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Great Battles Trivia Quiz

For anyone who loves military history. It's almost all pre-20th century and European.

A multiple-choice quiz by aqualung. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
aqualung

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
10,882

Updated
Feb 16 22

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
10 / 20

Plays
5105

Awards
Top 35% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 78 (19/20), Guest 117 (16/20), fgrozalen (13/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. Which was the last of Marlborough's four famous Continental victories? Hint

Blenheim

Malplaquet

Ramillies

Oudenarde

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Question 2 of 20

2. The Battle of K�niggr�tz (Sadowa) was the decisive battle in what war? Hint

The Austro-Prussian War of 1866

The War of the Austrian Succession

The Seven Years' War

The Franco-Prussian War

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Question 3 of 20

3. The Battle of Leuthen was a shining example of what battlefield tactic? Hint

Indirect attack

Feigned retreat

Double envelopment

Oblique attack

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Question 4 of 20

4. What Frankish ruler defeated the Moors at the Battle of Tours? Hint

Clovis

Pepin the Short

Charles Martel

Charlemagne

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Question 5 of 20

5. Which one of the following was *not* a major battle of the Hundred Years' War? Hint

The Battle of Anjou

The Battle of Poitiers

The Battle of Crecy

The Battle of Agincourt

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Question 6 of 20

6. What was the name of Nelson's ship at Trafalgar? Hint

HMS Victory

HMS Invincible

HMS Inflexible

HMS Dreadnought

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Question 7 of 20

7. The Swedes were defeated at the Battle of Poltava largely because? Hint

their Cossack allies deserted them prior to the battle

deep fog prevented proper communication between the center and left flank

Russian artillery were superior

Charles XII was shot and wounded prior to the battle

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Question 8 of 20

8. What Crimean War battle was immortalized in Lord Tennyson's 'Charge of the Light Brigade'? Hint

The Battle of Sevastopol

The Battle of the Prut

The Battle of the Vistula

The Battle of Balaclava

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Question 9 of 20

9. What weapon used by the English at Agincourt proved key to their victory? Hint

arquebus

crossbow

longbow

cannon

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Question 10 of 20

10. The Mongol armies of the thirteenth century suffered their first major defeat at what battle? Hint

The Battle of the Indus

The Battle of Ain Jalut

The Battle of Liegnitz

The Battle of Hattin

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Question 11 of 20

11. Cleopatra committed suicide by being bitten by an asp in the aftermath of what defeat? Hint

The Battle of Salamis

The Battle of Alexandria

The Battle of Actium

The Battle of Pharsalus

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Question 12 of 20

12. What was the first battle in European history where firearms (arquebuses) played the decisive role? Hint

The Battle of Ghent

The Battle of Pavia

The Battle of Breitenfeld

The Battle of Marsala

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Question 13 of 20

13. What happened to Stonewall Jackson at the Battle of Chancellorsville? Hint

He drowned trying to swim across the Rappahannock River

He was captured, tried, and executed by the United States Army

He fell off his horse and died from the resulting wounds

He was mistakenly shot and mortally wounded by his own men

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Question 14 of 20

14. The Battle of Cannae was a shining example of what battlefield tactic? Hint

Oblique attack

Double envelopment

Indirect attack

Feigned retreat

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Question 15 of 20

15. What military theorist and social critic was also the author of the French victory at Fontenoy? Hint

Marshal Turenne

Marshal de Saxe

Marshal Villars

Eugene of Savoy

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Question 16 of 20

16. Who commanded the Prussian forces at Waterloo? Hint

B�low

Clausewitz

Bl�cher

Moltke

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Question 17 of 20

17. What was the name of the British general at Waterloo? Hint

George Byron

Arthur Wellesley

John Churchill

Benjamin Disraeli

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Question 18 of 20

18. Which of the following was *not* a battle in the Thirty Years' War? Hint

Rocroi

Rossbach

Breitenfeld

Lutzen

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Question 19 of 20

19. What famous general was defeated at the Battle of El Alamein? Hint

Suleiman the Magnificent

Rommel

Belissarius

Saladin

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Question 20 of 20

20. What was the name of the Roman general who defeated Hannibal at Zama?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 03 2024 : Guest 78: 19/20
Nov 02 2024 : Guest 117: 16/20
Oct 30 2024 : fgrozalen: 13/20
Oct 28 2024 : Guest 73: 15/20
Oct 28 2024 : Guest 68: 15/20
Oct 28 2024 : Guest 81: 11/20
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 213: 8/20
Oct 23 2024 : Guest 92: 17/20
Oct 16 2024 : Guest 136: 1/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which was the last of Marlborough's four famous Continental victories?

Answer: Malplaquet

Marlborough's four victories were in the order: Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet. Malplaquet was the hardest fought and, due to the high casualties the English suffered, Marlborough was forbidden to fight any more battles. Eventually his enemies in London were able to remove him from command.

