English Royal Relationships Trivia Quiz

Answer: twice

Henry IV came to the throne in 1399. He had been unjustly exiled by his cousin Richard II, and returned to try and regain his property. He was urged by many of the barons to seize the throne, as Richard had been a most incompetant king, and with their support he was able to do so, starting the Lancaster dynasty. Richard was deposed. Henry's first wife, Mary de Bohun, gave him six children, but died before he came to the throne. His second wife was a widow, Johanna, daughter of Charles II King of Navarre.

Answer: They were killed in hunting accidents

Both his second son Richard, and his third son, William Rufus who
succeeded him on the throne, were killed by stray arrows while hunting in the New Forest. William's death was supposed by some to be a political murder, arranged by his younger brother Henry, rather than an accident. Henry ascended the throne as Henry I and ruled for 35 years. His death was said to have been caused by ingesting a 'surfeit of lampreys.'

Answer: John, Henry and Alphonso

John died at the age of 5, Henry at the age of 6, and Alphonso at age 11. Edward was the fourth son, born just a few months before his brother Alphonso's death. He ascended the throne in 1307 and ruled for 20 years. During this time he ignored his barons and neglected the queen and the good of the country, squandering his time and money on his favorites, Piers Gaveston and the Despensers. He was also severely defeated in war with Scotland (Battle of Bannockburn, 1314).

Answer: He was drowned at sea

On 25 Nov. 1120, the "White Ship" went down off the coast of Barfleur, Normandy, killing the heir to the throne and several of his illegitimate siblings. Henry was forced to name his daughter Matilda his heir, which plunged England into a civil war after his death.

Answer: Ethelwulf

Ethelwulf abdicated in 856 in favor of his son, Ethelbald who ruled only four years. He was followed by his brother Ethelbert, who ruled six years. The third bother Ethelred I ruled for five years and died of wounds recieved at the Battle of Merton. All three brothers were hardy warriors who fought against the Danish invaders, but their accomplishement were eclipsed by the final brother Alfred 'the Great.' He ruled for 25 years and during that time he successfully fought the Danes and welded the several English kingdoms into a whole with the central power based in Wessex.

He was considered a great scholar for his day and codified English law.

Answer: They were not related

Harold I was the son of King Cnut, by his first wife Elfgifu of Northampton. He ruled a mere three years from 1037-1040. Harold II was the son of Earl Godwin and brother-in-law of the last Saxon king, Edward the Confessor. They were not related by blood, although Harold II's brother-in-law was the step-brother of Harold I. Harold II ruled for only eight months, and was defeated by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings on 14 Oct. 1066.

Answer: His half-brother Edward the Martyr

In 978, Ethelred's mother Aelfthryth allegedly engineered the murder of her stepson Edward, Ethelred's half brother, at Corfe Castle in Dorset so that her son could ascend the throne.

Answer: She was too young

Richard's second queen, Isabella of France, was only a young child when he married her and brought her to England. It is believed that he picked a child bride as he was still mourning the death of his first wife, and did not wish to resume marital relations with a new wife.

Answer: Ethelred and Cnut

Emma was married first to Ethelred II as his second wife and bore him three children, including the future king Edward the Confessor. After her husband's defeat by Cnut, and the death of her stepson Edmund Ironside in 1016, Emma, now a widow, married the newly crowned king Cnut, and bore him a son Hardecnut (later king) and a daughter.

Answer: She never came to England

Although he reigned as king for ten years, Richard I spent very little of that time in England, first being away on Crusade, then prisoner of the Austrian king and lastly fighting in Normandy. He seldom had his queen with him, and never bothered to bring her to England or have her crowned.

Answer: Anne of Cleves and Catherine Parr

Henry was survived by his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, whom he divorced (she died in 1557) and by his sixth wife, Catherine Parr, who very shortly afterward married Thomas Seymour and died in childbirth in 1548. Henry divorced his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and his third wife Jane Seymour died after giving birth to their son.

His second and fifth wives, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard were beheaded for alleged treason.

Answer: William

William, Duke of Gloucester, Anne's fifth child, died on 29 July 1700, five days after his 11th birthday.

Answer: John and Katherine

Richard appointed his illegitimate son John of Gloucester Captain of Calais in 1485. He was probably the same man executed by Henry Tudor in 1491. Richard's daughter Katherine was married to William Herbert, Earl of Huntington in 1484, and died before 1487, leaving no issue.

Answer: Ethelbald

Ethelbald, eldest son of King Ethelwulf, married his stepmother Judith, daughter of Charles the Bald of France. He died childless in 860 after a reign of only 4 years.

Answer: Hardecnut, William II and Athelstan

Harold II was married to Aeldgyth, daughter of Earl Alfgar, as well as having a 'handfast marriage' to one Eadgyth. Mary I married King Philip of Spain. Charles II was married to Catherine of Braganza.