Total Quiz V

Archived questions and answers to AE's history contest. See the category link below for more questions
Introduction: The fifth series of the Total Quiz history contest was held in Heavengames History Forum and run by a new quiz engine designed by All Empires founder Cyrus Shahimiri (AE Forum username). The transition to using an external engine to generate a questions form to retrieve answers marked a dramatic change in the format of the quiz. The new quiz script allowed the quiz to be run and managed more easily than before. Greater popularization of the Total Quiz attracted more users to submit questions, although many of them were simple enough to be solved with a quick search in a search engine.

-- Summary and Results --
Total Quiz V Series Champion: TJK
Quiz Title  Date  Champion  Moderator
Total Quiz V-4  Feb. 2002  Kolovrat  Serge L
Total Quiz V-3  Feb. 2002  Kolovrat, TJK  Serge L
Total Quiz V-2  Jan. 2002  Salvatore  Serge L
Total Quiz V-1  Jan. 2002  TJK  Serge L

Total Quiz questions viewing options: Click here to hide answers


Total Quiz V Part 1

1. In 166 AD the Emperor of China received gifts from the Emperor of Rome. Who were the two Emperors? (See note on the answer key)
Answer: Huan Di; Marcus Aurelius. (Comments by TJK, Quiz participant: A.D. 166 - First Roman envoy is sent, possibly by Marcus Aurelius but most likely from rich merchants in Rome's name, from the Persian Gulf who successfully arrived in October to court of Chinese monarch, Huan-ti. The event is only recorded in Chinese records.)
2. After Macbeth was killed by Malcolm in 1057 his stepson became king for a year. What was his name?
Answer: Lulach, also known as Lulach "the Stupid"
3. After the Romans in Britain - when the Angles, Saxons, Scotti and other barbarians were harrying the Romano-British borders and coast lines, the Romano-British King Vortigern hired the services of three boatloads of mercenaries commanded by two Jutes. What were the names of these Jute chieftains, and what did their names mean?
Answer: The Jute chieftains were Hengist and Horsa. Their names translate as Stallion (Hengist) and Horse (Horsa). (Comments from participants: The meaning of the names are not totally proven.)
4. How old (in years and days) was Ensign George Keppel, when he bore the Regimental Colour of the 3/14th at Waterloo?
Answer: 16 years and 5 days
5. The last Grandmaster of the Templars was burnt to death on the order of Philip IV of France in 1314. After pleading his innocence, what did he say, before he was burnt? And why were these words to be significant in later years?
Answer: There are several possible answers, due to the loose restrictions of the question. One answer: "I call upon King Philip to meet me before the tribunal of god within a year and I curse the French Monarchy until the thirteenth generation." The significance was that his words turned out to be prophetic. Fact: Philip was dead within a year, his three sons died childless; his grandson Edward the III claimed the throne of France and plunged Western Europe into the Hundred Years War. The 'thirteenth generation' was Louis XVI who died on the guillotine, his last prison being the Temple in Paris.
6. How did Peter the Great die?
Answer: He drowned in the Neva River, trying to rescue drowning sailors. According to other versions, he did not drown, but contracted a disease (fever, pneumonia, etc.) that eventually caused his death, on January 28, 1725.
7. The flagship of the Swedish Navy under Gustavus Adolphus was named what?
Answer: "Wasa" or "Vasa". The cannons of Vasa bore the molded letters G.A.R.S. for his Latinized name "Gustavus Adolphus Rex Sueciae". The Vasa sank within one nautical mile of the start of her maiden voyage in 1628 before she even left the Stockholm archipelago.
8. What is the name of Egyptian general who could best resist against Xerxes? He even killed the Persian generals Pashutan and Behruz!
Answer: Amyrtaios (alternative spell: Amyrtaeus, Amyrtaios, Amyrtaeos, Amyrteos) in Persia he is known as Amemnun, and elsewhere also as Agamemnon. (Hint Given for Round Two: he had a Greek name starting with "A"
9. What was the capital of the Lydian Empire?
Answer: Sardis
10. when the Persian general Mardonius quelled the Ionian revolts in Asia Minor at the beginning of the Persian Wars, what kind of government did he install in the Ionian cities?
Answer: Democracy
11. Which king of Sparta decided to invent the "two kings system"?
Answer: Aristodemos. Additional information from Salvatore (Quiz participant): "The last single king of Sparta was Aristodemus. According to the Spartans, the institution of the "two king system" dated from the twin sons of Aristodemus, the great-great-grandson of Heracles (Hercules). The list of kings believed to be historical and not purely legendary begins with the grandsons of Aristodemus, Agis and Eurypon, who gave their names to their respective dynasties." Comments by TJK (Quiz participant): "Dual kingship, a phenomenon unique in Greek history, was explained in Sparta by the tradition that on Aristodemus's death he had been succeeded by his twin sons (Procles 2 and Eurysthenes 1), and that this joint rule had been perpetuated."
