Spanish History Trivia

1. Where in Spain were the Borgia family from?

From Quiz Spain's Notorious House of Borgia

Answer: Aragon

The surname "Borja" comes from the town of Borja, which is in the province of Zaragoza (also the name of the capital of Aragon in present-day Spain) in the north-east of Spain. Aragon is now a province of Spain, as opposed to a kingdom.

From Quiz The Spanish InQUIZition

Answer: Tomas Torquemada

Tomas Torquemada refined the Inquisition and used it as a political and religious tool, to ensure conformity. The Spanish Inquisition, unlike earlier inquisitions (which had been mainly concerned with heresy) was largely independent of papal control and had a significantly different agenda.

From Quiz El Cid Campeador, Glorious Knight of Spain

Answer: Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar

Somewhere between 1043 and 1048 AD, Rodrigo Díaz was born in the small village of Vivar, just outside Burgos in the north of Spain. Although his genealogy isn't clear, it is generally accepted that he belonged to the highest aristocracy. In later legends, however, he was made out to be of humble origins, probably to please the audience with a "rags to riches" story. At the time of his birth, the Moors had conquered almost the entire Iberian peninsula and established the independent Caliphate of Córdoba. Only the northernmost areas of Spain were still ruled by Catholic aristocracy. Those provinces or kingdoms however stood divided and could not bring themselves to join forces against the occupying forces in the south.

From Quiz The War of Spanish Succession, 1701-1713/14

Answer: Duc d'Anjou

On November 1st 1700, Charles (Carlos) II of Spain died without an heir. His main priority was keeping Spain and its Empire intact. Though the Duc d'Anjou was a Bourbon, Carlos felt that only the strength of the French would be able to sustain and defend the state in its entirity. The Duc became Philip V. For the rest of Europe this meant that France, which had been aggressively expanding for several decades, would now also control Spain and its vast empire, by far the biggest at the time.

From Quiz Spanish Historical Terms

Answer: reconquista

"Guerra de la independencia" refers to the Peninsular War (1808-1814). "Conquista" is usually applied to the conquest of the New World. "Campeador" (master of strategy) was El Cid's honorific title.

From Quiz The Spanish Inquisition

Answer: Thomas of Torquemada

The Inquisition was a religious court that punished people who were convicted of heresy, and the people who questioned the suspected heretics were called Inquisitors. When people were arrested to be questioned, it was called "being put to the question" - in other words, tortured.

From Quiz The Spanish Civil War

Answer: Azana

Azana was a middle-class intellectual with humane instincts. A democratic Liberal as well as a gifted orator and thinker, he vainly attempted conciliation between the disparate elements of the Left (including the Anarchists).

From Quiz Spanish Colonial Empire

Answer: Potosí

It was situated in the then Vice-Royalty of Peru. It had 160,000 inhabitants in 1650. It now belongs to Bolivia. Note that the Spanish colonies in Latin Amrica were divided into Vice-Royalties or Captaincy-Generals. In both cases it means that the colonies were organized under the governorship of captains-generals, who had judicial autonomy.

From Quiz Spanish History from 16th to 20th Centuries

Answer: Peru

The Inca Empire (present-day Peru) lasted from 1438 to 1533. It was the largest Empire in America throughout the Pre-Columbian era. In 1532, Francisco Pizzaro (1478-1541) took advantage of the Incan Civil War to topple its ruler, Atahualpa. The Spanish suppressed several Incan rebellions and achieved complete control by 1572. However, Pizarro was assassinated by his Spanish rivals in 1541 in Lima, the city he had founded in 1535. On 28 July 1921, Jose San Martin led his forces to liberate Peru and proclaimed its independence from Spain.

From Quiz Spanish History from 6th to 15th Centuries

Answer: Visigoths

In 409 AD, the weak Roman Empire was invaded by the Visigoths, the Germanic People from the north. Some of the other tribes namely Vandals, Alans, Swabians settled in the Iberian Peninsula. The Visigoths arrived to Spain from the Pyrenees and lived in the middle of the peninsula. After the Romans lost their control of the western half of their empire, the Visigoths ruled Hispania until 711. The Visigoths had a great influence on the architecture, art and religious practices by blending their own traditions of the Roman and the local people. They left behind a legacy of laws and codes which formed the foundation of the legal systems in Spain.

