How Much Do You Know About Medieval English Royalty?

By: Heather Cahill
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
How Much Do You Know About Medieval English Royalty?
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About This Quiz

They were the rulers of the land, but their spot could be in jeopardy.

The rulers of England in Medieval times could be both ruthless or compassionate. They knew that they had a lot to lose, and most of them acted accordingly. Which monarch do you think did the best job at ruling the nation, if any?

Do you know which king was called the "Lionheart?" What about which two monarchs ruled alongside each other? Do you know which two heirs to the throne disappeared and were never seen again? Each monarch was known for their motives and the moves they made to protect their people, land and themselves. Unfortunately, some of them are also known for how they died.

What do you know about the times? What did a monarch typically eat? Who did they turn to for advice? What was expected of the royal families at the time? Royals had a lot to take care of during their reigns including battles, healing and revolts.

The English kings and queens of the Medieval era helped dictate the monarchy that we know today. Do you remember the reign of King John, for example? So, if you think you know about the English monarchs of Medieval times, take the quiz to test your knowledge!

Which king died after being shot in the shoulder with an arrow?
Edward the Confessor
King Stephen
Richard I
Richard I died after being shot in the shoulder with an arrow. Although it didn't kill him instantly, the wound never recovered and turned gangrenous.
Henry IV
Which kings' father dethroned the previous king and took over for himself?
Henry V's father
Henry V's father, Henry IV, dethroned the previous king and took over the job himself. It is said that he had Richard, who was the previous king murdered.
Edward the Confessor's father
King John's father
King Stephen's father
Who was supposed to take the throne after her father, Henry I?
Empress Matilda
Empress Matilda was supposed to be the successor to her father, Henry I. While she was never officially crowned as the Queen of England, she was the Queen of Germany.
Berengaria of Navarre
Elizabeth Woodville
Eleanor of Castile

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Who did Henry I name as his successor?
Harold II
John
Matilda
Henry I had intended to have his wife Matilda succeed the throne after him. After his death, things didn't go the way that he had hoped. His nephew became his successor instead.
Stephen
What did King John have to agree to during his reign?
An amalgamation of England and Ireland
A tax break
A Magna Carta
King John had to sign a Magna Carta during his reign to keep the peace. This was turning point and the rest of the royals who came after him were bound by these new rules as well.
A day off each week
Which English Medieval king ordered William Wallace to be executed?
Edward I
Edward I ordered William Wallace to be executed. William Wallace rebelled against Edward I and as punishment, Edward I ordered for his execution by hanging.
Henry III
Richard II
Harold II

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Which English Medieval king had a history of executing Jewish people?
Henry II
King Stephen
Edward I
Edward I had a history of executing Jewish people. He also had some Jewish people expelled from the country. This was in the year 1290.
Henry IV
Who helped to dethrone Edward II?
His wife
The wife of Edward II, Queen Isabella of France helped to dethrone him. She and Roger Mortimer worked together to bring down King Edward II and eventually held him in a cell.
His children
The people of the kingdom
His knights
Which king was thought to have hated England?
Richard I
Richard I was thought to have hated England. He didn't speak English and he never wanted to spend very much time there. He did, however, commit to his role as king.
King John
Edward II
William II

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What did Henry V do after taking over the throne?
Sign the Magna Carta
Make alliances with Scotland
Left the country
Invade France
After taking the throne, Henry V invaded France. His invasion marked many milestones. One of these milestones was that it was the first battle where gunpowder was used.
How many English kings from the Medieval time period died in battle?
Three
Three Medieval English kings died in battle. These kings were William I, Richard III and Harold II. Kings were never safe during Medieval times, as there was usually someone who was always plotting their downfall.
Ten
Fourteen
None
Which king had a polar bear for a pet?
Richard I
Edward II
William I
Henry III
Henry III had a pet polar bear. His polar bear lived in the Tower of London. The polar bear was brought out every day to allow it to fish.

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What language did every king before Henry IV speak?
Spanish
French
Every king of England spoke French rather than English until the coronation of Henry IV. He was the first king to have English as a first language.
Finnish
English
Which king-to-be was murdered at only 12 years old?
Edward V
Edward V was killed at only 12 years old. He was not crowned, but had a short reign over the country. It is thought that he was killed along with his brother in a tower.
Henry I
John
Richard II
Is it true or false that Medieval kings had a secure spot on the throne during their reigns?
True
False
This is false. A Medieval king was never really safe in his position as king. The same goes for queens. Their spot on the throne could be taken over if they were not careful.

