The 1648 Codex · study package

British Monarchs

25 terms drawn from across the corpus, in study-list order. Art and cross-links point back to the home category cards.

#543 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

William the Conqueror

William the Conqueror
Myrabella · Public domain

Norman Duke and English King · 1066–1087 · England and Normandy

William the Conqueror was the Norman duke who invaded England in 1066 and became king after defeating Harold Godwinson at Hastings.

The kit

  • Rise — William the Conqueror allied with King Henry I of France to win the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes early in his reign.
  • Conquest — William the Conqueror received a blessing from Pope Alexander II for his invasion, which he claimed Edward the Confessor had sanctioned.
  • Consolidation — William the Conqueror suppressed the Revolt of the Earls with his half-brother Odo and crushed northern resistance during the Harrying of the North.
  • Legacy — William the Conqueror commissioned the Domesday Book survey of England and required all landowners to swear the Salisbury Oath.

Runs with

Battle of Hastings
won this 1066 battle against Harold Godwinson open card →
Normandy
ruled as duke of this territory open card →
Domesday Book
commissioned this survey of England open card →
Harold Godwinson
defeated him at Hastings in 1066 open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

This man attempted to secure power by forcing his nobles to swear the Salisbury Oath.

H

This man’s victory is depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry. :Name this Duke of Normandy who became King of England after the Battle of Hastings.

H

This man received a blessing from Pope Alexander II to perform his most famous action, which he claimed was sanctioned by Edward the Confessor.

H

This man issued the Truce of God after defeating Guy of Burgundy, and he allied with King Henry I to win the Battle of Val-ès-Dunes.

M

The Battle of Hastings was won by this Norman ruler, who quickly became known as “the Conqueror.”

M

This figure defeated Edgar Ætheling in his Harrying of the North, and he suppressed the Revolt of the Earls with his half-brother Odo.

M

Aegon the Conqueror’s conquest of Westeros after landing at King’s Landing mirrors this Norman’s conquest of England. This leader won the Battle of Hastings.

E

The Bayeux Tapestry depicts the death of Harold Godwinson at the hands of this man’s archers. name this Norman duke who was crowned King of England after his 1066 victory at Hastings.

E

DOOMS-day) Book. name this Duke of Normandy and King of England who won the Battle of Hastings.

10 more clues from the record
H

This king and Malcolm III signed the Treaty of Abernathy, which declared Scotland as a fief to his kingdom.

H

This ruler crushed the rebellion of Edward the Exile during the Harrying of the North.

H

This ruler was succeeded in one of his territories by Robert Curthose and required all landowners to pledge their loyalty via the Salisbury Oath.

H

A survey of England was recorded in the Domesday book for this Norman.

H

Earlier, with Henry I of France, he had put down a rebellion at Val-es-Dunes.

H

This man suppressed revolting earls Edwin and Morcar during the Harrying of the North.

H

One of this man’s guardians, Osbern, was killed in this man’s room while he was asleep. :Name this man who later landed his forces at Pevensey before winning the Battle of Hastings against Harold Godwinson.

H

identify these English monarchs.This first ruler from the House of Normandy ruled from 1066-1087 following his victory at the Battle of Hastings.

H

This ruler, who came to power with a victory at the Battle of Val-es-Dunes held a major war council at Lillebonne.

H

This man signed the Treaty of Blancheland with Fulk the Surly, ensuring the secession to the countship of Maine for his son, Robert Curthose.

#544 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

Henry II

Henry II
Public domain

King of England · 1154–1189 · England

Henry II was the first Plantagenet king of England who expanded royal justice and clashed with Thomas Becket over church authority.

The kit

  • Rise — Henry II became heir through the Treaty of Wallingford, which ended conflict involving his mother Empress Matilda and rival Stephen.
  • Achievements — Henry II established the General Eyre system of traveling justices and issued the Assize of Woodstock to expand royal law.
  • Conflicts — Henry II's complaint about a 'meddlesome priest' led four knights to murder Thomas Becket at Canterbury Cathedral in 1170.
  • Legacy — Henry II was defeated by his son Richard I, who joined the Third Crusade after Henry's death in 1189.

Runs with

Eleanor of Aquitaine
married Eleanor; she led Great Revolt with their sons against him open card →
church
limited church power via Constitutions of Clarendon and Compromise of Avranches open card →
Bishop
argued he could prosecute clerics in secular courts open card →
Richard the Lionheart
father of Richard; defeated by him before death open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

This man became heir to the throne in the Treaty of Winchester.

H

The first Plantagenet monarch was this king who married Eleanor of Acquitaine and came to the throne on the death of Stephen.

H

This ruler signed the treaty of Windsor, which placed Rory O’Connor on the throne of Ireland.

H

The Treaty of Wallingford guaranteed this king’s ascension to the throne and ended a conflict involving his mother, Empress Matilda.

M

After this king loudly complained about a “meddlesome priest,” four knights went to Canterbury Cathedral and murdered Thomas Becket. name this king of England, the father of John and Richard the Lionheart and husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine.

M

This ruler also limited the power of the church with the Constitutions of Clarendon.

M

This man successfully put down the Great Revolt led by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, but he was eventually defeated by his son Richard I. identify this first Angevin and Plantagenet king.

E

The Assize of Woodstock was issued during the reign of this English monarch, who quarreled with Thomas Becket.

E

Eleanor of Aquitaine was most famously married to this king of England, with whom she had John and Richard the Lionheart.

10 more clues from the record
H

This man argued that he could prosecute clerics in the Constitutions of Clarendon.

H

This monarch reconciled with the papacy in the Compromise of Avranches, eight years after issuing sixteen articles that curbed ecclesiastical power.

H

His accession to the throne was settled upon through the Treaty of Wallingford, though that agreement was in doubt until the death of his rival Eustace of Boulogne. :Name this 12th-century British monarch.

H

This man became king after the Treaty of Wallingford, which was signed by Empress Matilda, his mother.

H

Pope Adrian IV gave this man Ireland, to which this man sent Richard de Clare.

H

To punish him for an affair with Rosamund Clifford, his wife encouraged his three oldest sons to rebel against him along with Louis VII of France.

H

This man rebuffed an attempt for the French King Philip II Augustus to to be both the guardian of his deceased son's family and the territory of Brittany.

H

This man established the General Eyre, a system of traveling justices that aimed to deliver fair trials in the countryside.

H

Following this man’s death, his son joined with Frederick Barbarossa and Philip Augustus on the Third Crusade.

H

During this royal's reign, the Awbridge silver penny was introduced to combat inflation after a series of civil wars.

Watch out: Not Henry VIII (Tudor monarch famous for six wives and English Reformation)
#545 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

Richard the Lionheart

Richard the Lionheart
Adam Bishop · CC BY-SA 3.0

English king and crusader · 1189–1199 · England, Holy Land, France

Richard the Lionheart was King of England who led English forces during the Third Crusade and negotiated the Treaty of Jaffa.

The kit

  • Rise — Richard the Lionheart succeeded Henry II as King of England and left his brother John in charge during his absence.
  • Achievements — Richard the Lionheart won the Battle of Arsuf against Saladin and captured Cyprus after Isaac Komnenos kidnapped his sister Joan.
  • Conflicts — Richard the Lionheart threw an Austrian flag into the moat of Acre, prompting Leopold V to kidnap and ransom him for 150,000 marks.
  • Death & succession — Richard the Lionheart died from a crossbow bolt while besieging Châlus-Chabrol after warring with his former ally Philip Augustus of France.

Runs with

Third Crusade
led English forces and co-signed Treaty of Jaffa open card →
Saladin
negotiated Treaty of Jaffa ending conflict open card →
Philip
co-led crusade, later became enemy open card →
Henry II
succeeded him as King of England open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

FTPE, name some people involved in the Third Crusade.This English king, the eldest son of Henry II, led the English forces on the Third Crusade.

H

This man declared "I am born in a rank which recognizes no superior but God" to Henry VI while he ransomed this man for 150,000 marks.

H

This man was killed by a crossbow bolt while besieging the castle Charlus-Chabrol.

H

After this ruler ordered the construction of the Chateau Gaillard (gai-ARR), blood rained on their workers.

M

This man’s sister Joan was kidnapped by Isaac Komnenos, prompting this man to launch an invasion of Cyprus.

M

Reigning English King and successor of Henry II, who led the crusade with Philip II of France.

M

King of England who left his brother John in charge while he led the Third Crusade?

E

The co-signer of the Treaty of Jaffa with Saladin this king of England during the Third Crusade.

E

This English king and son of Eleanor of Aquitaine fought in the Third Crusade, where he won the Battle of Arsuf and captured Cyprus along the way.

10 more clues from the record
H

One possibly apocryphal story about this man states that he fired at enemy troops with a crossbow while lying ill on a stretcher.

H

Before becoming king this man overthrew the Chateau de Taillebourg, and William II of Sicily imprisoned this ruler's sister Joan.

H

This ruler oversaw the construction of the Chateau Gaillard.

H

This ruler acknowledged Tancred I as king of Sicily to free their imprisoned sister via the Treaty of Messina.

H

This ruler forgave his killer by saying “live on, and by my bounty behold the light of day,” after dying whilst besieging the castle Châlus-Chabrol.

H

This ruler's prohibition of Jews at his coronation led to an anti-Jewish massacre when some nevertheless showed up to offer gifts.

H

Jacob of Orleans was killed during a massive anti-Jewish revolt that occurred after this monarch’s coronation.

H

This ruler died at Chalus-Chambrol [[shah-LOO shahm-BROHL]] after warring with his former friend and ally, Philip Augustus of France.

H

While jailed in Occitania, this man wrote "No Man is Imprisoned," after which he was moved to Trifels Castle despite Pope Celestine II's threat of excommunication.

H

This man threw an Austrian flag into the moat of Acre, prompting Leopold V to kidnap and ransom this man as he traveled through Vienna.

Watch out: His brother John, who ruled England during Richard's absence, is often confused as a crusader himself
#546 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

King John of England

King John of England
HISTORY OF ENGLAND by SAMUEL R. GARDINER · Public domain

English king · 1199–1216 · England

King John of England was the brother of Richard I who lost Normandy and was forced to sign Magna Carta in 1215.

The kit

  • Rise — King John of England gained power by exiling the chancellor William Longchamp after succeeding his brother Richard I in 1199.
  • Conflicts — King John of England was excommunicated by Pope Innocent III after refusing to accept Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury.
  • Achievements — King John of England smashed an army of the Lusignan family at the Battle of Mirabeau and captured his nephew Arthur of Brittany.
  • Legacy — King John of England was forced to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215 by barons led by Robert Fitzwalter.

