Out of Wedlock Trivia Quiz

Answer: False

In 1568 the Calvinist father of Rubens had fled from the Spanish-occupied Netherlands to Germany. Indeed his son Peter Paul Rubens was born in Siegen, Nassau, one of the possessions of the prince of Orange, where Anna had stayed for years. But the birth took place in 1577, when Anna, being really or allegedly mad, had already been locked up in a German castle far away for many years.

Another fact, however, is that Rubens' father indeed had been, in about 1570, the adviser and lover of Anna, which resulted in an embarrassing pregnancy, and probable miscarriage, of Anna. Quite a number of relatives and acquaintances of William the Silent criticized him for not having the culpable father Rubens hanged, and considered him "soft".

But William of Orange did not much fancy bloodshed, if he could avoid it.

Answer: William of Orange

William of Orange was a man of great qualities, but conjugal fidelity was not the most outstanding of them. The mother of Justinus was a certain Eva Elinx, a daughter of a burgomaster of Emmerich in Germany, and hence Anna of Saxony was not Justinus' mother. Johan Maurits of Nassau was indeed a distant relative of the Orange family, but lived some three-quarters of a century later: he tried to establish a Dutch colony in Brazil. And I never heard of an Eberhard as Prince-Bishop of Nassau before I wrote these lines, because Nassau was a secular principality, and not like Liège or Trier or Cologne a prince-bishopric. By the way have a look at a representation of that painting of Velazquez, and observe, how courteous the defender and the conqueror of Breda behave, like old pals....

Answer: Don Juan

As an epithet the name was not quite beside the point, neither for him nor for his father, who had a liaison with a girl from Regensburg in Germany (well, after all he was the Emperor). In 1569-'70 he suppressed in a ferocious manner a revolt of people of Muslim origins in southern Spain.

Some years after his brilliant naval exploit near Lepanto his half-brother Philip II, King of Spain, appointed him vice-roy of the rebellious Netherlands, where Don Juan with his utter untruthworthiness managed to antagonize everybody, including King Philip. Alexander of Parma, who, after a sort of interregnum, took over the job, proved himself to be an able general and a smart politician. Don Fadrique was the son of the Duke of Alva. Don Carlos was the crownprince of Spain, slightly (or perhaps more than slightly) mad, and died prematurely.

The German poet and playwright Schiller made him famous.

Answer: No

No, indeed not. The situation described applied to his father Alois, of doubtful parentage on his father's side, who indeed was born out of wedlock, but in 1876 his name, which originally was his mother's name Schicklgruber, was legally and formally changed to Alois Hitler.

Then there is that other rumour, that Hitler's maternal grandfather was in fact a Jewish merchant, in whose household Hitler's mother worked temporarily as a servant, and who later on behaved in a remarkably generous way to her.

This affair is not impossible, but the evidence is rather meager. That said, Hitler wasn't at all keen on reseach into his origins.

Answer: The explorer Przhevalski

Yes, the man who discovered this little, but famous steppe horse (nearly extinct in the wild, I am afraid). In fact, Stalin's mother worked as a maid in the homes of rich people, and Przhevalski frequented just about the year of Stalin's birth those Georgian circles in or near Tiflis, and pictures of Przhevalski do indeed show a great resemblance with Stalin's countenance.

But that's about all the evidence there is. Note the striking resemblance with Hitler's mother! There are more similarities between Hitler and Stalin: a violent and more often than not drunken father, who regularily beat up his son; a mother who spoiled her son, after previously having lost other earlier-born children; and there are more important similarities I shall not dwell upon ...

Answer: Alexandre Dumas

Often called Alexandre Dumas fils (son), to mark him off his father, Alexandre Dumas père. (Interesting to note, that both took their surname from a female black slave, who had been the concubine of her owner, a French marquess.) The son's most famous book is "La dame aux camélias". Classics of his father: "The Three Musqueteers", "The Count of Monte Cristo". Both lack the intellectuality of Proust or Stendhal, but that can be quite refreshing.

When you are 10 years old, it really is fun to read "The Three Musqueteers" - but Proust's "À la recherche du temps perdu"? Heavens no! That is for a more advanced age, when you are indeed already searching for your lost years!

