True or False: All Swans in England are the property of the Queen.
All Swans in England are the property of the Queen. It's a holdover from days of yore, when eating a swan was considered a privilege worthy only of God's representative on Earth. These days, of course, things are a little different: although the Queen does not dine frequently on Buffalo Swan Wings (as far as we know), she does have an Official Keeper of the Swans. Which is a pretty great little resume booster for that guy or gal.
What is the family name of the Swedish monarchy?
French soldier Jean Bernadotte was once nice to some Swedish soldiers, who then told their friends about him back home. Bernadotte became so popular in Sweden that they actually elected him king in 1818 when their own royal family was about to die out (they also liked the idea of a ruler with military experience). The Bernadotte family still rules in Sweden today.
King Sejong created Hangul, the Korean alphabet. When did he do it?
Although the Korean language has been around for well over 1,500 years, it didn't have its own written version until the 1440s, when King Sejong created Hangul, the Korean alphabet.
Who was the wife to William of Orange, and famously ruled alongside him?
William of Orange and Mary II of England ruled together for years.
Charles VI’s madness was so well-known, in fact, that a mental delusion was given a special term because he suffered from it. What is it called?
Charles VI’s madness was so well-known, in fact, that a mental delusion was given a special term because he suffered from it. Reportedly, Charles would spend periods of time convinced that he was made of glass. He would go to great lengths to protect himself from breaking apart, including having iron rods sewn into his clothes in case he so much as bumped into another person. The term "glass delusion" was eventually coined for this condition.
Who was the last English monarch to die in battle?
As of 2018, Richard III is the last King of England to die in battle. It’s a record that he seems very sure to keep (unless we just jinxed it by saying that).
Which mad monarch killed many of their people by using the "tangena test”, a test of loyalty wherein followers were asked to eat a poisonous nut that would often kill them?
Queen Ranavalona of Madagascar was so ruthless that the population of her country was likely cut in half during her rule, many by what was called the "tangena test." This was a test of loyalty in which people were forced to eat three pieces of chicken skin and then swallow a poisonous nut, which would either make them vomit or kill them. Just to add to the fun, if all three pieces of chicken skin could not be found in the vomit, they were immediately executed.
Which Middle-Eastern nation currently has the longest-serving monarch in the region?
Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, the sultan of Oman, is the longest-serving ruler in the Middle East, having ruled the country since 1970.
True or False: Mary, Queen of Scots, became Queen when her father died just six days after she was born.
There are numerous instances of children, toddlers and babies alike, taking the throne. One of the most famous was Mary, Queen of Scots, who became Queen when her father died just six days after she was born.
Which currently-living monarch threatened to remain unwed and leave the royal family without any heir unless they were given permission to marry their love, a commoner.
King Harald V of Norway threatened to remain unwed and leave the royal family without any heir unless he was given permission to marry his love, a commoner. He’s been married to that commoner, Queen Sonja, since 1968.
During the potato famine in Ireland, Sultan Khaleefah Abdul-Majid I of the Ottoman Empire announced that he would send £10,000 (about £800,000 today) to help provide relief for Irish farmers. Queen Victoria then asked him to send less money. Why?
During the potato famine in Ireland, Sultan Khaleefah Abdul-Majid I of the Ottoman Empire announced that he would send £10,000 (about £800,000 today) to help provide relief for Irish farmers. Queen Victoria, who had donated only £2,000, asked him to send £1,000 instead so she wouldn’t look bad.
The Scandinavian king, Herald, had a nickname which, hundreds of years later, helpe to inspire a famous consumer product. What was his nickname?
Bluetooth technology is named after King Harald "Bluetooth," who managed to unite the Scandinavians in the same way that Bluetooth technology can join various devices. It's thought that King Harald was nicknamed Bluetooth because he had a damaged tooth that appeared blue.
What is the only country in the world that currently has an Emperor?
There are many famous emperors in history: Napoleon, Alexander the Great, and numerous Roman emperors. But there is only one remaining emperor in the world today: Emperor Akihito of Japan.
Which Roman emperor was famous for their madness, and considered themselves a living god? (Hint: he is rumored to have made his horse a Senator)
While monarchs are typically considered next-level important, Roman emperor Caligula considered himself to be a living god. He even removed the heads from the statues of Roman gods and replaced them with his own likeness!
True or False: Inbreeding has led to genetic deformities and illness in many royal families.
Keeping bloodlines pure was an obsession for many monarchies, so much so that they often intermarried to avoid contamination of the line. This often had genetic consequences: Charles II of Spain’s father and mother were uncle and niece, and he had physical deformities, developmental delays, and impotence issues.
Which famous female ruler masqueraded as a prostitute in her spare time?
