There are a lot of parallels between real-life historical events and the goings on in George R.R. Martin's Seven Kingdoms, and now the author of the book series A Song Of Ice And Fire has spoken out to speak about the inspiration behind The Sparrows - a religious sect who have risen to prominence in recent episodes of the Game of Thrones television series.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Martin explained how the Sparrows and their swift power influx in King's Landing was initially inspired by the Protestant Reformation of Catholic Europe in the 16th century which sparked the beginning of the hugely devastating Thirty Years' War.
"If you look at the history of the church in the Middle Ages, you had periods where you had very worldly and corrupt popes and bishops. People who were not spiritual, but were politicians. They were playing their own version of the game of thrones, and they were in bed with the kinds and the lords. But you also had periods of religious revival or reform - the greatest of them being the Protestant Reformation, which led to the splitting of the church - where there were two or three rival popes each denouncing the other as legitimate. That's what you're seeing here in Westeros.
"The two previous High Septons we've seen, the first was very corrupt in his own way, and he was torn apart by the mob during the food riots [in season 2]. The one Tyrion appoints in his stead is less corrupt but is ineffectual and doesn't make any waves. Cersei distrusts him because Tyrion appointed him. So now she has to deal with a militant and aggressive Protestant Reformation, if you will, that's determined to resurrect a faith that was destroyed centuries ago by the Targaryens."
Proving to be an incredibly powerful force in the current fifth season of the show, they refuse to make exceptions for anybody when it comes to dealing with those who disobey the Laws of the Seven. This week's episode of Game of Thrones saw that proved in full effect when Cersei Lannister was thrown into a cell following an admission from her blood cousin which could see her land in very hot water.
Game of Thrones continues next Sunday at 9pm on HBO, simulcast in the UK on Sky Atlantic and repeated on Mondays at 9pm on the same channel.
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