Back to the Fourteenth Century Quiz

Answer: William Wallace

William Wallace led several uprisings against the English, being successful in the Battle of Stirling Bridge, in 1297, while losing the Battle of Falkirk the following year. He was captured in 1305 and suffered the gruesome death reserved for those found guilty of high treason.

Robert the Bruce became King of Scotland in 1306, as Robert I, and didn't die until 1329 from an unspecified illness. There are several Simon de Montfort's, with the best known of them being from the thirteenth century, as was the Welsh prince, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.

Answer: Lincoln

The spire is generally agreed to have been 525 feet, surpassing the height of the previous record holder, the Egyptian pyramid of Cheops. The cathedral's reign as the tallest building lasted only until 1548 when it collapsed in a storm. The pyramid held the record for a rather longer period of several thousand years.

Lincoln is the only city listed which is located in the Midlands. The other three cathedrals are all in the West County - Exeter, in Devon, Salisbury in Wiltshire and Gloucester in Gloucestershire.

Answer: Isabella

Isabella of France, often referred to as the 'She-Wolf of France', was the daughter of Philip IV and Joan I of Navarre, and married Edward in 1308. By 1325, the relationship between the two had broken down (to use modern language) and Isabella had become involved with Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March. Isabella and Mortimer had been living in France from where they launched a successful invasion of England, forcing Edward to abdicate and allow his son to be crowned as his successor. Various rumours have been circulated about the death of Edward II, which is likely to have occurred at Berkeley Castle, in Gloucestershire, in 1327.

Answer: Aquitaine

In retaliation, Edward declared himself to be King of France, a move which met with resistance and led to the first of the series of battles which became know as the Hundred Years' War. As everyone probably knows, the war actually lasted for 116 years, ending with the French remaining in charge.

The war was not continuous, since there were two lengthy periods of peace. Among the major battles were those of Poitiers (1356), Crecy (1346) and Agincourt (1416).

Answer: Bristol

Bristol was, at the time, a major port with links to the continent of Europe. It is generally believed that the disease was brought to England from Gascony, with the first outbreak being in Melcome, in Dorset. Bristol was the second largest city in the country, with around 10,000 inhabitants, many of whom perished.

The disease soon spread across the country and into Scotland and Wales, before crossing over to Ireland. This was only the first phase, though. The initial outbreak, between 1348 and 1350, was followed by several others - 1361-1364, 1368 and 1373 among them, and continuing into the fifteenth century.

Answer: Richard Whittington

If I'd used the shorter version of his name, Dick Whittington, you might have spotted the correct answer even sooner. Although the pantomime based on Whittington's story does not follow facts (rather like the film 'Braveheart', for that matter), Dick Whittington was a real person and did become the Lord Mayor of London. Whether he had a cat, or turned back to London when he heard the bells is less certain, though.

John Darling appears in 'Peter Pan', Jack Spriggins is the name given in an early version of 'Jack and the Beanstalk', while Jack Sprat was the non fat eater of nursery rhyme fame.

Answer: William Langland

There is little concrete evidence to prove that Langland was the author of the work, nor can exact dates be given for the dates of his birth and death, so it's not surprising that the first date of publication is shrouded in mystery. The work itself is an allegorical poem, covering religious and social themes and includes attacks on corruption in both political and ecclesiastical circles. There are three main versions, with the first being the shortest and dating from the 1360s. Later, and much longer, versions have been dated to the 1370s and 1380s.

Chaucer, who was also around in the fourteenth century, is best known for the 'Canterbury Tales'. Malory was writing in the fifteenth century, with 'Le Morte d'Arthur' relating many of the myths about King Arthur. Chestre is mentioned as being the author of a work called 'Sir Launfal'.

Answer: Woodstock

Edward of Woodstock established a reputation for his military prowess at the young age of sixteen, when he fought at the Battle of Crecy and then at Poitiers. Following his marriage, in 1361, he spent most of his time in Aquitaine, having been given the duchy by his father.

His manner did not endear him to his subjects and an ill-fated military expedition to Castile (now part of Spain) in 1367 led to his contracting the illness which eventually ended his life. His father died the following year, with the Black Prince's son, Richard, succeeding to the throne.

The nickname was not used during his lifetime and the origin is not certain, although most sources indicate it comes from the colour of his armour.

Answer: The Peasants' Revolt

There were a few reasons for the discontent among the peasants, mostly to do with money. The ongoing war had cost so much money that a Poll Tax had been introduced, peasants were also expected to provide two days free labour for the church and the rights given to them when manpower was scarce, following the plague, were under threat. With support from a priest named John Ball, Wat Tyler led a group of men from Kent and Essex to London, where they burned down several buildings.

The young king, Richard II, met with the rebels and promised various concessions. Once the rebels had dispersed, the king reneged on his word and the leaders, including Ball, were hanged. Tyler had already met his end during one of the meetings with the king.

Answer: Lancaster

Born in Ghent, which gave him the Anglicised version of his name, John of Gaunt was one of the most powerful men of the mid to late fourteenth century. He acted as regent to his nephew, Richard II, who was a minor when he came to the throne. Although John of Gaunt himself was never king of England his son, Henry Bolingbroke, overthrew Richard II and became Henry IV. Nearly a century later, Henry VII staked his right to the throne as a descendent of John of Gaunt. Following his death, the Duchy of Lancaster became one of the monarch's possessions, a situation which still exists in the twenty-first century.