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Who was the wife of Edward I?
Berengaria of Navarre
Philippa of Hainault
Eleanor of Castile
Eleanor of Castile was the wife of Edward I. She and Edward I had a close relationship, and he made sure that she was properly honored after her death.
Mary de Bohun
Which two monarchs ruled together?
Mary II and William III
Mary II and William II ruled alongside each other. The two monarchs ruled together for around 5 years until Mary II passed away at only 32 years old.
Empress Matilda and Richard I
Henry IV and Henry V
Stephen and John
Which queen of England had never actually gone to England?
Empress Matilda
Mary II
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Berengaria of Navarre
Berengaria of Navarre was the queen of England, but she had never been there! The queen was married to Richard I and they never had any children together.

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In Medieval times, who acted as the king's backup?
The queen
In times of the king's absence, the queen became the next in line. She would take care of matters that would have otherwise been taken care of by the king.
His children
One of his knights
The jester
Is it true or false that most royals in Medieval times could read?
True
False
This is false. Royals in Medieval times often could not read or even write. Often, stamps were used on official documents that required a signature from the monarch.
Princes in Medieval times were taught what?
How to tie their shoes
Reading and writing
How to survey land
Combat skills
In Medieval times, it was important to always be ready for combat. Princes were taught how to fight and defend themselves in order to prepare themselves for their future reign.

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Who did kings in Medieval times depend on for advice?
The queen
The people
Their best friend
The King's Court
Kings in Medieval times had a group called the King's Court. The King's Court was filled with people who were close to the king, and they were expected to give advice and input.
Which king was thought to have killed his nephews?
Henry IV
Stephen
Richard III
Richard III was thought to have killed his nephews. They were next in line to the throne, and Edward V was going to be officially coronated. The two little boys are often referred to as 'Princes in the Tower.'
Henry I
How did royals in Medieval times cure their subjects of diseases?
By speaking with them
A touch
Royals in Medieval times were thought to be able to cure their subjects with a simple touch. Their touch was thought to have healing powers.
A prayer
They didn't cure them.

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Is it true or false that religion played a major role in lives of royals in Medieval times?
True
This is true. Religion was a large part of everyone – including the royals' -- lives. The king even attended morning mass every day before attending to other official duties.
False
Who is known as the last king from the House of Wessex?
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor is the last king of the House of Wessex. When the king passed away, he was not considered a martyr. He became a saint years after his death under Pope Alexander III.
Harold II
John
Henry IV
Which king made a law forcing all men to practice archery every Sunday?
Edward III
Edward III made a law that all men in the kingdom must practice their archery every Sunday. This was important to him as archery was a useful skill to have in battle.
William II
Henry IV
Stephen

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What was common for royals to eat during Medieval times?
Salad
Hamburgers
Squirrels
Swans
English royals often ate swans during Medieval times. Eating swans was especially popular for royals at Christmas time. Swans were also used to show riches and a life of luxury.
In Medieval times, what were princesses expected to do?
Learn how to fight
Learn how to read and write
Travel the kingdom
Marry into other royal families
While princes were expected to be skilled in combat, princesses were expected to get married. They were expected to marry into other royal families in order to expand the rule of the family.
Is it true or false that kings led their army into battle in Medieval times?
True
This is true. Many Medieval English kings died in battle as well. The last Medieval monarch to lead his army into battle was King George II.
False

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Which king appears in 'Robin Hood?'
King Stephen
Harold II
King John
King John appears in 'Robin Hood.' Although it is unclear if Robin Hood was a real person in history or a name for bandits, King John was, in fact, a very real person. His reign over England was not liked by the people.
Henry II
What were the Plantagenets' real names?
Brickenden
Fletcher
Ward
Angevins
The Plantagenets' real names were the 'Angevins.' The Plantagenet family was the richest family in Europe at the time. Richard the Lionheart was an Angevin.
Who was Edward IV's wife?
Philippa of Hainault
Berengaria of Navarre
Elizabeth Woodville
Edward IV's wife was Elizabeth Woodville. She was his second wife. After she married him, she become the queen consort to England.
Isabella of France

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In Medieval times, what did any art have to include in order to be liked by the King?
Religion
In order for a king to truly appreciate your art in Medieval times, it had to include religion. Art was often looked down upon if it didn't have anything to do with God.
The king
A castle
A sword
Which king did the people want to become a saint?
Henry VI
The people wanted Henry VI to become a saint. The king had his own cult in a sense, and after his death, many considered him to be a true saint.
William II
Stephen
Edward the Confessor
You Got:
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