The wars that inspired Game of Thrones - Alex Gendler

啟發權力的遊戲戰爭 - 亞歷克斯．簡德

譯者: 陳 Chen 瑋佑 Wei Yu 審譯者: CHEN KaiWei

As far as we know,

據我們了解

Medieval England was never invaded by ice zombies,

中世紀的英格蘭從未被冰殭屍侵略過

or terrorized by dragons,

或是有恐龍的蹤跡

but it was shaken by a power struggle between two noble families

但它動搖了兩個貴族世家間的權力鬥爭

spanning generations

它持續了世世代代

and involving a massive cast of characters

而且涉及了一堆人物

with complex motives and shifting loyalties.

以及複雜的動機與忠誠的轉移

If that sounds familiar,

如果聽起來很熟悉

it's because the historical conflicts known as the Wars of the Roses

這是因為許多電視劇中爭奪權力的遊戲

served as the basis for much of the drama in Game of Thrones.

都是一個以玫瑰戰爭為名的歷史衝突為基礎

The real-life seeds of war were sewn by the death of King Edward III in 1377.

現實生活中的戰爭的種子 是由1377年國王愛德華三世的死開始。

Edward's oldest son had died before his father,

愛德華的長子在他爸之前就死了

but his ten-year-old son, Richard II,

但是他十歲的兒子，理查二世

succeeded to the throne ahead of Edward's three surviving sons.

成功地在其他三個在世的兒子以前得到寶座

This skipping of an entire generation

跳躍了整整一代

left lingering claims to the throne among their various offspring,

導致三個兒子的的後代 一直纏繞著王位繼承的問題

particularly the Lancasters, descended from Edward's third son,

特別是愛德華的第三個兒子的後裔，蘭開斯特一族

and the Yorks, descended from his fourth son.

和四兒子後代的約克一族爭論最激烈

The name of the ensuing wars

而隨後的戰爭的名稱

comes from the symbols associated with the two families,

與兩個家庭的家徽有關

the white rose of York and the red rose of Lancaster.

叫做白玫瑰的紐約與紅玫瑰的蘭卡斯特

The Lancasters first gained the throne

1399年，亨利四世罷免理查二世

when Richard II was deposed by his cousin Henry IV in 1399.

蘭開斯特首先獲得王座

Despite sporadic unrest,

儘管有些零星的騷亂

their reign remained secure until 1422,

他們的王朝依然安全，直到1422年

when Henry V's death in a military campaign

當亨利五世在軍事行動中去世

left an infant Henry VI as king.

留下一個嬰兒亨利六世為王。

Weak-willed and dominated by advisors,

亨利意志軟弱，同時受到臣子們的蠱惑

Henry was eventually convinced to marry Margaret of Anjou to gain French support.

亨利六世最終被說服和安茹的瑪格麗特結婚， 換取法國的支持

Margaret was beautiful, ambitious,

瑪格麗特既美麗，也有野心

and ruthless in persecuting any threat to her power,

他冷酷地對待任何威脅到他的權力的人

and she distrusted Richard of York, most of all.

其中他最不信任的是約克一族的理查

York had been the King's close advisor and loyal General,

約克一族世世代代是國王的 近臣和忠誠的將軍

but was increasingly sidelined by the Queen,

但王后漸漸提拔約克的支持者

who promoted her favorite supporters, like the Earls of Suffolk and Somerset.

如薩福克伯爵和森密實伯爵，架空了約克一族

York's criticism of their inept handling of the war against France

約克一族對於他們在法國戰役中的無能做出批評

led to his exclusion from court and transfer to Ireland.

這導致他被法院驅逐 並流放到愛爾蘭。

Meanwhile, mounting military failures,

同時，戰場上接二連三的失敗

and corrupt rule by Margaret and her allies

和瑪格麗特跟他的盟友腐敗的統治

caused widespread discontent,

引起了廣泛的不滿

and in the midst of this chaos,

在這種混亂中

Richard of York returned with an army to arrest Somerset and reform the court.

理查．約克帶著軍隊返回 並逮捕密森實和重組法院

Initially unsuccessful, he soon got his chance

起初不成功，但他很快就得到了他的機會

when he was appointed Protector of the Realm

在亨利六世精神崩潰的時候

after Henry suffered a mental breakdown.

他被任命為護國將軍

However, less than a year later,

然而，一年之內

Henry suddendly recovered

亨利六世突然恢復了

and the Queen convinced him to reverse York's reforms.

皇后說服他推倒約克的改革

York fled and raised an army once more.

