The Gang of Five
Beyond the Mysterious Beyond => The Party Room => Brain Food => Topic started by: Threehorn on December 09, 2004, 12:11:01 PM
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1940 during world war 2 what was the guards on the cliffs of dozer using for weapons was they armed with? (give 10 guesses and then I will tell)
-Threehorn
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Machine guns
Nick
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A very important weapon for Great Brittain posted there and on other places was the radar. The British early warning system had a decisive effect on the outcome of the battle of Brittain in 1940.
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both wrong about the men armed with. this was the time where armo was low and britain awaiting a invasion anytine.
-Threehorn
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There were armed with anything they could get the hands on: kitchen knives, wooden staffs, spatulas, you name it. There were hideways built all over Britian so that the Home Front coulfg fight a guerilla war.
Nick
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I think it depends very much on which troops you are refering to. If you include the Homeguard into this, there were all kinds of weapons. Private guns as well as clubs, and even pitchforks. Regular military troops were armed more uniform. Are you refering to regulars just at Dover?
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It was wooden pop gun rifles that what the guards was armed with at the cliff of dozer
-Threehorn
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So were they homeguard troopers? And was there a regulation for the weapons of homeguard members? I really don't know about this.
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So were we right or not?
Nick
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well it british history what would you expect? ;)
here is the next one... When Queen Elizabeth the 1st was ruler what admada did she stop from invading the British isles?
-Threehorn
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The Spanish armada in the 1580s. that was an easy one
Nick
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yep! your next!
-Threehorn
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Who defeated Churchill in his reelection bid after world War II?
Nick
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Clement Attlee?
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Yep. You got it. Your turn Malte.
Nick
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Which British king lost most of his crown jewels and how did he loose them?
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He lost them through a ship that was carrying them sank. I'd say Charles I.
Nick
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Wow, it seems like they didn't care too much about their jewels in those days. I checked it out and you are right that Charles I. did loose lots of jewels on a ship that was carelessly loaded.
I meant another English king however, who also lost his jewels. As your answer was also right, I'll leave it to you to decide wether you want to come up with the next question already, or if you want to find out about the king I mean first.
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Looks like this new topic is on fire :lol
-Threehorn
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I'll do both. Tell me who you were thinking of, then I'll ask my question.
Nick
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King John "the landless" (brother of Richard the Lionheart) lost almost his whole treasure in 1216 when he crossed a coastal stripe near a large bay with very inconstant water levels, known by the way as "The Wash". John died a few days later. The treasure has never been found.
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Wasn't he the same Prince John who figured in the Robin Hood legends?
Anyway here the question's. Which Queen ruled for the shortest time?
Nick
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Indeed, he is one of the "bad guys" from the robin hood legends. The bad lion in the Don Bluth movie.
Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England from July 6 to July 19th 1553, so for less than two weeks. I don't think there was any queen who ruled England for shorter a time, was there?
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Yep, she was executed in 1557 for treason. Your turn Malte.
Nick
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What were the high ranking leaders of the Norman invaders in 1066 armed with? One hint, you can clearly see it on the Bayeux Tapestry.
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My guess would be swords and lances. And I have never seen that tapestry.
Nick
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Swords and lances were what everyone was carrying those days. It seems however that the Norman leaders had sort of a sense of differentiating themselves from others by carrying a weapon one would not really expect an army leader to carry. Perhaps it was also kind of a sign to identify the leaders in a battle at a time when heraldry only began to emerge.
Anyway, one doesn't have to go to Bayeux nowadays to take a look at this famous tapestry.
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A flag, to symbolize thier colors?
Nick
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maybe...
-Threehorn
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Have you seen the tapestry in question Threehorn?
Nick
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once... but that was 13 years ago when I was 5 or 6. :lol
-Threehorn
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So You couldn't remeber what it looked like... oh well thanks for the info.
Nick
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No it is not a flag, but really a weapon to hit somebody. The weapon seems a little strange for the leaders of an army of knights, which is why I came up with this question. There are many pictures of the Bayeux tapestry in the internet some of which show William the conqueror or his brother Odon, the bishop of Bayeux, both of which are carrying this weapon I'm talking of.
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so that was the answer?
-Threehorn
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Come on. Go to google, type in tapestry of Bayeux and perhaps William and Odon and you will be able to tell me.
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Odo is carrying a club.
Nick
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Indeed he is! Cheers! :) :) :)
William too is schown carrying a wooden club into battle. It is not exactly the kind of weapon we would suppose a knight, duke and king to be to carry.
Here is a picture of the tapestry showing Odo:
(http://www.yorku.ca/sabrown/images/Bayeux%20Tapestry.2a.gif)
And here is one that shows William:
(http://arts-sciences.cua.edu/gl/images/safran_slides/Medieval_Art/11thCentury/BayeuxTapestryScenes61_62.jpg)
Both of them carry their clubs.
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Odo was a bishop. Bishops were forbidden to shed blood, except if they were involved in battle. Here's another question: How old was King Geaorge the III when he died?
Nick
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^ Well, most non-clerical people weren't exactly welcome to kill other people either. Not that a great many of them really minded.
King George III. was born on June 4th 1738 and died on January 29th 1820 (blind, deaf, and insane), so he was 81 years old.
The next question is about the same king, and it is sort of a crossing over with US history. George III. was the British king by the time of the American Revolution.
One Englishman in America wrote a very famous pamphlet titled "comon sense" which ultimately made up the Americans' mind to fight for their independence from England (which had not been their official aim till then). In this pamphlet the author gives some rather unflattering statements about George III. and kings in general. Please name the author and give an example for such an unflattering remark from the pamphlet.
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You are correct. The writer of Common Sense was Thomas Paine.
Nick
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Thomas Paine is correct, and rethinking my last question, I think it is too much to demand anyone who wants to answer the question to read common sense to find some unflattering statements about George III.
So you are welcome to come up with the next question.
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What were the names of the first two Political parties in the US?
Nick
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I think that would be the Federalists (with John Adams being the only Federalist President ever) and the Democratic-Republicans (sounds funny nowadays).
However, I'm afraid with my Thomas Pain Question I drove this thread into a wrong direction. It is about British history.
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You're right. Here's a british question: When did the British end slavery in the UK?
Nick
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Great Britain ended the slave trade in 1791. I do not know though if by that time it was illegal already to keep slaves within the borders of Great Britain. If indeed the "keeping" of slaves was prohibited in Great Britain it is likely that it was outlawed not much earlier, for slavery was common in the British colonies that had declared their independence only 15 years earlier.
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No that was the slave trade, not slavery itself. Slavery wasn't ended until later.
Nick
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I think they abolished slavery in 1793. ;) I know it was before it was illegal to import slaves into the US, and that was 1808....
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You are right Arvens. It's your turn.
Nick
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Never thought I'd get one right, so I'm kind of unprepared to pose a question. :p
Uh....I may have my year wrong...but...
The British relinquished control of this port city in 1997.
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Hong Kong?
