The Economy of Westeros

Westeros: the fictional nation that is home to a majority of the story of Game of Thrones, an ongoing book series, and wildly popular TV show. For the sake of this episode, we'll attempt to put to the side that Westeros is very obviously middle ages England and Essos (the other land featured prominently in the story) is based on Europe and Mediterranean nations around the turn of the renascence. This was obviously an inspiration for George RR Martin, but the writer has gone beyond that and interlaced curiosities from many historic economies into a world that adds a layer of complexity and realism that isn’t present in typical fantasy stories of the genre. So, let's explore how they work together and add to the narrative that drives The Game of Thrones.