Oh My Lords Trivia Quiz

Answer: Nelson

One of Britain's heroes, Nelson was an Royal Navy admiral who fought against Spain and France, during Napoleon's era. He is remembered for his victory at the Battle of Trafalgar, in 1805, which led to his death. Nelson was killed by a sniper's bullet during the battle, which the British navy went on to win. Nelson is commemorated by a statue in Trafalgar Square and in the names of many public houses.

Answer: Snowdon

Antony Armstrong-Jones, as he then was, married Princess Margaret, the only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II, in May 1960. The Queen gave him the title of Earl of Snowdon in October 1961. The marriage was not a happy one and the couple divorced in 1978.

Answer: Lovat

Simon Fraser was the 11th Lord Lovat, and was something of a turncoat, supporting whichever side seemed likely to win. In 1746, having 'sat on the fence' for as long as he could, Lovat decided to support the Jacobites, who wished to install Bonnie Prince Charlie, Charles Edward Stuart, as monarch.

The Battle of Culloden ended in defeat for the Jacobites, and Lovat was captured and sentenced to death for his part. He was beheaded, and holds the record for being the last man to be executed by this method in Britain.

Answer: Cornwallis

The battle was one of the final military conflicts of the American Revolutionary War. The British army, under the command of Lord Cornwallis, was trapped on the Yorktown Peninsula, in Virginia, and Cornwallis surrendered on 19 October 1781. From then, negotiation took over from war, with the Treaty of Paris, in 1783, confirming the end of hostilities.

Answer: Mountbatten

Lord Louis Mountbatten was particularly close to the British Royal Family, being an uncle to Prince Philip and a distant cousin to Queen Elizabeth II. He played a role in the life of Prince Charles, acting as mentor. Mountbatten was Viceroy of India prior to the country's independence, and then became governor general until mid 1948. Mountbatten's life came to an end when the Irish Republican Army placed a bomb on his fishing boat in 1979.

Answer: Cardigan

James Brudenell was the 7th Earl of Cardigan, and has the unhappy reputation of being to blame, at least in part, for the disastrous ride of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. The order to attack was relayed to him by Captain Louis Nolan, who was blamed by both Cardigan and his superior officer for failing to pass on the message correctly. Since Nolan died in the charge, he could not offer any defence. Cardigan himself rode in the attack, immortalised by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and managed to survive.

Answer: Lucan

Richard Bingham was the 7th Earl of Lucan. A predecessor, the 3rd Earl, was in charge of all the cavalry forces at the Battle of Balaclava, and was related, by marriage, to Lord Cardigan. The 7th Earl had established a reputation as a gambler, and he and his wife were having severe marriage problems.

The couple's nanny, Sandra Rivett, was killed at their home with Lady Lucan also suffering injuries, naming her husband as the assailant. Lucan disappeared, and no definite evidence of what happened to him has come to light, and he has since been officially presumed dead.

Answer: Archer

Jeffrey Archer, as he was originally known, was a Member of Parliament from 1969 until 1974 until he resigned, due to financial problems which left him close to bankruptcy. Archer solved his difficulties by turning to writing, and published numerous novels.

In 1987 he sued a newspaper for libel and won the case, but matters unravelled in 2001 when it was proved that he had lied in court. Archer was imprisoned for perjury and had to repay the damages he'd received, with interest. Despite his rather chequered career, Archer became a Life Peer, meaning the title dies with him, in 1992 and remains known as Lord Archer.

Answer: Carnarvon

George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon, was the man behind the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922. His inherited wealth meant that he could indulge his hobbies, which included horse racing as well as his interest in Egypt. Carnarvon took an active role in the search for ancient tombs, and was summoned to Egypt by Carter when the steps, which were later found to lead to the tomb, were first uncovered.

It was Carnarvon who asked the question 'Can you see anything?' and received Carter's answer of 'Yes, wonderful things'. Lord Carnarvon's death early the next year, while still in his fifties, began the 'Curse of Tutankhamun' myth.

Answer: Byron

Byron is remembered as a poet, and for being 'mad, bad and dangerous to know', as Lady Caroline Lamb described him. He spent several years in Europe and was living in Italy when the Greek War of Independence (from the Ottoman Empire) broke out. Byron was invited to lend his support and travelled to the Greek island of Kefalonia.

His contribution was mainly financial and the visit to Greece led to his death, from a fever, in 1824.