British Battle Miscellany Trivia Quiz

Answer:

The Battle of Londinium occurred in 60 AD, during the course of the anti-Roman revolt of Queen Boudica of the Iceni. It was a major victory for the rebels and the harsh defeat of the Romans almost persuaded Emperor Nero to abandon Britain. However, the Roman general Suetonius Paulinus, an ancestor the later historian, took command and managed to defeat the Britons and consolidate Roman rule in the southern parts of the island.

The Battle of Tettenhall occurred in 910 AD, in modern-day Staffordshire. It pitted the Vikings of the Danelaw against the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Mercia and Wessex. It was a major debacle for the Vikings, whose raiding and settling activities, already restricted by Alfred the Great, were now even more curtailed. Three Viking royals, Ingwaer, Halfdan and Eowils, were named among the battle's fatalities.

The Battle of Stamford Bridge occurred in 1066 AD. It pitted the Norwegians under King Harald Hardrada against the Anglo-Saxons led by Harold Godwinson. Harold's men won and Hardrada was killed during the battle. However, the joy of victory did not last long, because Harold had to confront the invading Normans, led by William I, soon to be dubbed "The Conqueror".

The Battle of Hastings, also known as Battle of Senlac Hill, occurred in 1066 AD. It pitted the Normans under William the Conqueror against the Anglo-Saxons of Harold Godwinson. Using the tactic of feigned retreat, William destroyed Harold's army and Harold himself was killed. The battle, depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, ensured that the Anglo-Saxon ruling elite would be replaced or assimilated in the Norman one.

The Battle of Wilton occurred in 1143 AD, during the civil war known as The Anarchy. It pitted the retainers of King Stephen of Blois against the Angevin supporters of Empress Matilda, also known as Empress Maud. Stephen's army was badly defeated by Matilda's forces, led by Robert of Gloucester, while his steward, William Martel, secured the escape of his King, sacrificing his own freedom in the process. Yet, for all the exploits of Earl Robert, the war turned into a stalemate, with neither side being able to inflict a decisive blow on the other.

The Battle of Sandwich occurred in 1217 AD and is also known as Battle of Dover. It was a naval battle between England and France, which saw the English inflict a crushing defeat on their foes. The battle was a culmination of the First Barons' War, and resulted in a peace treaty which forced the French Prince Louis to formally renounce all claims to the English throne, while King Henry III of England promised to respect the privileges of his nobility, as written in the Magna Carta.

The Battle of Stirling Bridge occurred in 1297 AD. It pitted a Scottish army under William Wallace against an English army led by John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey and Hugh de Cressingham. Wallace and his men routed the English, destroying more than three-fourths of their infantry and over 100 cavalry. Wallace's prestige and popularity increased even more and the Scots grew bolder in claiming independence from England.

The Battle of Bannockburn occurred in 1314 AD. It pitted the Scots, led by Robert the Bruce against the English, led by King Edward II. The Scots won the battle decisively, consolidated their gains, and, less than a year after the battle, their forces were attacking Ireland, poised to invade northern England. As a result, England was forced to acknowledge an independent Scottish Kingdom ruled by Robert the Bruce.

The Battle of Bosworth Field occurred in 1485 AD, during the Wars of the Roses. It pitted the House of York, led by King Richard III, against the House of Tudor, led by the future King Henry VII. The forces of York were destroyed and Richard himself perished. The victory of Henry VII meant the end of Plantagenet rule and the rise of the Tudor dynasty. For the next centuries, Bosworth would be the cornerstone of Tudor propaganda, getting portrayed as a battle between good and evil.

The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold occurred in 1646 AD, during the First English Civil War. It pitted the Parliamentarians against the Royalists. The Parliamentarians, led by Sir William Bereton and Sir Thomas Morgan, destroyed the last Royalist field army. For the remainder of the hostilities, the Royalists would be sitting besieged in their castles, which got captured one by one by their foes before the year ended.

The other five battles occurred in continental Europe. Vouille occurred in France in 507 AD, Tours also in France in 732 AD, Stilo in Calabria, southern Italy in 982 AD, Stikelstad in Norway in 1030 AD and Saule in Lithuania in 1260 AD.