Brother to the Monarch Trivia Quiz

Answer: James II

James II did indeed succeed his brother as king. However, his earlier conversion to Roman Catholicism and his attempts to promote that religion again in England alienated his subjects and eventually led to the invasion of his son-in-law William of Orange.

Answer: Henry VIII

Arthur was the eldest child of Henry VII and Elizabeth but he died in 1502. Henry VII insisted that his son should marry Catherine of Aragon. This marriage produced one child (Mary) for Henry VIII but the subject of his brother's marriage became grounds for his divorce from Catherine when he wanted to marry Anne Boleyn.

Answer: King John

King John's oldest brother died in infancy. Henry, the Young King, died in 1183. Geoffrey died in 1185. Richard I died in 1199. King John is believed to have eliminated Arthur, the son of Geoffrey, in 1203 so that there could be no male challengers to his throne at any point in the future.

Answer: Henry III

Henry III had one brother and three sisters. All of them made politically significant marriages. Richard was married three times. His first marriage to William the Marshal's daughter ensured the continuing support of that powerful and respected lord for Henry III's family.

Answer: George III

George III also had sisters called Augusta, Elizabeth Caroline, Louisa Ann and Caroline Matilda. His father, Frederick Prince of Wales, died in 1751, nine years before the death of George II in 1760. George III succeeded to the throne in 1760 and reigned until 1820.

Answer: Edward VI

The person posing the question must be Queen Elizabeth I who was the second child of Henry VIII. She was the daughter of Anne Boleyn. Mary I was the daugher of Catherine of Aragon. Edward VI was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. As the male heir he inherited the throne before either of his half-sisters.

Answer: Richard II

Edward III was Richard II's grandfather. Edward died in 1377 and Richard succeeded him. The many children of Edward III and their descendants complicated the pattern of inheritance for about 100 years.

Answer: George VI

Edward or "David" was Edward VIII who abdicated in favour of his brother "Bertie" who took the regnal name of King George VI. Thus, for one momentous year, England had George V, Edward VIII and George VI.

Answer: Ethelbald

The most memorable of these kings of Wessex was, of course, King Alfred the Great. Ethelwulf was the father of these brothers who reigned between the year 856 when Ethelbald came to the throne and 899 when Alfred died.

Answer: Henry I

Robert was the eldest son of William the Conqueror and the third son William Rufus became William II of England and died in a hunting incident in the New Forest. His place was taken by Henry I who had to battle with and defeat Robert before he could feel secure on the throne of England.

Answer: Edward I

Edward I spent many years during his father's reign ruling the country in all but name. His brother Edmund built up powerful estates in England and was connected to the French royal family by his second marriage. His sister Margaret married the king of Scotland and his other sister Beatrice married the Duke of Britanny.

Answer: George V

Albert Victor was given the titles of Duke of Clarence and Avondale. He died in 1892. George V and his brother had three sisters called Louise, Victoria and Maud. These three princesses all died during the 1930s as did George V himself.

Answer: Richard III

Richard III is the last Yorkist king of England. At one time it would seem that there were many between him and the throne. However, his brother George's children were disinherited by an act of attainder on George himself. Edward IV's children (the Princes of the Tower)were debarred by the proclamation of bastardy whch claimed that Edward had never been properly married to Elizabeth Woodville because of a pre-contract with another lady.

Answer: Henry V

In fact John, Duke of Bedford, was created regent to look after Henry VI during his minority. Thomas, Duke of Clarence, in fact died in 1421 before Henry V himself in 1422. Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, lived until 1447. None of these Lancastrian dukes produced legitimate children to carry on a claim to the throne.

Answer: Edward II

Edward II was the son of Edward I and Eleanor of Castille. Edmund, Earl of Kent, was the son of Edward I and Margaret of France. By another strange link of royalty Edmund was the father of Joan (The Fair Maid of Kent) who married the Black Prince and became the mother of another unhappy king, Richard II.