As season five of the hugely popular fantasy drama series Game of Thrones comes to an end, fans are about to catch up with the death of yet another major character alongside plenty of twists and turns that are characteristic of the show. Yet for all the White Walkers and flying dragons that make up the world of Game of Thrones, few realise that it is firmly based in historical fact – at least as a starting point.

Beginning around 1377, medieval England was shaken by a power struggle between two noble families, which spanned generations and involved a massive cast of characters, complex motives, shifting loyalties and plenty of murder. Sound familiar? This video explains how the historical conflict known as the Wars of the Roses served as the basis for much of the drama in Game of Thrones.