From Quiz Spain's Notorious House of Borgia

Answer: Alfonso de Borgia

Pope Callixtus III was pope from 1455 until his death in 1458. He was made pope around 2 years after the fall of Constantinople at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. He was worried about the security of Christianity in Europe against invasions by the Turks. He called Christians across Europe to establish a crusade, however the leaders of Europe were not enthusiastic to respond. The Hundred Years War had just ended, but resentment between England and France was still apparent. The Turks were eventually beaten at Belgrade by the Hungarian army, in 1456.

From Quiz The Spanish InQUIZition

Answer: Ferdinand and Isabella

Ferdinand and Isabella were the parents of Katherine of Aragon, first wife of Henry VIII. They conquered Granada in 1492 and expelled its Muslim population from Spain. They also encouraged Columbus' epic journeys.

From Quiz The History of Barcelona

Answer: Wine

The land in and around Barcino was extremely fertile and perfect for growing wine. Even today, Spain is a leader in wine production. Because Barcino's wine was in demand all over the Roman Empire, the people living there at the time were extremely wealthy. Archeological evidence shows that even though relatively few people lived there (only a couple of thousand) Barcino's buildings and art were luxurious. Barcino, however, did not have major public buildings or entertainment like in Rome.

From Quiz El Cid Campeador, Glorious Knight of Spain

Answer: Sancho II

According to the custom of that day, on his deathbed Fernando I divided his empire between his three sons and (perhaps less customary) his two daughters. Sancho received Castile, Alfonso got the Kingdom of León and García had to make do with the Kingdom of Galicia. His oldest daughter Urraca was granted rule over the city of Zamora and Elvira obtained dominion over the city of Toro. Fernando I was King of León, but technically only a Count of Castile. A political reorganisation in Castile however saw to it that his first-born son was called the first King of Castile.

From Quiz The War of Spanish Succession, 1701-1713/14

Answer: Marlborough

Marlborough was a key military figure throughout the wars, successfully defeating the French on a number of occasions. Under his command the combined English and Dutch troops invaded France, taking Lille. Many take the view that this battle put the seal on the emergence of England (soon to become the United Kingdom) as a major military power in modern times. When Marlborough was rewarded by Queen Anne and parliament with the gift of an estate in Oxfordshire, the vast mansion built there was called Blenheim Palace. (The place on the Danube where the battle was fought is called Blindheim in German, not Blenheim).

From Quiz The Spanish Inquisition

Answer: Jews who were baptised into Christianity

The Jews in Spain were given the choice of either being baptised into the Christian faith or suffering a horrible death. Many naturally chose baptism, even though as "New Christians" they were themselves under suspicion from the Inquisition.

From Quiz Second Spanish Republic

Answer: 14th April, 1931

With the democratic elections won by the republican parties, Niceto Alcalá Zamora proclaimed in Madrid the Second Republic, on 14th April, 1931. (Incidentally, the First Spanish Republic dates from 1873-74).

From Quiz Spanish Historical Terms

Answer: mozárabes

"Marranos" was a pejorative term used by non-converted Jews to describe Spanish Jewish converts to Christianity. "Dhimmis" signified "the people of the book" (in this case, Jews and Christians) living under Islamic rule (but not only in Spain.) "Tercio" is roughly an equivalent of the English "regiment" or "battalion".

From Quiz The Spanish Civil War

Answer: The Canary Islands

Although Franco chose exile and set up HQ in the Canaries initially, his best troops were Moroccans (Moors and Spaniards).

From Quiz Spanish Colonial Empire

Answer: Arequipa

Arica was its port and one of the major ports for the shipping of silver.