12. Which explorer discovered the St. Lawrence river in Canada?
Answer: Jacques Cartier
13. A Holy War (Jihad) started between Persia and the Ottoman Empire in what year in the 17th Century.
Answer: 1602
14. Who founded the British Colony of Singapore in 1819?
Answer: Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles
15. What was the Zulu name for Rorke's Drift?
Answer: KwaJim (alternative spell: Kwajimu). Comments from Targan Khan (Quiz Participant): The local Zulus amongst whom he (Rorke) was well known attached his name to the area in which he lived which became known as Kwajimu or 'the place of Jim' (Source: <i>South African Military History</i>)
16. Only once in the history of Teutonic Order did the Grandmaster happened to be killed by one of his Knights. Who was this Grandmaster and who was the Knight?
Answer: Grandmaster: Werner von Orseln (also acceptabe Wernerus de Orselle ) Knight: Johann von Endorf (also acceptable John or Hans de Bindorff. Hint given for the question advancing into round two: "This happened during the reign of Wladyslaw Lokietek (Ladislavus the Short) in Poland."
17. We all know fingerprints are used worldwide as a very reliable means to identify people for investigative needs as well as other ones. In fact, fingerprints are unique even twins have different ones so they are even more reliable than the more recent DNA tests, which cannot be resolutive in case of twins. Question is: who discovered finger prints' properties and used it in a police case for the first time?
Answer: Fingerprints have been used as source of identification since the T'ang Dynasty in China, and in 8th century Japan - a thumb print could suffice for a signature on legal documents. The first crime solved using fingerprints is sometimes stated to be a murder case that occurred in ancient Rome, where a bloody hand print was later found to be the match for the killer. More recently, in 1686 Marcello Malpighi, a professor of anatomy at the University of Bologna, noted fingerprint characteristics. However, he made no mention of their value as a tool for individual identification. Similar observations by Nehemiah Grew, in 1684. The person intended to be the answer is Henry Faulds, a Scottish physician who, at the end of 19th century, moved to Japan (he was the Surgeon Superintendent of Tsukiji Hospital), and there he proposed a solution for a police case (1877) by comparing fingerprints, which were particularly evident in such situation (they've found fingerprints on a wall which didn't mach with the man who was arrested). A learned and industrious man, Dr. Faulds not only recognized the importance of fingerprints as a means of identification, but devised a method of classification as well. In October 1880, he wrote a letter to the journal Nature describing his work with fingerprints. William Herschel , who since 1858 had studied the same topic, even if from a different POV, wrote a letter in response for the next issue of the journal, and a feud ensued between these two pioneers. (HINT GIVEN for Round two: The person in the question is a Scottish physician who moved to Japan where he studied a police case in which fingerprints on the crime scene were very evident. Being convinced fingerprints could have a larger use in police cases, he contacted Charles Darwin, who, on turn passed the subject to his cousin (quoted by many of you), who, on turn, studied it for 8 years, and finally exposed his conclusiions which are still the basis of fingerprints scientific applications.)
18. In WWII, the German submarine U156 fired two torpedoes towards the British transport ship Laconia. Not knowing that there had been POW and civilians on board, U156 torpedoes made the Laconia sinking in minutes. Some hundred survived and the captain of the sub decided to help them. Not only did he pick them out of the water and attach the life rafts, but he also decided to do something unusual. What was it? Why did it end in a catastrophe?
Answer: Author's answer: The captain sent the exact position of his sub to all ships and radio stations, asking for help. Then they towed the life rafts towards a neutral harbor. By the next day, an American plane showed up, and followed the order to destroy the submarine, even they could see that the submarine was crowded with victims. They dropped two bombs, destroying life rafts, and the German commander had to dive, so more people died of his actions. (Editor's note: There may be several possible answers, depending on the interpretation of "unusual")
19. What did 'scucca' mean in Old English?
Answer: 'Demon'
Question Authors: (user who contributed the question) 1. Knight Conqueror; 2. Knight Conqueror; 3. Wulfhere; 4. Robert Edward Lee; 5. Knight Conqueror; 6. Not Available; 7. Knight Conqueror; 8. Cyrus Shahmiri; 9. jeffg006; 10. jeffg006; 11. jeffg006; 12. jeffg006; 13. Knight Conqueror; 14. Knight Conqueror; 15. F18fett; 16. TJK; 17. by Serge L; 18. Targan Khan; 19. Wulfhere;


