Blackadder's Hysterical Historical Errors Online Quiz | Television

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. According to the historical record, Henry Tudor won the Battle of Bosworth Field. But in the television comedy series 'The Black Adder', the forces of which leader won this famous conflict?

Answer: Richard III

The penultimate, but perhaps decisive conflict of the War of the Roses was the Battle of Bosworth Field, fought on August 22, 1485, where the forces of the House of Lancaster, under Henry Tudor (later Henry VII), defeated the army of the House of York, led by Richard III (who was killed in battle). This outcome signalled the end of the Plantagenet dynasty, and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. In the first episode of 'The Black Adder', however, it was the Yorkists who won, although Richard III still died (but by losing his mount during battle and being killed by his sniveling nephew, Edmund, who mistook the King for a lowly horse thief). The King was then succeeded by his son, who became Richard IV, while Edmund became a prince (aka, the Black Adder).
King Richard: 'A horse... a horse... my kingdom for a horse.' [Sees horse] 'Ah, horsey...'
Edmund: 'Oy, that's my horse!' [lops off the King's head with a sword]

2. In real life, the Red Baron (WWI German pilot, Manfred Von Richthofen) died April 21, 1918, just after he was shot down over Morlancourt, France. In the television comedy series 'Blackadder Goes Forth', however, he apparently dies in 1917, and in which quite different way?

Answer: He was shot while unarmed by Lord Flashheart, after rambling on about nobility and comradeship between great adversaries

In the episode 'Private Plane', Blackadder and Baldrick are caught and imprisoned after being shot down by the Germans. George and Flashheart come to their aid, but the Red Baron enters the room to foil the rescue attempt. Holding great respect for Lord Flashheart, the Baron then launches into a speech which is dramatically cut short.
Red Baron: '...face to face at last. How often I have rehearsed this moment of destiny in my dreams ... to encapsulate the unspoken nobility of our comradeship...'
Flashheart: [pulls out gun and shoots Red Baron] 'What a poof!'

3. In British history, Prince George would officially become king when his father, George III, died. But in the final episode of the television comedy series 'Blackadder the Third', who became the heir apparent instead?

Answer: Blackadder

In the episode 'Duel and Duality', Blackadder, Prince George's butler, posed as the Prince while duelling with the Duke of Wellington. But the Prince, posing as Blackadder, was shot dead instead by the Duke. This left Blackadder to assume the role of the son of loony King George III.
The King: 'Somebody told me my son was here. I wish him to marry this rose bush...'
Blackadder: 'Here I am ... Daddy.'

4. In 1699, William Dampier became the first Englishman to set foot on the continent of Australia. An episode of the television comedy series 'Blackadder II', however, suggests that this feat was achieved around a century earlier, because it saw Blackadder return from a distant land with what?

Answer: A boomerang

In the episode 'Potato', Blackadder had only meant to sail to France, rather than rounding the Cape of Good Hope as he'd boasted of doing; but his clueless captain, Redbeard, took them halfway around the world. He returned after two years with a royal gift from a faraway land - a stick that comes back when you throw it.

At first, the Queen was not impressed ('... when I throw something away, I don't want it to come back!'). Fortunately, after the stick was thrown, it returned to render Lord Percy unconscious, and the Queen was much amused.

5. According to history, Prince George was married to Caroline of Brunswick during the Regency era (1811-1820). The television comedy series 'Blackadder the Third' contradicted this fact of history in what way?

Answer: Prince George was a bachelor, and Caroline was rejected as a suitable spouse

In real life, Prince George was married to Caroline of Brunswick from 1795 until her death in 1821, a period which covered the duration of his debt-ridden spell as Prince Regent. In 'Blackadder the Third', George was a bachelor, and in the episode 'Amy and Amiability', Blackadder actually rejected Caroline as a suitable wife for the Prince.
Blackadder: 'She's famous for having the worst personality in Germany, and as you can imagine, that's up against some pretty stiff competition.'

6. Sir Francis Drake died of dysentery off the coast of Panama in 1596. In an episode of the television comedy series 'Blackadder II', however, Drake died in what very different manner?

Answer: He was executed by beheading

In the episode 'Head', Blackadder became Lord High Executioner and observed that Sir Francis Drake was one of the next in line for the chopping block.
Blackadder: [prior to Drake's execution] 'Better make sure there's a few anchors and things on the souvenir stall.'
Blackadder: [after Drake's execution] 'So, they're all dead, are they?'
Lord Percy: 'Yep, all three - Drake, Ethingham, Farrow.'

7. The French Revolution was over by 1799, and the French Revolution hero, the Scarlet Pimpernel, was a fictitious character. However, in an episode of the television comedy series 'Blackadder the Third', which was set in the Regency era (1811-1820), Blackadder promised to take what action that, historically speaking, would have been impossible?

Answer: Rescue a French aristocrat from the revolutionaries, just like the contemporary hero, the Scarlet Pimpernel

In the episode 'Nob and Nobility', Blackadder made a bet that he could rescue a French aristocrat from the French revolutionaries just as easily as the Scarlet Pimpernel was currently doing. Unfortunately his bluff led him to fatally poison the two aristocrats who were secretly posing as the Scarlet Pimpernel. According to actual history, however, the French Revolution was already over by the period in question, while the Scarlet Pimpernel was a fictitious character, originally appearing in a play (and later a novel) of the same name, which was written by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, and first performed in 1903. Baldrick: 'Hooray, it's the Scarlet Pimpernel ... and you killed him.'

8. Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, following a bout of depression and illness. However, the final episode of the television comedy series 'Blackadder II' suggested that she died in which very different manner?

