tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post8691102034262644543..comments2024-03-28T16:15:19.319-04:00Comments on Saideman's Semi-Spew: Game of Thrones and IR TheorySteve Saidemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09881915512311951902noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-50255113901999753232011-06-23T19:59:07.232-04:002011-06-23T19:59:07.232-04:00Yes, the Riverlands were in the HBO series, though...Yes, the Riverlands were in the HBO series, though most of the Tully relative characters (Cat's family) were not yet, due to budget restraints. Jaime's part of the Lannister army were besieging Riverrun, the Tully river fortress. Robb sends a small feint force toward Tywin Lannister's big army and takes his main forces and calvary to trap Jaime and break the siege of Riverrun. To do that, he has to cross the Fork held by the Freys, and Walder Frey bargained a betrothal with Cat for his kids with both Arya and Robb in return for the crossing and alliance. We didn't get to see any of the battle to free Riverrun, just were informed that Robb had won the battle and shown that he had captured Jaime. But the Riverlands will also be playing a role in Season 2. If you want to checkout the layout, look for a map of Westeros, North and South, without the spoilers attached. <br /><br />The Free Cities are in the Eastern continent, not Westeros, and are not connected to the Seven Kingdoms. They are independent of one another. Danys was in one of the Free Cities when she and her brother stayed at the house of Ilyrio, the rich merchant who brokered Danys' marriage to Drogo. The Free Cities do a lot of slave trading. That's why Ilyrio hooked up the disgraced knight Ser Jorah with Viserys (both Ilyrio and Jorah were spying for Verys and King Robert, though Jorah has pretty much now allied himself with Danys, as shown in the show.) The Free Cities will play a role in subsequent seasons. The Targaryen dragon lords invaded Westeros from the eastern continent and were content to rule the Seven Kingdoms there. <br /><br />If you want to get the long backstory, here's a really excellent summary: http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2011/06/song-of-ice-and-fire-so-far-part-1.html Only read Part 1 and Part 2, the history parts, though, if you want to avoid any spoilers. This history isn't all from the books, but from ancillary things Martin has done and notes, etc.Mrs. Spewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-36958447851556470212011-06-23T19:26:20.063-04:002011-06-23T19:26:20.063-04:00Did the Riverlands ever make it into the intro of ...Did the Riverlands ever make it into the intro of the HBO series? I am having a hard time visualizing the various states. I assume this can be easily fixed by googling but spoilers lurk. <br /><br />Can Mrs. Spew tell us more about the Free Cities without spoiling things. Does that mean that they are unaligned with the 7 Kingdoms or are they democracies? Was the sea such a barrier that the people on the other side avoided the Targareon era?Brandon Valerianohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12921918750617372556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-53258833590562197802011-06-23T17:39:41.956-04:002011-06-23T17:39:41.956-04:00The Riverlands are very important, but because the...The Riverlands are very important, but because they were owned by the Iron Islands when the dragon lords invaded the Westeros continent, they were never technically a kingdom united under one king, but instead were a territory/fiefdom of the Iron Islands kingdom before rebelling and swearing to the dragon lords. So the "Seven Kingdoms" consists of seven official kingdoms: the North, the Vale, the Stormlands, the Iron Islands, the Reach, the Westerlands, and Dorne, and two territories -- the Riverlands and the Crownlands. <br /><br />The Night's Watch is indeed multi-national. They are essentially like the Knights Templars. They are independent of lords' control and are supported by a set of lands called the Gift. All the kingdoms were supposed to send men to the Wall, both criminals and volunteers. The men give up all allegiances and serve only the Watch, with their sacred duty to protect the land from any threat that comes from North of the Wall, in particular, the possible return after thousands of years of the White Walkers. While the Northern lords still consider it something of an honor to send second, third sons to the Wall (hence, BenJen Stark,) the numbers of the Watch have fallen into the lowest ever and only three of the Wall's 19 fortresses are currently manned. Wildings from beyond the Wall can sneak into the south by scaling the Wall, getting through a gate in the unmanned fortresses or by sea along the coast. The Watch sends parties of Rangers out north to see what the wildings and such are up to.Mrs. Spewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-18213544420557046922011-06-23T14:09:36.833-04:002011-06-23T14:09:36.833-04:00First, a brief correction. The Riverlands are as m...First, a brief correction. The Riverlands are as much of a kingdom as any other, as they have a major house (House Tully, the house of Lady Stark) and their seat at Riverrun, the place Jamie Lannister was attacking when Robb went master strategy on him.<br /><br />The other consideration we have to make is the relative power of these "bannermen," the houses that swore to the great houses (like House Umber, the House of Greatjon, the guy who had his fingers chewed off and was the first to declare a King in the North). Do these houses have aspirations to greatness of their own. And can they break their vows to their houses just as Robb, and the two Baratheons, essentially did to the king? Those to me are key issues as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-34284017687182887822011-06-23T12:08:07.789-04:002011-06-23T12:08:07.789-04:00You are such a realist with your balance of power ...You are such a realist with your balance of power dynamics :) I'm in the middle of the 1st book and agree its premature to really think about the IR Theory implications of GoT until you have read the books. I had the urge to right about Lost and human nature till they killed that idea with the horrible season 7. Problem is that if you catch up and blog, you will be spoiling it for those who have not caught up since HBO will take 6 years to cover the books.<br /><br />I think we may see collective security against two aggressors, the White Walkers and Dragons (probably at different times unless they ally against the 7 Kingdoms). And is the Black Knights of the Wall a multinational institution? Much more liberalism here than realism. If Robb was a good offensive realist he would go forward against the Lanister, but I assume he will not.Brandon Valerianohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12921918750617372556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-9228720689173244102011-06-23T11:01:54.773-04:002011-06-23T11:01:54.773-04:00Ah, so we have a much more multipolar game than I ...Ah, so we have a much more multipolar game than I understand. The TV series never really was clear about what = 7 kingdoms. Anyhow, the question of the day is whether we will see alliance making/breaking? And will it be driven by relative power and threats? Or by emotion? Or by identification?Steve Saidemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09881915512311951902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8446351548038522890.post-74728084469192617222011-06-23T10:58:54.095-04:002011-06-23T10:58:54.095-04:00You're forgetting that there are seven kingdom...You're forgetting that there are seven kingdoms that bowed the knee to the dragon lords -- the North (Starks,) the Vale (Cat's sister who is currently insisting on being neutral,) the Stormlands (Storm's End -- King Robert's lands -- Lord Stannis, the rightful heir, has Dragonstone, his seat, there and has famial ties to the Tyrells, but the Stormlords there can also go for Renly, his brother,) the Reach, which are the Tyrells which are currently allied with Lord Renly cause Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, is his good buddy, the Westerlands (Casterly Rock -- the Lannisters,) the Greyjoys' Iron Islands (which have rebelled at various times and currently Theon Greyjoy, the heir hostage long time to the Starks, has pledged to Robb,) and Dorne, the very powerful kingdom in the south that came to the empire much later. There is also the Riverlands, not a kingdom, which were ruled by the Iron Islands until going with the dragon lords, but is currently siding with Robb through Cat's marriage, and the Crownlands where Kings Landing was set up, so in the Lannisters' hands. And there is the King Beyond the Wall -- when a leader arises of the people and wildings who live in the far north who may be trying to come south, cause there are White Walkers making zombies up there. So the war is going to be a lot more complicated. <br /><br />In the other eastern continent, where Danys is with her baby dragons and small patched tribe, there are also numerous lands -- Braavos where Syrio the dancing master came from, the Free Cities, and the Qohoriks. Basically, George is just getting started. :)Mrs. Spewnoreply@blogger.com