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British Monarchy Trivia Quiz

The single most identifiable aspect of British culture is its monarchy. See how much you know about the history of this noble tradition.

A multiple-choice quiz by rbiggles. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
rbiggles

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
195,510

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
1114

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. The Bayeux Tapestry tells the tale of William the Conqueror and the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings and William's crowning at Westminster Cathedral. Which of these events were not on the tapestry? Hint

Welsh longbowman firing a volley at the Norman invaders

Harold struck in the eye with an arrow

A comet

Harold getting crowned

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Question 2 of 10

2. After the Normans took over and established themselves, King Henry I died without a son as an heir. His daughter, the Empress Matilda claimed the throne which started a civil war against whom? Hint

Harold II

Stephen

Henry II

Edward

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Question 3 of 10

3. Who shouted out, 'Who will rid me of this turbulent priest'? Hint

Henry II

Henry I

William II

Thomas Becket

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Question 4 of 10

4. Where did Edward II die by a rather gruesome form of execution? Hint

Pontefract Castle

Berkeley Castle

Tower of London

Rouen

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of these famous writers was in the court of King Richard II? Hint

Geoffrey Chaucer

Francis Bacon

William Shakespeare

Thomas More

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Question 6 of 10

6. Several Tudor propagandists made this King out as having a humped back and a withered arm. Who was defeated and usurped at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485CE? Hint

Richard III

Henry VII

Henry IV

Richard II

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Question 7 of 10

7. What man of Henry VIII's time is known as 'A Man for All Seasons'? Hint

Paul Scofield

William Shakespeare

Thomas More

Wolsey

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Question 8 of 10

8. Who was King of Britain at the time of the great Jacobite Rebellion in which Bonnie Prince Charlie almost succeeded at obtaining the Scottish throne? Hint

George I

George III

George IV

George II

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Question 9 of 10

9. Which 20th century monarch actually supported Adolf Hitler and the Nazis? Hint

Edward VII

Edward VIII

George VI

George V

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Question 10 of 10

10. A final question, what was the longest running dynasty of the British Monarchy? Hint

Saxe-Coburg

Tudor

Plantagenet

Hanoverian

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Welsh longbowman firing a volley at the Norman invaders

The Welsh longbow wasn't used by the English until the Hundred Years War.

2. After the Normans took over and established themselves, King Henry I died without a son as an heir. His daughter, the Empress Matilda claimed the throne which started a civil war against whom?

Answer: Stephen

Stephen won the war and was proclaimed King, but it was agreed that after his reign Matilda's son Henry Plantagenet would assume the throne, becoming Henry II.

3. Who shouted out, 'Who will rid me of this turbulent priest'?

Answer: Henry II

A typical sign of Plantagenet rage, four knights heard him and went to Canterbury to dispatch with this troublesome Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Becket was declared a martyr by the church but later canonized. Soon after Henry went to Canterbury to receive penance.

4. Where did Edward II die by a rather gruesome form of execution?

Answer: Berkeley Castle

He had a lover named Piers Gaveston and it is said that during execution he called out his former favorite's name. I won't give the details of his execution, needless to say I wouldn't want to go out that way.

5. Which of these famous writers was in the court of King Richard II?

Answer: Geoffrey Chaucer

Geoffrey was a member of Richard's court, but when Richard's cousin Henry Bolingbroke usurped him, many of Richard's courtiers disappeared, Geoffrey included. This is why we don't have a completed version of The Canturbury Tales. No one knows what ever happened to Geoffrey Chaucer.

6. Several Tudor propagandists made this King out as having a humped back and a withered arm. Who was defeated and usurped at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485CE?

Answer: Richard III

In actuality, Richard was a typical Plantagenet model, strong and handsome. He also was a good King who passed legislation awarding greater freedoms to the peasantry. His motto was, 'Loyalty bind me', not the sort of slogan you'd expect from an evil murderer.

7. What man of Henry VIII's time is known as 'A Man for All Seasons'?

Answer: Thomas More

Thomas wrote a history about King Richard III that depicted this King as an evil man with a withered arm and a humped back. Despite this bit of propaganda for his King, and the great friendship they had, he was executed for refusing to accept that the King had the right to divorce his first wife and set up a new Church of England.

8. Who was King of Britain at the time of the great Jacobite Rebellion in which Bonnie Prince Charlie almost succeeded at obtaining the Scottish throne?

Answer: George II

The good Charles Edward Stuart, Bonnie Prince Charlie, was defeated at Culloden near Inverness in April 1746. The Duke of Cumberland led a campaign of slaughter against the Scottish Highlanders, murdering and plundering them on an appalling scale.

9. Which 20th century monarch actually supported Adolf Hitler and the Nazis?

Answer: Edward VIII

He felt that Germany would become a strong power and that England should be allies rather than fight a war aginst them. However this was after he renounced the throne in favor of his love to divorcee Wallis Simpson, something unforgiveable at the time.

10. A final question, what was the longest running dynasty of the British Monarchy?

Answer: Plantagenet

The Plantagenets were so called because Geoffrey of Anjou, Henry II's father, was keen on taking a small yellow flower and placing it in his hair called the Planta Genesta, hence Plantagenet. Thanks for playing.

Source: Author rbiggles

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
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