Post by cyberpunker on Mar 19, 2020 18:30:14 GMT
I remember a thread back in Bioware's Official Forums that had all the real world equivalents to all the nations and cultures in Dragon Age. We now know a lot more about Nevarra and the Anderfels to make even further conclusions. Here are what I see as the real life counterparts to Thedas.
Ferelden: Ireland and Scotland. The names are all Gaelic inspired, and the natural green environments were modeled after areas in Ireland and Scotland. Bioware writers even acknowledged in an interview that much of what inspired Ferelden was based on Celtic legends and stories. It makes sense too. Ferelden was occupied by a foreign power (like Scotland/Ireland), and had an epic struggle to drive out the occupiers. The Avvars and Chasind are inspired by Scottish Highlanders and native Celts. Loghain Mac Tir is the William Wallace who fought for its freedom and Therin bloodline story is inspired by the myth of the Irish High Kings. Also, just look at their names: Alistair, Cullen, Irving, Eamon, Isolde, Teagan, Bryce, etc.
Orlais: France.
Antiva: Italy and Sicily.
Rivain: Spain and Portugal.
Tevinter Imperium: Byzantine Empire.
Anderfels: Northern and Eastern Germanic states like the Holy Roman Empire and Scandinavia. The king is mentioned as relatively weak, like the HRE emperor, outside of his immediate domain. The people are very devout followers of the Chantry, perhaps the most devout, like the HRE. Also home to the Grey Wardens, like the HRE was home to many monastic orders during the Middle Ages. Their cities and towns are relatively independent, like the HRE and Scandinavia as well. Finally look at their names: Weisshaupt, Anders, Wilhelm Augustin, Griselda Reiniger, Johann the Great.
Nevarra: Balkan states like Transylvania, Wallachia, or Serbia. The culture has a special relationship with death and the ruling dynasty are known as dragon slayers. They are also known for art and trade being in the middle of Tevinter and the rest of Thedas. This sounds like the role occupied by historical states in the Balkans like Wallachia, Moldova, Serbia, and Croatia. However, the obsession with death mirrors Medieval images of Transylvania, especially with guys like Dracula (Vlad the Impaler). Their names are also Greek based, suggesting a closer tie to Tevinter (also based on the Byzantine Empire). This makes sense if you take into account Medieval Romania, Croatia, and Serbia. The Pentaghast dynasty were known as Dragon Slayers, and are probably inspired by House Dracul of Wallachia (yes, the same one that Dracula is from).
The Free Marches: Swiss Cantons. Rugged and individual city states that can maintain their independence against invaders and prosper through trade? Sounds like the medieval Swiss. Cities like Starkhaven, Kirkwall, and Markham are probably inspired by Geneva, Zurich, and Basel. The fact that Free Marchers all unite against external opposition mirrors the Swiss Confederacy.
Black Chantry and Chantry: Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholicism. With the Black Divine and White Divine being the Ecumenical Patriarch and Pope respectively.
Qunari: The Arabs and Turks. Qunari have advanced gunpowder weapons and are known for their frequent raids and attacks against the Tevinter Imperium. This is much like in real life where the Byzantines were fighting constant life and death struggles against the Seljuk and later Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans were known to have superior gunpowder weapons when they were in the field against the Byzantines, much like the Qunari. The Arab and Turkic empires in the middle ages were also notorious for the slave raids against "infidel" peoples, much like the Qunari against "Bas". Much like the Seljuk and Ottomans, the Qunari once were powerful enough to threaten the existence of all of Thedas until various Exalted Marches pushed them back. Finally, the best proof is seen below in parallels between the Qun and Islam.
Qun: Islam. Islamic empires in the Middle Ages had 1 goal in mind, conquer more lands and convert more people to Islam. This is the same with the Qunari and the Qun. Their main goal is the propagation of the Qun through military means against everyone. Isabella is an example of someone who narrowly escapes such indoctrination. Also, the Qun says that no former Qunari territory should be lost against the "Bas", this is exactly what Islam teaches. The Qun also says that anyone can be Qunari as long as they "submit" to the Qun's teachings. That probably was Bioware's word for word lifting off of the Islamic conversion practices throughout much of the Middle Ages. It is very important to note that I am not saying Bioware based everything about the Qun and Qunari on medieval Islam, but it is clear that was their source of inspiration.
The Inquisition: Teutonic Knights. Military order, given land, and allowed to operate for a cause. Eventually converted to the Secular Duchy of Prussia. This is a basically the Inquisition's progression.