Answer: Czar Peter III

In all probability. Well, all.... Catherine was a man-eater, but there is indeed some evidence that Paul's legitimate father also was his real progenitor. They were physically much alike. Also mentally: both were a bit peculiar, not to say mad as hatters.

Answer: Yes

Not only everyone inside or outside Spain believed they were Godoy's offspring - except for the King, Carlos IV, but perhaps the poor man did not want to believe it - but also all historians who have studied this period. Godoy was not only the favourite of the Queen, but also of the King, who trusted him unconditionally, with the result that Spain was ruled for many years by the Queen's lover.

In 1808 he was brought down by a combination of an local uprising against him, fomented by the Crown Prince Ferdinand - who understandably hated him - and machinations of Napoleon, who wanted to install one of his own brothers on the Spanish throne.

Answer: an obscure French lawyer

With the name of Bernadotte. His son Jean-Baptiste became a general of Napoleon, and was invited in 1810 to become the adoptive son and successor of the elderly and childless King Charles XIII of Sweden. Roman Freiherr von Ungern-Sternberg was a condottiere in the Russian civil war 1918-1921; I will treat this this noteworthy nobleman perhaps another time.

There was nothing extra-marital with Bernadotte. He just was the son of his lawful father, and there were never any doubts or rumours about this fact. Well, I didn't suggest the contrary, did I?

Answer: Yes

For a long time the Dutch admiral Verhuell was considered to be the real father of Napoleon III, but already nearly a century ago a Dutch historian proved conclusively that this was not the case. It must be said, however, that Hortense, daughter of Josephine de Beauharnais, and hence a step-daughter of Napoleon, showed like her mother a style of living, which was apt to generate some gossiping.

By the way, I once happened to see a painting by her own hand. In my opinion she was rather good at painting too.

Answer: Yes

His real father was a certain Comte de Flahaut de la Billarderie. Well, King Louis was a nice, modest and benevolent man, and still hold in high esteem by the Dutch, but as a husband perhaps a bit boring. Auguste de Morny was instrumental in the coup d'état which brought in 1851 his half-brother to power and in the next year on the throne of France under the name Napoleon III.

As a reward for his many services Napoleon III created him Duc de Morny. He exercised, until his death in 1865, a great political influence in the Second Empire.

Answer: Franz Liszt

The only man out of these four who was not German. He was Hungarian, and I never have heard of read about any sympathy of his for the German national cause. (For the others see my quiz: Some Facts about Classical Composers.)

Answer: Napoleon's minister of foreign affairs ,Talleyrand

The evidence in this case is very, very strong indeed. Were it only for the very clumsy and stupid actions "father" Delacroix undertook to make the world believe that Eugène really was his son, which made him hopelessly ridiculous. And dexterous Talleyrand not only stole his wife, but also his portfolio of Foreign Affairs. And in case you are not wholly convinced: have a look at the sketches of Talleyrand, made, as I think, by David. Then have a look at the self-portrait of Eugène Delacroix, think his little moustache away, and you will see a striking resemblance with the great statesman, that the venal and amoral Talleyrand indeed was.

General Hugo, who fought mainly in Spain, was the father of which famous French poet? Well, this question seems to me to be too easy for Funtrivia players.

Answer: Thomas Jefferson

Sally Hemings was one of his female slaves. There is an interesting discussion about Jefferson's stance on liberty amongst American historians and publicists. He owned slaves (about 500, if I am not mistaken, or falsely informed by Jefferson's many enemies in past and present), yet he wrote those immortal words: "all men are born equal ..." or words to that effect; as a European I never can remember the exact wording.

At any rate, Jefferson was a man with inherent contradictions.

Answer: No

The 'nays' have it! If you are British, and had this question wrong, you should be ashamed for yourself! If I has asked whether Victoria had entertained an intimate relationship with Disraeli (Lord Beaconsfield) or with her footman John Brown, or with Lord Palmerston, I should have forgiven you.

But with Gladstone, of all people! That makes about as much sense as saying that Winston Churchill was homo-erotically involved with Adolf Hitler.