[audio http://archive.org/download/VOK183TheWorldOfIceAndFireTheIronIslands/VOK183_TheWorldOfIceAndFireTheIronIslands.mp3]
The Vassals of Kingsgrave head towards the inhospitable coasts of the Iron Islands to continue their ongoing discussion on The World of Ice and Fire.
Join Vassals Greg (claudiusthefool), Patrick (Patrick the Tall), Alex (LuckyCharms), and Zach (Alias) as they sort through the gruesome Ironborn history, consider what about the complicated culture fascinates them, and identify real-world parallels.
Warning: Contains spoilers for all published books in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire
0:26 – Introduction
9:30 – The Iron Islands
31:22 – Driftwood Crowns
42:58 – The Iron Kings
44:42 – The Black Blood
51:08 – The Greyjoys of Pyke
56:48 – The Red Kraken
1:06:10 – The Old Way and the New
This podcast is part of a series of in-depth discussions covering all of the various sections of The World of Ice and Fire (by George R. R. Martin, Elio Garcia & Linda Antonsson). Stay tuned to VOK for lots more installments!
Credits:
Edited by Zach (Alias)
Outro Music: Longborn’s Legacy by Drumurboy
Art: Mattolsonart
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Vassals of Kingsgrave 
You guys were talking about historical examples where a navy could hold so much power for so long and referenced the vikings, but I think another reference would be England for most of its Colonial History. For such a small island with somewhat limited resources to control a massive percentage of the worlds population using a navy seems pretty reminiscent of the ironborn.
That’s a good point, but I think we were trying to think of Medieval or earlier examples. Because once gunpowder comes into the picture it’s a completely different story. Gunpowder was a game-changer.
But you are right that Britain did do a comparable job to what the Iron Islander’s did at their height (albeit it was back in their ancient history when they controlled most of their Westerosi territory).