Templars: Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaliers. Historically less autonomous than the Teutonic Knights, and scattered all over the major areas. Sounds pretty much like the inspiration for Templars.
Ferelden: Ireland and Scotland. The names are all Gaelic inspired, and the natural green environments were modeled after areas in Ireland and Scotland. Bioware writers even acknowledged in an interview that much of what inspired Ferelden was based on Celtic legends and stories. It makes sense too. Ferelden was occupied by a foreign power (like Scotland/Ireland), and had an epic struggle to drive out the occupiers. The Avvars and Chasind are inspired by Scottish Highlanders and native Celts. Loghain Mac Tir is the William Wallace who fought for its freedom and Therin bloodline story is inspired by the myth of the Irish High Kings. Also, just look at their names: Alistair, Cullen, Irving, Eamon, Isolde, Teagan, Bryce, etc.
Orlais: France.
Antiva: Italy and Sicily.
Rivain: Spain and Portugal.
Tevinter Imperium: Byzantine Empire.
Anderfels: Northern and Eastern Germanic states like the Holy Roman Empire and Scandinavia. The king is mentioned as relatively weak, like the HRE emperor, outside of his immediate domain. The people are very devout followers of the Chantry, perhaps the most devout, like the HRE. Also home to the Grey Wardens, like the HRE was home to many monastic orders during the Middle Ages. Their cities and towns are relatively independent, like the HRE and Scandinavia as well. Finally look at their names: Weisshaupt, Anders, Wilhelm Augustin, Griselda Reiniger, Johann the Great.
Nevarra: Balkan states like Transylvania, Wallachia, or Serbia. The culture has a special relationship with death and the ruling dynasty are known as dragon slayers. They are also known for art and trade being in the middle of Tevinter and the rest of Thedas. This sounds like the role occupied by historical states in the Balkans like Wallachia, Moldova, Serbia, and Croatia. However, the obsession with death mirrors Medieval images of Transylvania, especially with guys like Dracula (Vlad the Impaler). Their names are also Greek based, suggesting a closer tie to Tevinter (also based on the Byzantine Empire). This makes sense if you take into account Medieval Romania, Croatia, and Serbia. The Pentaghast dynasty were known as Dragon Slayers, and are probably inspired by House Dracul of Wallachia (yes, the same one that Dracula is from).
The Free Marches: Swiss Cantons. Rugged and individual city states that can maintain their independence against invaders and prosper through trade? Sounds like the medieval Swiss. Cities like Starkhaven, Kirkwall, and Markham are probably inspired by Geneva, Zurich, and Basel. The fact that Free Marchers all unite against external opposition mirrors the Swiss Confederacy.
Black Chantry and Chantry: Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholicism. With the Black Divine and White Divine being the Ecumenical Patriarch and Pope respectively.
Qunari: The Arabs and Turks. Qunari have advanced gunpowder weapons and are known for their frequent raids and attacks against the Tevinter Imperium. This is much like in real life where the Byzantines were fighting constant life and death struggles against the Seljuk and later Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans were known to have superior gunpowder weapons when they were in the field against the Byzantines, much like the Qunari. The Arab and Turkic empires in the middle ages were also notorious for the slave raids against "infidel" peoples, much like the Qunari against "Bas". Much like the Seljuk and Ottomans, the Qunari once were powerful enough to threaten the existence of all of Thedas until various Exalted Marches pushed them back. Finally, the best proof is seen below in parallels between the Qun and Islam.
Qun: Islam. Islamic empires in the Middle Ages had 1 goal in mind, conquer more lands and convert more people to Islam. This is the same with the Qunari and the Qun. Their main goal is the propagation of the Qun through military means against everyone. Isabella is an example of someone who narrowly escapes such indoctrination. Also, the Qun says that no former Qunari territory should be lost against the "Bas", this is exactly what Islam teaches. The Qun also says that anyone can be Qunari as long as they "submit" to the Qun's teachings. That probably was Bioware's word for word lifting off of the Islamic conversion practices throughout much of the Middle Ages. It is very important to note that I am not saying Bioware based everything about the Qun and Qunari on medieval Islam, but it is clear that was their source of inspiration.
The Inquisition: Teutonic Knights. Military order, given land, and allowed to operate for a cause. Eventually converted to the Secular Duchy of Prussia. This is a basically the Inquisition's progression.
Templars: Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaliers. Historically less autonomous than the Teutonic Knights, and scattered all over the major areas. Sounds pretty much like the inspiration for Templars.