Famous Demises Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cleopatra

Cleopatra is one of the most intriguing women of human history; it is said that she spoke 8 languages, and had love affairs with both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony. She was the last of the pharaohs, of the Ptolmaic line, and has been portrayed through Shakespeare and by the beautiful Elizabeth Taylor.

It is not known whether or not she did in fact die of a bite from an Asp, but has become one of the myths surrounding the last pharaoh of Egypt.

Answer: Attila the Hun

Attila the Hun is known as one of the most vicious military leaders of his time; at first he was satiated from his military conquests with money from the Romans, but even that could not stop his westward invasion. He went all the way to the gates of Rome before being dissuaded by the Pope (Leo I), and made quite a formidable Asian empire.

His death, however, was not what people would normally have thought would happen to such a ruthless leader; he died on his wedding night after passing out from drinking too much and choking on his own blood from a nosebleed.

Answer: Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar is undoubtedly one of the most famous and influential men of history; he is famous for bringing the Roman Empire all the way to the Atlantic; crossing the Rubicon which led to the civil war which made him the Emperor of the Roman world; and for his death, on the steps of the Senate, by one of his greatest friends, Brutus, stabbing him in the back.

Answer: Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc is one of the most well-known French women of history; speaking to God could do that for her! She lived from 1412 - 1431, but even in her short life time she accomplished more than most. She was an amazing military leader (dressed in soldiers clothing), and fought against the English, as she said God told her to.

She was eventually given to the English who, after forcing her once more into men's clothing (which was a grave occurrence in those days), she was put on the stake to be burnt.

She was defined as a martyr starting in 1456, which automatically makes a person be considered a saint, but she was not officially canonized until 1920.

Answer: Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn is probably the most famous of all of King Henry's six wives, as she was the mother of Queen Elizabeth who ushered in the golden Elizabethan age. Anne was tried on the account of treason and adultery against the king/ her husband. There is speculation as to whether this is actually true; it is likely that the king was in love with Jane Seymour at this time, and the fact that Anne was unable to produce a male heir (I say Anne even though it is the male who determines the sex of a child), were what most likely caused her death sentence.

Answer: President Lincoln

President Abraham Lincoln is known as one of the greatest American presidents, bringing about an end to the slavery of the south, and ushering in an entirely new time period of freedom for all people in the United States. He was shot on April 14th, 1865, by the actor and Southern supporter, John Wilkes Booth.

Answer: Socrates

Socrates lived from 469-399 BC, in Athens, whose philosophical thoughts were against the normal religion of his time, and he was tried and convicted of corrupting the youth (his students), as well as interfering with the religion of the city. One of his best known students was Plato, who recorded what occurred at his death. Socrates was surrounded by his friends and followers, and drank his own death.

Answer: Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe is probably the most famous actress of her day; born Norma Jeane, she has been idealized as a sex symbol for decades. There is a great mystery around her death, however; some say it was a cover-up because of her alleged affair with President Kennedy; that there were personal items taken from her room before she was officially found that implicated the president. Was it a suicide? Who knows? What we do know is that she is one of the greatest sex symbols of all time, even being immortalized in the Elton John song, "Candle in the Wind".

Answer: Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix, the guitarist and singer for such bands as "The Jimi Hendrix Experience", is a psychedelic rock icon, even today. He has been voted to number one on Rolling Stones "100 Greatest Guitarists of all time", and is famous for his many performances, but most memorably, at the sixties love-fest of Woodstock.

He died on September 18th, 1970, due to asphyxiation from his own vomit. He had taken too many sleeping pills, and too much wine the night before, making him pass out, and was not able to wake when he began to throw up.

Answer: Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of the 1980s rock opera band "Queen" was one of the first major celebrities to die of the new epidemic of AIDS. He was born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar, and died under the name we know him as, in London, due to pneumonia brought on by AIDS.