約克逃跑後，再度起兵

Though he was unable to directly seize the throne,

雖然他無法直接篡位

he managed to be reinstated as Protector

但他成功地變回護國將軍

and have himself and his heirs designated to succeed Henry.

並有自己和他的指定繼承人 接替亨利。

But instead of a crown,

可惜的是

York's head acquired a pike

理查．約克沒能成功戴上王冠

after he was killed in battle with the Queen's loyalists.

而是在跟皇后的支持者對戰時被一矛刺死

His young son took up the claim and was crowned Edward IV.

他的小兒子得到索賠並加冕為愛德華四世

Edward enjoyed great military success against the Lancasters.

愛德華享受著贏了蘭開斯特的勝利

Henry was captured,

亨利則被俘獲

while Margaret fled into exile

而瑪格麗特則逃走了

with their reportedly cruel son, Edward of Westminster.

帶著他們殘暴為名的兒子── 威敏斯特的愛德華

But the newly crowned King made a tragic political mistake

但是，新加冕的國王 做了一個悲劇性的政治錯誤

by backing out of his arranged marriage with a French Princess

他沒有信守承諾，跟法國公主結婚

to secretly marry the widow of a minor Noble.

但卻偷偷娶未成年人的貴族寡婦

This alienated his most powerful ally, the Earl of Warwick.

這疏遠了他最強大的盟友，沃里克伯爵。

Warwick allied with the Lancasters,

改跟蘭開斯特一族結盟

turned Edward's jealous younger brother, George, against him,

這也激起了愛德華弟弟喬治的忌妒心，去反對他

and even briefly managed to restore Henry as King,

他們甚至成功地重新擁立亨利六世為王

but it didn't last.

可惜這並沒有持續太久

Edward recaptured the throne,

愛德華奪回了王位

the Lancaster Prince was killed in battle,

蘭開斯特的王子戰死沙場

and Henry himself died in captivity not long after.

在被俘獲不久後，亨利就死了

The rest of Edward IV's reign was peaceful,

愛德華四世的統治一直安然無事

but upon his death in 1483, the bloodshed resumed.

直到1483年，他的逝世使腥風血雨再次颳起

Though his twelve-year-old son was due to succeed him,

雖然，他12歲的兒子繼承了他的王位

Edward's younger brother Richard III declared his nephews illegitimate

但是他的弟弟，愛德華三世聲稱姪子並沒有繼承權

due to their father's secret marriage.

只因為他是父親的秘密婚姻下的結果

He assumed the regency himself and threw the boys in prison.

他成了攝政王，然後囚禁姪子們

Though no one knows what ultimately became of them,

儘管沒人清楚他們的結果

after a while, the Princes disappeared

但在王子們消失後

and Richard's power seemed secure.

理查德的王位看起來沒有任何威脅

But his downfall would come only two years later

可惜，兩年之後

from across the narrow sea of the English Channel.

他在英倫海峽迎來了他的沒落

Henry Tudor was a direct descendant of the first Duke of Lancaster,

亨利．都峰是蘭卡斯特公爵的直系子孫

raised in exile after his father's death in a previous rebellion.

載她父親死於叛亂之後，一直在流放之地長大

With Richard III's power grab causing a split in the York faction,

理查三世奪取權力的關係，導致約克一族開始分裂

Henry won support for his royal claim.

亨利贏得了別人的支持，擁護他為王

Raising an army in France, he crossed the Channel in 1485

在法國準播一支軍隊以後， 1485年亨利橫渡英倫海峽

and quickly defeated Richard's forces.

並且迅速地擊退了理查三世的軍隊

And by marrying Elizabeth of York, elder sister of the disappeared Princes,

他後來迎娶了消失的王子們的姊姊── 約克的伊莉莎白

the newly crowned Henry VII joined the two roses,

新上任的亨利七世聯合兩個家族

finally ending nearly a century of war.

結束了持續接近一個世紀的戰爭

We often think of historical wars as decisive conflicts

我們經常認為，歷史上的戰爭都是黑白分明

with clearly defined winners and losers.

有著絕對的勝者和敗者

But the Wars of the Roses, like the fiction they inspired,

但在玫瑰戰爭中，正如那本被他們啟發的小說一樣

show us that victories can be uncertain,

告訴了我們，勝利不一定是肯定

alliances unstable,

聯盟不一定是穩固的

and even the power of Kings as fleeting as the seasons.

甚至是國王的權力也可以像是更迭般一樣飄忽