House of Plantagenet Trivia

1. The Plantagenet Dynasty was founded in which century?

From Quiz The Mighty Plantagenets- Part 1

Answer: 12th century

The Plantagenet Dynasty, was a branch of the Angevins and was founded in 1126 by Geoffery V of Anjou, the son of Fulk V of Anjou, and Eremburga of La Flèche. The name 'Plantagenet' comes from the broom flower called 'planta genista' which Count Geoffery often wore on his hat. Geoffery V of Anjou married the Empress Matilda, the 'Lady of the English' who was the daughter of Henry I of England and it is through Matilda's claim to England that the Plantagenet Dynasty became a ruling European power.

From Quiz Plantagenet Dynasty

Answer: Geoffrey V the Handsome, Count of Anjou

Geoffrey's nickname was Plantagenet, from whence the name of the dynasty is derived. The name came from the yellow bloom he wore in his hat, known in Latin as the planta genista. Geoffrey was married to the Empress Matilda who was the daughter of Henry I. Together they were the parents of Henry II the first Plantagenet king. Geoffrey was also the son of Fulk V the Young, Count of Anjou who became the King of Jerusalem.

From Quiz Those Bickering Plantagenets

Answer: England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, and about half of modern France

Henry inherited the throne of England through his the family of his mother, Mathilda. She was the daughter of the last Norman king, Henry I. She was married to the Count of Anjou, who ruled vast estates in France. Before winning a lengthy civil war in England, Henry II had already inherited the French domains of Anjou and Maine; and through marriage to Eleanor, gained control of Poitou, Gascony, and Aquitaine. By the time he became king of England, Henry had authority over more than half of modern France, he later was proclaimed Lord of Ireland, and at various times controlled parts of Wales and Scotland. One source states that his empire stretched from the Solway Firth to almost the Mediterranean, and from the Tweed to the Pyrenees.

From Quiz British Royalty Part II

Answer: Henry II

Henry II's mother Empress Matilda escaped England for Normandy in November 1141. Twelve years later Henry invaded England and secured his right to the succession by means of the Treaty of Wallingford. This treaty secured the throne for Stephen during his lifetime but assured that Henry would be declared king on his death, rather than Stephen's son.

From Quiz Isabella of France

Answer: Edward's undisguised infatuation with a male courtier

Edward was passionately attached to Piers Gaveston, whom he called his "brother Perrot." Gaveston was a man of humble origin, but high aspirations. Contemporary sources say of his showy appearance: "He more resembled the god Mars, than an ordinary mortal." Legend has it that Edward II gave away the best of his wedding gifts to Gaveston, including priceless jewels that belonged to Isabella herself! ("Great Tales," Robert Lacey, 2003).

From Quiz Katherine Swynford

Answer: Edward III

Edward had been on the throne for almost thirty years when Katherine was born. When she came to court, he can have had little idea of the role that such an apparently insignificant young woman would play in the future of the royal line.

From Quiz Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York

Answer: Earl of Cambridge

Edmund was the next in line to the throne of England when Richard II was overthrown by Henry IV. Although extremely young, he was considered a threat and put in prison, where he ended up dying, even though he survived both Henry IV and his son, Henry V. Edmund's sister, Anne, was married to the Earl of Cambridge.

From Quiz Eleanor of Aquitaine

Answer: William IX of Aquitaine

William IX was her grandfather and probably the first troubadour. William X was her father. William the Conqueror and William Rufus were English rulers, the first two of the House of Normandy.

From Quiz Plantagenet Consorts

Answer: Eleanor of Aquitaine

Henry and Eleanor married in secrecy for they knew their Liege Lord Louis VII of France, would forbid the union. Eleanor was eleven years Henry's senior.

From Quiz The Angevin Dynasty of England

Answer: Plantagenet

Named for a flower, the family originated from the French land of Anjou, hence the name Angevin.

From Quiz Plantagenet Dynasty

Answer: Henry II

Henry was nicknamed Curtmantle and as well as being king of England, he was Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, Count of Anjou, Maine and Poitou and Lord of Ireland. He started the Angevin Empire which fell apart in the reign of his son King John.

From Quiz Those Bickering Plantagenets

Answer: Louis VII of France

Eleanor was married to Louis VII of France when she was fifteen. They were married for fifteen years, during which time she gave birth to two daughters. She married Henry when she was thirty and he was nineteen. The official word was that she was able to divorce Louis VII because of consanguinity within the fourth degree - they were too closely related. Louis and Eleanor were third cousins once removed. Rumors abounded, however; some said that she dumped Louis VII because she loved Henry, while others stated that Louis VII dumped her because he wanted sons. Regardless of the reason, there is no doubt concerning the impact Eleanor made on the history of Europe. She gave birth to a total of ten children; two sons went on to become kings of England, and one of her granddaughters married the future Louis VIII of France.

From Quiz British Royalty Part II

Answer: Eight

They had eight children; William, Count of Poitiers; Henry the Young King; Matilda, Duchess of Saxony; Richard I of England; Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany; Leonora, Queen of Castile; Joan, Queen of Sicily; and John of England.

From Quiz Katherine Swynford

Answer: He was a herald in Flanders

Sir Payn spent his entire life as a herald, but was knighted on the battlefield shortly before his death. It is likely that it was his bravery on the battlefield which brought his children under the protection of Queen Philippa.

From Quiz Eleanor of Aquitaine

Answer: William

From Quiz Plantagenet Consorts

Answer: Berengaria of Navarre

Richard was frequently absent during his short marriage and consequently this union produced no offspring.

From Quiz The Angevin Dynasty of England

Answer: Eleanor of Aquitaine

Eleanor was the mother of Richard I and John I. The story went that after Louis returned from the Second Crusades, he shaved his beard off. Eleanor was rather put off by his new appearence and wanted him to grow it back. He refused, so she left him for Henry, about 12 years her junior.