Runs with

Magna Carta
forced to sign it at Runnymede in 1215 open card →
Battle of Bouvines
lost Normandy following this battle open card →
Philip
signed Treaty of Le Goulet with Philip II open card →
France
lost control of Normandy to France open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

Though he settled his claims to French land in the Treaty of Le Goulet, this ruler lost control of Normandy following the Battle of Bouvines [boo-veen].

H

This man gained power by exiling the chancellor William Longchamp.

H

This ruler signed the Treaty of Le Goulet with Philip II of France.

H

This ruler empowered Llywelyn the Great in Wales by giving him his daughter in marriage.

M

After refusing to allow Stephen Langton to become the Archbishop of Canterbury, this man was excommunicated by pope Innocent III.

M

This ruler was excommunicated by Pope Innocent III after refusing to accept the appointment of Archbishop Stephen Langton.

M

Signed the Magna Carta in 1215?

E

In 1215, this brother of Richard I was cornered at Runnymede and forced to concede numerous rights to his barons. name this English king who signed the Magna Carta.

E

A group of barons forced this ruler to sign a “Great Charter” at Runnymede in 1215. name this king of England who signed the Magna Carta.

10 more clues from the record
H

A rival claimant to this ruler’s throne, who mysteriously disappeared after being taken to Rouen, was Arthur of Brittany.

H

This man smashed an army of the Lusignan family at the Battle of Mirabeau.

H

This man’s nephew, Arthur of Brittany, was put into custody by him after this man marched on Mirabeau.

H

He's not Henry VIII, but this man did greatly upset Hugh de Lusignan by claiming he didn't receive a papal dispensation to marry his first wife so that he could subsequently marry Isabella of Angouleme.

H

Following a later battle, this monarch agreed to a treaty whose Clause 61 he subsequently disobeyed, sparking the First Barons' War.

H

His only notable act may be the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215. :Identify this rather inept English king who ruled from 1199 to 1216.

H

The Pope excommunicated him and his entire country through the interdict of 1208 because he refused to accept Stephen Langton’s appointment as archbishop.

H

This leader, who denied the appointment of Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury, faced a rebellion of 25 nobles that were led by Robert Fitzwalter.

H

Despite that victory over his nephew, Arthur of Brittany, this man was unable to prevent the loss of Normandy.

H

In 2012, seventh grader BridgeAnne d’Avignon researched that all U.S. Presidents except for one can trace their bloodlines to this king, who besieged Rochester Castle by sending an army of 40 fat pigs.

Watch out: Arthur of Brittany was John's rival claimant nephew, not a supporter
#549 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

Edward I

Edward I
Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain

English king · 1272–1307 · England

Edward I succeeded Henry III, conquered Wales, expelled England's Jews in 1290, and earned the nickname 'Hammer of the Scots.'

The kit

  • Rise — Edward I won the Battle of Evesham against Simon de Montfort, ending the Second Barons' War before becoming king.
  • Achievements — Edward I conquered Wales by defeating and killing Llewelyn the Last at the Battle of Orewin Bridge.
  • Conflicts — Edward I seized the Stone of Destiny, defeated Scots at Falkirk, and captured and hanged rebel William Wallace.
  • Legacy — Edward I issued the Edict of Expulsion removing all Jews from England and passed legal reforms including Quia Emptores.

Runs with

William Wallace
captured and hanged Wallace after defeating Scots at Falkirk open card →
Wales
conquered Wales by killing Llewelyn the Last at Orewin Bridge open card →
Scotland
nicknamed 'Hammer of the Scots' for military campaigns there open card →
Henry III
son who succeeded Henry III as king open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

This person won the Battle of Evesham against Simon de Montfort in the Second Barons’ War and joined Louis the Saint on a failed crusade.

H

Robert Burnell served as chancellor to this king, who enforced substitution as the only means of alienating lands by the terms of the statute, Quia Emptores.

H

The Treaty of Birgham declared that this ruler’s son was to marry Margaret, the Maid of Norway.

H

With Leo II of Armenia, this king warred with Baibars while still holding the title of Duke of Gascony.

M

He was nicknamed "hammer of the Scots" but faced the rebellion of William Wallace. :Name this tall English monarch who succeeded Henry III and expelled the Jews from England.

M

This monarch issued the Edict of Expulsion, which expelled all Jews from England.

M

This man seized the Stone of Destiny after his troops deposed John Balliol at the battle of Dunbar.

E

This son of Henry III captured and hanged William Wallace of Scotland. name this English king who was nicknamed for his height.

E

were expelled from England by what king who conquered Wales and was called “Hammer of the Scots”?

10 more clues from the record
H

Defeated the Scots at Falkirk and was nicknamed for his height?

H

This ruler was opposed in his attempt to tax the clergy by Robert Winchelsey's publishing of the papal bull, Clericis laicos.

H

Quia Emptores was passed during the reign of this English king, who subjugated Wales and defeated a rebellion led by William Wallace.

H

Before becoming king, this man helped relieve a siege in Tripoli in the Ninth Crusade.

H

Edward Coke described this man as an “English Justinian”, thanks to legal reforms such as Quo warranto proceedings and the Statute of Gloucester.

H

At the Battle of Orewin Bridge, this king’s forces defeated and killed Lewellyn the Last, asserting English control over Wales.

H

This man issued the statutes of Quo Warranto and Winchester with the help of his advisor Robert Burnell.

H

Oliver Cromwell overturned a policy set by this man that removed one ethnic group over suspicion of blood libel, as well as their practice of usury.

H

While leading troops for his father, this man was captured at Lewes but later escaped and defeated the rebellious Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham.

H

The Second Barons War ended under the rule of what king, whose army was defeated by William Wallace at Stirling Bridge?

Watch out: William Wallace defeated Edward's forces at Stirling Bridge, though Edward later defeated the Scots at Falkirk
#551 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

Henry VII

Henry VII
Wikipedia Loves Art participant " a rel="nofollow" va_va_val · CC BY-SA 2.5

First Tudor monarch · r. 1485–1509 · England

Henry VII was the first Tudor monarch of England who defeated Richard III at Bosworth Field in 1485, ending the Wars of the Roses.

The kit

  • Rise — Henry VII landed at Milford Haven with his uncle Jasper Tudor and defeated Richard III at Bosworth Field with help from the Stanley brothers.
  • Achievements — Henry VII established the Star Chamber as a royal council and negotiated the Treaty of Medina del Campo with Spain and Treaty of Perpetual Peace with Scotland.
  • Conflicts — Henry VII defeated pretenders Lambert Simnel at the Battle of Stoke and Perkin Warbeck, then crushed the Cornwall Rebellion at Blackheath.
  • Legacy — Henry VII's chancellor John Morton raised funds using Morton's Fork, and advisers Richard Empson defined his later reign's reputation for avarice.

Runs with

Battle of Bosworth Field
Defeated Richard III there in 1485 to claim the throne open card →
Wars of the Roses
His victory at Bosworth Field ended this dynastic conflict open card →
House of Tudor
Founded this royal dynasty as its first monarch open card →
John
Employed Chancellor John Morton who created Morton's Fork taxation method open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

Signed the Treaty of Perpetual Peace with this English king, the first Tudor monarch

H

This monarch employed Chancellor John Morton and defeated a rebellion at the Battle of Stoke; that rebellion was led by pretender Lambert Simnel.

H

The expression "Morton's Fork" is named after an adviser to this monarch, who arranged marriages for his children in the Treaty of Perpetual Peace and the Treaty of Medina del Campo.

H

This ruler allied his kingdom with Spain in the Treaty of Medina del Campo, and his chancellor John Morton raised funds from the nobility with a namesake fork.

M

Richard III was defeated by this future king at the Battle of Bosworth Field, ending the Wars of the Roses. This ruler’s son had six wives including Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.

M

Both Lambert Simnel and Perkin Warbeck rebelled against this king, who took the throne after winning the Battle of Bosworth.

M

This paternal grandson of Catherine of Valois won at Stoke Field against the pretender Lambert Simnel, and later he defeated Perkin Warbeck.

E

This monarch, who established the Star Chamber, defeated a Yorkist king with the help of the Stanley brothers at one battle.This man defeated the forces of Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field, ending the Wars of the Roses. name this first Tudor monarch and father of Henry VIII.

E

The victor of the Battle of Bosworth Field was this first Tudor king of England.

10 more clues from the record
H

This king put down the Cornwall Rebellion at the Battle of Blackheath after Parliament approved a 60,000-pound grant to aid this king in putting down Perkin Warbeck’s uprising.

H

This ruler ordered the repeal of the Titulus Regius of his predecessor, who had seized the throne by imprisoning two princes in the Tower of London.

H

This monarch signed the Treaty of Etaples with Charles the Affable to cut of support for a domestic rival and sponsored the construction of the first European drydock.

H

An advisor to this king warned him that Lord Lovell and the Stafford brothers were going to break out of their sanctuary at Colchester Abbey.

H

Early in this man’s reign, John de la Pole revolted, trying to pass off Lambert Simnel as the Earl of Warwick.

H

This man allegedly bullied Philip the Handsome of Burgundy into a trade agreement so favorable to his country it was dubbed the "Evil Agreement" by the Dutch.

H

This man ruled through a group of counselors and judges known as the Star Chamber.

H

Instead, posthumous monuments to this man included recumbent effigies created by Pietro Torrigiano. Polydore Vergil thought that “avarice” defined the last years of this ruler, who was advised by men like Thomas Savage and Richard Empson.

H

Milford Haven though small now was once described as the greatest port of Christendom. :Milford was the landing site for this man and his uncle Jasper before he made his way to Bosworth Field and deposed a nag-needing king.

H

Identify the following about a particular British monarch, .Raised by his uncle, Jasper, as a young man he fled England after a defeat of the Lancasters at Tewkesbury. He would later return to England and establish the Tudor dynasty.

Watch out: Confused with his son Henry VIII, who had six wives including Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn
#552 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

Alfred the Great

Alfred the Great
CNG - Classical Numismatic Group · CC BY-SA 2.5

Anglo-Saxon king · 9th century · Wessex, England

Alfred the Great was the only English monarch with the epithet 'the Great,' who defeated Danish invaders and codified law.

The kit

  • Rise — Alfred the Great was ceremonially anointed by Pope Leo IV as a young child during a visit to Rome.
  • Conflicts — Alfred the Great defeated the Great Heathen Army at the Battle of Edington and forced Danish king Guthrum to convert to Christianity.
  • Achievements — Alfred the Great created a military defense system of fortresses called burhs guarded by a standing militia known as the fyrd.
  • Legacy — Alfred the Great integrated the laws of Ine and Offa into his Doom Book, which prefixed the Ten Commandments to the codex.