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Yep it's Hong Kong.
Nick
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Indeed it is Hong Kong. :)
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Why did Henry VIII found his own Anglican church in 16. century?
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The Catholic church wouldn't give him a divorce from his first wife because she didn't bear him a son as heir to the English throne. ;)
(Too bad they didn't understand back then that its the male that actually "decides" if the child is male or female :lol )
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Correct Arvens. :)
Your turn.
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I must stop guessing either that or start making more questions. :p
Who was Bloody Mary?
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The "legitimate born" sister of Elizabeth I. She got her name for very harsh persecution of non-catholics in Great Britain.
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Elizabeth had her executed for allegedly trying to overthrow her. She was Elizabeth's cousin, not her sister.
Nick
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Nope Nick, you are talking of the wrong Mary. Bloody Mary is not the same person as Mary Stuart you are refering to.
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Malte has the answer...her persecution of Protestants gave her the ironic name of "Bloody Mary". ;)
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Staying with the Maries, the Mary Nick refered to was also the queen of a country. Which country was it, and why wasn't she in that country and what brought her to England where she was finally executed?
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She was Queen of Scotland and she was captured in England on her way home to Scotland and imprisoned.
Nick
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Right about the first, wrong about the second point. Actually she lived in England unmolested for quite a while. Why did she?
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Bloody Mary is one of her names. Or other knew as Quenn Mary the second
-Threehorn
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But Mary Stuardt we are talking about now is not the same person as "bloody Mary". In fact "bloody Mary" was once in a position where she could have ordered the execution of Elizabeth I. (who of course was not the queen by that time). In case of Mary Stuardt and Elizabeth it was the other way, and Elizabeth ordered the execution (even though she always denied that she had given the permission for it).
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Mary Stuardt was the queen of Scotland, Nick is right about that. But what reason did she have to go to England where she stayed for quite a while before she was arrested and finally executed?
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My guess is that she was invited to England by Elizabeth herself.
Nick
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Not really, no. So if you leave one place where you were Queen, to go to another place without being invited there, what is most likely the reason?
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You were plotting to overthrow the ruler of that country?
Nick
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There had been a revolt against Mary Stuardt in Scotland. So she was sort of in exile in England. And had she not plotted against Elizabeth, she might have lived there fairly well.
Mary Stuardt was not the only mornarch to loose her live in England. Please name three Britisch Kings or Queens who were either executed or killed in war (with a short notion about the way they died).
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Charles I, Harold I are two kings that come to mind.
Nick
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Both of whom are right (with the first being executed and the other one being killed in the Battle of Hastings). Give me one more (there are several more examples) and the next question is yours.
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I'm thinking...
Nick
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There was one in the 1400's I think that was killed....Charles something or other. :P:
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Sorry Arvens, there was no Charles prior to Charles I. on the British throne. This one was named by Nick already. He was executed in 1649. Still there is a 15th century king of England who was killed in battle and who is the subject to a famous play of Shakespeare.
There is also an earlier English King who was killed in battle and who is today best known by his nickname.
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Richard the Lionhearted
Nick
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indeed. He was killed during the siege of a French castle, hit by an arrow in the shoulder. Another king I implied was Richard III. who was slain in the battle of Bosworth. Your turn Nick.
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What was the last play written by the great William Shakespeare?
Nick
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Henry VIII?
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Yes, the pay was written in 1612, a 1613 performance started a fire that destroyed the GLobe. Your turn Malte.
Nick
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"No. 8" was not the only Henry Shakespeare wrote a play about. Name the other "Henry" play, and (as it is based on historical events) say in which time the story of the play took place.
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Im no Shakespeare lover (far from it!) but wasnt it something like Henry V. Something along those lines...
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Henry V. is perfectly right. Can you give me roughly the time he lived in?
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Henry V ruled from 1413 to 1422. He claimed France as part of his Kingdom, and this claim led to resumption ogf the 100 years war.
Nick
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Yes. If I'm not all mistaken the play Henry V. deals especially with the battle of Azincourt where a by far outnumbered British army (which however included many longbow men) defeated an army of French knights in 1415.
It's difficult now for both of you gave half of the answer to the question. So Littlefoot-1616 or Nick, whoever of you is the first may come up with the next question.
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Keeping with the 100 years war, how long was it?
Nick
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114 years from 1339 to 1456. However there were long interruptions without real fighting going on.
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My book says 116 years, but close enough, Your turn, Malte.
Nick
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Sticking with the hundred years war, who is commonly known for "turning the tides" in favor of the French in this war?
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Joan of Arc.
Nick
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Right and your turn.
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This is all pre what I know. :P:
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What year was Joan of Arc made a saint?
Nick
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Long after her dead for sure. My guess (and a guess it is as I didn't check it out somewhere) is 1919, 1921 or 1923. It was definitely in the early 20th century, and I'm quite sure it was shortly after WW1. It was part of a Vatican's policy that aimed for a better contact with France.
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She was canonized in 1920, for the reasons that you stated.
Nick
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I didn't give the the right year (actually with the years 1919 and 1921 I guessed exactly around the real date). However, as you gave the answer without putting up a new question I take it that you accept the answer as close enough.
Which document is considered the foundation stone of the British mornarchy, even though it gave rights to "free men" only in a time when few people were considered "free men"?
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The Magna Carta, signed by King John in 1215.
Nick
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Right. Your turn Nick! :)
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When did the 'sun set' on the British Empire?
Nick
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That wasn't coined until they had colonies in North America so I'd say it probably "set" when they lost those colonies following the War of 1812, when they no longer had any presence in the US, or even Canada for that matter.
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Nope, remember The British Empire reached its peak in size in the 1920's.
Nick
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I think it was around 1925 it reached it's peak covering almost a quarter of the world. Even though the process had begun earlier the real dissolving of the empire came after WW2 when most colonies around the world became independent.
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No, because the British still controlled small colonies around the world, even after WW2. It was later than 1925.
Nick
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But with Australia becoming independent in that time I don't think they ever became as large again, or did they aquire colonies larger than Australia after it's independence?
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It reached its furthest extent in the 1930's and then declined in size.
Nick
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But what did they gain huger than Australia after Australia became independent?
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They gained the former German colonies after World War I. Iraq, for example become uccupied by Britian.
Nick
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But WW1 was over by 1925 already, so these territories were British already before Australia became independent.
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Britain also had control of India--another large country so, they had quite a lot of territory still left, even though yes, many did go and gain independence.
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But they held India already before Australia gained it's independence. I'm still not convinced, that the British Empire's territorial peak was reached after Australia had become independent already.
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But I'm not asking when it reached its peak. Even though Australia gained its independence, it was still considered part of the British Commonwealth.
Nick
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The "Sun Finally set' on the British empire when Hong Kong was handed over to China in 1997.
Nick
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:slap :slap :slap
I should have re-read the question and taken in the meaning. What I was looking for was more like the cenit before the sun began to set.
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You mean the zenith. :P: Anyway, historians usually consider that period to be the 1930's.
