The Red Wedding in Game of Thrones was based on two real-life events in Scottish history: the Black Dinner and the Massacre of Glencoe. The Black Dinner occurred in 1440 when the 16-year-old William, Earl of Douglas, and his younger brother David were invited to join James II, the 10-year-old King of Scotland, to Edinburgh Castle for dinner. However, it was a trap laid by the Scottish Chancellor, Sir William Crichton, and the two brothers were beheaded. The Massacre of Glencoe, which occurred in 1692, was a bit of a reversal where it was the guests who massacred their hosts. Captain Robert Campbell, a supporter of the new King of England and Scotland, William III, traveled to Glencoe with his men, seeking the hospitality of the MacDonald clan. After two weeks, Campbells men turned on their hosts, killing 38 men, women, and children.

There is also a real-life event in Italy in 1500 that was called the "Red Wedding," but it was not the inspiration for the Game of Thrones event.