8. Among the most iconic characters in Game of Thrones, the struggle of Tyrion Lannister is inspired by the lives of the Roman Emperor Claudius and King Richard III of England
The youngest child of Tywin Lannister, and younger brother of Cersei and Jaime, Tyrion Lannister, commonly known as “The Imp” due to his dwarfism, suffers the barbs and humiliations Medieval society had to offer those different. Enduring his mistreatment, Tyrion rises to serve as acting Hand of the King under Joffrey Baratheon, defending King’s Landing against Stannis Baratheon, before being framed for his king’s murder. Fleeing to Essos and becoming Hand to the Queen under Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion’s story is clearly inspired by that of the Roman Emperor Claudius.
Overlooked as a potential emperor due to his speech impediment and limp, Claudius, like Tyrion, was looked down upon by the society he inhabited. Resolving to prove his detractors wrong, after decades of struggle Claudius clawed his way to power by using his immense intellect to surpass his physical shortcomings. Less obvious, parallels have been drawn between the character of Tyrion and the historical Richard III. Offering a sympathetic reinterpretation of the maligned King of England, both men suffered physical deformities and both were accused of murdering their nephew. However, whereas history condemned Richard without concrete proof, Martin elects to absolve Tyrion, perhaps suggesting his opinion on the ongoing debate surrounding Richard’s culpability.