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Quiz about Before They Were King
Quiz about Before They Were King

Before They Were King Trivia Quiz


Here are 15 monarchs who took part in or witnessed crucial or momentous events before they came to the throne of England. Can you identify the right man in each case?

A multiple-choice quiz by Philian. Estimated time: 4 mins.
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Author
Philian
Time
4 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
154,995
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
10 / 15
Plays
3518
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
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Question 1 of 15
1. Which King of Wessex only succeeded to the throne after the death of three of his elder brothers? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. Which King of England came to the throne after his immediate predecessor had seventeen children, none of whom lived to inherit? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. Which future King of England unsuccessfully conspired with the French King Philip to keep his elder brother a prisoner in Germany? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. Which twentieth century king married his dead brother's fiancee? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. Which king discovered that his mother, Queen Isabella, was having an affair with Roger Mortimer? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. Which sixteenth century future king of England married his dead elder brother's wife? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. Which man became king of England because his brother was killed whilst riding in the New Forest? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. Which man was crowned king on Christmas Day during a momentous year which had seen the death of the two previous monarchs? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. Which king only succeeded to the throne when his elder brother decided to abdicate so that he could marry an American divorcee? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. Which man called the "Sailor King" actually served in the West Indies with Nelson? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. Which future king was banished from England by his cousin, Richard II, and later returned to replace him? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. Which man successfully made himself king of England by having his two nephews declared bastards because Edward IV had not been truly married to Elizabeth Woodville? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. Which King of England had a mother who had been executed on the orders of Elizabeth I? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. Which future king of England risked his succession to the throne by converting to Roman Catholicism in 1668? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. Which future King of England was involved in a card-game scandal at Tranby Croft in Yorkshire and had to attend a trial in July 1891? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Which King of Wessex only succeeded to the throne after the death of three of his elder brothers?

Answer: Alfred the Great

Ethelbald reigned from 856-860. Ethelbert from 860-866 and Ethelred I from 866-871. King Alfred reigned for longer than his three brothers put together for he lasted from 871 to 899.
2. Which King of England came to the throne after his immediate predecessor had seventeen children, none of whom lived to inherit?

Answer: George I

Queen Anne was the unfortunate monarch who lost so many children. Her son, William, Duke of Gloucester, was hydrocephalic and lived for only eleven years.
3. Which future King of England unsuccessfully conspired with the French King Philip to keep his elder brother a prisoner in Germany?

Answer: John

Whilst Richard was away on crusade in the Holy Land, Prince John set about undermining the authority that had been given to William Longchamp in England. When Richard was taken prisoner by Leopold of Austria on his way home, it gave Prince John and King Philip the opportunity they wanted to get rid of him for good.
4. Which twentieth century king married his dead brother's fiancee?

Answer: George V

George's elder brother was called Prince Albert Victor but known to the family as Eddy. Only a few weeks after he was engaged to Princess Mary of Teck, Eddy died from pneumonia. Queen Victoria pushed the idea that George should marry Princess Mary and they were married in July 1893. King George V succeeded to the throne in 1910.
5. Which king discovered that his mother, Queen Isabella, was having an affair with Roger Mortimer?

Answer: Edward III

The exact nature of Edward II's sexual relations with his favourites will probably never be known. It is likely, however, that this pushed Queen Isabella into Mortimer's arms. Having invaded England, seized power and imprisoned Edward II, Mortimer began to rule with tyrannical cruelty.

He installed Edward III as a figurehead and had Edward II murdered. The young king eventually turned on Mortimer and had him executed. Isabella was forced to retire to a nunnery.
6. Which sixteenth century future king of England married his dead elder brother's wife?

Answer: Henry VIII

Henry VIII's elder brother was called Arthur and he was contracted in marriage to Catherine of Aragon. However, when Arthur died in 1502 Henry VII was determined to keep the Spanish alliance and advised his son to marry Catherine - which he did six weeks after his accession.

However, the legacy of his deceased brother's marriage before his accession came back to haunt Henry VIII and to change the religious face of England in the years that followed.
7. Which man became king of England because his brother was killed whilst riding in the New Forest?

Answer: Henry I

The death of William II (William Rufus) in the New Forest remains one of the great mysteries of English history. Henry I certainly seized his opportunity to become king before his eldest brother, Robert, could make a move to press his claims. However, evidence linking Henry with his brother's death remains speculative.
8. Which man was crowned king on Christmas Day during a momentous year which had seen the death of the two previous monarchs?

Answer: William I

The year was 1066 and the two previous monarchs were Edward the Confessor and Harold Godwinson. There was even a Saxon claimant to the throne called Edgar Atheling who was chosen by the Witan to succeed Harold but who was never crowned. He renounced the succession in favour of William who then occupied London and ascended the throne.
9. Which king only succeeded to the throne when his elder brother decided to abdicate so that he could marry an American divorcee?

Answer: George VI

Edward first met Wallis Simpson in 1931 and by 1934 he had determined to marry her. When his father died the affaire finally became public property and the British Government would not compromise on any question of Edward retaining the kingship and marrying a twice divorced woman.

The Duke of York, later George VI, was stunned by what happened but stepped forward to take on the role of king.
10. Which man called the "Sailor King" actually served in the West Indies with Nelson?

Answer: William IV

William was the third son of George III and Queen Charlotte. At the age of thirteen he became a midshipman in the navy and soon became a competent, if rather severe, officer.In 1827 he was appointed High Admiral of England, an entirely honorific post, and caused a great scandal by taking a squadron to sea in defiance of orders from the Admiralty.
11. Which future king was banished from England by his cousin, Richard II, and later returned to replace him?

Answer: Henry IV

When he was Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby and Duke of Hereford, the future Henry IV was banished by Richard in April 1398 for a period of ten years and his future seemed very bleak. However, when Richard seized all the possessions of the House of Lancaster after the death of Henry's father it gave him the spur he needed to return to England. Meeting little opposition he was crowned king of England on October 13th, 1399.
12. Which man successfully made himself king of England by having his two nephews declared bastards because Edward IV had not been truly married to Elizabeth Woodville?

Answer: Richard III

Historians have disputed for a long time about who disposed of the two princes in the Tower of London. However, it is a matter of record that Richard III used his eldest brother's prior contract with Eleanor Butler to prove the princes' mother was not truly married to their father.

Hence a sermon was preached at St. Paul's that "bastard slips shall not take deep root". Richard was offered the crown instead.
13. Which King of England had a mother who had been executed on the orders of Elizabeth I?

Answer: James I

James I was the child of Mary Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley. Mary was held prisoner in England until 1587 when she was executed for treason.
14. Which future king of England risked his succession to the throne by converting to Roman Catholicism in 1668?

Answer: James II

James II failed to recognise that his private convictions about faith did not give him the right or the power to impose his views on others. As the whole country was in a turmoil about religious views every step that James took was perilous. Eventually he was replaced by William III, James's nephew and son-in-law, who ruled England jointly with his wife Mary.
15. Which future King of England was involved in a card-game scandal at Tranby Croft in Yorkshire and had to attend a trial in July 1891?

Answer: Edward VII

A certain Colonel Gordon-Cumming was accused of cheating and he sued some of the other players for slander. Edward was subpoenaed as a witness. The press censured Prince Edward for "his taste for the lowest type of gambling". This was an important stage in the public's gradual disillusionment with the British monarchy and an indicator of the growing power of the press.
Source: Author Philian

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