Off to the Chop Trivia Quiz

Answer: Francis Weston

Born in 1511, Francis Weston was made a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber in 1532. On May 12th, 1536, he was one of five men (co-accused were George Boleyn, William Brereton, Henry Norris and Mark Smeaton) put on trial for adultery with the Queen, treason and plotting to kill the King. All five were found guilty and were beheaded at the Tower of London.

Answer: Edward Stafford

Born in February 1478, Edward Stafford was the 3rd Duke of Buckingham. In October 1485, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Bath and attended the coronation of Henry VII. Ten years later, he became a Knight of the Order of the Garter, after the birth of the future King Henry VIII. He attended Henry VIII's coronation in June 1509.

In April 1521, he was put on trial for treason and sent to the Tower of London, where he was beheaded.

Answer: St. John Fisher

Born in October 1469, John Fisher was an English Catholic bishop. In June 1535, he was put on trial for treason as he refused to accept the King as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. He was found guilty and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered, but a public outcry led to the sentence being changed to beheading. He died at the Tower of London on June 22nd, 1535.

He was canonised in May 1935.

Answer: Henry Howard

Born in 1517, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, was a cousin of two of Henry VIII's wives (Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard). In May 1541, he was made a Knight of the Order of the Garter. He would later become Commander of Guisnes and Commander of the garrison of Boulogne.

In 1546, he was arrested on charges of treason for displaying royal quarterings on his shield and imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he was beheaded on January 19, 1547.

Answer: St. Thomas More

Born in February 1478, Sir Thomas More was Lord High Chancellor of England from October 1529 to May 6th, 1532. The following year, he refused to attend Anne Boleyn's coronation. This, however, was not seen as an act of treason. It was More's refusal to support Henry's annulment from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, that saw him charged with treason and imprisoned in the Tower of London.

On July 1st, 1535, he was convicted and was sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. The sentence was later changed to beheading, which was carried out on July 6th, 1535. He was canonised in May 1935.

Answer: Anne Boleyn

Believed to have been born in either 1501 or 1502, Anne Boleyn was Henry VIII's second wife.

After twenty years of marriage to Catherine of Aragon, Henry still didn't have the son he wanted. Whilst Catherine had given birth to a number of children, only a daughter, Mary, had survived infancy. Therefore, his eyes began wandering over the ladies at court, searching for a woman who could provide him with a son. In early 1526, Henry began showing an interest in Anne. They began an affair that would last for seven years, before finally marrying in January 1533 (Henry's marriage to Catherine was annulled in May 1533).

On June 1st, 1533, Anne was crowned Queen. She gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth, on September 7th. Henry was disappointed the child wasn't a boy, but hoped that a healthy son would soon follow. Unfortunately, Anne's next three pregnancies resulted in miscarriages.

On May 2nd 1536, Anne was arrested on charges of incest, treason and adultery. Despite very little, if any evidence at all, she was found to be guilty and was beheaded at the Tower of London on May 19th, 1536. Anne's ghost is said to haunt the Tower.

Answer: Thomas Cromwell

Born in 1485, Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex, was not only a close friend of Henry VIII, but was also one of the King's most powerful advocates.

After the death of his third wife, Jane Seymour, Henry considered never marrying again. It was Cromwell who convinced the King to marry Anne of Cleves, but things didn't go so well. When Henry met Anne on New Year's Day 1540, he didn't like her, claiming that she was ugly and fat. However, the wedding took place as planned a few days later.

Henry believed that Cromwell had failed him and his anger at being forced into marriage was what would lead to Cromwell's execution. In June 1540, Cromwell was arrested on charges of treason and heresy and imprisoned in the Tower of London. Without even getting a trial, Cromwell was sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered. Whilst in prison, Cromwell wrote to Henry, pleading for mercy. As a result, Cromwell's sentence was changed to beheading.

Thomas Cromwell was beheaded at the Tower of London on July 28th, 1540.

Answer: Catherine Howard

Born in 1523, Catherine Howard was a young and attractive lady-in-waiting to Henry VIII's fourth wife, Anne of Cleves. Henry, however, was unhappy in his marriage to Anne, and it wasn't long before he started showing an interest in Catherine.

Despite an age difference of roughly thirty years, Henry and Catherine were married on July 28th, 1540, the very same day that one of Henry's former friends, Thomas Cromwell, was executed. In spring 1541, Catherine began an affair with Henry's favourite male courtier, Thomas Culpeper. Their secret meetings were arranged by Jane Boleyn, one of Catherine's ladies-in-waiting.

On November 1st, 1541, whilst praying in the chapel at Hampton Court Palace, Henry received a warrant for Catherine's arrest, which detailed her crimes. Culpeper and one of Catherine's former lovers, Francis Dereham, were arrested on December 1st, 1541, and were later executed for treason (Culpeper was beheaded while Dereham was hung, drawn and quartered).

Along with Jane Boleyn, Catherine was sent to the Tower of London. Both were beheaded on February 13th, 1542. It's believed that on the eve of her execution, Catherine asked for the block to be brought to her room so she could practice laying her head on it. Her ghost is said to haunt both the Tower and Hampton Court Palace.

Answer: Edward Neville

Born in 1471, Sir Edward Neville was the brother of George Neville, 5th Baron Bergavenny, and a distant cousin of Henry VIII. He supported Catherine of Aragon's marriage to Henry and the Pope's authority in England.

In early 1538, Henry's chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, informed the King that Mr Neville was trying to obtain the estates of Moatenden Priory, which had been dissolved in 1536. Neville and his cousin, Henry Pole were arrested in November 1538 and charged with treason. They were beheaded at the Tower of London.

Answer: Sir Richard Empson

Born in 1450, Sir Richard Empson was a minister of Henry VII. He was knighted in February 1504 and soon became both High Steward of the University of Cambridge and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

When Henry VIII became King, Empson, along with Edward Dudley, was thrown in prison and charged with treason. They were convicted in October 1509 and both were beheaded at the Tower of London on August 17th, 1510.