Answer: Assassinated by a German prince

Following the credits of the episode 'Chains', the master impersonator Prince Ludwig the Indestructible, disguised as Queen Elizabeth, was seen holding a dagger and standing over the bloodied bodies of Elizabeth and other members of her court.
Ludwig: 'This is a disguise I'm really going to enjoy.'

9. The English author Dr. Samuel Johnson died in 1784, long before the surrogate rule of George, the Prince Regent (1811-1820). In what way does an episode of the television comedy series 'Blackadder the Third' mutilate this fact of history?

Answer: Dr. Johnson sought the Prince Regent's patronage for his newly-completed 'dictionary'

Samuel Johnson's 'Dictionary of the English Language' was published in 1755, well before Prince George was even born (1764). Also, Johnson died in 1784, therefore he could not have met the Prince at all during the Regency era. In the 'Blackadder the Third' episode, 'Ink and Incapability', however, the two have quite a heated exchange.
Samuel Johnson: 'Perhaps you would rather not be patron of my book, if you can see no value in it whatsoever, Sir!'
Prince George: 'Well perhaps so, Sir, as it sounds to me as if my being patron of this complete cowpat of a book will set the seal, once and for all, on my reputation as an utter turnip-head!'

10. Sir Walter Raleigh is thought to have been born in 1552; he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I in 1584; he first set sail for the New World in 1595; and he was executed in 1618, during the reign of James I. In what way does an episode of the television comedy series 'Blackadder II' get Raleigh's history a little muddled?

Answer: Raleigh said that he sailed to the New World in 1552

Sir Walter Raleigh was probably born in 1552 (some say as late as 1554), so the suggestion in the 'Blackadder II' episode, 'Potato', that his voyage was made in this year was (hopefully) a little historical joke by the writers. In this episode, Raleigh was greeted as a hero upon returning from a voyage, and Queen Elizabeth I was excited at the prospect of meeting him.

In real life, however, Raleigh had become a very unpopular figure by the time of his New World adventures, and Elizabeth had already met him, for it was she who had knighted him in 1584. Elizabeth: 'If he's really gorgeous, I'm thinking of marrying him'

11. In an episode of the television comedy 'Blackadder II', which was set during the reign of Elizabeth I (1558-1603), Lord Percy recommended a famous religious figure for a riotous booze-up at Blackadder's house. According to history, however, this person had died in 1530. Who was it?

Answer: Cardinal Wolsey

In the 'Blackadder II' episode 'Beer', the alcohol-intolerant Blackadder was forced into a bet with Lord Melchett to see who could out-drink the other, so he began to make a list of people who might be passed off as his regular drinking buddies.
Blackadder: 'The sort of person we're looking for is an aggressive drunken lout with the intelligence of a four year old, and the sexual sophistication of a donkey.'
Lord Percy: 'Cardinal Wolsey?'

12. During the television comedy special 'Blackadder's A Christmas Carol', the Prince Regent was seen in the company of a famous British war hero. According to history, however, this person had died before the start of the Regency era (1811). Which of the following heroes was it?

Answer: Horatio Nelson

The distinguished British naval hero Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson died in 1805, during the Battle of Trafalgar. Prince George, on the other hand, became Prince Regent in 1811. In 'Blackadder's A Christmas Carol', Nelson is seen sleeping in one of the Prince Regent's chairs, and is referred to by name, with regard to a game of charades.
Prince George: 'Who's first up for the game? I'd ask old Horatio, here, but he's out of it, I'm afraid.'

13. In the television comedy series 'The Black Adder', which was set in 15th century England, Rowan Atkinson's character, Edmund, describes Lord Dougal McAngus as what animal which, according to history, was completely unknown to Europeans at that time?

Answer: Orangutan

The elephant, giraffe, and rhinoceros had been known to Europeans since the days of ancient Rome, when such animals had been imported from Africa. The word 'orangutan' was first used by a European (physician Jacques de Bondt) to describe the large ginger-haired primate of the East Indies (modern Indonesia and Malaysia), in the year 1627.

In the episode 'Born To Be a King', Edmund (aka the Black Adder) is given the responsibility of arranging exotic entertainment for Lord Dougal McAngus, and is not very happy about the requirements. Edmund: 'So, some carrot-faced Scottish orangutan wants a eunuch, does he?'

14. This particular British Prime Minister died in 1801, some five years before the Regency era, yet in the episode 'Dish and Dishonesty' of the television comedy series 'Blackadder the Third', he was seen to be taking steps to remove the privileges of the Prince Regent. Who was it?

Answer: William Pitt, the Younger

In the episode 'Dish and Dishonesty', Prime Minister William Pitt, the Younger had barely entered puberty, but he still mounted a campaign against the extravagant Prince George. In reality, Pitt, the Younger was 24 when he first became PM in 1783, and he died January 23, 1806, aged 46 - half a decade before George became the Prince Regent.
Blackadder: 'Mr Pitt is the Prime Minister, Sir.'
Prince George: 'Oh, go on! Is he? What, young Snotty, here?!'

15. In an episode of the television comedy series 'The Black Adder', which was set in 15th century England, Baldrick made mention of a chastity belt composed of something that, according to actual history, was unknown to Europeans at the time. What did he say the chastity belt was made of?

Answer: Chocolate

Produced from the beans of the cacao tree of the New World, chocolate remained unknown to Europeans until the Spanish conquests of the 16th century. The first 'chocolate house' in England was established in 1657. In the episode 'The Archbishop', Baldrick is questioned by Edmund about his information source with regard to another matter.
Baldrick: 'It was Jane Smart. You know, she was the one who told me about the Duchess of Kent and the chocolate chastity belt.'

Source: Author Wizzid

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Blackadder's Hysterical Historical Errors Quiz

Rowan Atkinson's 'Blackadder' television comedies were frequently loose with their interpretation of the historical record. This quiz will review what really happened in history and test your knowledge of 'Blackadder' at the same time.

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