Who Is This Royal, Anyway? Trivia Quiz

Edward was the eldest son of King Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville. He became king on 9 April 1483, at the age of 12, following his father's unexpected death. Because of his young age, he was placed under the protection of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who was appointed Lord Protector. Richard later seized the throne, declaring Edward and his 9-year-old younger brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, illegitimate. The two princes were taken to the Tower of London in June 1483 and disappeared soon afterward. They are widely believed to have been murdered on Richard's orders, but their fate remains one of the great mysteries of English history.

There are two clues here for those of you familiar with the history of the English monarchy. First, Edward V is the only child on the list to have served as King of England. Second, his reign lasted only two months (1483).

The engraving was created by the artist George Vertue in 1732, based on an earlier miniature. It depicts Edward as one of the Princes in the Tower. The two young lambs at the bottom of the image represent Edward and his younger brother, Richard. This symbol of helplessness and innocence also alludes, to the fate that awaited the two brothers, thereby implicating Richard III in their murder. Above the king appears the mythical figure of a harpy holding a crown, representing greed and tyranny. Important to note, I blurred Edward's name to avoid giving away the answer.

Elizabeth was born in 1533 to Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn. Her relationship with her Catholic half-sister, Queen Mary I, was difficult, both personally and religiously. Before becoming queen, Elizabeth was briefly imprisoned in 1554 on suspicion of involvement in a rebellion against Mary. When Mary died childless in 1558, Elizabeth, aged only 25, became queen. She was crowned on January 15, 1559, and ruled for 44 years, establishing Protestantism as the dominant religion in England. During her reign, England's international position grew stronger. In 1588, England defeated the Spanish Armada, a victory that became one of the defining symbols of her reign. In 1600, the East India Company was founded, helping to expand English overseas trade. Her reign is often regarded as the Golden Age of England.

The artist is unknown, but the painting is known as the "Darnley Portrait," after a previous owner. It was probably painted by a Flemish or Netherlandish artist, possibly one who was visiting England for a short time, and was likely commissioned by a courtier close to the Queen. The portrait is considered to be more lifelike than many of the later portraits of Elizabeth. Elizabeth appears distant, proud and imperious, while her masculine doublet helps create an image of a woman equal to her male counterparts. Her fan and jewels emphasize her status and wealth, while the crown symbolizes sovereignty. The Renaissance-style pendant at her waist, centered on a large red ruby and surrounded by Roman gods, celebrates her classical learning and virtues. If you zoom in, you can identify Minerva, Jupiter, Venus, Cupid and Mars. She also carries an ostrich-feather fan, which may have been a gift from the courtier who commissioned the portrait.

Henry was born in 1386 to Henry IV, King of England, and Mary de Bohun. Henry was not originally expected to become king, but his father's deposition of Richard II in 1399 made him heir to the throne. By that time, the young Henry had already gained considerable military experience fighting rebels in Wales and at the Battle of Shrewsbury. When Henry IV died in March 1413, his son succeeded him. During his short reign, he renewed the Hundred Years' War against France and won the famous Battle of Agincourt despite being heavily outnumbered. He expanded English control in France and, in 1420, signed the Treaty of Troyes, which recognized him as heir to the French throne. He also married Catherine of Valois, the daughter of the French king. Sadly, Henry died at the age of only 35, before he could inherit the French crown himself.

The portrait is an oil painting on panel, dated to the late 16th or early 17th century. The identity of the artist is unknown. The painting features various types of jewelry that emphasize Henry's high status, including pearls, rings, precious stones, and livery chains and badges.

During his reign, the monarchy began to lose political influence as Parliament and the cabinet grew more powerful. George belonged to the House of Hanover and became Elector of Hanover in 1698. Like other Hanoverian monarchs, George I was less familiar with British politics than his predecessors and focused largely on foreign affairs, while Robert Walpole and Parliament gradually gained greater political power.

The portrait by Godfrey Kneller, one of the leading portrait painters in Britain at the time, presents George I in a way that emphasizes his legitimacy as a new and relatively unfamiliar monarch. The crown and sceptre represent his royal authority, while his robes of state and the insignia of the Order of the Garter emphasize his status and rank. You can also see the white horse emblem associated with Hanover on his clothing.

