Aiel: The Aiel seem to be taken from two modern sources: the Iroquois and, again, Japan.

     The crossing ties of loyalties, clan versus society, reflect Iroquois conditions. The Iroquois brotherhoods assured, like the Aiel societies, that there was always some contact between the clans. The idea that the houses could only belong to women is also a clear parallel, as is the idea that kinship through female lines was closer.

     The complex Aiel code of honour brings historical Japan to mind.

Andor:   this is a hard one, but in my opinion Andor is largely based on Elizabethan England, with the reigning queen being based on Elizabeth the First. The freedom of Andor seems to reflect the relative freedom of the English people at that time.

Borderlands:   the Borderland mentality reflects, in my opinion, that of the crusader principalities in the Middle East. The Crusader states were, as the Borderlands, convinced that they lay on the very fringes of civilisation, and that they were its guardians against the wild hordes of barbarians.

Cairhien:   to some degree based on France during the reign of Louis the 14th and his immediate successors. The Great Game, played to perfection in this land, could be based on the scheming at the French royal court. Louis himself being the Sun King (Le roi soleil) would also fit with Cairhien as the land of the rising sun and with the court of the sun.

     There is, however, also a bit of historical Japan in Cairhien: Japan is also the land of the rising sun, and certain aspects of Cairhienien culture seem Japanese; the practice of carrying small banners on your back in combat is certainly Japanese.

Children of the Light:   fairly obvious: any medieval knightly order. Knights of Malta or the Teutonic order with a dash of the Inquisition for extra flavour.

Hawkwing’s Empire: The Empire of the High King is in my opinion based of the empires of Alexander the Great and Charlemagne.

The notion of Artur Hawkwing as the greatest conqueror of all times seems to reflect Alexander of Macedonia. Like Artur, Alexander conquered an empire hitherto unmatched, and, again like Artur, his empire was solely based on his personal strength and did not survive him by long.

Charlemagne did also conquer a vast empire and, like Artur, he had problems with the spiritual power of that time. Unlike Artur, Charlemagne managed to maintain peace with the church and achieved a degree of control over it, but the conflicts between the emperor and the church that dominated much on the high Middle Ages can no doubt be traced back to his reign.

Seanchan:   Seems to be taken from two main sources: imperial Rome and historical Japan.

     The main Roman trait in Seanchan is the practice of slavery. Slavery was a dominant feature of Roman society in antiquity, and the So’jhin in Seanchan seem to reflect the so-called imperial slaves in ancient Rome. These slaves were personal property of the emperor and could, like the So’jhin, wield considerable power and influence and even hold high offices of state. They could also have authority over people who were free.

     The complex system of honour on which Seanchan society is base, seems to me to be drawn from historical Japan. This is especially true for the practice of taking your life in the face of dishonour. The extreme devotion to the monarch and the imperial family also seems Japanese.

     On a side note, the complex spy and surveillance organisation that penetrates Seanchan society echoes the last decades of Tsarist Russia.

Shara:   obviously based on ancient China. The geographical location, its position as the homeland of silk and its isolation from the rest of the world shows this.

Tar Valon: The power of the White Tower is no doubt built on that of the Catholic church and Holy See in medieval times, or rather on popular notion of this. In truth, the power of the western church was never as great as many believe: in the last instance it always depended on the co-operation of the secular powers. The diplomatic skills of the Church, did, however, match that of the White Tower, and kings in medieval times often had high- ranking clerics as advisors, much like the rulers of Randland have Aes Sedai.