Machiavelli&nbsp;ends his treatise The Prince invoking a "redeemer" who shall save enslaved Italy from the domination of foreign powers that have left her gravely wounded and "almost without life".&nbsp;If we consider The Prince through the optic of its concluding chapter, it becomes evident that the scope of Machiavelli's project regards "issues of redemption and foundation", the "love of country and of glory," more than it does the banality of evil.

Niccolò Machiavelli's Prince

Leadership

Her character development throughout the seasons unfolds within a dynamic that probes fundamental questions of politics and leadership.&nbsp;Machiavelli examined the same questions in the 16th century in his treatise, The Prince.&nbsp;&nbsp;Daenerys may be a version of the&nbsp;redeemer&nbsp; he talk about in his&nbsp;treaty.

Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen

First instruction to maintain power and preserve order: The prince does not have free range to conduct evil, but must strive for goodness as the primary measure of actions. Daenerys gives conquered soldiers a choice: "Bend the knee and join me. Together, we will leave the world a better place than we found it. Or refuse and die."

Machiavelli's First instruction

Second instruction to maintain power and preserve order: The prince must know how to enter into evil and to what extent evil actions are required given the circumstances at hand.<ul><li>The even-tempered Tyrion ultimately concedes that Daenerys will at times "need to be ruthless if [she's] going to win the throne."&nbsp;</li><li>He also calls attention to the results of abusing cruelty.</li></ul>

Machiavelli's 2nd instruction

Third instruction to maintain power and preserve order:&nbsp;When can a ruler enter into evil -&nbsp; "if necessary" and when all other options fail.<ul><li>Pointing to his sister as a negative example, Tyrion suggests that an overreliance on fear presupposes an overuse of cruelty.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Once a ruler's actions fatally blur the fine line that separates fear from hatred, as Cersei's have done, maintaining power becomes increasingly difficult because popular favor deteriorates.</li></ul>

Machiavelli's 3rd instruction

"Therefore, a wise prince must think of a way through which citizens will always, regardless of what the circumstances may be, need him and his power, and, as such, will always remain faithful to him."&nbsp;<ul><li> Daenerys inspired this spirit of fidelity among her subjects by her continued promises to "bring peace back to Westeros",&nbsp;</li><li>to "destroy the wheel that has rolled over everyone, both rich and poor",&nbsp;</li><li>and to offer better lives to all her subjects.</li></ul>

Machiavelli  and need for unquestioned loyalty:

Beyond the practical insight they may afford us, The Prince and Game of Thrones also reciprocally inform the respective viewing and reading of one another.&nbsp;Just as The Prince elucidates the politics of Game of Thrones, so too does Game of Thrones provide a lens through which we can approach Machiavelli.

The Prince and the Game of Thrones 

Too often mislabeled the counselor of evil par excellence, Niccolò Machiavelli ends his treatise De principatibus-The Prince-invoking a "redeemer" who shall save enslaved Italy from the domination of foreign powers that have left her gravely wounded and "almost without life".

Career

Game of Throne's Daenerys is Machiavelli's Perfect Princ[ess] - PopMatters

"The things I do for love."&nbsp;

Quote

Self Improvement

"The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword."&nbsp;

"Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you."&nbsp;

"You know nothing, Jon Snow."

"There's no cure for being a c**t."&nbsp;

"That's what I do: I drink and I know things."

"Chaos isn't a pit. Chaos is a ladder."&nbsp;

"Power resides where men believe it resides. It's a trick, a shadow on the wall."&nbsp;

“It’s not easy being drunk all the time. If it were easy, everyone would do it.”

Yes, we watch Game of Thrones for the epic action scenes of brawny dudes (and ladies!) cutting through their nemeses. And the complex play of politics as characters try to take the Iron Throne, or at least get close to it. And, if we're being honest, the elaborately choreographed sex scenes.

