A True History- A Westerosi Satire

[AlaskanSandman]

So, In a True History written presumably by Maesters. It states that the Battle for the Dawn and the building of the Wall occurred eight thousand years ago, rather than six thousand years. The text states the Andal invasion began four thousand years ago, rather than six thousand or two thousand. True History insists that the children of the forest abandoned the riverlands before the arrival of the Andals, contradicting the legend of Erreg the Kinslayer being an Andal who attacked High Heart. It also suggests that Alyssa Arryn lived four thousand years ago, rather than six thousand according to legend or two thousand according to Maester Denestan's Questions.

 

I tend to lean more towards Denestan's Questions my self but recently learned of a likely inspiration for "True History" and a reason to not take it seriously or as the "True History" of Westeros. As True History is a Greek book written by Lucian of Samosata as a satire. The novel is a satire of outlandish tales that had been reported in ancient sources, particularly those that presented fantastic or mythical events as if they were true. The novel begins with an explanation that the story is not at all "true", and that everything in it is a complete and utter lie.

 

Denestan and Septon Barth would be my likely candidates for Truth, especially upon learning this.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_True_Story

https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/True_History#:~:text=True History is a text,rather than six thousand years.

[Thandros]

That would be great... except their are two problems.

One Lucian wasn't attempting or pretending to write history in the slightest. He was making mockery of fantastical stories presented by those who came before him. His entire 'history' is a story told basically from his perspective about his fantastical journey. The True history is clearly at least attempting to present some form of historical narrative or at least presenting historical events.

The second problem is that Ἀληθῆ διηγήματα arguably translate better as a True Story rather than a True History particularly given the context of what is referring to. At which point the name similarity dives right out the window and you're left holding meaningless straws.

Also Questions has serious problems by placing the last Kingsmoot so late. Given the Greyirons are supposed to have ruled for a thousand years before being overthrown by the Andal invasion it either places the Andal invasion way too late or the Andal arrival in the Iron islands was much much later than elsewhere in Westeros. Then again everything about Ironborn history seems to have been a mess.