Finally, the time has come. The new spin-off series to Game of Thrones officially starts on HBO. Here you will find everything you need to know for the perfect start.
What is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms? The HBO series “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is a prequel to Game of Thrones. The story is based on the three Hedge Knight novellas by George R.R. Martin, which have been published in Germany as a collection titled “Der Heckenritter von Westeros: Das Urteil der Sieben”.
We accompany the good-hearted hedge knight Ser Duncan and his young squire Egg. Together, the two face dangers in Westeros, learn from each other, and develop a deep friendship.
The first episode premieres on January 19 on HBO Max. You can find all the information about other release dates here.
Is there a connection to Game of Thrones?
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set in the same universe as Game of Thrones. Those who are already familiar with the customs, places, and political structures of Westeros will feel right at home.
Nevertheless, the series, just like the book source, is fundamentally self-contained. You do not need to know Game of Thrones to understand anything. It is about completely new stories, new characters, and a new approach.
Instead of following countless characters scattered across the continent, the series focuses on its protagonists Dunk and Egg. It is less about tangled politics, and more about the common folk, knight tournaments, and personal relationships. Everything is a bit smaller and lighter than in Game of Thrones, with more room for humor and relatable characters.
However, the series is not completely independent from each other. There are indeed connections that we do not want to elaborate on here for spoiler reasons. Basically, these connections are more like nice Easter eggs for fans, and not a must to enjoy the series itself. A rather obvious similarity can be found when looking at the Targaryen family tree. More on that later.
What are hedge knights anyway?
The protagonist of the series is the knight Ser Duncan the Great, also known as Dunk. Unlike many other knights we know from Game of Thrones, Dunk is not a highborn scion of a powerful house. He was born in Flea Bottom, the slum of King’s Landing. There he grew up as an orphan until he was taken under the wing of the knight Ser Arlan as a squire.
Arlan was also not a highborn knight, but a so-called hedge knight. These are wandering and independent knights, without a fixed lord or land ownership. They mainly earn their living through tournaments, mercenary work, or being hired by various lords. However, they are usually not very rich. To save on expensive inns, they often sleep under hedges by the roadside. Hence the name “hedge knight”.
These wandering knights have a rather dubious reputation among the populace, as they often tend towards crime. A saying in Westeros goes: “A hedge knight and a robber knight are two sides of the same sword.”
However, Ser Arlan was none of those criminal robber knights. He placed great value on honor and chivalry, and passed these values on to Dunk.
When does the series take place?
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” takes place in the year 209 A.C. (after Aegon’s Conquest). So it is set almost exactly between the other two Westeros series:
- House of the Dragon: approx. 130 A.C.
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: 209 A.C.
- Game of Thrones: 300 A.C.
We are in a somewhat peaceful, but still politically tense time. The Iron Throne is held by a Targaryen. However, the golden days of the house are slowly coming to an end. The dragons that once helped the house to its power have died out almost 50 years ago. Therefore, they have to find other ways to maintain their power and authority.
We are also almost 13 years after the so-called Blackfyre Rebellion, an important event in Targaryen history. The cause of the friction was Daemon Blackfyre, the bastard half-brother of King Daeron II Targaryen. He claimed the Iron Throne and thereby instigated a civil war. The rebellion ended with the death of Daemon and his sons at the Battle of the Redgrass Field. Even though this was some years ago, the political unrest has not really calmed down since then.
Who are all the Targaryens?
The Targaryens are a complex family, often not easily understood. The incestuous relationships and the fact that the names are often similarly confusing do not make it any better. So here’s a brief overview of all Targaryens who are important in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms:
Who is Daeron? The currently reigning king is Daeron II Targaryen, a direct descendant of King Viserys I from House of the Dragon, and ancestor of Daenerys from Game of Thrones. To secure peace with Dorne, he married Myriah Martell, the eldest daughter of the prince. They had four children together: Baelor, Aerys, Rhaegel, and Maekar.
Who is Baelor? Heir to the throne Baelor is basically the perfect prince. He is wise, just, and an excellent fighter. He is considered one of the best knights of his time and is also known by the nickname “Spearbreaker.” However, he is not liked by everyone. This is mainly because he inherited the dark hair from a Dornish mother and therefore does not look like a classic Targaryen.
This was also part of the reason for the supporters of the Blackfyre Rebellion to support Daemon, who, in contrast to Baelor, had the typical Targaryen appearance.
Who is Maekar? Maekar Targaryen is the younger brother of Baelor. With his wife Dyanna Dayne, a distant ancestor of the later legendary Ser Arthur Dayne, he had four children: Daeron, Aerion, Aemon, and Aegon.
Who is Aemon? Among Maekar’s children, one name especially stands out: Aemon Targaryen. He is none other than Maester Aemon, who we know from Game of Thrones. At that time, Aemon had been at the Night’s Watch for so long that hardly anyone could remember his true origin.
90 years earlier, in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, this is of course different. Aemon is a young prince who loves to bury his nose in books and reenact battles with his little brother Aegon.
Who is Aerion? Completely different from Aemon is his older brother Aerion. He is almost 16 years old, incredibly arrogant, stubborn, manipulative, and cruel. Fitting his fiery wardrobe, such as a flaming helmet, he gave himself the nickname “Brightflame.”
