The novelist who inspired George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones
In short: Before the dragons of Westeros, there were the Accursed Kings. Maurice Druon, a French novelist and Resistance fighter, crafted a sprawling historical epic that redefined how we view the medieval monarchy. His work was so influential that it served as a primary blueprint for modern fantasy.
Maurice Druon (1918–2009) was far more than a literary figure; he was a man of action who lived through the crucible of World War II. A member of the French Resistance, he fled to London in 1943 to work with the BBC. This background of high-stakes history informed his literary career, where he eventually became a prominent member of the Académie Française, serving as its Perpetual Secretary from 1985 to 1999. He was the nephew of writer Joseph Kessel. Together, they translated a famous French Resistance anthem. His father was a Russian-Jewish immigrant who died by suicide in 1920.
Druon is most famous for his series of seven historical novels, Les Rois maudits (The Accursed Kings), published in the 1950s. These works chronicled the complexities of the French monarchy, blending scholarly depth with narrative flair. He won the Prix Goncourt for his novel Les Grandes Familles in 1948. This work was followed by two sequels. He also wrote a children's book in 1957.
His impact was so profound that George R.R. Martin cited the novels as a major inspiration for his 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series, with Martin famously labeling Druon as France's greatest historical novelist since Alexandre Dumas. Beyond his historical fiction, Druon held significant public roles, including serving as France's Minister of Cultural Affairs from 1973 to 1974. His legacy is cemented by a series of prestigious honors, including the Prix Goncourt in 1948 and the Order of the British Empire. Even today, his influence persists in modern media, with plans for a major film adaptation of his work beginning production in 2027. He served as a deputy for Paris's 22nd constituency from 1978 to 1981. He also received honorary doctorates from three different universities. He was eventually named the Dean of the Académie.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Maurice Druon
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