Runs with

Wessex
King of Wessex who succeeded his brother Æthelred I open card →
Bishop
Biographer Bishop Asser related the story of the burnt cakes open card →
Vikings
Defeated the Great Heathen Army and confined Danes to the Danelaw open card →
Christianity
Forced Guthrum to convert at the Treaty of Wedmore open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

This ruler integrated the laws of king Ine and Offa into his own codex, which became known as the Doom Book.

H

This man was once yelled at by a peasant woman for letting her cakes burn while he was staying in the countryside in disguise.

H

While hiding in the Somerset marshes, this man is said to have been scolded for letting a bunch of cakes burn; that story was related by his biographer, Bishop Asser.

H

This man was once forced to hide in the home of a peasant woman in the Somerset Levels and accidentally burnt that woman’s cakes.

M

This ruler signed the Treaty of Wedmore following the Battle of Edington, forcing Guthrum’s Great Heathen Army to return to the Danelaw.

M

This man forced the Treaty of Wedmore upon one rival following the siege of Chippenham, ensuring that Guthrum converted to Christianity.

M

Victor at the Battle of Eddington, the only English king with the epithet “the great”.

E

This man defeated the Great Heathen Army at the Battle of Edington and forced the Danish king Guthrum to convert to Christianity.

E

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle was published during the reign of this “great” king from Wessex.

10 more clues from the record
H

This ruler prefixed the Ten Commandments to his Doom Book. :Name this Anglo-Saxon king of Wessex who compelled Guthrum to convert to Christianity.

H

This ruler created a military defense system in which a standing militia known as a fyrd (fihrd) guarded a network of fortresses known as burhs.

H

This man’s military reforms were the subject of the Burghal Hidage, which described how a series of defensive “burhs” were established.

H

After suffering a loss at Chippenham, this man was forced to hide in the Somerset marshes while his forces recovered.

H

Guthrum was forced to convert to Christianity after being defeated by this king at the Battle of Edington.

H

As a young child, this king was ceremonially anointed by Pope Leo IV on a visit to Rome.

H

This man successfully negotiated his opponents’ evacuation of Chippenham in the Treaty of Wedmore [WEDD-more].

H

This man created a system of “burhs” for the defense of his kingdom, which eventually became known as “boroughs”.

H

Although he is not William the Conqueror, this man created a doom book, and this man fought against Ivar the Boneless at the Battle of Ashdown.

H

After Æthelred I died, this brother of his took over as king and defeated the Great Heathen Army. This is the only English monarch to have the epithet “the Great.”

Watch out: Fought Ivar the Boneless at Ashdown, but William the Conqueror also created legal codes
#553 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

Henry V

Henry V
Public domain

English king · r. 1413–1422 · England and France

Henry V was the English king who won the Battle of Agincourt and secured the Treaty of Troyes naming him heir to France.

The kit

  • Rise — Henry V survived an arrow wound to his face treated by surgeon John Bradmore using honey as an antiseptic.
  • Achievements — Henry V besieged Harfleur and delivered the "Once more unto the breach" speech before winning Agincourt in a muddy field.
  • Conflicts — Henry V executed his former friend Sir John Oldcastle and thwarted the Southampton Plot led by Henry Scrope and Richard, Earl of Cambridge.
  • Legacy — Henry V secured the Treaty of Troyes with Charles VI, which would have made him heir to the French throne.

Runs with

Battle of Agincourt
won decisive victory with longbowmen in muddy field open card →
Hundred Years' War
major English commander who secured Treaty of Troyes open card →
BishopJohn

The ladder · 9 clues

H

Richard, the Earl of Cambridge, co-led the Southampton plot against this man.

H

Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund and this ruler signed the Treaty of Canterbury, acknowledging land claims in France.

H

This character disguises himself using Erpingham’s cloak before exchanging gloves with the soldier MicRhael Williams.

H

John Bradmore used honey as an antiseptic when he operated on an arrow wound in this man’s face.

M

This king would have inherited a throne from Charles VI under the Treaty of Troyes.

M

This man managed to flip the allegiance of the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund in the Treaty of Canterbury.

M

Henry Scrope and Richard, Earl of Cambridge, planned the Southampton Plot against this ruler to replace him with Edmund Mortimer.

E

At a charge at Harfleur, this play’s title character declares “Once more unto the breach,” and later uses the phrase “we few, we happy few, we band of brothers” to open the St. Crispin’s Day Speech. name this Shakespeare history play about the British king who won the Battle of Agincourt.

E

After capturing Harfleur, this man won a critical battle in a muddy field that would lead to the Treaty of Troyes with Charles VI. name this English king who won the Battle of Agincourt.

10 more clues from the record
H

This monarch nearly died in a ship fire while boarding the Trinité Royale in Portsmouth Harbor, and a couple years later built the flagship Grace Dieu.

H

This character says that “a good heart” is more like the sun than the moon because it always shines brightly; that speech woos his future wife, who returns his affections in French because she cannot speak English.

H

In ths play, Fluellen ironically notes that Alexander the Great killed his best friend Cleitus (CLEE-tuss) the Black.

H

Thomas Beaufort served this king, who executed his former friend, Sir John Oldcastle.

H

A character in this play claims that a sunburn could not make his face any worse looking.

H

King whose longbowmen devestated the French at Agincourt [[ah-jin-KOHR]].

H

In this play, it is said that Arthur’s bosom is the destination of the dead Falstaff.

H

This man was granted a "double-subsidy" to finance his best-known campaign, during which he besieged Harfleur and ordered the slaughter of several thousand prisoners at a later battle where the only setback he faced was a raid on his lightly-protected baggage train.

H

This man was on the losing side of a rebellion launched by Lothar of Supplinburg, the future Lothar III. :Identify this ruler who took Pope Paschal II captive. He was forced to abandon his support of Antipope Gregory VIII on threat of deposition.

H

This man controversially refused to allow several women and children to pass through his army after they had been ejected from a nearby city, so they died of starvation en masse in a nearby ditch.

Watch out: The Southampton Plot sought to replace Henry V with Edmund Mortimer, not to support him
#554 · Medieval European Rulers · Level 2

Richard III

Richard III
span lang="en" Anonymous /span Unknown author · Public domain

Last Plantagenet king · 1483–1485 · England

Richard III was the last Plantagenet monarch, a Yorkist king who died at Bosworth Field in 1485.

The kit

  • Rise — Richard III served as Lord Protector for Edward V before claiming the throne in 1483.
  • Conflicts — Richard III executed Earl Rivers and Thomas Vaughan and faced rebellion from Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.
  • Death & succession — Richard III died at the Battle of Bosworth Field after betrayal by the Stanley family ended Yorkist rule.
  • Legacy — Richard III is believed to have ordered the murder of the Princes in the Tower through James Tyrell.

Runs with

Battle of Bosworth Field
died there in 1485, defeated by Henry Tudor open card →
Tower of London
imprisoned nephews Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury there open card →
Wars of the Roses
final Yorkist king whose death ended the conflict open card →
Henry
defeated by Henry VII at Bosworth Field open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

King who imprisoned princes Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury in the Tower of London in 1483.

H

Edward IV appointed this man as “Lord of the North” until his death, and this man captured Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1482 while fighting with Alexander, Duke of Albany.

H

During a rebellion against this ruler, a gale prevented Henry Stafford from importing troops from Brittany.

H

This king served as the first Lord President of the Council of the North, which was created under his brother's reign.

M

The last Plantagenet monarch is generally considered to be this member of the House of York who died at the Battle of Bosworth Field.

M

This brother of Edward IV became the last king of England to die in battle in 1485, which helped end the Wars of the Roses.

M

Which English king lost the War of the Roses and died at Bosworth Field?

E

This man was slain at the Battle of Bosworth Field, making him the final Plantagenet ruler. name this king from the House of York during the War of the Roses.

E

The betrayal of the Stanley family led to this king’s defeat to Henry VII at the Battle of Bosworth Field, marking the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. name this final king of the house of York.

10 more clues from the record
H

The marriage of this man’s brother to Elizabeth Woodville was declared invalid in the Titulus Regius statute, allowing this man to become king.

H

This man executed Earl Rivers and Thomas Vaughan while serving as Lord Protector for Edward V, and this ruler was opposed by Henry Stafford, the 2nd Duke of Buckingham before losing to a force led by Henry Tudor in 1485.

H

This character drowns his brother in a vat of wine after claiming that he is “determined to prove a villain.” This character hires James Tyrell to murder his nephews after working with Buckingham to spread rumors of their legitimacy.

H

A character in this play relates a dream in which he escapes a tower by ship, but is knocked overboard by his brother, Clarence, who is later stabbed and drowned in wine by his brother’s henchmen.

H

This ruler claimed that his predecessor’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville was illegitimate and took the throne after supposedly ordering James Tyrell to murder the Princes in the Tower.

H

Last king of the Plantagenet dynasty, believed to have imprisoned his two young nephews in the Tower of London to take the crown for himself.

H

Shortly after this man became king, the children Richard of Shrewsbury and Edward V mysteriously disappeared after being taken to the Tower of London.

H

The Earl of Warwick secretly betrothed this man to his daughter, Isabel Neville, in an attempt to move closer to the throne.

H

The protagonist of this play is visited by a group of ghosts which make him realize “For hateful deeds committed by myself.

H

The title character of this work is referred to as a “elvish-marked, abortive, rooting hog” during a series of curses by Margaret.

Watch out: Edward V (nephew imprisoned in Tower, not succeeded)
#704 · British Monarchs · Level 2

Henry VIII

Henry VIII
bdi Workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger /span /a · Public domain

Tudor King of England · r. 1509–1547 · England

Henry VIII was the Tudor king who broke from Rome to annul his first marriage, founding the Church of England.

The kit

  • Rise — Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon, widow of his brother Arthur, after Arthur died of sweating sickness.
  • Achievements — Henry VIII wrote Defense of the Seven Sacraments attacking Martin Luther's critique of indulgences, earning the title Defender of the Faith.
  • Conflicts — Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of the monasteries, provoking the Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion led by Robert Aske in Yorkshire.
  • Legacy — Henry VIII had six wives in his pursuit of a male heir, including Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, mother of Edward VI.

Runs with

church
founded to enable his divorce open card →
Catherine of Aragon
first wife whose annulment prompted the break with Rome open card →
Anne Boleyn
second wife whom he secretly married open card →
Church of England
created after Pope refused his annulment open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

One painting depicting this monarch shows a meeting with Francis I at the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

H

This monarch tried to force Scotland to give up Queen Mary in marriage to his son in the War of the Rough Wooing.