Nick
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Does anyone else want to ask a question?
Nick
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Which battle did King Harold win, before he was defeated at Hastings?
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He won a battle at Stamford Bridge, where he defeated an invasion fleet.
Nick
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Exactly. A Norwegian invasion. Even though Harold defeated the Norwegians his presence in the north (Stamford Bridge is not far from York) may have ultimately resulted in his defeat, as it allowed the Normans to land unmolested in the south.
Your turn Nick.
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What odd distinctions did Anne Boleyn have?
Nick
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Anyone? By Distictions, I mean Features.
Nick
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Quoting the chronicle of Windsor Castle:
Anne Boleyn's features were exquisitely formed, and though not regular, far more charming than if they had been so. Her nose was slightly aquiline, but not enough so to detract from its beauty, and had a little retrousse; point that completed its attraction. The rest of her features were delicately chiselled: the chin being beautifully rounded, the brow smooth and white as snow, while the rose could not vie with the bloom of her cheek. Her neck--alas! that the fell hand of the executioner should ever touch it--was long and slender, her eyes large and blue, and of irresistible witchery--sometimes scorching the beholder like a sunbeam, anon melting him with soul-subduing softness.
Is there the feature mentioned you mean? To be honest I didn't see anything extremely spectacular, so I suppose you mean something more spectacular they won't mention in such chronicles.
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She had three breasts Malte.
Nick
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I guess I have a rough idea why they didn't put that detail up in that chronicle :rolleyes:
Anyway, I failed to find out about Anne Bolyne's breasts, so I guess I need to answer another question on British history.
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Ok Let me think of one...
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Name at least five of King Arthur's knights of the round table. A short sentence about their deeds or fate or whatever would be appreciated.
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Gawain Lancelot, Bors, Galahad are 4 that come to mind. Lancelot of course had a love affair with the queen, that led to downfall of Camelot. Gawain found the Holy Grail, or perhaps it was Gallahad?
Nick
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Okay, four will do. It was not Gawain though who found the grail (he later had a very serious fight with Lancelot), but Percival (dunno if this is the correct English spelling). If I'm not very mistaken Gallahad and Bors too were "admitted" to the grail.
Your turn Nick.
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oK... what was the name of Shakespeare's wife?
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Which one? :lol
I suppose you are refering to his "official" wife, Anne Hathaway.
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Yes. He had others?
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There are different sources telling about another Anne (whose last name I forgot). Some assume that it's just a spelling mistake of the last name. I also read something about a third lady associated with Shakespeare, but I don't remember the details.
One of the groups during the English Civil War was named after the haircut most of its supporters wore. What was the name of this group and and how where their oponents called?
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The groups were called the Roundheads, and thier oponents werre called levellers and indepedents.
Nick
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Right and your turn Nick :)
Another name for the supporters of King Charles (enemies of the roundheads) was Cavaliers.
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Who did KIng James give Maryland to?
Nick
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George Calvert?
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Yep. Calvert, Lord baltimore. Your turn.
Nick
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Of which parts does the Union Jack consist (what do they represent) and when was each part added to it?
(and by the way, can anybody tell me why it's called Union Jack? I don't know the origin of the name.)
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To be honest I don't know why its called the Union jack, perhaps it symbolized the union of the 4 kingdoms.
Nick
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I might have to check out the origin of the name myself. The actual question however is about which representative parts the British flag consists and when each part was added.
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I Think It symbolizes the four kingdoms , but that's just a guess
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It does symbolize different regions of the UK (not four though). Please tell me which part of the flag stands for which part of UK and when the part was added to the flag.
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Upper left- scotland
Upper Right- Wales
Lower half- England
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:huh: The British flag is rather symetrical. Except for being mirrored there is no difference between upper left and upper right or lower half and upper half.
Wales is not represented in the Union Jack. The different parts of the UK each have an individual symbol in it. Name the symbols, the kingdoms and when each part was added.
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It's very easy to find out about this at google.
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As this question seems to be of no interest, here is a new one:
Whose Secretary's responsibilities include Scotland in the UK government?
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Secretary of Defense?
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Nope
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Shall I put up yet another one question?
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Yes Please...
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Which was the blodies battle ever to be fought on English soil?
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The Battle of Hastings?
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Nope. For all I know there were more casualties in the battle I'm thinking of than there were partitcipants in the battle of Hastings.
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Let me google then...
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Please do! :)
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Not Getting Anything... I See I Spelled battles wrong...
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Then spell it right in the next attempt. :rolleyes:
I can assure you that Google will come up with satisfactory results if you enter "bloodiest battle England"
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Towton in 1461...
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Quite right! A battle fought during the so called War of the Roses between the English houses of York and Lancaster.
Your turn Nick.
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How did the War of the Roses start?
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Young and incompetent king Henry IV became insane in 1453 leaving a vacuum of power. Richard Duke of York claimed the throne. Queen Margaret of Anjou, a member of the House of Lancaster (who wanted to see her son as the heir to the throne) objected. We all know how such "objections" turn out if a throne is at stake -_-
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Yep, Let me guess she got her way <_<
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I may be mistaken but I don't think that SHE got it her way. The Yorkists whipped the Lancastrians in quite a few battles until after all Yorkist king Richard III. who had by murder ensured that he would inherit the throne, was killed in the battle of Bosworth 1485 ("My kingdom for a horse") as the last English king to be killed in battle. I don't think that she was still alive by that time. Following that the Tudors took over. I'm not sure about the link between Lancastarians and Tudors (if any) though and would be thankful if you told me if any of you happens to know.
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I'm snot sure myself. I'd have to look it up... It's your turn anyway Malte
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Name in correct order the fates of the six wifes of Henry VIII. (killed, divorced, died... etc.)
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This was listed at the end of the ride "The Haunted Hotel" in Disney World...
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The first Was Catherine of Aragon. they divorced. The Second was Anne Boleyn, she was executed for infidelity. Wife #3 Jane Seymour died in childbirth. The Marriage to Anne of Cleaves was never consummated. His fifth wife, Catherine Howard, was executed for Adultery, and wife #6 Catherine Parr, outlived him.
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Yes, that's right. One can easy remember this little "rhyme":
Divorced, Killed, Died, Divorced, Killed, Survived.
Your turn Nick.
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What a macarbe rhyme... Alright... Besides Henry 8, which British King had the most wives?
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Lawfully wedded wifes?
John, king from 1199 to 1216, Edward I, 1272-1307, and Richard II, 1377-1399 were all maried twice. But I don't know of an English king except for Henry VIII married more than twice (though not being married didn't mean all too much in some cases).
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yeah, whether the marriage was legal or not really didn't mean much to some of those kings. yeah henry had 6, but there hasn't been another king with more than two. Your turn malte
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"Honi soit qui mal y pense" (which means "Shame on him who thinks ill of it"). This line was said by an English ruler. Please tell me who said this, in which situation and which famous British order goes back to that incident.
