Early Scottish Royals Trivia Quiz

Answer: King of Powys

Alba would have been used as the name for what is now Scotland. Kenneth (843-858) also claimed to rule over the Picts, a people who lived in northern Scotland as well as Dal Riata (a kingdom in western Scotland and far northern Ireland). Powys is located in what is now Wales. Some sources describe Kenneth as a lawmaker though there is little record of the specific laws passed. Other sources claim that Kenneth was the founded of the dynasty that would united Scotland after his death.

The picture shows a Whale, suggesting that Whales and Wales sound alike.

Answer: Vikings

Constantine I (962-877) would have considered himself King of the Picts. Vikings, attacking not only from Scandinavia, but also parts of Ireland and England, would have been a particular threat during his reign. Scotland, like England had to periodically fight off Viking attacks, more or less successfully. It is believed the Constantine died leading his forces against one such invasion.

The picture shows a Viking longship.

Answer: Canute the Great

Canute the Great (1016-1035) was the English who led the army into Scotland. During the Middle Ages, Scottish kings were often force to subordinate themselves somewhat to English Kings. In the case of Malcolm II (1005-1034), this may have been amplified by a previous incident. Some historians suggest that previously at the coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Conrad II, Malcolm have publicly snubbed Canute, giving a bit of an edge to their later meeting.

The picture shows a can, which looks a bit like the start of Canute's name.

Answer: Mormaer of Moray

Though all of these are actual titles of nobility in Scotland, MacBeth became Mormaer of Moray in 1032 after defeating the previous holder of the title. The Shakespearean play "MacBeth" gives a somewhat misleading view of his reign. Unlike the elderly man in the play, Duncan, predecessor of MacBeth, was only a few years older than MacBeth. As opposed to the short, turbulent reign of MacBeth, his reign (1040-1057) was mostly peaceful. In the play, MacBeth was called "Thane of Cawdor". Although MacBeth fought and defeated the Thane of Cawdor (yes, it was a real title), he never held the title itself.

The picture shows an eel which might get you thinking about a "moray eel".

Answer: Big Head

The nickname of Malcolm III (1058-1093), Canmore, literally translates as "big head", though it usually is rendered a bit more elegantly as "great chief". Though he spent some time as a child in exile in England, that did not prevent Malcolm from interfering in English politics later by indirectly supporting Harald Hardrada's invasion of England in 1066. Malcolm appears as a secondary character in Shakespeare's play "MacBeth".

The picture shows a large top hat, which might sit on a big head.

Answer: England

David I (1124-1153) was exiled temporarily to England when he was about nine (in 1093) after his Uncle Donald claimed the throne. He also spent some time at the court of Henry I (1100-1135) of England, where was influenced by Anglo-French culture. What he learned there would influence the ways that David attempted to shape Scotland once he became king, including the introduction of feudalism.

The picture shows the flag of England.

Answer: Lion

After his lifetime, William I was known as "the Lion". This was because of his personal standard, a red lion on a yellow background. A skilled military leader, William was known for his strong physical and emotional qualities. He was involved in a number of actions on both sides of the border with England. William also founded Arbroath Abbey and worked at clarifying Scottish criminal law.

The picture shows an outline of Africa, which is the continent where most lions are located.

Answer: Western Isles

Alexander III (1249-1286) became king of Scotland shortly before his eighth birthday. In addition to gaining the Western Isles (or Outer Hebrides) by therms of the treaty, Scotland also gained control of the Isle of Man. Ultimately, however, his reign ended sadly with all of his children predeceasing him and Alexander being succeeded by his grandduaghter.

The very simple compass rose in the picture has the western arrow emphasized.

Answer: Norway

Margaret (1286-1290) is usually described as the Maid of Norway. Her mother, Margaret, was the daughter of Alexander III of Scotland. The elder Margaret was married to King Eric II of Norway. When Alexander died in 1286, the younger Margaret was his only surviving descendant. Margaret stayed in Norway for most her life and died at the age of seven and never actually reached Scotland. Since she was not crowned, historians debate whether she should actually being considered Queen of Scotland or not.

The picture shows the modern flag of Norway.

Answer: Spider

During the earlier part of the reign of Robert the Bruce (1306-1329), the English had a heavy presence in Scotland. While leading the fight for Scottish independence, he reached a point where he began to wonder if this goal was worth all of his efforts and the deaths of so many of his supporters. While hiding in a cave on an island off the coast of Scotland, Robert saw a spider working on a web. Even though the spider fell to the ground several times, it climbed back up each time to continue working on the web. This example of determination is said to have inspired Robert to continue the fight.

Hopefully, the image of a spider web suggested "spider" to you.