H

Martin Luther’s attack on indulgences prompted this man to write Defense of the Seven Sacraments.

H

Tudor king of England created the Church of England?

M

This ruler arrested Cardinal Wolsey for refusing to support his annulment from Catherine of Aragon, and later broke with the Catholic Church and created the Church of England after secretly marrying Anne Boleyn. what English monarch, the father of three other English monarchs, had six wives?

M

This ruler attacked Martin Luther's critique of indulgences in the Defense of the Seven Sacraments, which earned this man the title "Defender of the Faith." Robert Aske led the Pilgrimage of Grace against this ruler after he ordered the dissolution of the monasteries. identify this monarch who founded the Church of England effectively in order to divorce the first of his six wives.

M

Monarch who broke from the Pope after he refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon?

E

English king who fathered Edward VI with Jane Seymour, one of his six wives.

E

Catherine of Aragon was the first wife of this English monarch, who was married to six women, including Anne Boleyn.

10 more clues from the record
H

This monarch enacted the dissolution of the monasteries. :Name this English king who had six different wives in his pursuit of a male heir.

H

This ruler was opposed by a Robert Aske-led movement whose red flag showed the stigmata, the Pilgrimage of Grace.

H

This man, who declared that the English king was also the King of Ireland and passed a series of laws that annexed Wales, was protested by a group of roughly 40,000 people in Yorkshire during the Pilgrimage of Grace, which opposed this man’s dissolution of the monasteries.

H

This ruler met up with Maximilian I to defeat the French at the Battle of the Spurs, though he later took part in a peaceful celebration with Francis I at the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

H

This ruler retained Boulogne under the terms of the Treaty of Ardres.

H

The Battle of Flodden Field was a victory for troops representing this English monarch. The army had been raised by Catherine of Aragon, the first of his six wives.

H

This king’s commander, Thomas Howard, defeated the Scots at Flodden Field.

H

This ruler married the widow of his brother Arthur after Arthur died of sweating sickness. :Name this second Tudor King of England. He was married six times, and famously oversaw the creation of the Church of England.

H

The carrack Mary Rose sank during the reign of this ruler, who ordered Thomas Cromwell to dissolve the monasteries.

H

This man destroyed many religious structures in his “Dissolution of the Monasteries.” name:This King of England who created the Anglican church in order to divorce his first wife.

Watch out: Cardinal Wolsey (arrested by Henry VIII for refusing to support his annulment)
#705 · British Monarchs · Level 2

Elizabeth I

Elizabeth I
bdi Unidentified painter /a · Public domain

Tudor Queen of England · 1558–1603 · England

Elizabeth I was the Tudor queen who defeated the Spanish Armada and executed Mary, Queen of Scots.

The kit

  • Rise — Elizabeth I was imprisoned in the Tower of London after Thomas Wyatt's rebellion but later succeeded to the throne in 1558.
  • Conflicts — Elizabeth I survived the Babington and Ridolfi plots to assassinate her, both uncovered by spymaster Francis Walsingham.
  • Achievements — Elizabeth I rallied troops at Tilbury with her 'heart and stomach of a king' speech before defeating the Spanish Armada in 1588.
  • Legacy — Elizabeth I declared 'video et taceo' ('I see but say nothing') and refused to prosecute non-Protestants during her reign.

Runs with

Mary, Queen of Scots
executed Mary after Walsingham uncovered plots to replace her open card →
Spanish Armada
defeated it with Drake's fireships at Gravelines open card →
Gilbert Stuart
Mary
succeeded her half-sister Mary I to throne open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

This ruler’s “spymaster,” Francis Walsingham uncovered many plots to replace this monarch with Mary, Queen of Scots.

H

The Babington and Ridolfi plots sought to assassinate this ruler but were thwarted by the advisor Francis Walsingham.

H

One of this ruler’s admirals launched a daring raid on Cadiz, boasting he had “singed the beard” of a rival king.

H

This ruler declared “video et taceo,” or “I see but say nothing,” and refused to prosecute non-Protestants.

M

The Pope Pius V issued the bull Regnans in Excelsis against this monarch, who had the Duke of Norfolk executed after the failed Ridolfi Plot.

M

This ruler ordered the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots and sent Francis Drake to defeat the Spanish Armada. name this Tudor monarch, the “Virgin Queen” of England.

M

This monarch spoke of having a “heart and stomach of a king” in a speech to troops at Tilbury.

E

This ruler rallied the troops at Tilbury, where she declared she had the “heart and stomach of a king” in opposition to an invasion of the Spanish Armada. name this daughter of Henry VIII, a “Virgin Queen” of England.

E

The Spanish Armada targeted this ruler. name this daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, the “Virgin Queen” of England.

10 more clues from the record
H

This ruler’s navy fought off one attack by using fireships to thwart enemies at the battle of Gravelines [grav-LEEN].

H

This ruler chartered the Levant Company in an attempt to form a trade alliance with the Ottoman Empire.

H

This monarch may have prompted Robert Dudley to push Amy Robsart down a flight of stairs.

H

This ruler sent Robert Devereux to quash the rebellion of Hugh O’Neill in Ireland.

H

This woman was imprisoned in the Tower of London after the rebellion of Thomas Wyatt, and Anthony Babington later attempted to assassinate her.

H

Thomas Percy and Charles Neville attempted to overthrow this monarch in the Rising of the North.

H

This ruler was granted the Cautionary Towns as security for repayment.

H

This monarch gave the Tilbury Speech before Sir Francis Drake helped to defeat the Spanish Armada.

H

Bishop John Aylmer had the misfortune of having a healthy tooth pulled to alleviate the dental fear of this Tudor queen, who gorged on marzipan and rotted her teeth.

H

Tensions in Ireland were brought forth when this ruler was declared a “servant of crime” by the papal bull Regnans in Excelcis.

Watch out: Confused with her half-sister Mary I, who preceded her as queen
#706 · British Monarchs · Level 2

Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria
bdi Alexander Bassano /span /a · Public domain

British monarch · 1837–1901 · United Kingdom

Queen Victoria reigned for 63 years during Britain's industrial and imperial zenith, becoming Empress of India in 1876.

The kit

  • Rise — Queen Victoria was raised under the strict Kensington system devised by John Conroy before ascending the throne in 1837.
  • Achievements — Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert organized the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition, showcasing British industrial might.
  • Conflicts — Queen Victoria's early reign saw the Bedchamber Crisis and Hastings Affair, though Lord Melbourne provided crucial guidance.
  • Legacy — Queen Victoria wore only black after Albert's death and employed Abdul Karim, the Munshi, as her Urdu teacher and confidant.

Runs with

Benjamin Disraeli
served as Prime Minister and formed a longtime friendship with her open card →
India
proclaimed Empress of India in 1876, only British monarch to hold this title open card →
John
rumored to be secretly married to servant John Brown open card →
Edward
survived assassination attempt by Edward Oxford early in her reign open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

During this ruler's tenure, it became popular for women to wear purple or gray dresses to show that they were in "half-mourning." The Kensington system, which educated this leader, was devised by John Conroy to instill weakness.

H

The Hastings Affair and Bedchamber Crisis tainted the beginning of this monarch’s reign, which was heavily influenced by the tutelage of Lord Melbourne.

H

British Queen who was proclaimed Empress of India in 1876.

H

Abdul Karim, "the Munshi," served this person, and this figure's husband, who was from Coburg, helped set up the Great Exhibition.

M

This monarch only wore black after the death of her husband, Prince Albert. name this 2nd longest reigning monarch in English history, who was Queen for most of the 1800s.

M

This ruler, who lost a personal union with Hanover due to Salic law, was raised with the strict Kensington system and was the first to live in Balmoral Castle.

M

Monarch after whom two Australian states were named A

E

This woman married a man who planned the 1851 Crystal Palace Exhibition. name this Queen of England who married Prince Consort Albert and ruled for over six decades.

E

The only other monarch to have a Diamond Jubilee was this 19th century queen from the house of Hanover. She was the only British monarch to hold the title "Empress of India."

10 more clues from the record
H

She was the last monarch of the house of Hanover. :Name this wife of Prince Albert, who allied herself with Benjamin Disraeli.

H

John Conroy, the lover of this ruler’s mother the Duchess of Kent, raised this ruler under the tyrannical Kensington system.

H

This woman employed the Munshi Abdul Karim as an Urdu teacher, and she described her grandson, William, as possessing "little heart and tact." This person was advised in her early rule by Lord Melbourne, before forming a longtime friendship with Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.

H

This monarch was rumored to be secretly married to her servant John Brown.

H

Gordon’s life was one of four profiled in Lytton Strachey’s book about eminent people in this era. This period of British history is named for the queen who reigned from 1837 to 1901.

H

Benjamin Disraeli served as Prime Minister during the reign of this queen, who married Prince Albert and reigned for 63 years.

H

She was also known as Alexandrina. :Name this monarch whose reign was the longest in British history until Elizabeth II’s overtook it in 2015.

H

A group of Somerset farmers gifted this ruler a massive cheese as a wedding gift. According to Shrabani Basu, this ruler befriended the royal servant Abdul “the Munshi” Karim after having his chicken curry.

H

This ruler fought with the Royal Household to ensure the rights of a rumored member of the Muslim Patriotic League, the Munshi Abdul Karim.

H

Edward Oxford tried to assassinate this ruler, whose early reign also witnessed the Hastings scandal.

Watch out: Confused with Elizabeth II, who surpassed her reign length in 2015
#707 · British Monarchs · Level 2

Charles II of England

Charles II of England
bdi John Michael Wright /span /a · Public domain

English Restoration monarch · r. 1660–1685 · England

Charles II of England restored the monarchy in 1660 after Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate, ruling through the Restoration era.

The kit

  • RiseCharles II escaped capture after the Battle of Worcester by hiding in an oak tree near Boscobel House before fleeing to France.
  • AchievementsCharles II rebuilt London after the Great Fire of London and received Tangiers and Mumbai islands as dowry from Catherine de Braganza.
  • ConflictsCharles II signed the Secret Treaty of Dover, converting to Catholicism and providing warships to assist Louis XIV against the Dutch.
  • LegacyCharles II approved the Clarendon Code, which banned non-Anglican ministers from coming within five miles of towns and their former parishes.

Runs with

Oliver Cromwell
succeeded Cromwell's Protectorate; Cromwell had executed his father after the Civil War open card →
London
rebuilt the capital after the Great Fire open card →
France
fled there after Worcester; later allied with Louis XIV open card →
English Civil War
his father was executed following this conflict open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

During this man’s rule, non-allied ministers were banned from coming within five miles of their former parishes as part of the Clarendon Code, passed by the Cavalier Parliament.

