Currently, the Game of Thrones universe is defined by Targaryen family. House of the Dragon follows the Dance of the Dragons succession battle between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon II. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follows Rhaenyra's great-great-great-great-great-grandson Maekar and his sons Aerion and Aegon, and then Game of Thrones picks up with Aegon's great-granddaughter Daenerys. However, that's not the only family connection between the different shows.
A blink-and-you-miss-it detail from episode five, "In the Name of the Mother," draws a subtle throughline between Dunk and another prominent knight from Westerosi history: Brienne of Tarth, who appears a century later in the "Game of Thrones" timeline. In a flashback scene, a young Dunk is shown walking down the kingsroad with his childhood friend, Rafe, returning to their home in King's Landing. This route runs for thousands of miles across Westeros, easing travel to and from the capital.
We get started by exploring the origins of the Normans in the county and then duchy of Normandy. We will understand their Norse background and their relationship with the Carolingians. The timeline approach will help us discover all the counts and dukes of Normandy, and what they contributed to their realm. This will set the foundation for the interconnected stories that will lead us to England and the Mediterranean.