2. The Battle of K�niggr�tz (Sadowa) was the decisive battle in what war?

Answer: The Austro-Prussian War of 1866

The battle was master-minded by Helmuth von Moltke (Senior), the Prussian Chief of Staff. After the defeat of Austria, the way was open for the unification of Germany (without Austria) under Prussian leadership.

3. The Battle of Leuthen was a shining example of what battlefield tactic?

Answer: Oblique attack

Frederick the Great was able to use the hilly terrain around Leuthen to conceal his movements from the stationary, defensively positioned Austrians. Concentrating his force on his enemy's left wing, Frederick rolled up the and routed the much larger Austrian army.

4. What Frankish ruler defeated the Moors at the Battle of Tours?

Answer: Charles Martel

Charles 'the Hammer' was father of Pepin the Short and grandfather of Charlemagne. He was not king but, with the title Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of the entire Frankish realm. Clovis was the first Frankish king baptized, in the late fifth century.

5. Which one of the following was *not* a major battle of the Hundred Years' War?

Answer: The Battle of Anjou

Crecy, Poitiers, and Agincourt all were great English victories. Anjou is a region in France.

6. What was the name of Nelson's ship at Trafalgar?

Answer: HMS Victory

HMS Victory is the oldest ship in continuous commision. Inflexible, Invincible, and Dreadnought are all later pre-WWI classes of battleships and and battle cruisers.

7. The Swedes were defeated at the Battle of Poltava largely because?

Answer: Charles XII was shot and wounded prior to the battle

While reconnoitering the area around Poltava, Charles was shot in the foot. He drew up the battle plans, but during the battle he was confined to a litter and unable to coordinate and lead the attack as he was accustomed to.

8. What Crimean War battle was immortalized in Lord Tennyson's 'Charge of the Light Brigade'?

Answer: The Battle of Balaclava

A British victory, but not due to that suicidal 'charge.'

9. What weapon used by the English at Agincourt proved key to their victory?

Answer: longbow

The English longbowmen decimated the French cavalry as they charged down a defile between two forests, few reaching the waiting English infantrymen at the other end.

10. The Mongol armies of the thirteenth century suffered their first major defeat at what battle?

Answer: The Battle of Ain Jalut

The hitherto invincible Mongols were finally defeated by the Egyptian Mamluks in 1260. It was an undermanned Mongol force, but the defeat ended the myth of invincibility and set the Mongols on the defensive. The Indus and Liegnitz were great Mongol triumphs and Hattin was Saladin's famous victory over the Crusaders.

11. Cleopatra committed suicide by being bitten by an asp in the aftermath of what defeat?

Answer: The Battle of Actium

Her last love, Marc Antony, decisively defeated by Octavian, Cleopatra probably didn't see much of a future for herself in Octavian's Empire.

12. What was the first battle in European history where firearms (arquebuses) played the decisive role?

Answer: The Battle of Pavia

A contingent of Imperial arquebusiers successfully repulsed a French cavalry assault.

13. What happened to Stonewall Jackson at the Battle of Chancellorsville?

Answer: He was mistakenly shot and mortally wounded by his own men

Returning from reconnaissance the night of the South's greatest victory, Jackson was shot by a Confederate soldier mistaking him for a Union Scout.

14. The Battle of Cannae was a shining example of what battlefield tactic?

Answer: Double envelopment

Hannibal's famous victory where his army succeeded in completely surrounding and slaughtering the Roman forces. His only error, one might say, was not leaving his enemy a route of retreat.

15. What military theorist and social critic was also the author of the French victory at Fontenoy?

Answer: Marshal de Saxe

De Saxe was one of the few famous military theorists who successfully led armies into battle. He also advocated five-year renewable marriages instead of the lifetime ones then used.

16. Who commanded the Prussian forces at Waterloo?

Answer: Bl�cher

Bl�cher was present and played a major role at both Leipzig and Waterloo. Clausewitz was the famous military theorist, Moltke was a later Prussian General and B�low was German Chancellor, 1899-1909.

17. What was the name of the British general at Waterloo?

Answer: Arthur Wellesley

He is, of course, better known as the Duke of Wellington.

18. Which of the following was *not* a battle in the Thirty Years' War?

Answer: Rossbach

Breitenfeld and Lutzen were Swedish victories, Rocroi French. Rossbach was one of Frederick the Great's masterpieces in the Seven Years' War.

19. What famous general was defeated at the Battle of El Alamein?

Answer: Rommel

Rommel and his vaunted Afrika-Korps were finally defeated on October 23, 1942.

20. What was the name of the Roman general who defeated Hannibal at Zama?

Answer: Scipio Africanus

Hannibal finally met his match back on his own home turf.

Source: Author aqualung

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trammgr before going online.
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