The 10 Most Memorable 'Game of Thrones' Quotes

Henry VIII was a British King, best known for having 6 wives, 2 of which were beheaded. Similarities<ul><li>Like Robert, Henry VIII was rather stout. </li><li>Both enjoyed lavish celebrations and dangerous games of sport.</li><li>Henry’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, was rumoured to have an incestuous relationship with her brother.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Robert Baratheon matches Henry VIII Of England

History

Emperor Claudius was Rome’s fourth emperor.&nbsp;Similarities<ul><li>Claudius was looked down by his family because he had a speech impediment and a limp.&nbsp;Tyrion’s family literally looked down on him because of his size.</li><li>Both proved themselves to be brilliant politicians and administrators.</li></ul>

Tyrion Lannister matches Claudius 

Cesare Borgia is the son of&nbsp;Pope Alexander VI who resigned from the cardinality to become a military commander and powerful lord. Similarities<ul><li>Like Ser Jaime Lannister, Cesare was known for his many betrayals including the alleged murder of his brother.</li><li>Cesare was also rumored to seduce his younger brother’s wife and to have an ongoing sexual relationship with his sister. </li></ul>

Jaime Lannister matches Cesare Borgia

<ul><li>Catherine De' Medici was born to nobility and married King Henry II of France.&nbsp;Similarities:&nbsp;Both Catherine and Cersei were paranoid and ruthless when protecting their families.</li><li>Margaret Of Anjou&nbsp;was the&nbsp;Queen of England&nbsp;by marriage to&nbsp;King Henry VI.&nbsp;Similarities:&nbsp;Much like Cersei Lannister, she was married off to create an alliance.</li></ul>

Catherine De' Medici and Margaret of Anjou inspired Cersei Lannister

Caligula was Rome's most tyrannical emperor. Similarities with Joffrey:<ul><li>Both vicious and hated.</li><li>Both boys came into power at a young age and both loved to wield their power by tormenting others.</li><li>Both fond of spending tons of money on ridiculous spectacles.</li><li>Both were killed before they were old enough to become men.</li></ul>Edward, Prince of Wales - possibly illegitimate son of King Henry VI and Margaret of Anjou. Similarities with Joffrey:<ul><li>Both illegitimate.</li><li>Both found their own ways to nurture their madness.</li></ul>

Caligula and Edward, Prince of Wales inspired Joffrey Baratheon

Edward IV was king of England.&nbsp;He was a key figure in the conflict known as the Wars of the Roses.&nbsp;Similarities <ul><li>Edward IV was given the crown after his father was beheaded, just as Robb became King of the North after Ned faced the same brutal fate.</li><li>As kings, Edward and Robb fought on the battlefields during their respective civil wars and tried to avenge their families.</li><li>Both men were extremely close to their mothers, who yielded more influence than any political advisors.</li></ul>

Robb Stark matches Edward IV Of England

Cecily Neville was the wife of Richard, Duke of York, and the mother of two kings of England, Edward IV and Richard III. Similarities <ul><li>Both women followed House Tully’s motto of “Family, Duty, Honor,” which made their sons’ decisions to abandon their betrothal promises nearly unforgivable.</li></ul>

Catelyn Stark matches Cecily Neville, Duchess Of York

Richard III was king of England for two turbulent years, best known for being accused of murdering his nephews to protect his throne.&nbsp;Similarities <ul><li>Both men were popular in the North, led their people with peace, and believed in loyalty above all other things.</li><li>Richard lived by the motto “Loyalty binds me” and Ned followed the same unspoken words.</li></ul>

Ned Stark matches Richard III Of England

Elizabeth of York&nbsp; was the wife of Henry VII, and mother of Henry VIII.&nbsp;Similarities: <ul><li>Just as Sansa spent her younger years twirling around and dreaming of a happily ever after royal wedding, Elizabeth practiced the grace, obedience, and vanity expected of any future queen.</li><li>Both girls were tall, had skinny statures and golden-red hair.</li></ul>

Sansa Stark matches Elizabeth Of York

Anne Boleyn was Queen of England as the second wife of King Henry VIII. She was found guilty of charges including adultery, incest and conspiracy against the king and was beheaded. <ul><li>Since Robert was dead, Margaery settled for his highly illegitimate son – even though he was betrothed to Sansa Stark.</li><li>Margaery probably would have lost her head just as Boleyn did if Joffrey wasn’t poisoned on their wedding day.</li><li>Margaery had to restart the tedious process of trying to become the queen again, but she found her way to the throne next to the naïve King Tommen pretty quickly </li></ul>

