“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”
— Cersei Lannister

If you think Game of Thrones is just a fantasy show, you might be surprised. The real-life game of thrones played out centuries ago in England, with kings and nobles scheming, betraying, and fighting for the ultimate prize—the crown. And just like in the TV series, the Tower of London was both a prison and a death trap for those who lost.

Let’s dive into one of the bloodiest power struggles in English history: the rise and fall of the Lancaster and York dynasties.

Henry IV: The Usurper Who Couldn’t Sleep at Night

Henry of Bolingbroke, later known as Henry IV, wasn’t exactly the rightful heir to the English throne. But when King Richard II’s rule became unbearable, Henry took matters into his own hands, deposed Richard, and locked him up in the infamous Tower of London. Soon after, Richard II conveniently “died” (whether by starvation or something more sinister, we’ll never know), leaving Henry IV as the new king.

But here’s the problem with stealing the throne—you’re never truly safe. Many nobles saw Henry IV as a usurper, and his reign was filled with rebellion after rebellion. The rightful heir, Edmund Mortimer, had a better claim, and plenty of nobles were willing to fight for him. Henry IV spent his reign putting out political fires and trying not to get overthrown himself.

Henry V: The Warrior King Who Took France by Storm

Henry IV’s son, Henry V, was a completely different kind of ruler—bold, ruthless, and ambitious. Instead of constantly fighting rebellions, he decided to turn England’s attention back to its old enemy: France.

In 1415, Henry V led his army to one of the most legendary battles of the Hundred Years’ War: the Battle of Agincourt. Outnumbered and fighting on French soil, the English longbowmen proved devastatingly effective, cutting down thousands of heavily armored French knights. Henry V didn’t just win the battle—he forced the French to sign the Treaty of Troyes, which handed over vast territories and even the French king’s daughter, Catherine of Valois, as his bride.

It seemed like England was on the verge of total domination in France. But then Henry V died of dysentery in 1422, leaving behind an infant son, Henry VI, who was not exactly the warrior his father had been.

Henry VI: The King Who Lost It All (Literally and Mentally)

Henry VI inherited the throne as a baby, which was already a bad start. To make matters worse, he later developed severe mental illness, much like his grandfather, King Charles VI of France. This left the kingdom in chaos, as nobles fought over who should really be in charge.

Meanwhile, France wasn’t about to stay conquered. Under the leadership of Joan of Arc, the French started taking back their land, and by 1453, England had lost nearly all its French territories. Henry VI’s reign became a disaster, with powerful nobles like Richard, Duke of York, eyeing his throne.

The Wars of the Roses: When Kings Became Chess Pieces

By 1455, England erupted into a brutal civil war known as the Wars of the Roses, named after the symbols of the two rival houses: the red rose of Lancaster (Henry VI’s side) and the white rose of York (Richard of York’s side).

At first, the Yorkists seemed to be winning. Richard of York’s son, Edward IV, took the throne, and Henry VI was thrown into the Tower of London (again, not a great place to be). But the drama didn’t stop there. Edward IV’s ally-turned-enemy, the Earl of Warwick (a.k.a. the Kingmaker), briefly restored Henry VI, only for Edward IV to reclaim the throne shortly after.

Henry VI? He was murdered in the Tower of London in 1471. That’s how these things usually ended.

The Final Battle: Enter the Tudors

Edward IV ruled England until his death, but his sudden passing in 1483 led to yet another power struggle. His brother, Richard III, seized the throne, only to be challenged by Henry Tudor, a Lancaster claimant.

In 1485, Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, marking the end of the Wars of the Roses. He became King Henry VII and started the Tudor dynasty, bringing a (temporary) end to the chaos.

History or HBO?

If this all sounds like a Shakespearean tragedy or a George R.R. Martin novel, that’s because real history is often just as dramatic. Betrayals, battles, secret plots, and royal executions—England’s past was one long, bloody Game of Thrones.

And just like in the TV show, if you played the game of thrones in medieval England, you either won… or you died.