6 Outlander Characters You Didn't Know Are Based on Real Historical Figures
Diana Gabaldon has done a good job of blending fiction and reality.
In their travels around the world, Claire and Jamie met many fascinating characters, some of whom are based on historical figures. In fact, Jamie himself is a mix of two soldiers who took part in the Battle of Culloden, and of course, every Outlander fan knows that the rulers we meet on the show, like Bonnie Prince Charlie and King Louis XV, were real people.
But who else did Diana Gabaldon base her characters on?
Mother Hildegarde (Frances de la Tour)
Claire and Jamie meet plenty of new characters in France, and one of them is the warm and kind-hearted Mother Hildegarde, who runs a charity hospital. The nun is based on Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th-century figure who was considered a saint for having visions.
Le Comte St. Germain (Stanley Weber)
The Season 2 antagonist who makes Claire and Jamie's lives so much harder is a mysterious figure, and the real-life person he is based on is just as enigmatic. Dubbed a Jacobite spy, he was known to practice alchemy and was one of King Louis XV's confidants.
Simon Fraser, the father (Clive Russell)
Yes, Jamie's clan is real. His paternal grandfather, Simon Fraser, who is portrayed as a treacherous figure, was even more so in real life. He fought in two Jacobite rebellions, but with the sole purpose of saving his property and titles. As a result, Simon was something of a double agent and was eventually executed.
Simon Fraser, the son (James Parris)
Jamie's uncle is portrayed as being much more faint-hearted than his father and staying out of the rebellion. However, his real-life counterpart actually fought for the Jacobite cause and participated in the Seven Years' War.
Louise de la Tour d'Auvergne (Claire Sermonne)
Bonnie Prince Charles' mistress, who befriends the couple in Paris, is an interesting character, and Outlander fans will remember the way she supported Claire through her miscarriage. Louise and her husband, Jules de Rohan, are based on real people, although there's no evidence of an actual affair between her and the prince.
Governor William Tryon (Tim Downie)
The governor of the colony of North Carolina is based on a real figure who also served as the governor of New York for six years. Like his fictional counterpart, Tryon was a ruthless and violent fighter against colonial rebels.