How well do you know your English monarchs?

I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical…
WS Gilbert

Are you a Modern Major General? Can you name those English kings and queens? They were a colourful lot.

Try your hand at this quiz. Name the monarch.

1. This queen trashed Roman Colchester, but don't call her a Vandal. She was an Iceni.
2. He told those Vikings to stay on their side of the line, up in Yorkshire.
3. He fell in mortal combat with that Norman So-and-So, William. It all happened at Hastings.
4. Not England's only gay king, but the one who suffered most for his sexual orientation. Marlowe wrote a play about him.
5. Was he a villain or a good guy? Controversy rages about this king whose grave was discovered under a car park.
6. The Car Park King's successor. We suspect he was into historical revisionism.
7. Defender of the Faith? Well, depends on who you talk to. This king rewrote religion, and was into serial monogamy, big-time. He had six wives, and beheaded two of them.
8. She was only queen for about a week and a half, poor thing. Then she lost her head.
9. This king was into agriculture. In fact, his people called 'Farmer…'. But that would be telling.
10. In the 1930s, this king quit. He went off to live on the Continent. A shocking choice, but he preferred Mrs Simpson's company to that of Winston Churchill. Could you blame him?

Easy, right? Well, sure, if you were paying attention in history class. Or if you watch a lot of BBC costume dramas. Check your answers by clicking on the picture below.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

03.02.14 Front Page

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