Emma of Normandy Trivia Quiz

Answer: Aethelred the Unready

Emma married Aethelred the Unready ("Ill Counseled") in 1002. When she came to England, she was Aethelred's second wife. His previous wife had given him at least eight children, some of whom may have been close to her in age at the time of the marriage!

Answer: Alfred and Goda

Emma's first son became king and was known as Edward the Confessor. Alfred died a horrible death (his eyes were "put out") at the hands of Canute's son Harold Harefoot. Her daughter Goda married twice: first, Drogo of Mantes, count of the Véxin; second, Eustace II, count of Boulogne.

Answer: Aelfgifu

Emma was given the Anglo-Saxon name Aelfgifu, which was most ironic as her second husband Canute's mistress was also named Aelfgifu.

Answer: All of these reasons

When Canute and his father Sweyn Forkbeard attacked England, Emma's husband and sons were effectively robbed of their kingdom and future prospects of kingship. Furthermore, Canute and the Danes had been attacking England for many years. By that token, it would have made sense if Emma had hated Canute, but she ended up marrying him!

Answer: Hardicanute and Gunhilda

Hardicanute became King of Denmark upon his father's death. He later also became King of England. He ruled for a very short period, was thoroughly hated, and died at a wedding feast. Gunhilda married Henry III, King of Germany. He was the son the Holy Roman Emperor, Conrad II.

Answer: She fled to Flanders to escape Harold Harefoot's rule

Harold Harefoot succeeded his father Canute as king. Emma's son by Aethelred, Alfred, was cruelly killed on Harold Harefoot's orders (or so it was suspected). Feeling threatened, Emma left England until her son Hardicanute could come and claim the throne for himself.

Answer: Edward the Confessor

Hardicanute invited his half-brother, Edward, to come back to his homeland. Edward had been exiled in Normandy since before Canute's conquest in 1016. Emma now lived amidst two of her sons by two different fathers.

Answer: False

The Anglo-Saxon chronicle claims that Edward and his earls "bereaved her (Emma) of all the treasures which she possessed, they were not to be told, because before that she had been very hard with the king her son". Surely Edward could not have approved of the fact that his mother married the man who usurped his father's throne.

Answer: Encomium Emmae Reginae

The "Encomium Emmae Reginae" is a political text, most likely commissioned by Emma, and in praise of herself and Canute. Interestingly, the writer ignores Emma's first marriage altogether!

Answer: The chronicles do not say, but probably of natural causes

The chronicles do not state precisely how Emma died, but she outlived her first husband by 36 years and her second husband by 17 years! She lived quite an exciting life for a woman in Anglo-Saxon times.