Anne was born around the beginning of the 16th century into an English aristocratic family. Her rise to queenship was closely connected to Henry VIII's desire to annul his marriage to Katherine of Aragon. After a long dispute with the Pope and the Church over his marriage, Henry secretly married Anne in 1533, and she was crowned queen later that year. Henry desperately wanted a male heir, but Anne gave birth to only one surviving child, a daughter who would later become Elizabeth I.

Anne's public image during her lifetime was far from flattering. She was portrayed by her opponents as arrogant, ambitious, ruthless and without conscience. Later stories about Anne as a witch, including the claim that she had six fingers and other supposed signs of the Devil, further damaged her reputation. In 1536, her relationship with the king deteriorated, and she was arrested on charges of adultery, incest and treason. She was convicted and executed on 19 May 1536. 11 days later, he married Jane Seymour his third wife. Today, most historians regard many of the accusations against her as fabricated or unsupported.

The portrait is dated to around 1584-1603 and is thought to be based on a contemporary portrait that has since been lost. The identity of the artist is unknown, but the painting reveals several interesting details. The most striking feature is the B pendant around her neck: a pearl necklace with a pendant in the shape of the letter B, referring to her family name. It was probably based on the jewelry that appeared in the original portrait. Another interesting detail is her French style of dress, particularly the black French hood, which she adopted during her years at the French court. This style reflects her connection to the sophisticated culture of the European courts. Her elaborate clothing and jewelry also emphasize her wealth and high social status. At the top of the painting is a Latin inscription identifying her as "Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry VIII." (I blurred Anne's name so as not to give away the answer.)

She was born in 1665, the younger daughter of James II and his first wife, Anne Hyde. Anne was next in line to the English throne after Mary II died in 1694 and William III became king. When William III died in 1702, she immediately became Queen of England. The most significant event of her reign was the Act of Union of 1707, which united England and Scotland into a single kingdom. Anne thus made history by becoming the first monarch of the Kingdom of Great Britain. During her reign, the Treaty of Utrecht was also signed, strengthening Britain's position in North America at France's expense.

John Closterman's 1702 portrait shows Anne in her coronation robes, wearing a crown and carrying the orb and sceptre. The original portrait has disappeared, but a early sketch from Closterman's studio survives in the National Portrait Gallery, London. The pendant attached to the Garter collar depicts St George slaying the dragon. The collar was the insignia of the Order of the Garter, England's highest order of chivalry at the time. The poet laureate Nahum Tate was inspired by the painting to write his 1703 poem "Portrait-Royal."

Henry VIII ascended to the throne at the age of 17 following the death of his father, Henry VII. His reign shaped England for generations to come. One of the defining achievements of his monarchy was the Act of Supremacy of 1534, which recognized him as the Supreme Head of the Church of England and marked a decisive step in the English Reformation. He dissolved the monasteries and transferred vast amounts of land and property to the Crown and its supporters. He is almost equally remembered for his six wives, several of whom met tragic ends as a result of his decisions. During his reign, England and Wales were formally integrated through the Laws in Wales Acts, while relations and alliances between England and Spain continued to play an important role in English foreign policy.

The 1537 portrait is considered one of the most famous portraits of Henry VIII. The monumental work of the king at Whitehall Palace was created by the German artist Hans Holbein the Younger, who painted portraits of many members of the king's court. The original work was destroyed in a fire in 1698, but numerous copies survived. Henry is shown at the front of the painting in magnificent royal clothing and in a firm and imposing pose that conveys authority. The image as a whole represents wealth and power. Around the king's neck hangs a gold chain composed of links shaped like the letter H, presumably symbolizing his name. Like many artists, Holbein incorporated himself into the portrait of the person he was painting, creating a kind of symbolic self-portrait. Holbein portrait often regarded as one of the most accurate surviving representations of Henry VIII.