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Edward III, this famous order is the order of the Garter, while the exact inspiration for the name is unclear, it is believed that the woman Edward was dancing with at a ball had her garter fall off. Edward, so the legend goes, said "damnation on him that thinks ill of it" for many of those in attendance were laughing at the woman's expense, and the king picked up the garter and tied it to his leg, and priceeded to dance with the woman while wearing it.
Nick
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Quite right :) Your turn Nick.
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Who was the last peer to hold the office of Prime Minister?
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Earl of Home in 1963? He was a peer by the time of the election.
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I think you're right. is there a rule now against peers holding the Pm?
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I don't know. But what do you mean by you THINK I'm right? You put up the question, don't you know the answer for sure?
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Yes you're right, for a moment there i wasn't sure :P: But yes, you are right. Go again...
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How did the Tudors (a Welsh family) happen to end up in the line of succession to the English throne? What claim did they have?
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I'm guessing they intermarried with the ruling family...
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So to speak. But what was it exactly. Who was married to whom and under which circumstances? Remember the Welsh were not exactly high-society in those days.
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Yes, I'm guessing that the marraige occured sometime in the 1500s, perhaps one of the wives of Henry VIII was a Tudor...
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Henry VIII WAS a Tudor. So the claim to the Throne is older. His father Henry VII took over from Richard III after the battle of Bosworth 1485 (my kingdom for a horse!). But what was the claim based on in the first place?
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I'm guessing that the claim was based on a victory in battle...
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Nobody would have joined him to fight that battle (Bosworth) unless there had been some kind of claim to the throne based on... what?
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children...
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??? Anyone who has children has a claim to the throne??? :lol
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Henry had a hier to the throne ready in his son, and thus could guarantee the surcvival of the crown.
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But having a son did not do to qualify for the throne I'm afraid. Farmers Tom, Dick, and Harry had sons too. Also Henry VII oldest son (not Henry VIII) was born only after his father had taken the throne already. That oldest son died however making room for second eldest Henry VIII. Anyway, the roots of the Tudor claim to the throne are older (but still from 15th century).
You are not going to guess this by chance. Better check out google or Wikipedia (or an example of 15th century yellowpress in case you get hold of it :lol )
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very funny malte :D Alright.. it's Google time
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This name may be helpful for you: Owain ap Maredudd
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Owen Maredudd?
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There are different ways to spell his name which was impossible for the English to pronounce. Therefore he adapted the English name "Owen Tudor". What was it about him?
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His wife had been the mother of Henry VI, but After the Death of the consort, her first husband, she was forced into retirement.
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Yes, pretty much like this. The big deal is that the queen Catherine of Valois (wife of deceased king Henry V and mother to king Henry VI) had a love affair with her knight Owen Tudor. They had at least five children. They may have possibly wedded secretly, but there is no ducumented proof of this. What really makes the whole matter spectacular is that Catherine of Valois was a French princess and she was treated with a great deal of suspicion by the English (the 100 years war was still going on). It is amazing how they still managed to keep the whole affair (that could well have ended in the execution of Owen, the children, and possibly even the queen) secret. It is also remarkable how unpopular Richard III must have been for the English to accept the claim of Owen Tudors son who became king Henry the VII (father of Henry VIII. They obviously weren't very creative about names).
Go ahead Nick.
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basically it must have been a don't ask, don't tell sort of thing. And Richard III must have wildly unpopular, I agree.
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Catherine of Valois and the whole House of Lancaster had plenty enemys who would have been all too delighted to blurt out the whole matter. They wouldn't have been too discrete about it.
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Then One must put it down to luck then...
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Or good secrecy. Your turn Nick.
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name the heir to the throne who was murdered in 1483. His ghost is said to haunt the Tower of London.
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Edward V. (13 years) was murdered along with Richard Shrewsbury (10 years) most likely on Richard III order or with his consent. Didn't know about his ghost yet though.
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Right. his spirit is said to haunt the room where he and Strewberry were kept prisoner.and where they were killed(probably through suffocation). Strewberry's spirit sometimes appears there too.
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Many greetings from me if you ever meet them.
What's the name of the English major navy port on the Orkney islands and when were many ships sunk in that harbor?
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If I do see them I'll say hi :D
i Can't recall the name, but I think the ships were scuttled to prevent the base being used if the Germans took over England.
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Not quite. Actually it were German ships that were sunk there.
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Orkney is in the north right?
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Yes. Nearby Scotland.
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I was just curious about it's location.
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One roundabout way for you to find the name of the port is the following. A ship named HMS Royal Oak (careful there were many ships of that name throughout the times) was sunk in this harbor in 1939. That has nothing to do with the other incidenct we are looking for in the question, but the information may help you to find the name of the harbor. Once you know the name of the harbor finding out about the incident will be easy.
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The port is Scapa Flow, and 74 german ships were breached in the port at the end of the first world war.
Thanks for the hint.
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That is perfectly right Stitch! Your turn :)
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Nice job Stitch. Your turn.
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Here goes:
What event was supposed to bring "peace in our time"?
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The Munich conference in 1938. Germany was granted the "Sudetenland" (a border region of former czecheslovakia in which many people of German origin lived). Hitler promised in return that there would be no further claims for territory. But even before the invasion of Poland one year later German troops occupied the rest of Czecheslovakia. So British prime minister Nevile Chamberlain's proclamation of "Peace in our time" (made after his return from the conference) was but just a noble hope.
Which British ruler was posthumously executed? They actually did exhume this ruler's body years after his dead to hung, drawn, and quarter it.
-
That's correct
Good job
-
charles I
-
Nope, he was quite alive when they chopped his head of (obviously not afterwards). The ruler I'm talking of was really posthumously executed, several years AFTER he had died. But you are already looking in the right period of history.
As for Charles I, his head was sewn back to the body after the execution, so his family could pay its respects. History with the gory bits left in :x
-
James I?
-
He died of an illness, but I think they never did anything to his body.
-
Ok, so it was around charles I's time....
-
That's what I said. The ruler I'm talking of died later than Charles.
-
He didn't die much later though.
-
Would that be Cromwell? he was posthumously executed...
-
That's right! He is the ruler I was refering to. Your turn Nick :)
-
What cromwell official title? He was not crowned king...
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Lord Protector I think.
-
Yep. Why was Cromwell not offered the crown? I'm just asking out of curiousity...
-
Having just defeated the royalists on the parliament's behalf it might have appeared a little to obvious if the dictator had taken up the crown (this is only my guess). Maybe this would have resulted in a great loss of support.
The title "Lord Protector" was not invented during the Civil War. There were several "Lord Protectors" before that. Please name at least two of them. One hint that may help you is that originaly the title is to be taken quite literally.
-
Somerset and Dudley
-
Somerset may refer to quite a few Dukes of Somerset, but indeed Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset was Lord Protector during (yes, during) the reign of Edward VI. I don't know exactly about who Dudley is. I have a vague idea that he lived in the times of Elizabeth I. (and I may be totally mistaken about it). Can you give me his full name so I can research?
