We Are All Liars Here: Westeros And Tudor England
Watching Game of Thrones or reading the books, it’s hard not to notice the similarities characters have with figures of history. Especially Thomas Cromwell, a blacksmith’s son against Petyr Baelish (Littlefinger), a nobody who elevated above his station.
Born in 1485, little did Tudor England know the impact that Thomas Cromwell would have. Son of a blacksmith, he had a modest childhood until he left London for Europe, spending much of his adulthood there as well, in the French army. What Game of Thrones fans would call a sellsword!
In 1512, he returned to England and studied law. He took a major career move in 1520; he became legal secretary to Cardinal Wolsey (in service to Henry VIII), later his mentor. In 1523, Cromwell became an MP, where he greatly extended the power of the house. However, Wolsey was to fall out of favour as he couldn’t achieve the King’s much wanted divorce from Catherine of Aragorn. On his way to stand trial for treason, Wolsey died. Cromwell was upset, not in grief, but more because he could see his death dangling ahead of him, his career ending before it had scarcely begun. However, 1532, he was King Henry’s chief minister and he even achieved Henry’s much-wanted divorce. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1533, Vicar General in 1535 and Lord Privy Seal in 1536.
Littlefinger (Aiden Turner) was a nobody, taking every opportunity to elevate himself, even creating conflict by pulling the wolf’s tale whilst playing with the lion’s. Baelish was the boy with no name, grandson of a Braavosi sellsword, who then became Lord Protector of the Eyrie, Master of Coin and more. Littlefinger “would see this country burn if he could be king of the ashes” says Varys.
Cromwell’s spies reported from all parts of England, Scotland and Wales. His powers (Henry’s) seemed limitless. He was responsible for the arrest and execution of Sir Thomas More in 1535, somewhat comparable to Ned Stark (Sean Bean). Baelish playing both sides resulted in Ned Stark’s death, as well as that of Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) and Rob (Richard Madden). Though, you could argue that Rob assured his own death when he married for love, making an enemy out of Walder Frey (David Bradley) by not marrying one of his daughters. Just saying.
A Song Of Ice & Fire author, George R.R Martin may have based Petyr Baelish on Thomas Cromwell. They were both from working-class backgrounds and all for bettering themselves. Baelish being from a tiny piece of land in the Vale called The Fingers and Cromwell being the son of a blacksmith. Whilst Baelish was sent to Riverrun, as ward to Hoster Tully, Cromwell ironically became a hired soldier in Europe. Baelish got his taste for power living at Riverrun, raised with the Tully children: Edmure (Tobias Menzies), Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) and Lysa (Kate Dickie).
While Baelish dined with the Tullys, Cromwell knew the Boleyns. His foot was in the door. They both married into status and wealth, Elizabeth Wycks and Lysa Arryn (néé Tully), not before throwing her through the Moon Door.
Cromwell rose through the ranks quickly, not without making enemies, including the Duke of Norfolk. Baelish rose through the chaos of war. “Chaos isn’t it a pit, chaos is a ladder…” He was Lord Paramount of the Trident, Lord of Harrenhal and even saved Jon Snow’s army from the Boltons in the latter half of season six in ‘The Battle of the Bastards’.
“Power resides where men believe it resides. It’s a trick, a shadow on the wall, and a very small man can cast a very large shadow.” — Varys
And in the end they were executed. Lovely jubbily!
