" surrounding it are fascinating cases because sizable periods of its history are lost to time.
Game Of Thrones: 10 Most Important Moments In Westeros' History
To celebrate the release of House of the Dragon, let's look at the most important moments in Westeros' history.
When did the Age of Heroes take place?
The Age of Heroes began roughly 10,000 years before the events of A Song of Ice and Fire. It's the second recorded era in the history of Westeros. The Dawn Age preceded the Age of Heroes, marking the arrival of the First Men in Westeros. Around 12,000 years before the story's events, humans crossed a natural land bridge called the Arm of Dorne from an eastern continent called Essos. They arrived in Westeros, a massive, sparsely populated land known for wildly varied climates. Westeros had an indigenous species, a race of diminutive, green-skinned humanoids called the Children of the Forest. The land was also populated by giants, who sometimes fought the Children of the Forest for territory. When humans arrived, the locals resolved their differences and began a 2,000-year war with the First Men. The Children wielded powerful magic, while the First Men carried bronze weapons. The conflict was brutal, but its ending was happy.
After 2,000 years, the First Men and the Children of the Forest met on an island in what would become the Riverlands to sign a treaty. The resulting Pact gave humanity most of the land in Westeros to accommodate their numbers while the Children resided in the deep forest. The First Men and Children of the Forest lived in harmony for 4,000 years. This era would be known as the Age of Heroes. Though war with the indigenous people of Westeros was over, the Age of Heroes was not known for peace. Countless kingdoms rose and fell as rival war bands fought for land and power. The Age of Heroes ended 6,000 years before the War of the Five Kings with the Andal invasion. As a new ethnic group arrived and conquered most of Westeros, the Age of Heroes came to a bloody end.
Why is the Age of Heroes significant?
Most of the First Men were wiped out after the Age of Heroes. However, many critical dynasties and kingdoms of Westeros were established or foreshadowed during the Age of Heroes. Bran the Builder, creator of the mighty Wall and Castle Winterfell, was the ancestor of House Stark. Ser Artys Arryn, the Falcon Knight, founded House Arryn and established the Vale. Durran Godsgrief forged Storm's End, the eventual home of House Baratheon. Lann the Clever, the namesake of House Lannister, swindled House Casterly out of Casterly Rock. The Grey King slew a sea dragon, married a mermaid, taught men to make sails, and ruled the Ironborn. The Age of Heroes was a time of mighty warriors and dangerous monsters. Most noble families and kingdoms of Westeros were established in some form during the Age of Heroes.
The most significant event in the Age of Heroes was the Long Night. Before the Pact was signed, the Children of the Forest captured one of the First Men and turned him into a heartless, undying being of ice and hatred called a White Walker. The first White Walker became the Night King, a powerful monster capable of turning human infants into more of his kind. For unknown reasons, Westeros entered a winter that lasted a generation. The White Walkers swept across the continent, killing all they encountered and turning their victims into undead wights. The First Men and Children of the Forest joined forces in the Battle for the Dawn to defeat the Army of the Dead. The living armies won, pushing the White Walkers back into the northernmost chunk of the continent. Humans and Children suffered enormous losses but survived.
The Age of Heroes was a fascinating era that has gone unexplored by most of A Song of Ice and Fire. The stories are brushed over. Narratively, every detail known about the Age of Heroes is disputed. Maesters, the educators tasked with keeping historical records, have little to go on. The First Men and Children of the Forest didn't have written languages. Though every event in the Age of Heroes could have been entirely fabricated, the knock-on effects of that period of conquest and epic tales live on in Westeros for generations.
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones, based on the Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R.R. Martin, tells the sprawling story of warring families in Westeros. This includes the Starks, the Lannisters, the Baratheons, and the Targaryens. Along with human conflicts, Westeros is also threatened by the re-emergence of dragons, and an undead enemy from beyond the Wall.
- First Episode Air Date
- April 17, 2011
- Where to watch
- HBO Max
- Spin-offs
- House of the Dragon