The Roman Empress Valeria Messalina had a well-established appetite for sex. So much so, it's said she also occasionally engaged in an interesting side-hustle: working as a prostitute. And wasn't just any prostitute—she was award-winning. She once won a contest against other prostitutes to see who could handle the most men in a single evening.
True or False: The monarch of Spain was once chosen by a dictator.
Royal rulers have frequently been deposed and replaced by dictators, but Spain’s ruling monarch was once chosen by a dictator. General Francisco Franco named Juan Carlos both Prince of Spain and his successor—even though Juan Carlos' father had the rightful claim.
What is the last remaining country on Earth with an absolute monarch?
Liechtenstein's Prince Hans-Adam II is Europe’s last remaining absolute monarch. His people even held a referendum in which they voted to increase his powers. Hans-Adam can dissolve or even fire governments, and has the final say in almost everything that happens in the tiny country his family has ruled for almost 300 years.
Queen Victoria’s childhood was an isolated one. Her mother (also named Victoria) and Sir John Conroy came up with a parenting system which prevented young Victoria from seeing people that weren’t pre-approved by them first. What was this called?
Queen Victoria’s childhood was an isolated one. Her mother (also named Victoria) and Sir John Conroy came up with a parenting system which prevented young Victoria from seeing people that weren’t pre-approved by them first. This system, known as the Kensington System, was done to make Victoria dependent on them, which they hoped would continue into her reign as monarch. No wonder Victoria described her youth as “rather melancholy.”
Which monarch served as the inspiration for Dracula?
Vlad III a.k.a. Vlad the Impaler loved, as his name suggests, impaling people left, right, and center. Want more Vlad goodness? He also famously nailed turbans to the heads of Ottoman envoys when they refused to remove their headgear, and was the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Which nation has a tradition wherein the monarch may choose a new spouse every year?
As per Swazi custom, the King Mswati of Swaziland can pick a new bride every year. He currently has 15 wives, and women usually flock to participate in an annual dance to try to capture his attention. Not so for Tintswalo Ngobeni, a fifteen-year-old who fled to England to escape her monarch’s advances and now campaigns against his rule.
Which famously unpopular monarch had an authentic peasant village built on the grounds of their palace?
Marie Antoinette had an authentic peasant village built on the grounds of her opulent palace at Versailles, complete with farm animals, so she could stroll through the grounds as a humble shepherdess. The real peasants, who lived in wretched conditions under the reign of her husband Louis XVI, would, of course, eventually start a revolution.
During WW2. Crown Princess Juliana of the Netherlands fled the country, and gave birth to her daughter, Princess Margriet, in another country. Which country was it?
A maternity ward in Ottawa was declared to be “extraterritorial” in 1943 by the Canadian government in order to preserve a newborn’s place in the line of succession to the Dutch throne. Crown Princess Juliana of the Netherlands had fled to Canada after the Nazi invasion of her country, and this decree enabled the newborn Princess Margriet to be declared a Dutch citizen, allowing her the right to inherit the throne.
The trial of Madame de Brinvilliers sparked a huge scandal in 17th century France that became known as the...
The trial of Madame de Brinvilliers sparked a huge scandal in 17th century France that became known as the Affair of the Poisons. Hundreds of members of the aristocracy and nobility, some of them close associates of King Louis XIV, were arrested for witchcraft or poisoning. Of those, 36 were executed, 23 were exiled, and five were sentenced to serve on the galleys. This doesn’t account for those people who took their own lives at any point during the investigations, or who died from the effects of brute force.
True or False: The Sultan of Brunei is one of the world’s richest monarchs.
The Sultan of Brunei is one of the world’s richest monarchs. His royal palace, Istana Nurul Iman, boasts 257 bathrooms alone, and even his full Malay name is excessive: Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan dan Yang Di-Pertuan Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Which long-deceased ruler was once issued a passport, in order to be flown to a museum in Paris?
As the mummy of Ramesses II was rapidly deteriorating, a group flew it to Paris for examination. The Egyptian government issued the mummy a passport that listed its occupation as "King (deceased)" and the corpse was greeted in Paris with full military honors.
The descendants of Queen Victoria often carry which disease?
Due to her extreme matchmaking with both her children and grandchildren, Queen Victoria of England ensured that her grandson, King George V, was related (by blood or marriage) to almost every royal house in Europe. Unfortunately, her descendants also carried the debilitating blood disease hemophilia to many of these royal houses.
Which of these people was NOT a Roman Emperor
Atilla was not the name of a Roman Emperor.
Quiz
Kings and queens have fascinated people since the earliest monarchies, and with good reason. The kind of power that monarchies can hold is bound to create interesting and even scandalous situations. How well do you know this strange world? Time to find out?