-
Another was Richard, Duke of Gloucaster during the regency of Edward V
-
Right. The title "Lord Protector" was to be taken literally as they "protected" their underaged kings and did his job until he was fully grown. Well, that's what they were supposed to do. Richard obviously "misinterpreted" who was the lord he had to protect considering himself the one. He failed in both jobs so to speak.
Your turn... Ooops there are two of you. Well the first of you who thinks of a British history question, just post it here. But who again was Dudley?
-
An Intersting tidbit I found Malte. Cromwell WAS offered the crown, but he rejected it, because: 1, he had led the fight to abolish the monarchy and 2, most of his cabinet threatened to resign if he took the crown.
-
^ So pretty much what I guessed.
Nick or Stitch, it is your turn (first one of you) :)
-
Stich, can you think of one? If not then I'll go...
-
Take it away
-
Alright... let me think..
-
Any tangible results from the thinking yet? ;)
-
yes, that Dudley you were refering to was a Lord Protector(I foget the King we regent for). Anyway, here's the question. Which prominent family is said to hold treasures hidden by the Knights Templar?
-
I am going to guess the Sinclair family.
-
Yep, Your turn Stitch...
-
Your turn Stitch :)
-
Can someone take this? I can't think of any good questions right now.
-
Okay.
Which was the last battle to be fought on British soil (note that this means only battles fought on the Island itself and excludes 20th century airbattles)?
-
The battle of Hastings?
-
Back in 1066? Come on, blood has been spoiled like rain on English soil for many more centuries. You answered an earlier British history question about the bloodiest battle ever on British soil, the battle of Towton in 1461 and that was by no means the last one.
-
Come on "last battle British soil" at google will do the job.
-
My Bad, that was the last battle by an invading force... ok I'll go look it up...
-
Found anything yet?
-
Did you?
-
The battle of Culloden(sp?) in 1746...
-
The very same. Your turn Nick.
-
Who was the last woman Prime Minister before Margeraet Thatcher?
-
James Callaghan.
By the way, I suggest that we expand the "British" history to include Scotland and Ireland as well, even if no Englishmen were directly involved in some events of Scotish or Irish history.
-
callagan was the prime minster before thatcher, but whpo was the last previous FEMALe minister/ Or was Thatcher the first female PM?
as to your suggestion, Malte I think that is a good idea,
-
Sorry, I missed the word. So far Margeret Thatcher is the only female British prime minister ever.
-
I see.. thought there was one before her anyway its your turn Malte.
-
thought there was one before her
At least not according to the
list of British prime ministers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_prime_ministers) I looked up.
Winston Churchill: Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.
Who were the few Churchill refered to?
-
He was refering to 'armada' that was whipped together at Dunkirk, which allowed the British to evacuate hundreds of thouusands of troops tto England. Germany had encircled the British forces, and could have inflicted a crippling blow to the british army. However, the Germans delayed their advance, which allowed the haphazard evacuation.
-
No, he wasn't.
Actually I think those people who evacuated the British and parts of the French Army would have deserved that praise. Maybe they weren't "few" enough. I don't mean to deprive the "few" of any of their well deserved credit, but sometimes I think that Churchill and many others overlook in their praise the all too unsung job of many people who are rarely given credit for actually enabling "the few" to do their job.
So who were the few Churchill was refering to?
-
Alright.. then was he refering to the RAF, whose vigorous defense of british skies, helped prevent a full-scale German invasion?
-
The fighter pilots of the RAF to be precise.
This is why I said that the job of "the few" with all the credit it deserves often left the jobs of those who made it possible uncredited. What about the mechanics who refitted, refilled, and reammunitioned the planes? They too risked their necks when the airfields were bombed as did the men and women at the radar stations. They were not given the credit of "the few" though their work made the "work" (the quotation marks are only to indicated my problem with the term work for the act of killing in war, not any kind of disrespect to the courageous pilots who fought the war) of "the few" possible in the first place. I don't mean to deprive anyone of the credit they got but only mean to draw the attention to a group of brave people who rarely given any credit though they too died by hundreds and even thousands throughout WW2.
Your turn Nick.
-
When xgamberlain made that comment, he was also complimeenting those people as well, though in a indirect way. You are right, without the combined efforts of the mechanics, and radio and sonar control staff, the RAF could not have done what they did.
When did England seperate Northern Ireland from Ireland?
-
^ Churchill made that quote, not Chamberlain.
Northern Ireland was separated from the Republic of Ireland in 1921.
-
^ pavlovian slip, I meant churchill. you're right. Your turn Malte.
-
Staying in Ireland, which English Admiral was blown up in Dublin in 1966?
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I don't know Malte...
-
I'm positive you (I daresay all of you) know that admiral. Don't take the question too literally though.
-
Nimitz?
-
Sorry Nick, but he was American.
The admiral we are talking about was dead long before he was blown up.
-
oh I see so the Irisk blew up his corpse... kind of macarbe... :blink:
-
Yes and no. Whose "corpse"?
-
:slap My god I'm an idiot. they blew up nelson's pillar. as in naval great lord haratio nelson. :slap
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Right you are :yes (about the name of the person, not about naming yourself an idiot :P:)
I considered posting excerpts from songs about the incident here (there are some in a Wikipedia article about the blowing up of the pillar) which would have given away that it was not an actual person they blew up. However I found those songs not exactly appropriate for this forum.
Good going Nick. Your turn :)
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Keeping with Nelson, which battle first propelled him to fame amoung his countrymen?
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The battle of Cape St Vincent 1780? He saved the day there and turned what might have become a defeat for the English into a stunning victory. He was knighted after that battle.
The battle of Aboukir (aka battle of the Nile) 1798? In this battle he destroyed Napoleons fleet forcing him to retreat from Egypt.
In the battle of Copenhagen 1801 he became famous for attacking against direct order. When his commander raised the flag signal for him to retreat and one subordinate asked Nelson if they shouldn't retreat Nelson held the telescope against the eye he had lost in an earlier fight and maintained that he couldn't see any flag signal. I suppose he was quite famous by that time already.
-
the battle of the Nile is correct. There are many stories about Nelson especially the battle of Copenhagen. he did ignore his superior command, but his refussal to surrender led to a sweeping victory. his superior (who later resigned in disgrace) asked him after the battle why he ignored the orderr. "Nelson replied. "I have only one eye, and I diudn't see it(the flag)." They may be embellishing. but still it is a good story. Your turn Malte."
-
Malte? It's your turn :)
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Which famous English outlaw executed himself by throwing himself of the ladder after the executioner had put the noose around his neck?
-
Could you give another hint please?
-
His "self-execution" was on April 7th 1739.
-
Ok 1739....
-
Dick Turpin? I've never heard of him to be honest...
-
Yet he is the one I meant. Your turn Nick.
-
When was the first meeting of the House of Lords?
-
1295? The first mention of the actual term "House of Lords" dates from 1544.
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You're right malte. Your turn.
