Mythological Kings and Queens Trivia Quiz

Answer: Penelope

In Homer's "Odyssey", Penelope is the wife of Odysseus whose journey kept him away from her for twenty years. During his absence, the Queen of Ithaca remained faithful to her husband despite receiving the attention of hundreds of wealthy men. She eventually gave into the pressure and said whoever could string Odysseus's bow would have her hand in marriage, only for the man to do so be a disguised Odysseus.

It is open to interpretation whether or not Penelope was aware of the fact.

Answer: Gnomes

According to local legend, King Kyrië was King of the Gnomes who lived in North Brabant in the Netherlands. He lived on Gnome Mountain and watched over the gnome community. He was accidentally killed by a hunter in 1952 and died on the top of Devil's Mountain. Also according to legend, since his death no gnomes have been spotted in the Netherlands.

They are believed to have fled to another part of Europe.

Answer: Pixies

Joan the Wad is the Cornish Queen of the Pixies. Pixies are small fairy creatures heavily associated with Cornwall. Wad is the Cornish word for torch which is what Queen Joan uses to protect people. Nowadays, Joan is often depicted on the doorknockers of Cornish homes for protection against evil spirits. The legend of Queen Joan may have inspired Jack-o-lanterns and will-o-wisps.

Answer: Tantalus

Tantalus, from where we get the word tantalize, was punished for trying to trick the gods into eating his son Pelops, whom he killed, cut and boiled. As punishment, he was placed in a pool of water that periodically flowed upward but receded before he could drink any. He was also placed below branches of ripe fruit which he could never reach.

Answer: Lady of the Lake

Depending on the legend, the Lady of the Lake has different names and functions. She is sometimes called Nimue, Viviane or even a combo of the two, Ninnianne. Most famously she provides King Arthur with his sword Excalibur and transports Arthur to Avalon before he dies.

It should be noted that Lady of the Lake and Morgan le Fey are two different characters in Arthurian legend, even though they sometimes fulfill similar roles.

Answer: Sir Lancelot

King Ban was the father of Sir Lancelot as well as Sir Hector. He was the brother of King Bors. King Ban was very loyal to King Arthur to the point that his castle was burnt down by Arthur's enemies. Although King Ban died shortly afterward, his loyalty to King Arthur was seen through his son, Lancelot, who served as one of the Knights of the Round Table.

Answer: The dead and the Underworld

Ereshkigal or Irkalla ruled over the Sumerian Underworld called Kur alongside her husband, the god Nergal. Ereshkigal's role in Sumerian mythology is subject to great debate. There do not appear to be any major cults attributed to her, which is not the case with other gods and goddesses.

In addition, some Sumerian artifacts refer to other goddesses as ruling the Underworld. The common explanation is that different parts of Sumer worshiped different gods.

Answer: Wind

Pazuzu was King of the Ill Wind Demons. He was the personification of the Southwestern wind and was known for his very destructive nature. His appearance was said to be grotesque and his body was formed from different parts of various animals. Despite all this, Pazuzu was known as a protective force when invoked against other demonic spirits.

Answer: Miners

The Mistress of the Copper Mountain originated in Slavic and Russian myths. She was created by miners who claim to have seen her in the Ural Mountains. It is said that the Mistress of the Copper Mountain owns all underground mineral deposits and has the right to permit or deny miners the privilege of mining them. Thus, she must always be made happy.

She is also called the Lizard Queen because she is sometimes said to take the appearance of a lizard wearing a crown. In her human forms, she wears robes of green malachite that look like lizard skin.

Answer: The Great Pyramid

Surid ibn Salhouk was a legendary king who was said to have built the Great Pyramid to protect the knowledge of his kingdom from flooding. Although history has proven that assertion incorrect, Surid ibn Salhouk remains an important figure in Muslim legend. He was said to have saved his people from a Great Flood by throwing them in between mountaintops.