The Real Medieval History Behind <em>Game of Thrones</em>' Trial by Combat
The Mountain and the Viper fought savagely, but so did people in middle-ages judicial affairs.
by Spencer Kornhaber
Jun 02, 2014
2 minutes
“Trial by combat: Deciding a man’s guilt or innocence in the eyes of the gods by having two other men hack each other to pieces. It tells you something about the gods.”
That’s Tyrion Lannister on Sunday night’s , in a bit of dialogue that felt like a flash of self-awareness for as the fight between Prince Oberyn and Gregor Clegane was, you might argue the entire verdict-by-duel plotline has seemed a little far-fetched. The Lannisters seem anything but devout. Why would they stake the future of their family on observance of a showy, unpredictable, religious ritual?
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