Wholesale History Behind Game of Thrones: The North Remembers

Picture a massive wall that splits the land in twain and marks the end of the "civilized" world. Think of raiders on war galleys, pillaging seaside villagers. Remember when a young nobleman and his kin were slaughtered under guestright? The question is: are you remembering A Game of Thrones or Scottish history? Martin drew from many historical sources in A Song of Ice and Fire, most famously the War of the Roses, but also many parts of Scottish history. Aye, it's true there are no dragons in Scotland, but look up the national animal and tell yourself it's NOT a fantasy world.