In re-reading the Camelyn sequence in The Eye Of The World, I was reminded of the "Hammer's Slammers" novella Counting the Cost, which David Drake wrote as a sci-fi treatment of the revolt against the Emperor Justinian.

 

Particularly in the "one side wears red, the other side wears white/black" aspect. The parallel is obvious, and I'm wondering...

 

Given that both men were (are, in Drake's case) graduates of The Citadel, and would have been contemporaries, what, if any, relationship did they have? Or were both drawing from the same historical reference, and the parallel is simple coincidence? I'm not aware of any color-based distinction between the supporters of Justinian and his opponents, but that's likely to be just my ignorance of Dark Age history as anything else.

 

Just something that occurred to me in re-reading both stories.

 

--Shannon

Using colours to separate opponents have been quite common throughout history, so I do not think RJ took it from one particular source.

I always associated the colors split as something similar to the "War of the Roses."

I think it was just because the colors of Caemlyn.

 

Those who had Red were for Morgase, no?

It is the Rose Crown, and RED is more closely associated with the actual Queen.

White is more of a neutral color, and therefore is for the Nation, not necessarily the Queen.

 

 

That is how I see it anyway. If I didn't fudge up the colors that is. :P

Yeah that is kind of what I always thought too.

I always associated the colors split as something similar to the "War of the Roses."

 

This is might thought as well, especially with the Andor/England links.  Lion Throne, Arthurian names, etc.

 

What I've always wondered is whether the Two Rivers is supposed to be Ireland.  Remote part of Kingdom that doesn't consider itself part of the Kingdom, substitute al' for O' and all of last names start to sound Irish too. 

Good point TR is like Ireland.

 

I thought the red was for morgase because her symbol was red (I believe) and white was for the backgroun on the flag