The French Saga That Inspired Game of Thrones
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The French Saga That Inspired Game of Thrones
Long before the Starks and Lannisters battled for the Iron Throne, another royal family was fighting to hold on to power. Its story unfolded in medieval France, where kings, queens, knights and ambitious nobles became caught in a dangerous struggle over the crown.
That story inspired The Accursed Kings, a seven-book series by French author Maurice Druon. Known in French as Les Rois maudits, the novels bring the politics and personalities of the fourteenth century to life with enough betrayal, scandal and violence to satisfy any fan of Game of Thrones.
George R. R. Martin, whose A Song of Ice and Fire novels became the basis for the television series, has praised Druon’s saga as “the original game of thrones.” HarperReach
A kingdom under a curse
The series begins with The Iron King, set during the reign of Philip IV of France, also known as Philip the Fair. Philip is a powerful and intimidating ruler, but his kingdom is surrounded by secrets and rivalries.
One of the most dramatic events involves the Knights Templar, the wealthy religious and military order whose members were arrested under Philip’s rule. In Druon’s telling, the Templars’ leader, Jacques de Molay, curses the king and his descendants as he is burned at the stake.
Whether the historical de Molay actually pronounced such a curse is a matter of legend. In the novels, however, the idea hangs over the royal family as scandal, death and succession disputes threaten the dynasty. wsj.com
The curse provides an opening, but the characters’ choices drive the story. Their ambition, jealousy and desire for revenge prove more than dangerous enough to shake a kingdom.
History with the drama turned up
Druon’s novels follow actual rulers and major events, but they are works of historical fiction. He imagines private conversations, motives and conspiracies that the historical record cannot fully reveal. Readers get an entertaining introduction to the period, though the novels shouldn’t be treated as a literal account of every event. historicalbookshelf.com
The series moves from the final years of the Capetian kings toward the rise of the Valois dynasty and the conflicts that helped lead to the Hundred Years’ War between England and France. Along the way, royal marriages become political weapons, family loyalty collides with personal ambition, and questions about inheritance can change the fate of nations.
The women of the story also play consequential roles. Among them are Isabella of France, a French princess married to the English king, and Mahaut of Artois, a formidable noblewoman determined to protect her family’s position. In Druon’s world, influence is exercised through alliances and family ties as well as armies.
Why Game of Thrones fans will enjoy it
The similarities are easy to see: powerful families compete for control, rulers struggle to secure heirs, and a single decision can set generations of conflict in motion. Like Martin, Druon gives readers a crowded world where people may be ruthless, vulnerable and sympathetic in different moments.
There is one major difference: The Accursed Kings is historical fiction, while Martin’s saga takes place in an invented fantasy world. Readers won’t find dragons in medieval France, but they will find political maneuvering, unexpected reversals and the uneasy feeling that no crown is secure.
The series is also a reminder that Druon was one of several influences on Martin. European history, including England’s Wars of the Roses, helped shape the world of Westeros too. two sides of a coin?
Where to begin
Start with The Iron King, the first of the seven novels. From there, Druon’s saga follows the consequences of one dynasty’s collapse across decades of French and English history.
For readers who loved the schemes and family rivalries of Game of Thrones, The Accursed Kings offers another absorbing struggle for power—one rooted in a real royal past.