From Quiz Spanish History from 16th to 20th Centuries

Answer: Netherlands

Queen Elizabeth I had restored the Protestant Church of England when she took over the throne from her half-sister, Queen Mary I, in 1558. The turning point was the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, Spain's Catholic ally, in 1587, which increased the religious tensions between the two countries. The Netherlands were fighting for its independence against the Spanish occupation. Spain was using their religious secret police called the Inquisition to hunt out Protestants. The English were helping the Dutch to fight against the Spanish. King Philip got the approval from the Pope to attack England to make England Catholic again. The Spanish fleet left Spain in July 1588. On 19th July, the Armada was sighted by the English fleet, led by Sir Francis Drake. The English fleet sailed from Plymouth and utterly defeated the Spanish Armada.

From Quiz Spanish History from 6th to 15th Centuries

Answer: Moors

In 711, the Umayad Empire was formed mainly by the Moors, the Muslim people from northern Africa who conquered Hispania. The Iberian Peninsula was re-named in Classical Arabic as al-Andalus. At the peak of its power, the Umayad Empire captured most of Septimania and modern-day Spain and Portugal.

From Quiz Spain's Notorious House of Borgia

Answer: Siege of Belgrade

The Siege of Belgrade was a military blockade that took place in 1456. Constantinople had fell three years earlier in 1453. The Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, or Mehmed the Conqueror made plans to conquer the Kingdom of Hungary. This blockade transformed into a battle, which the Hungarians eventually won. However, this victory was not without a price. Plague spread throughout the camp and killed a leader of the Hungarians, John Hunyadi. Pope Callixtus III established the custom of ringing the church bells at noon, as a signal to Christians to pray for the defenders of Belgrade. After the battle the custom was used as a commemoration of the military victory.

From Quiz The Spanish InQUIZition

Answer: The Holy Office of the Inquisition

Correctly known as the Holy Office. The core belief of the practitioners was that thereby they were serving the person and God.

From Quiz The History of Barcelona

Answer: Saint Eulalia

Saint Eulalia was only 13 years old when Diocletian, the Roman emperor, ordered all Christians to be tortured and executed if they did not recant their faith. Eulalia was put into a barrel which was the stabbed with knives and rolled down the street. She was also crucified on an X-cross and decapitated after her death. It is said that after she was beheaded, a dove flew out of her neck. During the Moorish invasion of Spain during the 8th century, Christians hid her remains for over one hundred years. Her final resting place is the Cathedral of Saint Eulalia which was completed in the 4th century. It is supposed that Saint Eulalia of Merida and Saint Eulalia of Barcelona are the same saint as both had similar stories and lived at about the same time. However, there is no definitive proof.

From Quiz El Cid Campeador, Glorious Knight of Spain

Answer: Head of the king's personal army

The 'Alférez' was at first only a ceremonial job for a young knight whose duties would include guarding the king's weapons and waving the king's banner. The job eventually evolved to that of the king's chief military advisor and head of the elite soldiers entrusted with the task of keeping the king safe. As Alférez, El Cid fought for the territorial ambitions of his king and his prowess and skills in battle made his reputation grow rapidly. Sancho II felt entitled to rule over the empire that his father had split up, resulting in a number of skirmishes. First, Alfonso VI and Sancho II schemed to oust their baby brother García from Galicia in 1071 AD. García would more or less spend the remainder of his life as a prisoner of Alfonso VI. As soon as Garcia was disposed of, Sancho II turned against his brother Alfonso VI and El Cid led the Castilians to victory over León in the battle of Golpejera (1072 AD), capturing Alfonso VI in the process. Alfonso IV was imprisoned in Burgos, leaving Sancho II to assume both the title of King of León and King of Galicia.

From Quiz The War of Spanish Succession, 1701-1713/14

Answer: The Battle of Ramillies

Villeroi was a poor replacement for the effective French generals of the time. The Battle of Ramillies broke the stalemate that had built up during the middle period of the war, giving a foretaste of what was to come.

From Quiz The Spanish Inquisition

Answer: October 2, 1483

By the time the Inquisition had grown to be the most powerful force in Spain, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand realized the need to put at its head a man who could stabilize and control it. They themselves suggested Tomas de Torquemada, who, to them, had proved to be the best choice for the role. On October 2, 1483, Torquemada was made Inquisitor-General for Castile, with Aragon coming under his jurisdiction just 15 days later.

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