H

Nell Gwynn was one of many women to have had affairs with this man, who hid in an oak tree near Boscobel House to avoid capture after the Battle of Worcester.

H

This man’s marriage to Catherine de Braganza included a dowry of Tangiers and several islands off the coast of Mumbai.

H

As part of the Clarendon Code passed by this man, non-Anglican Church Ministers had to stay five miles away from towns.

M

Received its charter from this English king who came to power during the Restoration

M

Titus Oates invented a fictitious plot to kill this monarch in the Popish Plot.

M

The Whigs targeted this man in the Rye House Plot.

E

This king rebuilt his capital after the Great Fire of London. name this king who came to power shortly after the death of Oliver Cromwell.

E

The Convention Parliament welcomed this king, who began the English Restoration. name this king who ruled after Oliver Cromwell, who had earlier ordered the execution of his father after the English Civil War.

10 more clues from the record
H

This man escaped hidden in an oak tree at the Battle of Worcester.

H

identify the following about printing Parliamentary proceedings.This monarch who signed the Treaty of Dover renewed a Parliament printing ban following his Restoration to the English throne in 1660.

H

The chemist Christopher Kirkby delivered a letter naming one hundred Jesuits to this leader who sold Dunkirk to France, and the Treaty of Dover made him convert to Catholicism and join a fight against the Dutch.

H

During this man’s reign, he forbade banned clergymen from living close to certain districts with the Five Mile Act.

H

After his defeat at the Battle of Worcester, this leader fled to France.

H

One king of this name and number, a 14th century ruler of Navarre called “the Bad,” tried to poison the king of France.

H

During this king's reign, rumors abounded that he had a secret marriage to Lucy Walter and had hidden the certificate in a black box.

H

Under the Secret Treaty of Dover, this monarch converted to Catholicism and assisted Louis XIV (the fourteenth) with warships.

H

This man signed the Clarendon Code into law in order to prohibit non-Anglicans from holding power.

H

Was the king of Spain who died at the onset of the war, causing the succession crisis?

Watch out: Charles II of Navarre, called 'the Bad,' was a 14th-century ruler who tried to poison the French king
#708 · British Monarchs · Level 2

George III

George III
bdi Allan Ramsay /span /a · Public domain

British monarch · reigned 1760–1820 · Great Britain

George III was the British king during the American Revolution who later suffered from mental illness possibly caused by porphyria.

The kit

  • Rise — George III appointed the Earl of Bute as Prime Minister for eleven months early in his reign.
  • Conflicts — George III rejected the Olive Branch Petition and lost control over the thirteen American colonies during the Revolution.
  • Achievements — George III's reign saw the Seven Years' War and the service of William Pitt the Younger as prime minister.
  • Death & succession — George III's mental illness and blue urine led his son to become regent during his final years.

Runs with

William
William Pitt the Younger served as prime minister during his reign open card →
Lord North
Lord North passed the Townshend and Intolerable Acts under him open card →
the American Revolution
rejected the Olive Branch Petition and lost the colonies open card →
John
John Wilkes was imprisoned after mocking his speech open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

This ruler was almost killed by James Hadfield at the Drury Lane Theatre.

H

Issue 45 of the North Briton mocked a speech made by this man, leading to the imprisonment of John Wilkes.

H

The thirteen colonies were ruled by this monarch of Great Britain prior to the American Revolution. He may have suffered from porphyria.

H

This ruler’s prime minister, Lord Bute, faced rumors of an affair with this king’s mother.

M

King of England during the American Revolution.

M

The mental state of this monarch was believed to have been a symptom of a liver disease, porphyria, which may have been caused by digesting high doses of arsenic. During this man's reign, William Pitt the Younger served as prime minister and the Seven Years’ War occurred.

M

Monarch who imposed duties and other restrictions on the American colonies.

E

Lord North passed the Townshend Acts and the Intolerable Acts while serving, what English king who rejected the Olive Branch Petition.and lost control over the colonies in the American Revolution?

E

This king’s government passed a set of unpopular laws that came to be known as the Intolerable Acts. name this king of England during the American Revolution.

10 more clues from the record
H

A group of advisors to this king were dubbed “the ministry of all the talents” and included Lord Grenville.

H

George Grenville worked under this monarch, who barred expansion west of the Appalachians.

H

Mental illness during the last years of this man’s life led to his son becoming regent. :Name this British monarch whose reign saw the American Revolution and Seven Years’ War.

H

James Hadfield shot at this man at Drury Lane, but then told him "I like you very well." This man was depicted in one cartoon as a giant using a spyglass to observe a Frenchman standing in his palm.

H

This person wrote several articles under the pen name of Ralph Robinson.

H

This ruler’s blue urine indicates he may have suffered from porphyria, which could have been a cause for his madness.

H

This ruler’s miserliness was frequently satirized in cartoons that depict him as a farmer, by James Gillray.

H

This king, who proposed the Royal Marriages Act, was told to "obey and show no negligence" by the Qianlong Emperor following a George Macartney mission.

H

His reign saw a week of rioting led by Gordon in response to the Catholic Relief Act, and the Earl of Bute served as his prime minister for 11 months.

H

Margaret Nicholson was among the attempted assassins of this person, who appointed John Stuart, the Earl of Bute, as Prime Minister.

Watch out: William IV (later British king, different reign and era)
#709 · British Monarchs · Level 2

Charles I

Charles I
bdi Anthony van Dyck /span /a · Public domain

English Stuart monarch · reigned 1625–1649 · England

Charles I was the English king executed in 1649 after losing the English Civil War to Parliamentary forces.

The kit

  • Rise — Charles I succeeded James I in 1625 and controversially married the Catholic Henrietta Maria of France.
  • Conflicts — Charles I imposed unpopular ship money taxes and ruled without Parliament during the Eleven Years' Tyranny (1629–1640).
  • Death & succession — Charles I was beheaded in 1649 after his defeat at Naseby, becoming England's only executed monarch.
  • Legacy — Charles I allegedly wrote the spiritual autobiography Eikon Basilike while imprisoned, later refuted by John Milton's Eikonoklastes.

Runs with

English Civil War
Lost the war to Parliament, leading to his trial and execution open card →
Bishop
Declared Bishops' War against Scotland; appointed William Laud as Archbishop open card →
Oliver Cromwell
Defeated by Cromwell's forces; Cromwell purged Parliament before his trial open card →
Common
Faced common-law challenge from five knights over forced loans open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

William Juxon recorded this man's last speech, and John Cook declared the prosecution of this man as fighting "tyranny itself." Some of this man's last words before reaching the Banqueting House were to his children, Henry of Oatlands and Elizabeth Stuart.

H

This king's nephew, Prince Rupert of the Rhine, unsuccessfully led his army at Marston Moor and Naseby. name this king who lost the English Civil War to Oliver Cromwell and was beheaded in 1649.

H

This ruler was forced to sign the embarrassing Treaty of Ripon with the Covenanters, and his attempts to call “ship money” taxes ended in fiasco.

H

One person supported by this king authored A New Gag for An Old Goose; that man was Richard Montagu.

M

The Long Parliament was first called by this king, and it was purged by his successor, Oliver Cromwell. name this English King who succeeded James I and was executed following his loss in the English Civil War.

M

A part of this king's reign was dubbed the "Eleven Years' Tyranny." This king controversially married Henrietta Maria and appointed William Laud as Archbishop of Canterbury.

M

Before he came to power, this ruler was nearly married to the Infanta Maria Anna in the Spanish Match.

E

Stuart monarch executed during the Civil War.

E

Either William Hulet or Richard Brandon were responsible for beheading this English king, the only one to be executed.

10 more clues from the record
H

A plan to increase this ruler’s power was called “Thorough” by advisor Thomas Wentworth, the first Earl of Strafford.

H

A list of grievances against this king was collected in the Grand Remonstrance.

H

Thomas Darnell was among the “five knights” who brought a common-law challenge to this king’s “forced loans,” which he used to raise funds alongside an unconventional “ship money” tax on people living within fifteen miles of the sea.

H

John Milton refuted a book attributed to this author point-by-point in Eikonoklastes. :Name this author who allegedly wrote the pious diary Eikon Basilike. This ruler's death was preceded by Pride's Purge, in which some members of Parliament were blocked from entering the House of Commons.

H

This man's murderers fled to New Haven, where Goffe, Whalley, and Dixwell avenues commemorate them. :Name this king reviled for his attempts to raise ship money and for his marriage to the Catholic Henrietta Maria. He was beheaded in 1649.

H

While imprisoned for supporting this person, Eleanor Davies claimed to have been visited by an angel wearing a glove oiled in ambergris. This prisoner supposedly wrote the autobiography Eikon Basilike.

H

The supposed writer of the spiritual autobiography Eikon Basilike, this ruler’s advisers supported strict policies that were known as “Thorough.” Such advisers included a man assassinated during this man’s reign by John Felton.

H

The Western Rising occurred during this king’s “Eleven Years’ Tyranny,” a period that took place after he forced Parliament to dissolve. He was later beheaded during the English Civil War.

H

This King of England is said to have worn two shirts to his execution, to prevent from shivering in the cold and appearing afraid. He was killed during the English Civil War.

H

This king declared a "Bishops' War" against Scotland and was opposed by John Pym. :Name this English king who was targeted by the Petition of Right and executed in 1649.

Watch out: James I (his father and predecessor, also a Stuart king)
#710 · British Monarchs · Level 2

James II

James II
Public domain

English Stuart monarch · reigned 1685–1688 · England, Scotland, Ireland

James II was the last Catholic monarch of England, overthrown in the 1688 Glorious Revolution after three years of religious controversy.

The kit

  • Rise — James II succeeded his brother Charles II as Stuart king in 1685 and had previously served as Lord High Admiral.
  • Conflicts — James II defeated the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion at Sedgemoor in 1685, followed by the brutal Bloody Assizes trials under George Jeffreys.
  • Religious policy — James II issued the Declaration of Indulgence to ease religious restrictions, imprisoning seven bishops including William Sancroft for opposing it.
  • Death & succession — James II lost the Battle of the Boyne in Ireland and was overthrown by William and Mary in the Glorious Revolution.

Runs with

Glorious Revolution
deposed in this 1688 revolution open card →
Gilbert Stuart
Mary
overthrown by Mary and William open card →
William
overthrown by William and Mary open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

The Bloody Assizes targeted enemies of this king, whose forces won the Battle of Sedgemoor over Monmouth. This Stuart king was the last Catholic to reign in England.

