What new Game of Thrones prequel gets right about courage, honour, horsemanship and the power of bling
By: Communications
If Game of Thrones seems obsessed with bling, chivalry, honour and horsemanship – that’s because the real medieval world was too, according to the prequel's historical advisor Dr Hugh Doherty.
The University of East Anglia (UEA) historian has helped HBO bring medieval authenticity to its highly anticipated new series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Set in the Game of Thrones universe, the series premieres in the UK on 19 January and explores life a century before the original saga.
Beyond academia, Dr Doherty has become a trusted advisor for some of the biggest names in film and television with credits including Snow White and the Huntsman, Maleficent, Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella, and Netflix’s The King.
And he says there are some very surprising truths about medieval life that inspire the latest GOT fantasy epic.
Surprising truths
Dr Doherty said: “There’s a view that the medieval world wallowed in mud and uncleanliness, but all our evidence tells us the opposite. They valued cleanliness, good health, and loved their garments, colours, and display. Their bling was very important.”
"Many people also believe the medieval world was fixed and hierarchal, dominated by family, wealth, and authority. But it was one, and this is important, that very often privileged courage, military talent, and friendship over everything else."
Behind the swords and sigils of HBO’s latest epic lies meticulous historical detail thanks to Dr Doherty, who worked with the show’s creators to ensure its knights, tournaments, and codes of honour reflect the realities of the medieval world.
Codes of honour and knightly prowess
“In medieval times, tournaments were all about the show for many people – the pageantry, the spectacle, and a chance to show off power or a bit of martial bling. But for others, they were something much more personal - a place to test their courage and live out their own deeply held codes of honour.
“Women played a crucial role in the 14th century as evaluators of knightly prowess, and they would have admired the horsemanship shown in the new series.
“Horsemanship was so central to medieval life that there’s a Carolingian saying - a boy who couldn’t ride by seven was destined for the priesthood.”
Believable and immersive
A lecturer in Medieval History at UEA, Dr Doherty is a leading authority on the politics, power, and personalities of Europe between Charlemagne and the crusades. His expertise ensures the show’s depiction of medieval life feels believable and immersive.
“Authenticity matters, even in fantastical worlds,” he said. “When audiences see knights and codes of chivalry on screen, they expect them to feel real. My role is to make sure those details are rooted in genuine medieval history. It’s not about perfection – it’s about creating a world that resonates on a deeper level.”
Working on the show
Dr Doherty’s consultancy work featured a series of interviews with the show’s principal writer, conducted across continents.
“He was in Los Angeles; I was here in Norfolk,” Dr Doherty explained. “He asked me fascinating questions about 14th-century politics, tournaments, knightly lifestyles, courtly pursuits and entertainments. It was a real back-and-forth.”
Now, he hopes the new series will help audiences appreciate the complexity of the Middle Ages.
“Ancient Rome is probably more familiar to audiences than the medieval world,” he said. “These shows brilliantly represent the value systems and dynamics of medieval society.”
“The series captures the atmosphere of pre-industrial warfare with sword against sword, arrow fire, and fortresses brilliantly. The swordsmanship and mastery of weapons would impress any medieval knight.”
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