Matching 50 Game of Thrones characters with 50 European countries

Malta: Brynden “the Blackfish” Tully

Malta is known to many for its tranquility, beauty and isolation. It’s ideal for filming movies and TV shows, something Game of Thrones took advantage of early in its run. But it’s also known or something else: sieges.

This tiny archipelago has been involved in two notable sieges over the centuries. The first was back in 1565: the Great Siege of Malta, when the Ottoman Empire tried to invade the island nation. Malta was being held by the Knights Hospitaller at the time, and they succeeded in holding the enemy back. The siege was a turning point for the Ottoman Empire; people no longer saw it as invincible.

The second siege is likely one you studied during school. In the Second World War, Malta was a British colony. The Axis Powers threw everything they had at the archipelago, bombing the people and trying to stave them out, all while clashing with the Royal Air Force and Navy. It was brutal.

Obviously, Ser Brynden Tully can relate to Malta’s experience. While sieges aren’t uncommon in the world of Game of Thrones, he was a major part of one of the most significant we saw: the Siege of Riverrun. Like the people of Malta, Brynden fought valiantly to protect what was his. He never gave in to enemy forces, even when his own relatives were turning on the cause. He ultimately died fighting to protect his home. He was a loyal man who believed in standing up for what he felt was right.