H

Archibald Campbell led a rebellion in Scotland against this ruler, who took advantage of the decision in Godden v.

H

This man lost the Battle of the Boyne.

H

This king was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution, which was partly caused by his Catholicism. His reign also saw the Bloody Assizes and the Duke of Monmouth’s uprising.

M

Had this future king of England as its second governor

M

An attempt to overthrow this monarch ended at Sedgemoor with the defeat of the Duke of Monmouth’s army.

M

William Sancroft was one of seven bishops imprisoned by this leader for opposing his Declaration of Indulgence.

E

King of England overthrown by William and Mary in the 1688 Glorious Revolution.

E

This successor of Charles II served as the Stuart king before being replaced by the House of Orange. name this King of England overthrown in the Glorious Revolution.

10 more clues from the record
H

This figure corruptly removed half of the judges presiding over the court case Godden v.

H

This monarch introduced religious freedom in his kingdom with the Declaration of Indulgence, which was partially meant to protect his own Catholicism.

H

George Jeffreys was appointed by this man to severely punish the instigators of the Monmouth Rebellion in the Bloody Assizes.

H

One rebel against this king was captured in peasant garb at the meeting of the Black Cart and White Cart Waters, and revealed himself by shouting “Alas, Unfortunate Argyll !” The next rebel against this king offered six guineas to the executioner Jack Ketch to behead him in one stroke, but it took five bloody hacks anyway.

H

This husband of Mary of Modena allegedly threw the Great Seal of the realm into the Thames upon fleeing. :Name this Catholic Stuart monarch whose overreach resulted in the Glorious Revolution deposing him.

H

This leader eased religious restrictions in the Declaration of Indulgence, which resulted in the overturning of a law that mandated heavy discrimination against Roman Catholics in public office positions called the Test Act.

H

This man, the first governor of the Royal African Company, supervised recovery from the Raid on the Medway before resigning his post of Lord High Admiral following the passage of the Test Act.

H

In 1686, the unruly colonists in Massachusetts were brought into the Dominion of New England by this king, the last Catholic king of England. Two years later, this man was ousted in the Glorious Revolution.

H

While serving as Lord High Admiral, this man was blamed for disbanding the fleet before peace had been secured, allowing Michiel de Ruyter to attack at Chatham.

H

In a battle that took place two days after a disastrous naval defeat at the Battle of Beachy Head, this king abandoned his Irish supporters, causing him to be nicknamed “the shit” in Ireland.

Watch out: Not to be confused with James I, the first Stuart king of England who preceded Charles I
#711 · British Monarchs · Level 2

James I of England

James I of England
bdi Attributed to John de Critz /span /a · Public domain

English and Scottish monarch · reigned 1603–1625 · England and Scotland

James I of England united the English and Scottish crowns in 1603, beginning the Stuart dynasty and the Jacobean era.

The kit

  • Rise — James I of England inherited the throne as great-grandson of Margaret Tudor after Elizabeth I's death in 1603.
  • Achievements — James I of England commissioned a namesake Bible and convened the Hampton Court Conference with Puritans in 1604.
  • Conflicts — James I of England survived the Gunpowder Plot led by Guy Fawkes and Robert Catesby in 1605.
  • Legacy — James I of England wrote A Counterblast to Tobacco denouncing smoking and The True Law of Free Monarchies advocating divine right.

Runs with

tobacco
denounced in A Counterblast to Tobacco open card →
Bible
commissioned the King James Bible open card →
Scotland
ruled as James VI before 1603 open card →
King of England
first Stuart king of England open card →

The ladder · 9 clues

H

He denounced smoking in his pamphlet A Counterblast to Tobacco and advocated the divine right of kings in The True Law of Free Monarchies.

H

Sir Walter Raleigh plotted against this man in the Main Plot, which was paired with the Bye Plot.

H

He attempted to arrange a marriage between his son and the Infanta Maria in the Spanish Match and was called “the wisest fool in Christendom”.

H

This man was targeted by the Ruthven Raid, which briefly imprisoned him.

M

As great-grandson of Margaret Tudor, he earned the right to rule on the death of Elizabeth I. name this king who began the Jacobean era and united the crowns of Scotland and England in 1603.

M

Puritans met with this king in the Hampton Court Conference.

M

This man’s favorite George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, attempted to negotiate a marriage between this man’s son and the Infanta Maria in an affair called the Spanish Match.

E

King who first united the crowns of England and Scotland.

E

This king faced the Bye Plot and an assassination attempt carried out by Roger Catesby and Guy Fawkes known as the Gunpowder Plot. name this first Stuart King of England who commissioned a namesake Bible.

10 more clues from the record
H

The Ruthven Raid kidnapped this monarch who wrote Basilikon Doron and the True Law of Free Monarchies.

H

This man wrote the Basilikon Doron for his short-lived son Henry and failed to extract a “benevolence” from the Addled Parliament.

H

Identify the following about some Parliaments from English history, .The Addled Parliament convened during the reign of this first Stuart king of England.

H

This man tried to promote civilization by assembling the "Gentleman Adventurers of Fife." Enemy Presbyterians kidnapped him during the Ruthven Raid.

H

Plots to remove this king of England from power include the Main and Bye plots. :Identify this king whose reign was threatened by the Gunpowder plot.

H

During this king’s reign Richard Bancroft oversaw the most lasting result of the Millenary Petition, the Hampton Court Conference.

H

Catesby and Fawkes were dissident Catholics disappointed that this Protestant king, who united the Scottish and English crowns, was less tolerant of Catholics than they had hoped.

H

This author attacked the jurist George Buchanan in a pamphlet partly titled for a “reciprocal and mutual duty.” This man ordered Thomas Sackville to place a tariff on a certain good, the popularity of which he blamed on “wild, godless, slavish Indians” in his treatise A Counterblaste to Tobacco.

H

This king annoyed the Puritans by allowing activities such as Whitsun-ales and dancing on Sundays. :Name this monarch who was presented with the requests of 1,000 Puritan ministers in the Millenary Petition. This monarch's intolerance for Catholicism made him the target of Robert Catesby.

H

answer the following about the history of tobacco in Virginia:This king described smoking as “a custom loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose” and “harmful to the brain” in his treatise A Counterblaste to Tobacco. Nevertheless, in 1606 he chartered the unsuccessful Virginia Company to bring tobacco to London.

Watch out: James VI of Scotland (same person; he was James VI before becoming James I of England)
#1595 · British Monarchs · Level 3

Aethelred the Unready

Aethelred the Unready
See description · Public domain

Anglo-Saxon king · 978–1016 · England

Aethelred the Unready was an Anglo-Saxon king whose epithet meant 'ill-advised' and who paid Danegeld tributes to Vikings.

The kit

  • Rise — Aethelred the Unready came to the throne at age 12 after his half-brother Edward the Martyr was killed at Corfe Castle.
  • Achievements — Aethelred the Unready created juries in his Wantage law code, establishing 12-man thegn boards to enforce justice.
  • Conflicts — Aethelred the Unready ordered the St. Brice's Day Massacre of Danish settlers in 1002, prompting Sweyn Forkbeard's invasion.
  • Death & succession — Aethelred the Unready paid unusually large Danegeld to Thorkell the Tall and was father of Edmund Ironside.

Runs with

Edward
half-brother Edward the Martyr killed at Corfe Castle open card →
NormandyCanute the Great
King of England
held this title 978–1016 open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

This man, who created juries in his Wantage [[WAHN-tidge]] law code, paid gafol tributes for peace on the advice of Sigeric the Serious.

H

This man's half-brother, Edward, was killed at Corfe Castle.

M

Losing to the Vikings at Maldon this "poorly advised" King of England.

M

Ordered the St. Brices Day Massacre and was nicknamed for his ill-counsel?

E

This man ordered the St. Brice’s Day Massacre in an attempt to secure power, but was instead forced into exile when Sweyn Forkbeard invaded his kingdom.

E

Gunhilde, and possibly Pallig Tokesen, were killed in the St. Brice's Day Massacre which this man ordered, prompting an invasion by Sweyn [] Forkbeard.

10 more clues from the record
H

This man may have established the first jury system after issuing the Wantage Code.

H

The Archbishop of Canterbury Ælfheah was pelted to death with bones during the reign of this king , who arranged an uneasy alliance with Thorkell the Tall.

H

This king’s army was defeated at the Battle of Maldon. This father of Edmund Ironside had earlier ordered the St. Brice’s Day Massacre.

H

This king paid Thorkell the Tall an unusually large Danegeld, which may have influenced Thorkell’s decision to fight with him against Sweyn Forkbeard and Canute the Great. :Identify this English king and son of Edgar the Peaceful, whose epithet actually means “ill-advised”.

H

At Corfe Castle, this man's advisers may have murdered his half-brother, Edward the Martyr.

H

The Danegeld was offered by this English ruler, whose ineffectual attempts to stop the Danes from invading included 1002 St. Brice’s Day Massacre of Danish settlers.

H

This English king from Wessex came to the throne at the age of 12 and, despite his name meaning noble counsel or advice, was known as “the Ill-Advised” or “the Unready”

H

The battle of Maldon took place under this monarch, whose brother was killed by Queen Elfrida.

H

This king arose to the throne after his mother Ælfthryth allegedly arranged the murder of his predecessor in Corfe Castle.

H

This ruler enforced justice through the establishment of 12-man thegn boards at Wantage.

Watch out: His epithet means 'ill-advised,' not 'unready' in the modern sense
#1641 · British Monarchs · Level 3

Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary, Queen of Scots
bdi François Clouet /span /a · Public domain

Scottish queen · 1542–1587 · Scotland, England

Mary, Queen of Scots was a Catholic Stuart monarch executed by Elizabeth I after being implicated in the Babington Plot.

The kit

  • Rise — Mary, Queen of Scots was sent to France at age five after the Treaty of Greenwich arranged her betrothal, though her first husband Francis II died at sixteen.
  • Conflicts — Mary, Queen of Scots witnessed her secretary David Rizzio stabbed 50 times by a mob led by Patrick Ruthven while she was seven months pregnant.
  • Conflicts — Mary, Queen of Scots lost the Battle of Langside to the Earl of Moray after escaping imprisonment at Loch Leven Castle.
  • Death & succession — Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded after Francis Walsingham used her correspondence with Anthony Babington to convict her of treason.

Runs with

Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I executed her for treason in the Babington Plot open card →
James
gave birth to James I of England with Lord Darnley open card →
Edward
War of Rough Wooing sought her marriage to Edward VI open card →
France
sent to France at five, married Francis II open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

David Rizzio was accused of an affair with this woman; while she was seven months pregnant, Rizzio was stabbed 50 times in front of her by a mob led by Patrick Ruthven.

