When crafting the world of The Ravenglass Throne, I did not simply pull ideas from thin air.
Like many fantasy authors, I have drawn deeply from history, bringing together elements from various civilisations and eras to create something that feels both fresh and familiar.
Today, I’d like to take you behind the scenes to examine some of the historical influences that helped shape the Ostreich Kingdom and the struggles of our three royal sisters.
The Byzantine Empire and Court Politics
Those who have followed Elana’s chapters closely might recognise echoes of Byzantine court intrigue in the political manoeuvring of Ostreich’s nobles.
The Byzantine Empire, with its complex hierarchies, ceremonial protocols, and intricate politics, provided rich inspiration for the Ravenglass court.
The role of the Imperial wyvern, Witz, in particular, draws from the position of Byzantine eunuchs, who often wielded immense behind-the-scenes influence.
These court officials were not eligible for the throne themselves but frequently controlled who sat upon it.
Similarly, Witz cannot rule directly but plays a crucial role in determining succession.
I was particularly influenced by the reign of Empress Irene (752–803 CE), who ruled as regent for her son before eventually seizing power in her own right.
She was the first woman to rule the Byzantine Empire independently.
The challenges she faced as a female ruler in a patriarchal society informed my approach to the sisters’ struggles for legitimacy in a kingdom that has never been ruled by a woman.
The War of the Roses and Familial Division
The conflict between the houses of York and Lancaster during the Wars of the Roses provided a blueprint for how familial bonds can fracture under the weight of political ambition.
While our three sisters are not fighting each other directly, the divisions between them and the way noble houses attempt to exploit these divisions are heavily influenced by this period of English history.
Baron Gerlach’s machinations, in particular, echo the role of kingmakers such as Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, who shifted allegiances and manipulated succession to serve his own interests.
The way House Darius is framed for the King’s assassination similarly reflects the propaganda wars waged between noble houses during this turbulent period.
What fascinates me about the Wars of the Roses is not just the battles but how perception often mattered more than reality.
A noble house’s reputation could be destroyed through rumour and insinuation—a theme that plays out in how the noble houses of Ostreich manoeuvre for position in the wake of the King’s death.
Ancient Chinese Bureaucracy and Institutional Power
The structure of the Guardians and their relationship with ravenglass draws inspiration from imperial Chinese bureaucracy, particularly the examination system and the role of scholar-officials.
Just as Chinese bureaucrats gained power through mastery of Confucian texts and complex administrative systems, the Guardians derive their authority from specialised knowledge of ravenglass and its properties.
The corruption that spreads through the ravenglass network parallels historical periods when institutional corruption undermined Chinese imperial governance.
During the late Ming dynasty, for instance, the examination system that had once ensured meritocratic government became increasingly compromised by bribery and factional interests.
Adelinde’s research into ancient texts and her discovery of deliberately obscured knowledge reflects the historical practice of “literary inquisition” in imperial China, where texts deemed threatening to the established order were censored or destroyed.
The revelation that someone deliberately damaged crucial passages about ravenglass corruption echoes these historical attempts to control information.
In creating the Guardians, I wanted to examine how institutions meant to protect can sometimes become the greatest threat when their original purpose is corrupted or forgotten.
History is full of examples of this pattern, and I found the evolution of Chinese bureaucracy over centuries particularly instructive in imagining how the Guardians might have drifted from their founding principles.
The Real-World Inspirations Behind Fantasy
At its best, fantasy does not merely provide escapism—it offers a lens through which we can examine our own world and history from new perspectives.
By drawing from these historical influences, I have tried to create a world that, despite its wyverns and magical ravenglass, reflects recognisable patterns of power, corruption, and resistance.
The struggles of Irmin, Elana, and Adelinde may take place in a fictional realm, but they grapple with challenges that have faced real people throughout history.
How to maintain unity in the face of division.
How to determine who can be trusted.
How to reform systems that have become corrupted from within.
As the series continues to unfold, these historical influences will deepen and evolve.
After all, history is not just something that happened in the past—it is a living process that continues to shape how we understand power, politics, and the bonds that both unite and divide us.
I would love to hear which historical periods or civilisations come to mind when you read The Ravenglass Throne.
Sometimes, readers spot influences I was not even consciously aware of incorporating!