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The hundred years war was fought between England and France as lords from both countries claimed the vacant French throne. The war ended in 1453 and the English had to leave the throne to the French. However, it took them much longer to officially give up their claim to the French throne. When did England officially give up any claims to the French throne?
-
The 1600s?
-
There is one exact year in which England officially gave up her claims on the French throne. It was not in 17th century though.
-
Ok, I'll go google...
-
I never told you not to. I never expected anyone to know this without a bit of research.
-
1801? the Act of 1800 dropped the claim to the french throne..
-
Close enough :)
According to my information it was in 1802, but I suppose the act may have been written in 1801 and turned official in 1802 or something along that lines.
Good going Nick :)
Your turn.
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Keeping with the claim to the french throne, when did the English first lay claim to it?
-
After the death of French King Karl (Charles) IV. who was the last of his line (1328). However English King Edward III. did not proclaim himself King of France before 1340 when the hundred years war had already begun.
-
Very good.Your turn Malte
-
Name at least five people who have a Memorial in St. Pauls Cathedral. Special applause if one of them is a Welsh man.
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:lol: St Paul's cathedral? I'll go google. Is it in lOndon, perchance?
-
Yes, one of the city's most famous buildings.
-
Is one of them Shakespeare?
-
Nope.
-
Ok... had to take a stab there :D
-
This one isn't ever going to be answered, so I put up a new one.
From which famous document is the following quote (and what was that document all about):
It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.
-
Is that from the Declaration of Independence?
-
Which Declaration of Independence?
-
The US Declaration of Independence?
-
The United States were neither the only nor the first to issue a Declaration of Independence. The recipient of the Declaration in question was the same however. Which Declaration am I talking of?
-
The King of England... I'm guessing this was the declaration of inbdepence by Scotland..
-
What was the name of that Declaration (you are perfectly on the right track, but the Declaration is not known as the "Scotish Declaration of Independence").
-
It can't be the Magna Carta, can it?
-
Definitely not.
-
sorry, that name popped into my head...
-
Declaration of Arbroath?(sp)
-
Correct (answer and spelling ;)). The Declaration of Arbroath (issued in 1320) is the oldest known "Declaration of Independence". Though it was issued after the death of Willam Wallace some slightly altered rhetoric from the declaration was used in the movie Braveheart (while the movie is nice to watch I suppose it would be a lot better if they had stuck a bit closer to the historical facts. They actually made some understatements where the historical truth is more spectacular than what they told in that movie. Considering the opening words of the movie (something along the lines that historians in England would call the narrator a lier, but history is written by those who hung its heroes) they would have done better to care a little more about historical correctness...
I'm sorry, I'm lecturing. ;)
Your turn Nick.
-
It's fun to nitpick historical movies :) Anyway...who will be the next PM of England?
-
Tony Blair, who doesn't want to finish his third term in office appointed Gordon Brown as his sucessor.
-
Yep.. he wouldn't have won a 4th term anyway, not with Iraq being what it is.. your turn Malte..
-
What was the name of the first English colony in America and who lead the expedition to found that colony?
-
Roanake, and it was lead by sir Walter Raliegh..
-
Both correct. :yes
Your turn.
-
Who wqas the first English child born in the New World?
-
Virginia Dare. Right now I have to write 20 pages among other about the drawings of America which Virginia Dare's grandfather John White did during the Roanoak expedition.
-
So that was a easy question to answer :D What do you think happened to the "lost Colony"(as an aside)?
-
The signs found suggest that the colonists tried to get to the nearby island of Croatoan. There is no prove they ever got there. They might have failed to construct vessels capable of carrying them there. They might have run afoul with the natives (who probably wouldn't have told the later arrivals about this to avoid any revenge) or else they may have joined them (which I consider least likely but not impossible). They may have just run out of supplies (which were delayed due to the English / Spanish conflict). Nobody knows for sure what happened and there is no theory I favor in particular. Looking at the circumstances the failing of the colony is not such a big mystery, the lack of any traces from the colonists is, but there are several plausible explanations.
Which ruling dynasty of England was of Welsh origin, which one of Scotish, which one of French (more than one possibility here), and which one of German?
-
They are all different Dynasties right?
-
They are.
-
There are not too many ruling Dynasties in British history (at least not as many as in the history of some countries). Anybody?
-
The windsor and the Tudor are two of them..
-
What is the origin of them (yes, they are among the Dynasties I have in mind), but who is Welsh, Scotish, French, or German in origin? (the Windsors were renamed by the way, and there was a reason for that).
-
English Dynasties can be looked up at Wikipedia. Here are a few years which may be helpful in finding the Dynasties I mentioned (there are some alternative answers as there was more than one dynasty of French respectively German orign). 1066, 1485, 1603, 1714.
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Come on, even Great Britain didn't have thaaat many ruling Dynasties and with the exception of the Welsh (who had to change their name as the British couldn't have pronounced "Meredith ap Tewdur" properly) British history is very clear on when the different nations took over.
-
In 1066 the Normans (William the Conquerer) conquered England making up the dynasty of French origin.
In 1485 the Tudors took over after the battle of Bosworth. They were of Welsh origin. It is funny enough that in a time when illegitimate children were considered really the scum of the earth (the word "bastard" became an invective in those days) they were able to take the thrown based on the fact that one of Catherine of Valois' Welsh bodyguards guarded her body so closely that they ended up with six illigitimate children :lol:
In 1603 Elizabeth I., the last of the Tudors died leaving the throne to the Scotish Tudors.
In 1714 the throne went to the German family of the House of Hanover. Through the marriage of queen Victoria with Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha another German link was added to the family though in 1917 (due to WW1 sentiments) they took the more English name of Windsor.
As the question wasn't answered, here is the next one:
Which British warship was turned into a museum ship which nowadays is anchored near the Tower Bridge in London (special laurel for those who can also name the battle ship which this British ship helped to sink).
-
Oh come on, we have so many residents of London around here and many English or tourists to England who have seen that ship and wouldn't even have to check out the internet for the answer.
-
Sorry, I've been away.. I'll go look it up..
-
The HMS Belfast?
-
Exactly!
She was involved in the sinking of the Sharnhorst in what was probably the northernmost naval battle in history.
Your turn Nick.
-
Keeping wity illegitimacy , if he had lost the Battle of Hastings, What would William the Conqueor have been known as?
-
William the bastard - Duke of Normandy.
-
Correct, if indeed he would have been remembeed ar all. your turn Msalte.
-
When was the last person sent to prison for using witchcraft in the United Kingdom, and what was her name?
-
Good question, I'll go look it up..
-
The following ship name may be helpful to find the answer to the question: "HMS Barham"
-
As there nobody will answer the previous question, here is a new one. At which place was the Lancastrian cause lost during the wars of the roses?
Hint one, it was the only ever time that a Prince of Wales was killed in battle.
Hint two, the place has been in the news very recently for flooding which is causing damage there at the moment (after there had been flooding at the place during the last year already).
