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Quiz about Dont Lose Your Head
Quiz about Dont Lose Your Head

'Don't Lose Your Head!' Trivia Quiz


A look at some of the unfortunate Britons who completely lost their heads after meeting the executioner. Not for the faint-hearted!

A multiple-choice quiz by Mutchisman. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
Mutchisman
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
245,671
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
2265
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Guest 86 (10/10), Guest 81 (10/10), Guest 1 (4/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Being a king of England didn't always offer full job security. These four kings all met violent ends but which one had an appointment with the executioner? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. Being the wife of Henry VIII could be a risky business, however even after his second wife, Anne Boleyn was executed, there were still four more ready to give it a go. Which of these wives was also destined for the chopper? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. This unfortunate sixteen year old was queen of England for nine days before being overthrown by supporters of Mary Tudor. She spent six months in The Tower of London before being executed. Her name was Lady ______
______?

Answer: (Two Words: J___ G___)
Question 4 of 10
4. Here are four famous British seafaring men but which one ended up minus his head? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Which of these lost his head on the orders of Henry VIII? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. Only one of these royal women felt the executioner's axe on her neck. Which was the unfortunate Mary? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. It was a brave person indeed who challenged the monarch too strongly over matters of religion or politics. These four were all put to death over matters of principle but which one was beheaded? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Which of these 'pretenders' to the throne ended up without a head to put a crown on? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. After the restoration of the English throne, Charles II had Oliver Cromwell's body exhumed and 'executed'.


Question 10 of 10
10. Which of the following was sentenced to death in 1541 on the orders of Henry VIII? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Mar 26 2024 : Guest 86: 10/10
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Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Being a king of England didn't always offer full job security. These four kings all met violent ends but which one had an appointment with the executioner?

Answer: Charles I

Charles I has the unfortunate distinction of being the only English king to be publicly executed. He lost his head in 1649 after first losing the English Civil War.
Richard III was the last English king to die in battle, being defeated by Henry Tudor at Bosworth in 1485.
Edward II was murdered in 1327 by Roger de Mortimer and his henchmen at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire.
Henry VI was murdered in The Tower of London in 1471 on the orders of the Duke of York who had usurped the throne to become Edward IV.
2. Being the wife of Henry VIII could be a risky business, however even after his second wife, Anne Boleyn was executed, there were still four more ready to give it a go. Which of these wives was also destined for the chopper?

Answer: Catherine Howard

Catherine Howard was a cousin of Anne Boleyn's and much younger than Henry when they married in 1540. Her illicit love life was less than discreet, and an embarrassed and enraged Henry had her led to the block.
Jane Seymour was Henry's third wife: she died shortly after giving birth to the future Edward VI.
Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves was more a matter of political expediency than an affair of the heart and was never consummated.
Catherine Parr was Henry's last wife; she not only out-lived him but went on to re-marry. She was married four times in all.
3. This unfortunate sixteen year old was queen of England for nine days before being overthrown by supporters of Mary Tudor. She spent six months in The Tower of London before being executed. Her name was Lady ______ ______?

Answer: Jane Grey

When Edward VI died without an heir, the issue of succession was contentious: the powerful Duke of Northumberland was fearful of a Catholic Mary Tudor being appointed and sought to further his family's claims to the throne by marrying his son, Guildford Dudley to Jane Grey, who was Henry VIII's niece.

The plan was doomed to failure and the unfortunate Jane was executed in 1554, along with her young husband.
4. Here are four famous British seafaring men but which one ended up minus his head?

Answer: Sir Walter Raleigh

Sir Walter Raleigh was a one-time favourite of Elizabeth I but fell out of favour after a clandestine relationship with a lady-in-waiting. He was even less popular with Elizabeth's successor James I. Raleigh spent several years in the Tower of London before being executed in 1618.
Drake died of dysentery in the West Indies whilst fighting the Spanish in 1596.
Cook was killed by Hawaiian villagers in 1779.
Nelson was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.
5. Which of these lost his head on the orders of Henry VIII?

Answer: Thomas Cromwell

Henry VIII rarely gave his executioners too much time off work! His one time trusted advisor Thomas Cromwell fell out of favour following the Anne of Cleves debacle. Although this was not the only issue of contention, it led to a private execution for Thomas in 1540.
Walter Cromwell was Thomas's father.
Oliver Cromwell was the Lord Protector of England from the during the Commonwealth years, following the execution of Charles I. His son Richard succeeded him until the restoration of Charles II in 1660.
6. Only one of these royal women felt the executioner's axe on her neck. Which was the unfortunate Mary?

Answer: Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots was executed in 1587 on the orders of Elizabeth I.
Mary I died in 1558 before she had any children by her marriage to Philip of Spain.
Mary II also died childless in 1694.
Mary of Teck was the wife of George V and grandmother of Elizabeth II, she died in 1953.
7. It was a brave person indeed who challenged the monarch too strongly over matters of religion or politics. These four were all put to death over matters of principle but which one was beheaded?

Answer: Thomas More

The Catholic Thomas More was sentenced to be beheaded in Henry VIII's reign. The sentence was carried out in 1535.
The protestant priests Ridley and Latimer were burned as heretics by Mary I in 1555.
Thomas Becket was famously murdered on the steps of Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, after falling out with Henry II.
8. Which of these 'pretenders' to the throne ended up without a head to put a crown on?

Answer: Ist Duke of Monmouth

The Ist Duke of Monmouth was the illegitimate son of Charles II. He enjoyed a successful military career. When Charles II died without legal issue, the throne passed to his brother James II. The Duke of Monmouth attempted to take the throne but was captured and beheaded. Later it was realised that was no portrait had been painted of him prior to the execution, as was the usual custom. His head was stitched back onto his body in order for this to be done!
Lambert Simnel led a campaign to depose Henry VII. He was captured and probably expected to lose his head but was sentenced to work in the royal kitchens.
James Stuart and his son Charles were the son and grandson of James II, who was deposed by his daughter Mary and her husband William.
Both led ultimately unsuccessful campaigns to restore their right to the throne. Neither of them were executed.
9. After the restoration of the English throne, Charles II had Oliver Cromwell's body exhumed and 'executed'.

Answer: True

Oliver Cromwell had been hugely instrumental in the execution of Charles I and was despised by all royalists. Charles II wanted "to make sure" he was really dead! Firstly the remains were taken from Westminster Abbey and hung in chains at Tyburn, after which the remains were beheaded.

The head was displayed on a pole outside Westminster Abbey, where it remained until 1685, and what was left thrown into a pit. The 'execution' took place on January 30 1661, which was the twelfth anniversary of Charles I's beheading.
10. Which of the following was sentenced to death in 1541 on the orders of Henry VIII?

Answer: Margaret Pole

The Catholic Reginald Pole was accused of treason against Henry VIII. As a consequence of this his 67 year old mother, Margaret, was also arrested and sentenced to death. Although due to be beheaded, the first blow actually landed on her shoulder, Margaret attempted to flee the scene but was brutally butchered by the executioner.
People used to dance around the May Pole.
Graham Poll is an English football referee. Referees and public executions? Now there's a thought ...! Only joking guys, keep up the good work.


Grateful thanks to mnbates for correction notice and brilliant pieces of information on Q's 8 and 10, much appreciated.
Source: Author Mutchisman

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
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