Best of the Best: Famous Comebacks Quiz

Answer: Hundred Days

Napoleon's disastrous campaign in Russia was the beginning of the end for him. The Sixth Coalition, a group joined together from Austria, Prussia, and Russia, and defeated Napoleon's army at the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813. By April 1814, coalition forces had entered Paris, and Napoleon was forced to abdicate.

Although he was made "Emperor of Elba" and was given control over the affairs of the small Mediterranean island, Napoleon wasn't satisfied. Within a few months he escaped from Elba, and ruled France again during the time known as the Hundred Days. Of course, his plans for a really great comeback were forgotten after his defeat at Waterloo.

He was banished to an even smaller island, St. Helena, in an even more remote location (middle of the South Atlantic Ocean), where he died in 1821.

Answer: Richard Nixon

After successfully being elected to Congress and serving as Vice-President under Dwight Eisenhower for two terms, Richard Nixon seemed to be the likely candidate for president in 1960. Viewed as the clear-cut Republican candidate, his hopes, however, vanished after a very close race with John F. Kennedy. Back in his home state of California, Republican leaders encouraged Nixon to run against Pat Brown, the Democratic candidate.

It was after the discouraging gubernatorial defeat that Nixon was quoted as saying, "You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference". My how things changed! By 1968, he was elected president; in 1972 he was elected to a second term, however, which was cut short by his resignation during the Watergate Scandal.

Answer: Justinian II

Justinian II (reigned 685-695 and 705-711) wished to restore the power of the Byzantine Empire. However, his policies led to his eventual downfall. Angering the nobles because of his land policies, and the peasants because of his high taxes, Justinian II lost his nose; this was viewed as the symbol of his inability to ever reign again.

In spite of that, Justinian was able to retake over the city of Constantinople ten years later by going through an unused water tunnel with a group of supporters - wearing a solid gold nose! His second term, marked by cruelty to opponents and futile wars, only lasted six years; this time his opponents beheaded him.

Answer: Grover Cleveland

Grover Cleveland, a Democrat, was both the 22nd (1884) and 24th (1892) president of the United States. Although he received the popular vote in 1888, his opponent, Benjamin Harrison won majority vote in the electoral college. Cleveland was also the only president to marry in the White House.

It is said that Cleveland's wife, Frances, said to a member of the staff when leaving in 1889, "Now, Jerry, I want you to take good care of all the furniture and ornaments in the house, for I want to find everything just as it is now, when we come back again." When asked when that would occur, she said, "We are coming back four years from today." After spending four years working in a law firm and living as a private citizen, Cleveland returned to the White House with his family after the election of 1892.

Answer: Charles de Gaulle

Charles de Gaulle spent his lifetime in service to France. During World War I, he fought in the Battle of Verdun, and spent over two years as a prisoner of war, after which he was appointed to the Supreme War Council. His contribution as the leader of Free France during World War II, helping to free his country from Nazi oppression, is well documented. Disagreeing with the organization of the Fourth French Republic, he retired from public life and worked on his memoirs. He established the Fifth French Republic and was elected President of France in 1959 while France was in the midst of the Algerian War.

While many expected he would maintain colonial possession of the area, he granted independence to Algeria, and to other colonies as well. Unafraid of taking a stand whenever necessary and a strong nationalist, de Gaulle seemed to be anti-American and anti-British; he was afraid of what he saw as the growing power of the United States and regarded Britain as America's servile ally. Later, facing student and worker protests, as well as economic problems, he resigned his office in 1969, and retired once more to private life.

Answer: Benjamin Disraeli

While Disraeli's first term as prime minister lasted from only February-December 1868, his second government lasted for six years, from 1874-1880. In the interim he not only wrote, but worked to strengthen his Conservative Party. Said to have been Queen Victoria's favorite prime minister, when Disraeli regained power in 1874, he focused on factory conditions, health, and foreign relations.

It was during this time that he wrote legislation which made Victoria the Empress of India, as well engineered the purchase of the stock in the Suez Canal.

While he refused a dukedom offered by Victoria, he accepted and earldom and became a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

Answer: Ulysses S. Grant

Graduating from West Point in 1839, Grant was 21st out of 39th in his class; he planned to resign from the military after his four years of military service, but stayed until 1854. Working as a quartermaster during the Mexican War, Grant did lead a company into combat and was credited with bravery.

It was during his time in the Pacific Northwest that he began to have a reputation for drinking; in 1854, he resigned from the Army. The following years were difficult; Grant was not a successful farmer, and eventually had to go to work in his father's tannery.

When the Civil War broke out, Grant volunteered to help with the 21st Illinois Regiment, 'and the rest is history'. He was appointed General of the Army by President Lincoln in 1864, and by 1868, was elected president of the United States.

Answer: The Restoration

When Charles I was executed in 1649, his two sons, Charles II and James II, left England to live in exile. The new government led by Oliver Cromwell, however, was not especially popular. After Cromwell's death, his son, Richard, only ruled a short time before Parliament decided to invite Charles II to return to England as king (though subject to conditions).

The strict Puritan rule imposed by the Cromwells was over; life under the rule of the "Merry Monarch" was happier, in spite of the plague and Great Fire.

The Stuarts were back!

Answer: Florence

During the 15th century, Cosimo de Medici was able to take control of the city of Florence, however, from without it appeared that the city was a democracy. Cosimo, known as the Elder, retained his power due to the fact that he was a banker to the pope. During the early years of the Medici rule, Florence prospered and was the center of the arts during the Renaissance.

After the death of Cosimo's grandson, Lorenzo the Magnificent, however, the Florentine people rebelled and exiled Piero II in 1494 after his defeat by the French king. Piero II never came back to rule Florence.

However, by 1512, with help from the pope, the family returned to once again rule the city.

Answer: Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

From 1833-1835, Santa Anna served as president of Mexico four times before establishing a military dictatorship. His defeat in the Texan Revolution was considered to be a huge disgrace, and he retired to his estate. Between 1839-1855, however, he was elected president seven more times. An avid fan of Napoleon Bonaparte, Santa Anna proclaimed himself the "Napoleon of the West".