That's Nasty! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cleopatra VII

Cleopatra became joint monarch with her younger brother Ptolemy XIII upon the death of their father in 51BC. Their political (and, no doubt, personal) relationship soon soured and Cleopatra went into exile. Julius Caesar, her lover and the father of her son Caesarion, defeated Ptolemy XIII at the battle of the Nile. With Ptolemy dead, Cleopatra returned to the throne with a new husband and co-ruler, also a younger brother, Ptolemy XIV.

Answer: He had stillborn daughters but no live children

"King Tut" has fascinated archaeologists since Howard Carter discovered his near-intact tomb in 1922. There continues to be much speculation in the scientific community about the cause of his death at 19 years of age. His failure to produce an heir resulted in the end of the Thutmosid family line.

Answer: Caligula

Perhaps the most famous accusation levelled at Caligula (proper name: Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) was that he made his horse a Senator. His enemies also spread rumours of all manner of sexual perversities, including acts of incest with his sisters Agrippina the Younger, Drusilla and Livilla.

However, modern historians raise doubts about whether there was any truth to these claims, suggesting that Caligula's reputation may be the result of the ancient world's version of "going negative" or "muck raking". The main source for information about his life is Suetonius, who has a certain notoriety for gossip.

Answer: Catherine of Aragon

Catherine was the youngest daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella. In 1501, aged 16, she married Arthur, Prince of Wales. Five months later both fell ill and while Catherine recovered her young husband died.

The families of both former partners were keen to maintain the Spanish-English alliance (and Arthur's father didn't want to return the dowry payment he received), so it was arranged for Catherine to marry Arthur's younger brother, the future Henry VIII. She required a Papal dispensation to do so, and testified that her first marriage had not been consummated. The question of what exactly her marriage to Prince Arthur involved would return to plague Catherine more than twenty years later.

Answer: Approval from the Pope

Isabella was preceded as ruler of the Spanish province of Castile by her brother, Henry IV. Henry attempted to secure a political marriage for Isabella with a range of potential allies, including his second cousin Charles IV of Navarre, his brother-in-law Alfonso V of Portugal, and the brother of Louis XI of France.

However, the teenage Isabella resisted these plans and married Ferdinand in secret.

Answer: Thailand

Chulalongkorn had 77 children by his various wives and partners. Reigning from 1868 to 1910, he is regarded as one of the greatest monarchs of Siam (now Thailand) due to his political and social reforms and defence of Siam against e colonisation. He was succeeded by Vajiravudh (Rama VI), the son of his Queen and half-sister Saovabha Bongsri.

Answer: Habsburg

Charles' mother, Mariana of Austria, was both the wife and niece of his father Philip IV of Spain. Two of his great-grandfathers also married their nieces. For over a century before Charles' birth his lineage was completely inbred. His obvious and significant disabilities were reflected in his nickname "The Hexed".

Charles was married twice but neither union produced any offspring. With his death at the age of 38 the male Habsburg line died out in Spain, resulting in the War of Spanish Succession.

Answer: Uncle/niece or aunt/nephew

While avunculate marriages are forbidden in some societies, in other traditions they are relatively common. The genetic relationship between a woman and her uncle, or a man and his aunt, is as strong as the relationship between a person and their grandparent, or between half-siblings. So close enough to be nasty!

Answer: First cousins

Albert and Victoria were first cousins, having Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld as a common ancestor. The Duke's son Ernst inherited his father's title and sired the future Prince Albert, while the Duke's daughter Marie married Prince Edward Augustus, fourth son of England's King George III and future father of the Princess Victoria.

As none of George III's older sons managed to produce legitimate heirs who lived very long, the British throne unexpectedly came to Victoria.

Answer: Salic law

Under Salic law, women were unable to inherit land or titles, including royal thrones. In some interpretations males descended through a female line were also excluded from the possibility of succession. This particular aspect of Salic law was central to the dispute over rights to the French throne that sparked the Hundred Years' War.

Marriage between members of the same dynasty became one popular solution to the problem of losing royal titles to "outside marriage". Unfortunately, it also caused a few problems of its own, as the pool of potential and eligible partners was at times shallow and genetically damaged.