Richard was a warrior monarch, and much of his reign was devoted to warfare, most notably the Third Crusade (1189-1192). He came to the throne in 1189 after the death of his father, Henry II, following the earlier deaths of his two older brothers. Throughout his reign, he spent only a few months in England. He achieved impressive military successes during the Crusade but failed to recapture his ultimate goal, Jerusalem. In his final years, he focused on wars against Philip II, King of France, and managed to recover some of his territories in France. In 1199, he was wounded during a siege in France and died from his injuries.

The illustration comes from the manuscript "Brief Abridgement of the Chronicles of England," dated to around 1255-1259. It was created by Matthew Paris, an English Benedictine monk, historian, cartographer, and one of the most renowned manuscript illustrators of the Middle Ages. In the image, Richard is shown holding a shield displaying the three lions passant guardant, the heraldic symbol associated with him and with the English monarchy. Initially, the royal arms featured either one or two lions, but in 1198 Richard adopted the design of three lions passant guardant, which became permanently associated with the English crown. One interpretation suggests that the three lions represented his three principal titles: King of England, Duke of Normandy, and Duke of Aquitaine. Another theory proposes that the number three may have symbolized Richard's position as the third son of Henry II and his claim as the legitimate ruler. Although the exact origin of the symbol remains uncertain, it became one of the most recognizable emblems of English kingship. In his right hand, Richard holds a sword, symbolizing his authority as a warrior king and military commander.

Alfred was born around 849 to Aethelwulf, King of Wessex, and Osburh, a noblewoman of Anglo-Saxon descent. After the death of his older brother Aethelred I in 871, Alfred became King of Wessex. He immediately faced a major challenge, as Danish Viking armies launched repeated invasions against his kingdom. After suffering several defeats, Alfred reorganized his forces and defeated the Viking leader Guthrum at the Battle of Edington in 878. Following the victory, the two sides reached the Peace of Wedmore, under which Guthrum agreed to be baptized as a Christian and his army withdrew from Wessex. Alfred's military achievements protected Wessex from Viking conquest and laid the foundations for the later unification of England.

This 18th-century engraving depicts Alfred the Great, whose name appears in Latin as "Aelfredus Magnus Rex Angl" ("Alfred the Great, King of the English"). The work was created by the English artist, engraver, and antiquarian George Vertue. The engraving was produced for the edition of The "History of England" by Rapin de Thoyras. Rapin's original work was published in eight volumes between 1724 and 1727, and Alfred's portrait was part of Vertue's series of engravings of the kings of England.

Around the portrait are books and documents symbolizing Alfred's image as a learned king and lawgiver. Additional scenes depict Alfred's legendary visit to the enemy camp in disguise, his victory over the Danes, and the tradition that attributes to him the foundation of an English naval force. Note the crown, the weapons representing his image as a skilled military leader, and especially the Danish Viking Raven Banner, depicted as a banner captured in battle.

Mary was the only surviving daughter of Henry VIII and his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. Desperate for a male heir, Henry sought to end his marriage to Catherine and, after falling in love with Anne Boleyn, rejected the Pope's authority when he refused to grant the annulment. Poor Mary was declared illegitimate and excluded from the succession, while Anne became queen and gave birth to Elizabeth. Mary was later restored to the line of succession, but when her half-brother Edward VI died in 1553, the throne was given to Lady Jane Grey. Mary refused to accept this and gathered widespread support, becoming queen after Jane was deposed after only nine days.

Her accession to the throne on 19 July 1553 initially enjoyed widespread support, including among some Protestants, partly because she pardoned many of Lady Jane Grey's supporters. Among the Protestants, this support did not last. Mary believed that the reforms introduced by her father and brother had caused religious and political damage that needed to be reversed. Mary restored Catholicism, repealed Edward VI's Protestant legislation, and revived the heresy laws. From 1555 onward, hundreds of Protestants were executed for heresy, earning her the nickname Bloody Mary.

In this famous portrait by Anthonis Mor, Mary is portrayed as authoritative, restrained, and self-controlled, qualities that were important to present after a period of political uncertainty. The jewel she wears around her neck was a gift from her husband, Prince Philip of Spain, whom she married in 1554, the year the portrait was painted. The red rose in Mary's hand symbolizes her Tudor lineage and also alludes to the Virgin Mary, reflecting her Catholic faith.