So You've Married a Tyrant! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Crateia

At the time of Cypselus's birth Corinth was ruled by members of the royal house of Bacchiadae. His mother Labda was a member of the Bacchiad family but was disfigured. He father was Eetion and there were prophesies that his son would overthrow their rule.

The assassins sent to kill the baby were disarmed by his smile, and then while they were distracted, he was hidden by his mother. Following another prophesy, this one given to him, he returned to Corinth. He became the Polemarch of Corinth and his actions as Polemarch made him vastly popular with the people. Through his popularity he was able to overthrow the Bacchiad rulers and thus fulfill the prophesy.

Answer: Demareta in Sicily and Sulpicia Dryantilla in Rome

Gelo is said to be descended of people from the island of Telos in the Aegean Sea, who founded the city of Gela in Sicily. Gelo was commander in the army of Hippocrates. Upon the death of Hippocrates Gelo maneuvered himself ahead of the sons of Hippocrates, following the people revolting against them.

The aristocracy of Syracuse, also in Sicily, was thrown out by the common people and Gelo was asked to and did become tyrant of Syracuse. Gelo married Demareta, daughter of Theron, who was the tyrant of Acragas, west of Gela. Gelo had been requested by the Greeks to aid in battles against Xerxes, but when he wasn't named a commander he did not send any aid.

When the Carthaginians sought to attack Theron, at the request of a tyrant Threon had defeated, Gelo came to his aid. Gelo's men joined the Carthaginian camp as allies from another area and subsequently set fire to the Carthaginian ships. Gelo's forces attacked and the battle was a huge victory, with half of the 300,000 perishing, including their leader Hamilcar. Regalianus came to power by popular appeal during the reign of Gallienus, when fear of border invaders was high. Regalianus was a Dacian. Dacia in Roman times was part of modern day Romania. Sulpicia was the daughter of a Senator and had coinage issued in Regalianus's name.

Answer: Anastasia Romanovna

The death of Anastasia in 1560, at a time when he was also very ill, is believed to have led to him becoming mentally unstable. In total, Ivan had eight wives. Russian folklore paints a heroic picture of Ivan, while foreign historians paint a crueler picture of Ivan.

Some of the cruel actions attributed to Ivan have proven to most likely be untrue, including the blinding of the architect of St. Basil's Cathedral. Ivan had many disagreements with the boyars, who were Russia's powerful highest social class at the time.

Answer: Leontia, wife of Flavius Phocas Augustus

Henry VIII, Ramses II and Atilla the Hun all gained their titles by having them passed on to them by family. Of these three, Ramses II has clearly been giving a raw deal in modern popular culture. The epic movie "The Ten Commandments" portrays him in a very negative light. History has shown that the Hebrew exodus the movie is based around did not happen during his reign as Pharaoh.

Flavius Phocas Augustus took the throne from Maurice. A military leader, Phocas was angered when Maurice would not negotiate the release of prisoners, who were later killed because of this inaction. Phocas led his army against Maurice in 602 and captured the capital, Constantinople. Maurice and his sons were exectuted on Phocas's orders. As uprisings began in his empire, more executions were ordered and Bonosus, one of his generals, was exceptionally brutal to the eastern cities of the empire.

Answer: Nabis

Nabis was a King of Sparta from 207-192 B.C. He had other claimants to the throne executed before taking power. He was the last independent ruler of Sparta, having been defeated by the Romans. On the tyrannical side he exiled the wealthy and stripped them of their estates. On the kinder side, he made many slaves into citizens. Nabis executed all living members of the Spartan royal families.

He also had an 'Iron Maiden' type of torture device constructed to make sure citizens he wanted money from paid him.

It was named for Apega herself!

Answer: Fredegund

Many assassinations and assassination attempts have been attributed to Fredegund. These include assassination of Sigerbert I (Brunhilde's husband and Chilperic's half-brother), and attempts on her brother in law Guntram, Sigerbert's son Chidebert II and Brunhilde. Following the murder of her husband, Fredegund fled with her son to the protection of Guntram, but not without first taking all Chilperic's riches.

Due to her origins as a servant, it has been suggested that Fredegund is one of the possible women the story of Cinderella is based upon.

Answer: Martha Huntington

The first colony to sign/ratify the Articles of Confederation was was Virginia on December 16, 1777. The last and 13th was ratify was Maryland on February 2, 1781, from which day the Articles were effective (began to operate). Samuel Huntington was the 7th president of the Continental Vongress, from September 28, 1779 to July 10, 1781 (the first upon full ratification).

Martha was the wife of Samuel Huntington, head of the Continental Congress in America from 1779-1781. His main duties were handling of official correspondence and making requests to the states to continue their support of the war effort. The Articles of Confederation, which is considered the first constitution of the United States, were ratified during his time as President, with Maryland being the final state to sign them.

The other three women are wives of other Presidents of the Continental Congress.

Sarah Jay was the wife of John Jay, who held the position before Huntington. Eleanor Lauren's husband Henry had been the President before John Jay. Mary McKean's husband Thomas was the President following Huntington.

Answer: Justinian II

Justinian II followed his father Constantine IV as Emperor in 685. Justinian II argued with the Western Roman Empire to have his Eastern Roman Empire seen on equal grounds as the Western. Justinian II was involved in heavy taxation and ignoring the decisions made by the Senate.

In 695 a revolt overthrew him and this is when he was disfigured. His nose and tongue were slit on orders of Leonitus, the leader of the revolt. Tiberius became Emperor and Justinian II spent many years settling in an area, only to have to flee when forces appeared to be coming to drag him back to Constantinople.

In 705, with the help of an army of Slavs and Bulgars outside the gates of the capital, he managed to enter the city and with supporters and overthrew Tiberius.

In 711, after failed military campaigns, he was overthrown again and fled to Asia Minor and was eventually murdered.

Answer: Blanca of Bourbon

It is said that Pedro had married Maria de Padilla prior to his marriage to Blanca (Blanche), which was done solely for political reasons. Blanca was the cousin of King John II of France. Pedro later had Blanca murdered.

Maria de Padilla was Pedro's favored female companion and they had four children together. Two of their daughters married sons of Edward III of England.

Joan Plantagenet was the daughter of Edward III of England and was to be Pedro's first wife. On her way to Castille, she went through some towns infected by the plague. Members of her entourage soon began to die and even after fleeing to another town, Joan soon died of the plauge.

Another ruler with this nickname was Boleslaus I the Cruel, Duke of Bohemia. This title seems fitting since he had brother Saint Wenceslas killed.

Answer: Eastern Orthodox Church

She is known, along with her grandson Vladamir, as the founder of Russian Christianity. Her son Igor had refused to and never converted to Christianity. Her husband Prince Igor I had been murdered and she dealt with his killers, as well as their followers, with death. Some of whom were buried alive in a ship burial.

In 957 she was baptised in Constantinople and was even asked by Emperor Constantine VII to become his wife. When baptised she was given the name Elena (Helen) and is known as Saint Elena.