Margaery Tyrell matches Anne Boleyn

William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley was the longest-serving minister of any of the Tudor monarchs.&nbsp;Similarities:&nbsp; <ul><li>William Cecil was born into a simple life and climbed the social hierarchy using his inherent abilities to think ahead and give good advice.&nbsp;</li><li>Born into a fairly low position, Littlefinger moved his way closer to the Iron Throne by talking and aligning himself with all the right people.</li></ul>

Littlefinger matches William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley

Sir Francis Walsingham was the principal secretary to Queen Elizabeth I.&nbsp;Similarities: <ul><li>Francis Walsingham had a gigantic network that kept him in the know of everything that happened.&nbsp;</li><li>Similarly, Lord Varys has his “little birds”, who are&nbsp;mostly underprivileged children who reveal information for sweet treats.</li></ul>

Varys matches Francis Walsingham

<ul><li>Queen Elizabeth I reign is referred to as England's Golden Age, an era of peace and prosperity:&nbsp;Both queens enjoyed the company of lovers but neither was willing to jeopardize her quest for domination by taking on a potentially dominating husband;&nbsp;Elizabeth had her friend and advisor Robert Devereaux executed for trying to orchestrate a rebellion behind her back, similar to how Daenerys banished Jorah Mormont of House Friend Zone after she learned of his role as a spy.&nbsp;</li><li>Genghis Khan was the founder and first Great Khan of the Mongol Empire:&nbsp;like the Dothraki, the Mongolians were once scattered across the Eurasian Steppe in small hordes until they were united by a charismatic leader bent on invading another continent.</li><li>Genghis Khan and his Mongol Empire, unified in the 13th century, sought to expand into Europe, while Daenerys Targaryen set her eyes on Westeros.</li></ul>

Elizabeth I Of England and Genghis Khan inspired Daenerys Targaryen

Joan of Arc is one of the most famous female warriors in history.&nbsp;Similarities <ul><li>Joan of Arc had to convince Charles VII of her worth, whereas Brienne had to prove herself to Prince Renly.</li><li>Both Joan of Arc and Brienne preferred to wear masculine clothing</li><li>both were most comfortable in a suit of armor whilst wielding a sword.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Brienne Of Tarth matches Joan Of Arc

The Knights Templar protected European travelers visiting sites in the Holy Land while also carrying out military operations: <ul><li>Both groups are charged with protecting a realm against outside invaders,</li><li>&nbsp;both are led by an elected leader who serves for life.</li><li>Both would eventually fall into disrepute after storied histories.</li></ul>

The Night’s Watch matches The Knights Templar

Charles VI&nbsp; of France was called the Beloved and the Mad. Similarities:<ul><li>King Charles was known for his paranoid psychosis,&nbsp;which caused him to see enemies everywhere and punish them harshly. Mad King Aerys II of Westeros was prone to similar outbursts. </li><li>Both kings had a connection with fire -&nbsp;Aerys was obsessed with it, Charles VI nearly burned to death as a youth.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Mad King Aerys matches Mad King Charles VI

The historical parallels between the two isn’t just obvious to readers—George R.R. Martin has straight-up said that Aegon’s story was inspired by William. Similarities <ul><li>Both were overseas invaders who bent an entire continent to their will.&nbsp;In the case of Aegon, it was Westeros, and for William it was England.</li></ul>

Aegon The Conqueror matches William The Conqueror

Rasputin was a Russian mystic and self-proclaimed holy man who befriended the family of Tsar Nicholas II, the last monarch of Russia.&nbsp;Similarities <ul><li>Plots are made to take this alleged magician out, but they demonstrate an uncanny ability to cheat death.&nbsp;</li></ul>

Melisandre matches Rasputin

<ul><li>Julius Caesar was a Roman politician, military general, and historian.&nbsp;Julius Caesar and Jon Snow do not share identical life stories - although both were born into prominent families before joining a military service - but they do share identical death stories</li><li>John Stark&nbsp; served as an officer in the British Army.&nbsp;The stories and names of Jon Snow and John Stark are so similar, it seems almost impossible that George R.R. Martin wasn’t at least partially inspired his life:&nbsp;Stark was adopted into a tribe he was captive to. Later on as a free man he refused to take part on a raid against the tribe.&nbsp;Jon Snow’s shows conflicted loyalties when fighting the Wildlings.</li></ul>

