The Children of the Light...where did RJ get his inspiration for this group

[Isahn]

Hey guys,

 

Was just wondering if there is a direct link between the Children of the Light...and the Knights of Templar. Both groups seem to have blinders against all ideals that dont coincide with their beliefs, and both are easily identifiable by certain symbols/ colors on their uniforms.......just curious

[Waffleboy]

I always saw them as modeled after the Spanish Inquisition. RJ probably drew from multiple sources though.

[Elvira_Sedai]

The CoL are inspired from different medieval knight orders , especialy from Teutonians . Their Questioners , of cause , relate to inquisition , they even call their leaders the same .

[Suttree]

Netherlands tour 5 April 2001, Amsterdam - Aan'allein reporting

 

Q: Are Whitecloaks based on the Klu Klux Klan?

RJ: Amongst others. Any group that believes to know the Truth with a capital T and want you to believe the same. Mostly it's based on groups like the Teutonic Knights, however, since they don't hide behind anything. The Church in the early Christian days, like the Taliban now, are people who know the Truth, and they will kill you if you don't believe the truth.

[Terez]

Teach a noob to fish...

[sandoz12]

Yeah like that RJ quote confirms I just see them as standing for religious fanaticism (or even just fanaticism) in general. And like all such organisations there will be good people (Galad), bad people (Carridin), mis-guided people (Bornhald), hypocrites (any who drink) among them - showing that even in an organisation that sees things as black and white once you scratch the surface nothing is black and white but multi-hued.

[randsc]

Why is it hypocritical for them to drink? We have no indication in the text that the rules of their order forbid it, and they all seem to. They try to pick up women in taverns too, and Galad (who would disagree vehemently and vocally with his brothers violating their rules) doesn't seem to have a problem with it. So I don't think they have a rule of celebacy, either.

[Terez]

Valda's attitude about drinking re: Bornhald in LOC seems to suggest that it might have been forbidden by Mantelar's Way, but presumably it would have been one of those rules that fell out of fashion, like the law concerning the trial at arms used by Galad against Valda. In fact, Valda supported the notion before he knew he was the accused, saying he thought a lot of their old ways should be revived.

[brolie]

why aren't darkfriend white cloaks called black cloaks, (like the black ajah?) or why isn't that used as an insult with them "hey you bloody black cloaks! get outta my town!" i think it would insult very much...

[Guest PiotrekS]

What is interesting is that modus operandi of the Whitecloaks closely resembled the way the Teutonic Knights operated.

 

They offered their services to the ruler (for example that they would deal with some irritating, but not very dangerous attacks from neighbouring pagan tribes). They would receive permission to settle in the country, to build their army, but they would conquer and exterminate the tribes and build their own state on the land that wasn't supposed to be theirs according to the original agreement. Soon they would surpass the ruler in terms of military power and their "state within the state" would become a real power in the region, threatening the descendants of the ruler who invited them in the first place.

 

It seems similar to the situation in Amadicia in the first few books, where the real power are the Whitecloaks and Perdon Niall clearly has the king in his grip.It also somehow resembles the way Lord Captain Commander wanted to gain power in Andor, by helping Morgase.

 

The "fortress of the Light" - huge, medieval-style fortress, always resembled to me the Malbork castle, the capital of the Teutonic Knights.

 

They wore white cloaks, only not with the symbol of the golden sun, but with the black cross.

[randsc]

In other words, the Whitecloaks act rather like the Aes Sedai.

[Eichhörnchen]

The breakdown of groups in WoT are very apparent and not subtle at all for anyone with a passing knowledge of history. Here are the inspirations of three prominent groups:

 

1) Children of the Light => Teutonic Knights. The entire Amadicia situation is similar to the origins of Prussia.

2) Aes Sedai/Tar Valon => The Vatican. The entire Ajah structure is heavily based off the Roman Catholic monastic system which also has Orders with specializations.

3) Asha'men => The Waffen SS. This is by far the most apparent comparison. RJ even took the unique Waffen SS rank names and gave them to the Asha'men. Asha'men itself in meaning is also the absolute same as "SchutzStaffel."

[Ingtar Shinowa]

No small parallel to communism either.

[randsc]

The breakdown of groups in WoT are very apparent and not subtle at all for anyone with a passing knowledge of history. Here are the inspirations of three prominent groups:

 

1) Children of the Light => Teutonic Knights. The entire Amadicia situation is similar to the origins of Prussia.

2) Aes Sedai/Tar Valon => The Vatican. The entire Ajah structure is heavily based off the Roman Catholic monastic system which also has Orders with specializations.

3) Asha'men => The Waffen SS. This is by far the most apparent comparison. RJ even took the unique Waffen SS rank names and gave them to the Asha'men. Asha'men itself in meaning is also the absolute same as "SchutzStaffel."

 

I think it is fair to say that all three of those influences are present. I think it is also quite clear that Jordan's organizations are by no means direct correlates of the real-world organizations you mention. He borrowed elements from many historical organizations.

[Guest PiotrekS]

The breakdown of groups in WoT are very apparent and not subtle at all for anyone with a passing knowledge of history. Here are the inspirations of three prominent groups:

 

1) Children of the Light => Teutonic Knights. The entire Amadicia situation is similar to the origins of Prussia.

2) Aes Sedai/Tar Valon => The Vatican. The entire Ajah structure is heavily based off the Roman Catholic monastic system which also has Orders with specializations.

3) Asha'men => The Waffen SS. This is by far the most apparent comparison. RJ even took the unique Waffen SS rank names and gave them to the Asha'men. Asha'men itself in meaning is also the absolute same as "SchutzStaffel."

 

I think it is fair to say that all three of those influences are present. I think it is also quite clear that Jordan's organizations are by no means direct correlates of the real-world organizations you mention. He borrowed elements from many historical organizations.

 

That's right - in case of Whitecloaks, there are also no doubt influences from the Inquisition. These organizations are like patchworks of different elements.

[Guest PiotrekS]

No small parallel to communism either.

 

Could you elaborate a little? Did you mean their conviction that they possessed the absolute truth and willingness to repress anybody who disagrees? That would apply to many aggressive ideologies, of course including communism.