H

This woman’s betrothal was provided by the Treaty of Greenwich [gren-itch], and her marriage to Edward VI was the goal of the aggressors in the War of the Rough Wooing.

M

Letters sent from this person to the Earl of Bothwell, the Casket Letters, might imply this person killed her husband Lord Darnley.

M

This monarch lost the Battle of Langside to the Earl of Moray after being forced to abdicate and escaping imprisonment at Loch Leven Castle.

E

This Catholic ruler was beheaded shortly after Francis Walsingham implicated her in the Babington Plot. name this Scottish monarch who was executed by Elizabeth I.

E

This woman married Lord Darnley and gave birth to the future king James I of England.

10 more clues from the record
H

This monarch was defeated by rebels at Carberry Hill after an unpopular marriage and led troops against Regent Moray after escaping Loch Leven Castle.

H

This woman’s husband was killed by a gunpowder explosion that leveled a house at Kirk o’ Field.

H

This employer of David Rizzio’s apparent reluctance to marry initiated the so-called War of the Rough Wooing.

H

This woman defeated her half-brother in the Chaseabout Raid, and her private secretary, David Rizzio, was murdered in front of her at a party.

H

This ruler was sent to France at the age of five after a betrothal was finalized, although that marriage ended after her spouse died at sixteen.

H

Shortly before her execution, this woman embroidered the motto “In my End is my Beginning” on her cloth of estate.

H

Francis Walsingham used this woman’s correspondence with Anthony Babington to convict her of treason.

H

After this woman’s third marriage, Protestant nobles forced her surrender at the Battle of Carberry.

H

Stuart queen who tried to overthrow Elizabeth I and was subsequently executed.

H

The War of the Rough Wooing attempted to arrange a marriage between the six-year old Edward and this infant queen of Scotland. She would later marry both Francis II and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley.

Watch out: Confused with Elizabeth I, her cousin who ordered her execution
#1674 · British Monarchs · Level 3

Mary I of England

Mary I of England
bdi Antonis Mor /span /a · Public domain

Tudor Queen of England · 1553–1558 · England

Mary I of England was the Catholic Tudor monarch who executed nearly three hundred Protestants, earning the nickname 'Bloody Mary.'

The kit

  • Rise — Mary I of England succeeded Lady Jane Grey after the Third Succession Act allowed her accession to the throne.
  • Religious persecution — Mary I of England ordered bishops burned at the stake under the Heresy Acts, executing Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley.
  • Marriage & conflicts — Mary I of England married Philip II of Spain, causing severe dissent and provoking Wyatt's Rebellion against her rule.
  • Legacy — Mary I of England briefly reinstated Catholicism in England before her death and succession by Elizabeth I.

Runs with

Elizabeth I
succeeded Mary I after her death open card →
EdwardJohn
Philip II of Spain
married Mary I, causing dissent open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

The Duke of Suffolk helped lead Wyatt’s rebellion against this ruler, who also executed Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley.

H

Monarch who ordered the execution of nearly three hundred Protestants, earning the nickname "Bloody"?

M

This ruler imprisoned the author of the Book of Common Prayer, Thomas Cranmer, after she succeeded Lady Jane Grey.

M

This leader ordered bishops to be burned at the stake as part of the Heresy Acts and made Reginald Pole Archbishop of Canterbury and principal advisor.

E

Known for her violent persecutions of Protestants, name this ruler who re-Catholicized England before she was succeeded by Elizabeth I.

E

Her marriage to Philip II and her Catholicism led to severe dissent among her subjects. name this daughter of Henry VIII and sister of Elizabeth, a Queen noted for her many executions.

10 more clues from the record
H

This queen quickly became unpopular after her marriage to Philip II of Spain. name this English queen who briefly reinstated Catholicism.

H

This ruler’s reign was the subject of the final book of John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs.

H

Philip II was briefly married to this Queen of England who burned many Protestants at the stake and was succeeded by Elizabeth I.

H

The Babington plot sought to install this person on the English throne. name this person who was executed by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth I.

H

The Third Succession Act allowed the succession of this monarch, who was opposed by Wyatt’s Rebellion.

H

This person remarked “When I am dead and opened, you will find Calais written on my heart” after Calais was captured by the French.

H

Juan Luis Vives wrote an educational treatise for this monarch.

H

This monarch ordered the release of Stephen Gardiner and Edward Courtenay from prison and later executed John Dudley.

H

This monarch appointed Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon, royal envoy to Holy Roman Emperor Charles V but rejected his ambition for the throne.

H

Robert Aske led a popular revolt, known as the Pilgrimage of Grace, aiming to restore this royal to the English line of succession.

Watch out: The Babington plot involved Mary Queen of Scots, not Mary I of England
#1676 · British Monarchs · Level 3

Robert the Bruce

Robert the Bruce
National Museums Liverpool , Heather Beeton, 2020-03-24 09:1 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Scottish king · 1306–1329 · Scotland

Robert the Bruce was King of Scots who secured Scottish independence by defeating Edward II at Bannockburn in 1314.

The kit

  • Rise — Robert the Bruce murdered his rival John Comyn at Greyfriars church in Dumfries in 1306, leading to his excommunication.
  • Achievements — Robert the Bruce besieged Stirling Castle, forcing the Battle of Bannockburn where he defeated Edward II's forces.
  • Conflicts — Robert the Bruce faced early defeat at Methven by the Earl of Pembroke after being hunted down following Comyn's murder.
  • Legacy — Robert the Bruce asserted Scottish independence in the Declaration of Arbroath sent to Pope John XXII and renewed the Auld Alliance.

Runs with

John
murdered rival John Comyn at Greyfriars open card →
Edward
defeated Edward II at Bannockburn open card →
Battle of Bannockburn
besieged Stirling forcing this battle open card →
Scotland
King of Scots during independence war open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

This man asserted he was the rightful ruler of his country in a letter to Pope John XXII [22], the Declaration of Arbroath.

H

During a power struggle, this man stabbed his former ally, John Comyn, at a monastery in Dumfries.

M

This king was excommunicated after murdering John Comyn at the church of the Greyfriars.

M

This man was excommunicated by Clement V after his involvement in in the murder of John Comyn, who was nephew to this monarchs predecessor, John Balliol.

E

This man besieged Stirling Castle, forcing the Battle of Bannockburn. name this victorious king of the First War of Scottish Independence.

E

This ruler agreed to the 1326 Treaty of Corbeil with France to renew the Auld Alliance.

10 more clues from the record
H

A woman named Mary from this family was imprisoned for four years in a public cage at Roxburgh Castle after being captured by the Earl of Ross.

H

Answer some questions about the First War of Scottish Independence. .This first King of Scotland led his forces to victory over Edward II in the Battle of Bannockburn.

H

A member of this family died at the Battle of Faughart (farrt), ending their campaign to revive the High Kingship of Ireland.

H

This man’s massacre of a rival on top of an altar at Dumfries led to the Battle of the Pass of Brander, where he single handedly defeated the army of John the Lame.

H

In 1306, he quarreled with his political rival John Comyn, stabbing the latter to death in Dumfries.

H

According to legend, this monarch hid in a cave and became inspired to fight for a certain cause while watching a spider spinning a web.

H

The Earl of Pembroke was ordered to hunt down this man, handing him a disastrous loss at Methven.

H

This monarch emerged victorious over Aymer de Valence and the Earl of Pembroke at the Battle of Loudoun Hill.

H

14th century King of Scots who beat Edward II at Bannnockburn in 1314.

H

The Treaty of Corbeil renewed the Auld Alliance in 1326 when Thomas Randolph was sent by this Scottish king, who was seeking insurance for his claim to the throne afer his victory at Bannockburn.

Watch out: John Comyn was nephew to Robert's predecessor John Balliol, not a random rival
#1708 · British Monarchs · Level 3

Elizabeth II

Elizabeth II
bdi Donald McKague /span /a · Public domain

British monarch · 1952–2022 · United Kingdom

Elizabeth II reigned as Queen of the United Kingdom from 1952 until her death, becoming Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

The kit

  • Rise — Elizabeth II inherited the throne in 1952 from her father George VI after serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War Two.
  • Achievements — Elizabeth II surpassed Queen Victoria in 2007 to become Britain's longest-reigning queen, ultimately holding the record for all British monarchs.
  • Conflicts — Elizabeth II called 1992 her "annus horribilis" after two children's marriages ended, Windsor Castle caught fire, and Princess Diana published a tell-all book.
  • Legacy — Elizabeth II faced criticism for not flying flags at half-mast after Princess Diana's 1997 Paris car crash and for offshore tax accounts revealed in 2017.

Runs with

United Kingdom
reigned as its monarch from 1952 open card →
Queen Victoria
surpassed her as longest-reigning queen in 2007 open card →
George
succeeded her father George VI in 1952 open card →
John

The ladder · 6 clues

H

In the event of this person’s death, her government will carry out Operation London Bridge.

H

This person served in the Auxiliary Territorial Service during World War Two and was harshly criticized for being “out of touch” by John Grigg after the Suez Crisis.

M

In 1952, this woman inherited the throne from her father George VI, and, in 2007, surpassed Queen Victoria to become her country’s longest reigning queen. name this current monarch of England.

M

The term “annus horribilis” was used by this figure to describe a year in which two of her three children’s marriages ended and a fire broke out in Windsor Castle.

E

This woman was criticized for not flying a flag at half-mast after the death of her daughter-in-law Princess Diana. name this queen who succeeded her father George VI as the monarch of the United Kingdom.

E

This queen labeled 1992 her “annus horribilis”, in part due to a tell-all book by Princess Diana. name this current Queen of England.

10 more clues from the record
H

While this leader was traveling in Australia, unknown assailants used a large wood log in an attempt to derail this leader’s train in the Lithgow Plot.

H

Harold Macmillan referred to her namesake by saying she had "the heart and stomach of a man." She is married to Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh. name this woman who became Queen of the United Kingdom in 1952.

H

Currently reigning monarch of the United Kingdom, the longest-reigning in British history.

H

In 1992, this woman's daughter, Anne, divorced Captain Mark Phillips, while her son, Andrew, separated from Sarah Ferguson.

H

This woman’s former daughter-in-law died in a 1997 car crash in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi.

H

In 2017, the Paradise Papers revealed that this person’s Duchy of Lancaster held offshore accounts to avoid paying taxes.

H

Canadian aboriginal William Arnold Combes accused this person of kidnapping ten indigenous children.