From Quiz The Mighty Plantagenets- Part 1

Answer: Louis VII of France

Eleanor of Aquitaine was married to King Louis VII of France (then the dauphin) at the age of fifteen. Their marriage lasted fifteen years and produced two daughters, Marie and Alix. Eleanor obtained an annulment on the grounds that they were too closely related and cited her reasons as wishing the king free to remarry so that he might obtain the male heir he so desperately needed as her daughters were barred from inheriting the throne due to their sex. Many of the king's advisors at the time encouraged the annulment, most prominently Bernard of Clairvaux. Eleanor demanded the return of the lands she had brought to the marriage. Louis agreed and Eleanor was awarded the return of her lands - Aquitaine and Poitou which made Eleanor the greatest heiress in Christendom in the High Middle Ages.

From Quiz Plantagenet Dynasty

Answer: Henry the Young King

Though the second son of Henry II, Henry was the eldest surviving as his older brother William died at the age of three. Henry died in 1184 just five years before his father, so his younger brother Richard the Lionheart succeeded his father. Henry became the first heir to the throne of England to be crowned in his father's lifetime. He was crowned as a junior king, a practice borrowed from the French kings. It was thought that by crowning your heir during your lifetime no one could challenge their right to the throne.

From Quiz Those Bickering Plantagenets

Answer: Aquitaine

Eleanor was the oldest child of William X, Duke of Aquitaine. She became the Duchess of Aquitaine in 1137, and the most eligible heiress in Europe. (Aquitaine was a very substantial and prosperous region). Her father's will appointed King Louis VI of France as her guardian, and as such, he had control over Eleanor's land until she married. Louis VI decided to marry the heiress to his heir (and son) and bring Aquitaine under French control. Eleanor and Louis did not have a happy marriage, and even though the pope attempted to force a reconciliation, it was not to be. Custody of the two daughters was given to Louis, and Eleanor's lands were restored to her. Aquitaine was the largest and richest province of France; as Duchess of Aquitaine, Eleanor even led her own army.

From Quiz British Royalty Part II

Answer: Magna Carta

He met the barons at Runnymede on June 15, 1215 to seal the Great Charter or "Magna Carta" in Latin. The charter demanded that the king of England be bound by the rule of law and enshrined certain rights and protections for the people of England. Strictly speaking, he affixed his seal to it and did not sign it. However, it is customary to talk about King John signing Magna Carta.

From Quiz Isabella of France

Answer: Earl of Chester

The birth of the future Edward III brought great joy to the English people, who felt more secure when there was a successor to the throne. No one, however, could have been happier than Isabella. As queen, it was her duty to produce an heir. In 1320, Edward was created Earl of Chester. In 1325 he became the Duke of Aquitaine. Incidentally, he was not granted the title of Prince of Wales.

From Quiz Katherine Swynford

Answer: Three - Philippa, Walter and Isabel

Philippa is the better known of Katherine's siblings, as the wife of Geoffrey Chaucer. There were, however, two other Roet children. Isabel (sometimes known as Elizabeth) later became chanoinness of the convent of St Waudru's, Mons. This occured at about the same time Katherine came to court. Interesting coincidence ...

From Quiz Eleanor of Aquitaine

Answer: William Aigret

Her one and only brother was named William Aigret. His birth was much applauded in Aquitaine, but probably not by Eleanor.

From Quiz Plantagenet Consorts

Answer: Isabella of Angouleme

John was very infatuated by his young bride and this marriage caused much furor amoung his nobles because she was already betrothed.

From Quiz The Mighty Plantagenets- Part 1

Answer: They were cousins in the third degree.

The marriage between Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine appears to have been tempestuous. However, the couple appeared to have a loving marriage until in 1170 their sons revolted due to the fact that Henry would not allow them any substantial power. This was extremely upsetting for the eldest son, Henry the Young King due to the fact that he had been crowned as King of England yet was not allowed any power. Eleanor supported her sons and Henry, furious over her involvement, imprisoned Eleanor until he died sixteen years later. Yet throughout her captivity Henry still depended upon her for many things such as the state of government in Aquitaine and Poitou where Eleanor was Duchess and a Countess titles preceded by her father and succeeded by her beloved son, Richard the Lionheart and another son.

From Quiz Plantagenet Dynasty

Answer: Six months

When he first succeeded in 1189, Richard almost straightaway left to go on crusade. In 1193 while returning home from crusade Richard was captured. He spent a year in captivity and was released when England paid a large ransom. Richard then spent his longest time in England before leaving for France to reclaim the territories that were lost while he was on crusade. After a brief visit to England, Richard was again in France when he met his death in 1199.

From Quiz Those Bickering Plantagenets

Answer: She repeatedly tried to overthrow him.

Eleanor was imprisoned in Winchester Castle, Sarum Castle and other locations in England for sixteen years. She was not able to maintain contact with her sons, but occasionally she was released for special occasions, such as Christmas.

From Quiz British Royalty Part II

Answer: Lionheart

He was known as Coeur de Lion, or Richard the Lionheart, even before his accession, because of his reputation as a great military leader and warrior. He had led a failed coup against his father Henry II along with his brothers.

From Quiz Isabella of France

Answer: Hugh had an illicit relationship with Edward

While Isabella detested Gaveston, her later actions showed that she despised Despenser just as much--if not more. When Gaveston was executed, Despenser quickly filled the role of royal confidante, and possibly paramour. Isabella could have no love for the men who took her husband's attention and caused personal humiliation to herself. A contemporary chronicler made mention of Hugh, stating "He was a sodomite, even it is said, with the King..." (Froissart, c. 1322-1400).

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