-
For the first one, it was Helen Duncan, in 1941.
For the second one, it was Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire, England. The Prince of Wales was Edward of Westminster.
-
Both correct LBT! :D
It's awesome to see the game picked up again. Your turn LBT :yes
-
Following the death of kings ?lla and Osberht in battle against the Vikings of the Great Heathen Army at York on 21 March 867, who was appointed the next (puppet) king of Northumbria?
-
Ecgberht I?
You don't happen to have read Bernard Cornwell's historical novels about this time (The Last Kingdom, The Pale Horseman, The Lords of the North, and Sword Song (haven't obtained that last one myself so far)), do you?
-
No, I'd never read those. I actually flipped through an old textbook in the library to find the information I composed this question with. Those books sound awesome, though, I'm gonna look them up.
You're right Malte! Your turn!
-
Which capital did the Royal Navy bombard in 1807?
-
Denmark, right? They didn't want Napoleon to take over, so they fire-bombed it.
-
You mean the right thing. Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark was bombarded. What the British wanted to take over before the French did was the Danish fleet, the only fleet remaining after the battle of Trafalgar (almost two years earlier) which could be a threat to the Royal Navy.
Your turn LBT :)
-
What Londoner sold all his possessions, and then bet his entire life savings ($136,000) on red in a single game of roulette, and did he win?
-
Ashley Revell? And he did win, doubling his stake?
-
You're right! You're turn!
-
When it comes to British history and the year 1066 we will usually think of the Norman Conquest of England. However, William the Conquerer was not the only one to launch and invasion of England in that year. Who else did and where was he defeated?
-
The other invader had almost the same first name as the English king defeated by William the Conqueror. The place where that other invader was defeated is in the north of England (which may give some idea of the direction from where that other invasion came).
-
That second invader to England in 1066 came from Norway. What was his name and where was he defeated?
-
As, I have some time before my little person comes I'll do some painting...anyway I'll answer this question: The second invader landed around the same time as William the conqueror...or conker and he was King Harald III of Norway. He landed in the Northern England with a army of 15,000 men or such and he was accompanied by Earl Tosig who promised support. He was beaten by Harold of England in the battle of Stamford Bridge. Hope that answers your question Malte.:)
-
Aye, Harald III., better known as Harald Hardrada was the one I was looking for. Earl Tostig Godwinson is another very interesting character in these events as he indeed supported Harald Hardrada in his fight against Harold II., who was Tostig's brother! The battle was indeed fought at Stamford Bridge and neither Hardrada nor Tostig survived.
Your turn for the next question Saft :yes
-
I'm glad I got the correct answer, not so great that I have to ask the next question as I'm not very good so forgive me if the following is dreadfully easy.
Alrighty, we all know that William the Conqueror died in 1087 but how and where did he die?
Edit:I want to add the Muhahaha but never mind. Edited for a simple error in the Conqueror, I spelt it Conkueror....
-
Hmm, a hint perhaps:
He was invading this country at the time when he had the accident.
A bit of useless trivia also:But did you know that William was so strong that he could get on his horse in full body armor?
-
Was it Wales?
-
No it wasn't Wales.
He was beseiging a town called Mantes in.........
-
France.. :bang
-
No worries Nick. It happens and it is my fault that I didn't explain properly. So how did he die? You've got the where but how did he die?
-
he fell off his horse..
-
Yes and died of ....in agony.
-
He would have survived with modern care..
-
Yes, he probably would have.
He died of a burst organ, liver. Anyway, Nick you are correct so you get to ask the next question.:)
-
How many henrey became came king, and how many years passed between the first Henry and the last..
-
I presume these are the English Henry's?
There were eight english kings named Henry.
However, since I am very awful at maths I can't give the answer to how many years passed between the first and last.
-
Just give me the date the first Henry took the throne the death of the last Henry..
-
Henry I:1100
Henry VIII:1547
(Thank you Nick):)
-
447 years then is your answer.. your turn Saft..
-
As I mentioned I'm awful at maths, good at algebra but awful at the rest of the subject.
Queen Elizabeth's I reign restored much of the tuberlance that was present during the two reigns of her siblings. The religious issues (Catholicism, protestantism) that had seperated the people of England since the reformation of the church during Henry VIII's reign was put to rest by the Elizabethan Relgious settlement in 1559. My question is, what were the two acts that made up this settlement?
-
Hmmm, a hint?
Alright, these acts were passed by both the House of Commons and Lords and were signed in 1559. Became known as the Elizabethan Religious settlement.
If I give anymore, I'd answer my own question.:)
-
The Acts of Supremacy anf Uniformity.. the first confirmed the CHurch of England's independencvce from Rome, and the second organized the Church
-
Excellent Nick. Your turn to ask the next question.:)
-
Britian Queen Elizabeth is the second longest reigning monarch in bRitian's history. Which monarch reigned the longest?
-
That would be the reign of Queen Victory who ruled for almost 64 years.
-
Great Britain was one party in the shortest ever recorded war in human history. Which war was it, when was it fought, and who was the other party of the war?
-
Less than an hour I believe.. I'll go look up the country...
-
Indeed that war was so short that giving the time in minutes by which it started and ended would be appreciated.
-
35 minutes...
-
Something between 35 and 40 I think, but when was it and what was the other party in that war?
-
It was between Zanizbar and the United Kingdom.
-
That's right :yes
Just add the date and the floor is all yours.
-
The UK-Zanzibar war was fought in 1896 on August 27th.
-
Very good Noname..
-
Aye, your turn for the next question Noname.
-
What is the significance of the word "Cortana" to the kings of England?
-
Cortana is the term used for the sword that is part of the British crown jewels I think. I think the word has some Latin basis, but I would really have to look that one up to make sure.
-
That is correct. It belonged to Edward the Confessor. Your turn.
-
Britannia rules the waves, or so they say. Great Britain's reputation as THE dominant power of the sea however was not uncontested for a long time and became rather unquestionable (for the time being) only after the battle of Trafalgar in 1805. Of course Great Britain had some earlier major successes in naval warfare the most famous of which would probably be the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 (though it is a matter of debate on how much it were the elements rather than the British navy which really saved England back then). Anyway, there had been one major sea-battle at a much earlier time the victory in which may well have saved England from a foreign invasion. In spite of this huge importance the battle is hardly present in public consciousness. Which naval battle am I talking about and when did it take place (one hint, look in the middle ages)?
-
This was a battle during the hundred years war: The Battle of Sluys, in June of 1340.
This battle kept England from being invaded by France, and ensured that most of the war would be fought in France, rather than in England. It was very important in keeping England safe. It was said that the English were "cowardly" because they did not "jump into the sea like our brave French."
-
Aye, that was the battle I was referring to. Your turn Noname.
-
What language did the Norman nobles speak after their conquest of England in 1066 AD, besides Latin, of course. A hint: it isn't French or English.
-
Do you mean Anglo-Norman?
