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Quiz about Freaky History
Quiz about Freaky History

Freaky History Trivia Quiz


Here is a quiz on some of the weird and extraordinary elements in history. Whoever said that history was boring ?!

A multiple-choice quiz by khemkagrt. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
khemkagrt
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
165,155
Updated
Jul 23 22
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Very Difficult
Avg Score
4 / 10
Plays
2502
Last 3 plays: Guest 1 (5/10), Rogerh2 (5/10), Guest 5 (8/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. In one of history's sick jokes, Alboin, leader of the Lombards of Italy, asked his wife to "drink with her father". What made this demand cruel ? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. It is odd that despite all his greatness, Alfred the Great, of England is remembered the most for something quite different from his campaigns against the Danes. What is he remembered for ? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. Which historical figure had a horse named 'Babieca ', literally meaning 'stupid' ? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. Earl Harold Godwinson once promised someone, "six feet of English land or as much more as you are taller than other men". Who was he talking to ? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Who is considered the most infamous Pope ever ? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Sultan Bayezid (called 'Yilderim' meaning 'Thunderbolt') of the Ottoman Turks claimed that his great enemy had very small sex organs. Who was this enemy ? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. Who did Saint Bernard praise, saying, "You never see them combed; they rarely wash; their beards are bushy, sweaty and dusty." Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. What epithet did Byzantine Emperor Basil II earn? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. In times when illegitimate children were more numerous than legitimate ones, which English king holds the record for highest number of *legitimate* children? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Which great ruler once defined the joys that make life worth living as follows: "To cut my enemies to pieces, drive them before me, seize their possesions, see the tears of those who love them and rape their wives and daughters." Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 19 2024 : Guest 1: 5/10
Mar 19 2024 : Rogerh2: 5/10
Mar 13 2024 : Guest 5: 8/10
Mar 05 2024 : Guest 147: 3/10
Feb 22 2024 : PurpleComet: 7/10

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. In one of history's sick jokes, Alboin, leader of the Lombards of Italy, asked his wife to "drink with her father". What made this demand cruel ?

Answer: The cup his wife was to drink from was made from her father's skull

After the death of the great Byzantine general, Belisarius, northern Italy was overrun by the Lombards from the Danube area. Their leader, a man called Alboin, who defeated a rival people, the Gepids, had the skull of their king made into a drinking cup.

He forcibly married the dead king's daughter and at their marriage feast, he passed the skull-cup to her demanding that,"she drink with her father". She obeyed but cleverly poisoned the cup before passing it back. Alboin died while still laughing at his own sick joke.
2. It is odd that despite all his greatness, Alfred the Great, of England is remembered the most for something quite different from his campaigns against the Danes. What is he remembered for ?

Answer: For burning cakes

Tradition has it that during a time of defeat, King Alfred took refuge in a cowherd's hut. Not knowing him, the cowherd's wife set him the task of tending to her baking. But Alfred's mind was on campaigns and not on cakes. The cowherd's wife returned to find the entire batch of cakes burnt and she gave Alfred a thorough scolding.
3. Which historical figure had a horse named 'Babieca ', literally meaning 'stupid' ?

Answer: El Cid

Like most semi-legendary heroes, El Cid also had a famous horse - 'Babieca' meaning 'stupid'. It was a gift from his godfather, who is said to have uttered this exclamation when the young hero chose what was apparently the ugliest, clumsiest colt from the string of horses offered to him.
4. Earl Harold Godwinson once promised someone, "six feet of English land or as much more as you are taller than other men". Who was he talking to ?

Answer: Harald Hardrada

At the Battle of Stamford Bridge (Sept 25, 1066) Harold Godwinson met Harald Hardrada to decide the fate of the English throne. Harald was said to have been a gaint, standing some 7 ft tall. He died in the battle and of the 300 ships that brought his men to England, under the banner 'Land Waster' (Odin's black raven ), only 24 were required to carry home survivors.
5. Who is considered the most infamous Pope ever ?

Answer: John XII

Papal corruption flourished in the 10th century when six popes were assasinated and two died in prison. The 18 year old grandson of Marozia, mistress of Pope Sergius III, became Pope John XII in 955. He, among other crimes, ran a brothel in the papal palace, publicly drank to the health of the devil and castrated a cardinal. He was finally deposed by Emperor Otto I in 963.
6. Sultan Bayezid (called 'Yilderim' meaning 'Thunderbolt') of the Ottoman Turks claimed that his great enemy had very small sex organs. Who was this enemy ?

Answer: Timur Leng

Bayezid had to pay heavily for his insulting claims about Timur's manhood. Defeated at Ankara, Bayezid was made to serve as Timur's footrest at feasts where the Sultan's favourite wives were forced to act as topless waitresses. The Sultan soon died insane.
7. Who did Saint Bernard praise, saying, "You never see them combed; they rarely wash; their beards are bushy, sweaty and dusty."

Answer: The Templars

The Knights Templar claimed that they always slept fully armed and that no knight removed his white mantle with its red cross (their symbol) until it rotted from his back or was slashed away by a Saracen blade. St. Bernard's praise of their apparent unworldliness - or was it fanaticism? - makes them sound almost like Hell's Angels.
* The Templars' seal showed two knights on a horse, one behind the other. They claimed that it was a symbol of frugality and brotherhood; their enemies alleged it was a symbol of homosexual practices that were allegedly used in the Order's secret rituals.
8. What epithet did Byzantine Emperor Basil II earn?

Answer: Destroyer of Bulgars

Emperor Basil II was called 'Bulgaroctonus' ('Destroyer of the Bulgars') and he merited his name. In 1014, he defeated Bulgarian attacks on Constantinople, taking 14,000 prisoners. He ordered them to be blinded, leaving one man in every hundred with one eye to lead the others back home. King Samuel of Bulgaria died of shock when he saw his army!
9. In times when illegitimate children were more numerous than legitimate ones, which English king holds the record for highest number of *legitimate* children?

Answer: Edward I

Edward I had 19 legitimate children from 2 marriages - more than any other English king. King Richard I 'Lionheart' fathered one son (illegitimate ) and was rumoured to be gay. Henry I, called 'Beauclerc' (Good Scholar) for his learning, fathered some 20 bastards and left no male heir to the throne!
10. Which great ruler once defined the joys that make life worth living as follows: "To cut my enemies to pieces, drive them before me, seize their possesions, see the tears of those who love them and rape their wives and daughters."

Answer: Genghis Khan

Ruthless in pursuit of power, Genghis Khan was the most succesful war leader of all time and one of the most able rulers too. In the 13th century, with an army of 150,000 horsemen, he conquered the largest empire the world has known. His conquest of China was perhaps the bloodiest ever known, costing the lives of 90% of north China's people (about 30,000,000 lives - if the records of the time can be trusted).
Source: Author khemkagrt

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