High Maintenance Women in "Herstory" Quiz

Answer: Venus Genetrix

Venus Genetrix was the mother of Aeneas and through him, of the Roman people and the family of Julius Caesar, who built a temple to honor her in Rome. His placement of a statue of a foreign queen who was also his mistress angered the Roman people and may have played a part in events leading to his assassination.

Another aspect of Venus recognized by the Romans was Venus Verticordia, the protector of female chastity. (Her temple was not really the right place for Cleopatra's image.) The cult of Isis, an Egyptian goddess, was very much alive in Rome at the time of Cleopatra.

The Pantheon, a temple honoring all the gods, was built by Hadrian in the second century AD in Rome.

Answer: Catherine the Great

Each choice is a famous woman of the 18th century. Catherine married the future Peter III of Russia when she was 14. Because he was an ineffectual ruler, she took things into her own hands and had herself declared Empress. Her unfortunate, unpopular husband was murdered shortly after his abdication. Catherine loved art and collected thousands of Dutch, Flemish, French and Italian masterworks for her private collection, now in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. Queen Anne, the last Stuart monarch of England, was born in 1665 and crowned in 1702. Madame du Barry, Louis XV's mistress, was born in 1743, and Marie Antionette was an Austrian archduchess before becoming Queen of France.

She was born in 1755.

Answer: Diane de Poitiers

Although Diane was eighteen years older than the King, he adored her until the end of his life, much to the annoyance of his wife, Catherine de Médici, who got revenge after Henri died by expelling Diane from Chenonceau and taking it over herself. Madame de Montespan was Louis XIV's mistress, and Madame de Pompadour was one of Louis XV's.

Answer: Le Hameau

The Queen's Hameau, or hamlet, was a charming village built to her specifications at great cost. It contained cottages, gardens, and the infamous dairy barn where Marie Antionette could milk her cows into jars made of Sèvres porcelain. The incorrect choice Conciergerie is the prison in which the unfortunate queen spent her last months.

Answer: A castle

"La Cuesta Encantada", the Enchanted Hill, is more commonly known as Hearst Castle. It is in San Simeon, California, and boasts a Main House, three huge "guest cottages", and two pools. Hearst's yacht was called the "Oneida". A famous murder which occurred on the vessel in 1924 was dramatized in the 2002 film "The Cat's Meow" directed by Peter Bogdanovich.

Answer: Joe DiMaggio

The World Series baseball star simply replied, "Yes, I have."

Answer: In a Shoe Museum near Manila

Part of Mrs. Marcos's extensive collection is now, with her blessing, on public view. She is quoted as saying, "They went into my closets looking for skeletons, but thank God, all they found were shoes, beautiful shoes."

Answer: Nancy Reagan & Lenox

In 1981, Mrs. Reagan ordered 220 place settings (of 19 pieces each) from Lenox China. She was harshly criticized for this extravagance even though the plates (in red, her favorite color) were privately funded. Jacqueline Kennedy attended Vassar College, and Halston and Valentino were two of her favored designers (Valentino created the gown that Jackie wore at her wedding to the young Senator Kennedy). Mrs. Roosevelt was a tireless worker and social reformer rather than a "fashionista".

Answer: La Peregrina

The La Peregrina (Pilgrim) pearl was several hundred years old and was owned by Mary Tudor and then by Spanish royalty. Ms. Taylor became its owner in 1969. Of the incorrect choices, La Perla is a brand of lingerie favored by high-maintenance women, and the other two are famous pearls not owned by actresses.

Answer: She prefers to buy them

All that glitters on Oprah's neck and ears and fingers is her own. She's spent millions (of her billion) on jewelry and is rarely seen without huge diamonds somewhere about her person. I learned this fact the one and only time I ever watched tabloid TV. Really.
Thank you for taking my quiz, and long live excess!