Survey: Some people know Game of Thrones better than real-life history

Though many were left unsatisfied and even angry over the Game of Thrones finale, that last season doesn’t take away the impact the series had — and still has — on pop culture. Based on George R.R. Martin’s fantasy books, the HBO hit broke streaming records, racked up an impressive amount of Emmy Awards and made the genre cool again.

Game of Thrones had a huge fanbase during its eight-season run; it was hard not to get sweapt up and learn about the history of Westeros, the ongoing battle for the Iron Throne and the biology of Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons. All of it was so interesting, so much so that many people apparently know the show better than real-life events.

10% of survey respondents thought Jon Snow was a real person

As reported by The Sun, Sky HISTORY conducted a survey of 2,000 British adults that tested them on their knowledge of real-life history. As it turns out, “more than a third” admitted they’re more familiar with fictional worlds in shows like Game of Thrones. For instance, when asked about the real-life Wars of the Roses, which took place in the 1400s, one in 20 thought the rivals were Lannister and Stark, not Lancaster and York. Of course, House Lannister and House Stark are from Game of Thrones, and they are not real.

Additionally, the survey found that one in 10 people believed Jon Snow was an actual historical figure, which is not correct. And it’s not just Game of Thrones characters that got mixed up for real-life people. One in 20 people thought Gandalf from The Lord of the Rings actually existed, while others believed The Battle of Hogwarts from Harry Potter and The Clone Wars from Star Wars were real.

A spokesperson for Sky HISTORY said of the survey results:

"British history is littered with so many important stories as well as iconic myths and legends, it’s hardly surprising that people’s memories can be a little foggy. What is clear is that British people take pride in their history and have a thirst for more information and knowledge about it. Our role is to show them that history is well and truly alive, and that fact is very bit as exciting and dramatic as fiction."

Game of Thrones was actually inspired by the War of the Roses, but there are other shows that literally interpret history events including Vikings, The Last Kingdom and Outlander. Though if you’re interested in learning more about real history, we’d suggest a trip to the library instead.

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