Scotland's Monarchy 1 Trivia Quiz

Answer: False

Though it may be surprising, Kenneth was not the first King of Scotland. His title in contempory records is King of the Picts, not King of Scotland. While it is true that he united the kingdoms of the Picts and the Gaels (two ethnic groups in Scotland at the time) he did not unite all of Scotland.

The first record of a King of Scotland appears 40 years after Kenneth's death. Donald II was the first man to be recorded as King of Alba, which would later develop in to the Kingdom of Scotland.

Answer: 43 years

Constantine II reigned an astonishing 43 years, a remarkable feat considering it was the middle of the Dark Ages. He is Scotland's third longest reigning monarch prior to 1707 (Act of Union), with only William 'the Lion' and James VI ruling for longer.

In 943 he abdicated and enetered a monastery. He left the throne to his nephew Malcolm I as his son, Indulf, was considered too young to rule. He died nine years later in 952, probably well in to his 70s.

Answer: Malcolm II

Malcolm II joined forces with the King of Strathclyde, Owain the Bold, and together their forces defeated the Northumbrian army, bringing what we know today as the Lothians into the Kingdom of Scotland.

Answer: 1040 - 1057

Contrary to the well known play by William Shakespeare, Macbeth's reign was for the most part a peaceful one. In fact most of Shakespeare's work is extremely inaccurate and was most likely fabricated for the new King, James VI and I. For a start Duncan I (who reigned from 1034 - 1040) was not an old man when he died, nor was he a popular king. He was killed in battle, alegedly by Macbeth but by whom remains uncertain.

Macbeth was known for his generosity towards the Church and the kingdom was obviously stable enough for him to travel on a pilgramage to Rome in 1050. He was killed at the Battle of Lumphanan in 1057 by Duncan I's eldest son, Malcom III (1058 - 1093). He was the last Scottish King to be burried on Iona. His supporters gave his stepson Lulach (1057-1058) the crown following his death but he only ruled for a matter of months before he too was assasinated by Malcolm III.

Answer: Saint Margaret

Malcolm III married Margaret, the grand-niece of Edward the Confessor, around 1070. Their marriage appears to have been a happy one and it produced 8 children; 6 sons and 2 daughters. (Henry VIII must have been jealous!) Ingibjorg was Malcolm's first wife. They had at least one son, who became Duncan II, although there is a possibility of a second son who died in 1085. Her date of death is unknown although it must have been before 1070.

Matilda, Countess of Huntingdon was the wife of Malcolm and Margaret's youngest son David, who became David I in 1124. Malcolm III was killed at the battle of Alnwick in November 1093. Margaret, who was in poor health, died only a few days after hearing the news (supposedly of a broken heart).

Answer: Dunfermline Abbey

David I was considered one of Scotland's most successful kings. He was buried in Dunfermline Abbey alongside his parents, Malcolm III and Saint Margaret.

Holyrood Abbey was founded by David I but he was not buried there. It does hold the remains of David II, James II, James V and Henry, Lord Darnley.

The last king to be burried on Iona was Macbeth and Cambuskenneth is the burial place of James III and his Queen.

Answer: False

This is a modern misunderstanding. Contemporaries dubbed him as "the Maiden" because of his chastity. He never married and is reputed to have taken a vow celibacy.

Answer: His standard was that of a Lion rampant

It is widely accepted that William's posthumous nickname came from his personal standard: a golden lion rampant (raised on its hind legs as if to strike) on a red background. It has been used as the emblem of Scottish royalty since and can be seen today on the Queen's royal standard.

Answer: 7

Alexander III was just two months shy of his 8th birthday when he ascended the throne. His father had died prematurely after contracting a fever on his way to regain control of the Hebrides from the Norsemen. Alexander's minority was full of conflict; his reign after he obtained his majority, however, is considered a "Golden Age" in Scottish history.

He finished what his father had set out to do and regained control of the Hebrides from Norse influence and managed to keep relatively peaceful relations with England.

Answer: John Balliol

There were 13 claimants who came forward for the Scottish throne. Fearing civil war the Scots invited Edward I to decide who should be their next King. It was a terrible move. Edward claimed the status of overlord which the claimants were forced to accept in order to remain contenders.

In the end, John Balliol was the chosen man. He was the great-great-great-grandson of King David I through his mother's side and was crowned at Scone on St Andrew's Day 1292. He earned the nickname "Toom Tabard" meaning 'empty coat' as Edward I used every opportunity to humiliate John and treated him as a vassal. Therefore John was virtually a puppet king with no power to speak of.
The most distinctive act of his reign was the creation of the "Auld Alliance" with France which would last for over 300 years.

Answer: 1297

William Wallace was knighted and awarded the Guardianship of Scotland after defeating the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge on 11th September 1297 (you know - the battle from Braveheart where they seem to have misplaced the bridge ...). Wallace also fought alongside Andrew Moray, a lord from the Highlands, but he died shortly after the battle from his wounds.

Wallace forfeited the Guardianship after he was defeated at the Battle of Falkirk in July 1298. He was eventually betrayed by John de Menteith who turned him over to the English. After being taken to London he was found guilty of treason and on the 23rd August 1305, he was hung, drawn and quartered.

Answer: Bishop William de Lamberton of St Andrews

William de Lamberton was the first person to crown Robert the Bruce. I say first because he was crowned twice!

The Earls of Fife had long held the right to crown the next King of Scots. However the Earl of the time, Donnchadh or Duncan MacDuff, was in English hands. His sister Isabella, Countess of Buchan, came to crown Bruce in his stead although her husband had allied himself with the English. She arrived a day late but to continue the ancient tradition, Robert agreed to be crowned for a second time.

Answer: 23rd - 24th June

The battle occurred due to an agreement made between Edward Bruce, the King's brother, and Sir Philip Mowbray, who was the commander of the English garrison at Stirling castle. The deal was that if Edward II of England did not come to relieve the garrison before midsummer's day the following year (1314), he would surrender the castle to the Scots. The result was the Battle of Bannockburn, which ended in a decisive Scottish victory.

The battle lasted over two days as there was a small skirmish on the 23rd June. It was this day that Robert the Bruce cleaved Henry de Bohun's skull in two with an axe after the young English knight had charged at him upon recognising who he was. The main battle occurred on the 24th June 1314, a day which has now gone down in history as the day the Scots won their freedom.

Answer: Edward III of England

Joan of the Tower was the youngest daughter of Edward II and sister to Edward III. Her marriage to David was arranged in the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton which was negotiated between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England following the Scottish Wars of Independence. Edward II had been disposed and the Dowager Queen, Isabella, wanted peace with Scotland. Edward III was still in his minority at this point but everything was conducted in his name.

Robert the Bruce was recognised as King of Scotland and six year old Joan was offered as a bride to the then four year old Prince David.

Answer: Stewart

Eight monarchs would rule under the Stewart name. Robert II, Robert III, James I, James II, James III, James IV, James V and perhaps the most famous Mary, Queen of Scots.

Her son, James VI, changed the spelling of the name to Stuart in honour of his father, Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley. He became James I of England on the death of Elizabeth Tudor and a further six Stuarts ruled over Scotland and England (as well as Ireland and Wales).