-
Correct. The Norman conquerors spoke something called Langues d'oÔl, which later mixed with the "native" English (keeping in mind that the Anglo-Saxons were conquerors themselves, of a sort) to form Anglo-Norman, a romance language which would have a great impact on modern English vocabulary.
Your turn, Malte.
-
Who united several British tribes for an uprising against the Romans in the first century A.D.?
-
I believe that would be Boadicea.
Strictly speaking, that question ISN'T from 1000 AD to 2000 AD, but that's okay with me, I'm not complaining.
-
The time limitations in this thread (as well as in some other threads) have long been abandoned and questions from other times have been posted already (the German history thread is another example where the time limit in the title does not apply). I guess I'm just going to change some titles to prevent further confusion.
The answer was correct. Your turn.
-
Why was the translation of the Bible into English such a problem in Cornwall?
-
Because Cornish (a Celtic language) dominated in wide parts of Cornwall at the time the bible was translated? Prescribing the English version of the bible would have contributed to the decrease of importance of Cornish language? (this is just a guess of mine)
-
That is essentially correct; English was forced on the Cornish at this time, due to the fact that Anglicanism took on a more nationalistic character than Catholicism had done, as there was now (in theory) one church in one state speaking one language... although making this true was a long and difficult process, and many people in Wales, Scotland, Devon, Cornwall, and elsewhere were forced to give up their languages.
Your turn, Malte.
-
"What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric?"
Who said this about whom and what were the consequences of this statement in British history?
-
Henry II said this about Thomas Becket, who was killed during a conflict with the English (Norman) state... the long-term consequences of this were continued issues between the church and state in England... which would one day lead to the split from Rome, but that was centuries down the line at this point.
-
Aye; the short term consequence was a group of knights feeling addressed and setting out to slay Becket in the cathedral of Canterbury. Your turn.
-
A Scottish question, this time (it says British History Question, NOT English :) )
Which king of Scotland led an attack on the English city of Durham, failed, and was killed not long thereafter?
Hint: His nickname was 'An t-Ilgarach', "the Diseased"
-
Duncan I.
-
Yes. That was quick. He was said to have been killed by the historical Macbeth.
Your turn, Malte.
-
Thanks for the reminder that Scotish history is up too. To which historical event does the following song refer and what happened there?
I've heard the lilting, at the yowe-milking,
Lassies a-lilting before dawn o' day;
But now they are moaning on ilka green loaning;
"The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away".
Dool and wae for the order sent oor lads tae the Border!
The English for ance, by guile wan the day,
The Flooers o' the Forest, that fought aye the foremost,
The pride o' oor land lie cauld in the clay.
I've heard the lilting, at the yowe-milking,
Lassies a-lilting before dawn o' day;
But now they are moaning on ilka green loaning;
"The Flowers of the Forest are a' wede away".
-
It is a Scottish song which refers to the Battle of Flodden Field, in which the Scots were badly beaten, hence the mournful theme of the song. James IV, the Scottish king, died in the battle.
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You sure know your history Noname...
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He certainly does. It is also something that can be looked up though. It is definitely nothing that I would suppose many to know by heart, but by looking such things up we learn through these games which makes them more worthwhile than games from which little or nothing can be learned.
While the battle of Culloden Moore is often remembered as "the" trauma of Scotish history the battle of Flodden Field had probably more devastating effects at that time leaving hardly a family in Scotland (at least none in the nobility) which hadn't lost someone in that battle. It was especially bitter for the Scots because the odds had been rather favorable for them and poor leadership (among other a king who was full of fancy ideas of chivalrous fighting but with little regard for military necessities and who paid with his own life among the many lost on Flodden Field).
Your turn Noname.
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What was the most effective native British weapon used in the hundred years' war?
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You probably mean the Welsh longbow of yew wood which was used to devastating effect in several of the battles of the 100 years war. Interestingly though modern researches assume that at least in the later period of the war the longbow was not as devastating and decisive as it used to be. The development of new types of steel allowed for the construction of armor which in fact could resist the English bodkin arrows. Arrowheads have been found which were deformed and suggested that they never actually penetrated the armor. There is a very interesting documentary on Youtube (here is the first (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ib8kGCFpJRo&feature=PlayList&p=EE5978BAC2CF6E56&index=0) of five clipst that make up the documentary) about the battle of Agincourt. One central thesis is that in this particular battle the longbow wasn't so much the devastation of the French army as a kind of stampede among the French army was. The battlefield funneled the broad French lines into a much more condensed space on a muddy field. Another interesting factor they mention is the reluctance of the noble French knights to fight the rankless British footsoldiers and archers (whom they deemed not worthy of their attention) at all because they were obsessed with fighting someone of rank and title (and the ability to pay high ransoms when taken prisoner). Anyway, I'm getting off topic here...
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It is these longbows indeed; although their effectiveness dropped over time... the war was so long that the level of technology could not help but advance, at least in bits and pieces... and it was effective early on at other battles; Agincourt was not the only such battle where it was used...
Your turn, Malte.
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Which body guard to a queen of England guarded her body so closely that he became the progenitor of a dynasty that was to rule England? ;)
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Owen Tudor?
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Aye, and thus a queen from France and a body guard from Wales brought forth the dynasty which was to take over once the houses of Lancaster and York had sufficiently butchered each other :p
Your turn Noname.
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What region in England is named after the native name for "Wales", but is not in Wales itself?
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There is a village called Wales in Southern Yorkshire, but that's not the place you mean, is it? It does not bear the native name Cymru. There are plenty of places called "Cambria" in the US, but that would be the latinized version of the native name.
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It is a region, not a village. It is not called "Wales" or have anything to do with the stem root "walha" (eg "Wallonia"or"Wallachia/Tara Romanescu") AND, it is in England, not Wales, not Scotland, and definitely not the USA.
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I'm not sure...but is it Cumbria? It is a region.
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You got it. It is indeed Cumbria. Your turn, Saft.
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On the 4th April 1660, the Declaration of Breda was issued for the preparations for the restoration of the monarchy. The Declaration of Breda contained three key promises. What were those promises?
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1. Free and general pardon to all participants in the Revolution and enemies of the father of the king to be (excepting a few of those responsible for the former king's execution).
2. A free parliament to give advice to the king.
3. This parliament was to decide about quarrels about lands that had switched owners during and because of the revolution.
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Yes.:)
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Ooops I forgot to come up with the next question. Sorry about that.
Which English town holds Europe's largest Medieval fair and battle reenactment, which battle is commemorated there and what was the special significance of that particular battle?
PS: It is not Hastings.
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Sandbach during the War of the Three Kingdoms, where the townsfolk were having a fair when the Scottish army came and the townsfolk captured prisoners?
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Nope, the events at Sandbach took place in 17th century while the events at the town where this largest medieval reenactment is taking place were closer to the actual (late) middle ages.
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The place I am talking about was in the news a few years ago due to floods in the region.
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The battle which took place there included the only ever time that a Prince of Wales (as in heir to the English throne) was killed in battle. What is the name of the town where this happened?