Julius Caesar and John Stark inspired Jon Snow

The Janissaries were an elite corps in the Ottoman Empire. Similarities:&nbsp;<ul><li>The Janissaries specialized in providing personal protection for various sultans, just as Grey Worm and his troops guard Daenerys wherever she goes.</li></ul>

The Unsullied match The Ottoman Janissaries

Similarities:<ul><li>Both were known for their skill and agility,as well as their militaristic ingenuity</li><li>Both rose to prominent positions due to their abilities</li><li>Both were gay, and both had serious romances with royal partners</li></ul>

Loras Tyrell matches Piers Gaveston

A main ingredient in George R.R. Martin's fantastical concoction is the medley of historical figures who inspired Game of Thrones.When Martin first started writing the&nbsp;book series, he drew a lot of his inspiration from the people and events surrounding the War of the Roses.&nbsp;Influences weren’t confined to that era, nor were his characters necessarily linked in the same ways as their historical counterparts. Instead, he blended bits of history all around the Westeros map, picking and choosing the traits he would use and discard from the historical figures who inspired Game of Thrones.

Games of Thrones inspiration

As the son of Pope Alexander VI, Cesare Borgia was expected to be a noble and religious warrior whose life essentially belonged to the Vatican. As the story goes - and Showtime's The Borgias showed - Cesare followed his skewed moral compass rather than catering to what others wanted him to be.

Real Historical Figures Who Inspired Game Of Thrones Characters

Hobbes, an English philosopher, believes mankind's nature to be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short as described in his book, The Leviathan.This is why people adhere to social contracts (ceding some rights in return for protection from a governing body) in order to avoid a crippling struggle.

Thomas Hobbes explained

The 'Show, don't tell' rule is especially pertinent when it comes to immoral acts.Until a book becomes moving pictures, any moral issue with it doesn't seem to reach national press levels, because it shows these contentious issues to a wider audience.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you show the act, but don't tell anyone what to think about it, the fact that an author or film-maker hasn't clanged down a big sign saying 'And this is bad' is tantamount to advocation.&nbsp;

Moral issues

A Song of Ice and Fire might very well deliberately echo Leviathan.&nbsp;The notion that, without protection from the Iron Throne, the land falls into an every-man-for-himself struggle does echo the ideas laid down in Leviathan.&nbsp;

GoT's similarities with the Leviathan

From a purely technical point-of-view, a subtext is good. From a moral point-of-view, it depends on what that subtext is.

Subtext

Advocating a philosophical theory is not something that is going to drastically alter many people's lives.Your subtext can be as clever or as repulsive as you want, because most people just want to be entertained.

Philosophical Theory or just Entertainment

George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series is one of those series that, as someone who has worked in a bookshop, seemed to saunter off the shelves. In the wake of the television series, small boys' mothers told me that their offspring loved the telly programme but were concerned that the books might be a bit beyond them.

The philosophical ethics of Game Of Thrones

Tywin excels in "Machiavellianism” - being duplicitous or deceitful in order to get ahead: “The end justifies the means”.Tywin Lannister isn’t brutal for the sheer sake of it; he tries to be moral if possible, but strays from the more righteous path in order to achieve results.&nbsp;

Tywin Lannister’s Philosophy

Daenerys follows&nbsp;French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who described how the society he lived in stripped away freedom and humanity.Daenerys is perceived as standing on the morally high ground.&nbsp;&nbsp;She’s freeing slaves. She’s the Breaker of Chains. She’s righteous and is seen as supporting the greater good, a cause above herself.&nbsp;She’s righteous and is seen as supporting the greater good, a cause above herself.

Daenerys Targaryen’s Philosophy

It’s no secret that George R.R. Martin has pulled heavily from history for inspiration - historical events and characters.There’s also a less obvious source of inspiration which fuels the motives and behaviors of GRRM’s immense world of characters — historical philosophers and their teachings.&nbsp;

Philosophies of Game of Thrones characters

Jake Emen is a freelance writer living in Bethesda, MD who has been published in a variety of print and online outlets. You can follow him on Twitter, and check out his musings on food, whiskey and random misadventures at ManTalkFood.com. It's no secret that George R.R.

gameofthrones

Niccolò Machiavelli's Prince

Game of Throne's Daenerys is Machiavelli's Perfect Princ[ess] - PopMatters

JAIME LANNISTER

The 10 Most Memorable 'Game of Thrones' Quotes