H

Marcus Sargent fired six blank shots at this leader in 1981 during the Trooping the Colour ceremony.

H

A teenager named Marcus Sarjeant shot at this person while she was riding her horse.

H

In a hilarious 1995 incident, a prank caller pretended to be Chrétien by phoning this person, who laughed when Chrétien said “merde” or “shit” during the signing of the 1982 Constitution Act. This person referred to the year 1992 as an “annus horribilis.”

Watch out: George VI (her father, whom she succeeded)
#1767 · British Monarchs · Level 3

Canute the Great

Canute the Great
See Description (unknown) · Public domain

Danish king of England · early 11th century · England, Denmark, Norway

Canute the Great was a Danish king who defeated Edmund Ironside at Assandun and ruled the North Sea Empire.

The kit

  • Rise — Canute the Great invaded England with 200 longships during Aethelred the Unready's reign and won the Battle of Assandun.
  • Achievements — Canute the Great married Emma of Normandy and created the North Sea Empire comprising England, Denmark, and Norway.
  • Diplomacy — Canute the Great made a pilgrimage to Rome in 1027 to attend Conrad II's coronation as Holy Roman Emperor.
  • Legacy — Canute the Great's bones were desecrated by Roundhead soldiers during their sack of Winchester Cathedral in the English Civil War.

Runs with

King of England
ruled England after defeating Edmund Ironside open card →
Normandy
married Emma of Normandy, widow of Aethelred open card →
Norway
seized Norway by bribing officials under Olaf II open card →
Aethelred the Unready
invaded England during Aethelred's reign open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

This king made a politically-expedient pilgrimage to Rome to attend the coronation of Conrad II.

H

Contrary to popular belief, this other King of England was also known as the “great”. He was the son of Sweyn Forkbeard and commanded an incoming tide to not wet his feet.

M

The epithet "the Great" also belonged to this Danish king of England. This man defeated Edmund Ironside at the battle of Assandun.

M

Edward became king after his predecessor Harthacnut died without a successor, an agreement he made with this Danish born king who ruled England, Norway, and Denmark as the North Sea Empire.

E

Danish prince and king of England who created the North Sea Empire following the death of Sven Forkbeard.

E

After winning the Battle of Assandun against Edmund Ironside, this king married Aethelred the Unready's widow Emma of Normandy, and soon ruled all of England.

10 more clues from the record
H

The fifth ruler of this name may have been killed at a so-called “Bloodfeast” shortly after the Battle of Grathe Heath and was preceded by Eric III Lamb.

H

He made peace with Edmund Ironside to gain control of England, after this son of Sweyn Forkbeard invaded it during the rule of Edmund's father, Aethelred the Unready.

H

A ruler of this name whose daughter married the son of Conrad II justified killing his brother-in-law Ulf via a chess game.

H

In 1027, this man left his domain to witness the crowning of Conrad II as Holy Roman Emperor.

H

Runic Stone 194 in Uppland recounts how this monarch gave a local jarl [] named Alli a danegeld following his conquest of a foreign land.

H

This man organized a mercenary force with 200 longships to depose Edmund Ironsides, king of England, culminating in this mans' successful Siege of London.

H

This man, who married the widow of Aethelred the Unready, Emma of Normandy, seized the Kingdom of Norway after bribing officials under Olaf II.

H

Pope John XIX [[the nineteenth]] was sent a letter by this ruler in an effort to mediate a conflict between the Archbishops of Canterbury and Bremen.

H

During the English Civil War, Roundhead soldiers desecrated this man's bones along with William Rufus during their sack of Winchester Cathedral.

H

Aethelred’s son, Edmund Ironsides, was deposed by this “great” Scandinavian ruler, who won the Battle of Assandun.

Watch out: A popular legend claims Canute commanded the tide not to wet his feet to demonstrate the limits of royal power.
#1783 · British Monarchs · Level 3

Edward III of England

Edward III of England
bdi William Bruges /span /a · Public domain

English king (r. 1327–1377) · 1327–1377 · England

Edward III of England was the English king whose claim to the French throne started the Hundred Years' War in 1337.

The kit

  • RiseEdward III took power in 1330 by orchestrating a coup at Nottingham Castle against Roger Mortimer, his mother Isabella's lover.
  • AchievementsEdward III won major victories at Crécy and Poitiers and founded the Order of the Garter in 1348.
  • ConflictsEdward III passed the Statute of Labourers to address depopulation from the Black Death and campaigned unsuccessfully in Scotland during Burnt Candlemas.
  • LegacyEdward III's many children, including John of Gaunt (founder of Lancaster) and the Black Prince, eventually sparked the Wars of the Roses.

Runs with

France
William
worked with William of Wykeham to develop Windsor Castle open card →
Black Death
enacted Statute of Labourers after Black Death depopulation open card →
Edward

The ladder · 6 clues

H

English king whose claims to the throne of France began the war?

H

This husband of Philippa of Hainault executed Roger Mortimer, the lover of his mother Isabella, who had overthrown this king's father, the probable lover of Piers Gaveston.

M

Both the Good and Bad Parliaments operated under this king, whom William of Wykeham [[WIK-um]] helped develop Windsor Castle.

M

The House of Lancaster was founded by John of Gaunt, the third surviving son of this English monarch, the predecessor to Richard II whose claim to the French throne started the Hundred Years’ War.

E

This king, whose son was the Black Prince, won at Crécy and Poitiers [[pwah-TYEH]] against France. name this English king who began the Hundred Years' War.

E

This ruler rose to power after removing Roger Mortimer and formed the Order of the Garter in 1348.

10 more clues from the record
H

Under this king, Peter de la Mare was chosen as speaker.

H

English king, succeeded by Richard II, passed the Statute of Labourers?

H

Although he had already been crowned, this king took power by orchestrating a coup at Nottingham Castle against his mother’s lover Roger Mortimer.

H

British monarch who won the Battle of Crecy and instituted the Statue of Laborers to deal with the depopulation caused by the Black Death.

H

14th-century English king whose large amount of children eventually sparked the conflict that led to the Wars.

H

The "Lady of the Sun," Alice Perrers [[peh-REHR]], had an affair with this ruler.

H

This man had a troublesome mistress named Alice Perrers, and the Good Parliament convened during his rule. :Name this king of England from 1327 to 1377, who created the Order of the Garter and fought such battles as Poitiers [“pwah-tee-AY”] and Sluys [“slowss”] after starting the Hundred Years’ War.

H

Reigning effectively from the time he got Roger Mortimer sentenced to death, this husband of Philippa of Hainault gained possession of Aquitaine but gave up his pretensions to the French throne when he signed the Treaty of Calais despite his victories over John II and Philip VI.

H

He took a vow of chastity, rebuilt St. Peter’s abbey at Westminster, and did not name his great-nephew, Edgar the Ætheling, as his heir. :Name this English monarch, the son of Ethelred the Unready, who ruled from 1042 to 1066 and was canonized in 1161.

H

This king pillaged the Lothian countryside during an unsuccessful campaign against Scotland known as “Burnt Candlemas.” :Name this English king. This king’s troops moved the Black Rood of Scotland to Durham Cathedral after humiliating David II’s troops at the Battle of Neville’s Cross.

Watch out: Edward the Confessor (son of Ethelred the Unready, ruled 1042–1066, canonized 1161)
#1929 · British Monarchs · Level 3

Queen Anne

Queen Anne
Adam Moss · CC BY-SA 2.0

British monarch · 1702–1714 · Great Britain

Queen Anne was the last Stuart monarch of Britain, reigning 1702–1714 during the War of the Spanish Succession.

The kit

  • Rise — Queen Anne succeeded William III in 1702 after her only child to survive infancy, William, Duke of Gloucester, had died.
  • Achievements — Queen Anne's reign saw the Acts of Union unite England and Scotland and the Act of Settlement establish Electress Sophia as heiress.
  • Conflicts — Queen Anne's court was dominated by rivalry between Sarah Churchill and Abigail Masham, leading to Whig-Tory political shifts.
  • Legacy — Queen Anne established a Bounty for poor clergy using incomes from the Board of First Fruits during her reign.

Runs with

Blackbeard
named his ship Queen Anne's Revenge open card →
War of the Spanish Succession
American theater named Queen Anne's War open card →
William
succeeded him as monarch in 1702 open card →
House of Stuart
last monarch of this dynasty open card →

The ladder · 6 clues

H

Abigail Masham replaced this ruler’s friendship with Sarah Churchill.

H

This leader used the incomes of clergy to establish the Board of First Fruits and a namesake "Bounty" for poor clergy.

M

The Act of Settlement was passed during this ruler’s reign, establishing Electress Sophia as the heiress presumptive. name this British queen, the last monarch of the House of Stuart, during whose reign the Acts of Union united England and Scotland.

M

John Vanbrugh built Blenheim Palace for the Duke of Marlborough during this ruler’s reign.

E

The war named for this monarch was the American theater of the War of Spanish Succession.

E

The daughter of James II and predecessor of George I, name this English queen who succeeded William and Mary, the last Stuart monarch.

10 more clues from the record
H

William, Duke of Gloucester was the only child of this ruler to survive past infancy.

H

Six chapels were torched by mobs in London’s West End during the reign of this monarch, who had attended the trial of the impeached clergyman Dr. Henry Sacheverell.

H

After Henry Sacheverell preached against nonconformists, this monarch's minister Sidney Godolphin had him tried for sedition.

H

This ruler backed the Occasional Conformity Act to bar Catholics from public office.

H

Patricia Bonomi has posited that accusations of Hyde's transvestitism may have stemmed from an occasion when he dressed as this woman, his cousin and the successor to William III, or more generally from his close association with her.

H

This monarch was present at the marriage of Samuel Masham and Abigail Hill, whose connection to Tory statesman Robert Harley may have influenced this ruler to create an unprecedented 12 new peers.

H

A massive wartime budget was approved by this ruler’s Lord High Treasurer, Sidney Godolphin, who was succeeded by the October Club patron and Tory Robert Harley.

H

This ruler’s antagonism towards the Whigs resulted in an agent of Robert Harley, Abigail Masham, replacing the most prominent Whig in her inner circle, Sarah Churchill.

H

Piracy received a boost as unemployed crews turned to it after the end of the War of the Spanish Succession, whose American theater was named for this monarch. Blackbeard’s ship was named “[this monarch’s] Revenge”.

H

The early part of this queen’s reign was dominated by the Duke of Marlborough and Sidney Godolphin. :Name this British queen who succeeded William III and ruled from 1702 to 1714.

Watch out: William III (her predecessor, not her husband William, Duke of Gloucester)