Total Quiz V Part 2

1. The mere concept of a written constitution is itself a revolutionary idea. No longer did government have to be based upon the whims of a monarch or the commands of a dictator. In the history of the world's nations, the first written constitution was that adopted for the United States of America in 1787. What was the second written constitution and when was it adopted?
Answer: In Poland on 3rd May 1791 (3rd May Constitution). Alternative Answer: The second written constitution was the American adopted for the USA in 1787. The first was the Corsican Constitution of 1755. The Corsican Republic, however, was not a lasting state and its constitution was not recognized by many countries.
2. Six of Charles II of Spain's great grandparents were of the Habsburg. How many of his great grandparents were also his grandparents?
Answer: Two. Philip (Felipe) III of Spain and his wife Margaret of Austria were grand parents from the paternal side and great grandpaterns from maternal side. The familiy tree is much more complicated
3. In 1793 the new French Government changed the names of the months February and November on their calender. What were they changed to? (Editor: The actual "months" were more complicated than as stated in the question. See note in the answer key.
Answer: February became Ventose and November became Frimaire. Note from quiz moderator: Actually, the correspondence is not perfect, since The months of French Revolution Calender initiated from 22 September, so that, every month of "old" Calender corrisponds mainly to one "Revolutionary" month and partly to anohter. Complete list of corresponding months as follows: Vendémiaire ("vintage")= September 22 to October 21 >> Brumaire ("mist") = October 22 to November 20 << >> Frimaire ("frost") = November 21 to December 20 << Nivôse ("snow") = December 21 to January 19 >> Pluviôse ("rain") = January 20 to February 18 << >> Ventôse ("wind") = February 19 to March 20 << Germinal ("seedtime") = March 21 to April 19 Floréal ("blossom") = April 20 to May 19 Prairial ("meadow") = May 20 to June 18 Messidor ("harvest")= June 19 to July 18 Thermidor ("heat") = July 19 to August 17 Fructidor ("fruits") = August 18 to September 16
4. What state in northern Greece was allied to the Delian League in the Pelleponesean Wars?
Answer: Author's Answer: Thessaly. Note: Corcyra, Epidamnos and Byzantium were also acceptable answers; other answers might also be acceptable. (States that were in the Delian League, as opposed to being just an ally, were not accepted as correct answers).
5. Which famous Carthaginian explorer voyaged around the west coast of Africa?
Answer: The Carthaginian Hanno is mentioned as having sailed in a period of 35 days down to the Bight of Bonny, probably as far as Sherbro Island off Sierra Leone or Cape Palmas off the south-east coast of Liberia.
6. In what year Edward I defeated and slew Prince Llewellyn and subdued Wales?
Answer: The original Author's answer was 1282 (Death of Llewelyn) but for conquest and official annexation of Wales, sources span from 1282 to 1284, so I accepted all those dates. (Editor: In short, the term "subdue" was noted as open to interpretation)
7. In what field did Francis I and Henry VIII meet in 1520 to make an alliance between France and England?
Answer: When Henry met one of his rivals, King Francis I of France, just outside Calais in 1520, a complete town of tents and timber was built for the meeting. Yards of velvet, satin and cloth of gold were sent to decorate the temporary palaces. It was called "The Field of the Cloth of Gold."
8. The Blue Mosque in Istanbul was built by who? Who was the Sultan at the time?
Answer: Builder: Muhammad Aga (alternative spells: Sadefqar Mehmeti, Sedefkar Mehmet Agha, Mehmet Aða) Sultan: Ahmet (or Ahmed or Achmed, etc.)
9. With victory in WWII, Hitler intended to build, amongst other things, a great domed hall in Berlin that would be larger even than St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. The great hall would hold between 80,000 and 100,000 people. What natural phenomenon would occur to the hall during certain times of the year when the hall was filled to full capacity?
Answer: The breath from the crowd would condense in the dome and form small rainclouds, which would actually rain onto the people!
10. Hadrian's Wall in the north of England, build by the Roman Emperor Hadrian to defend from raiders from Scotland, actually cut the lands of one tribe in half. What was this tribe? (Editor: author's answer is disputed)
Answer: Author's answer: Votadini. There were other arguable answers, such as the "Picts." In addition, it was unclear and difficult to verify what exactly quantifies or qualifies as "half"
11. In 409 Ravenna was attacked by Barbarians. One King led his people in this attack and in another more famous attack as well. Who was the King, who were his people - and what was the other more famous attack?
Answer: The King was Alaric, his people the Visigoths and the more famous attack was on Rome in 410.
12. Who was called "White general"? (Quiz Moderator's Comment: we intend it as the nickname or codename of a person, not as the name of some general of the so-called "white forces" or "white army" who opposed the "red" ones during Russian Civil war)
Answer: Mikhail Skobelev. He was Russian and lived in the second half of the XIX century.
Question Authors: (user who contributed the question) 1. TJK; 2. Knight Conqueror; 3. Knight Conqueror; 4. jeffg006; 5. Jeff006; 6. Jeff006; 7. Knight Conqueror; 8. Knight Conqueror; 9. Robert Edward Lee; 10. Wulfhere; 11. Wulfhere; 12. Kolovrat;


Total Quiz V Part 3

1. During the early Roman Empire, one year is known as the "Year of the four emperors". What year was it? and Who were the four emperors?
Answer: The Year was 69 AD and the four emperors were Galba, Otho, Vitellius and Vespasian
2. Which Macedonian soldier saved Alexander the Great's life at the Battle of Granikos (Granicus) River?
Answer: Cleitus (alternative acceptable spells: Cloetus or Clitus or Klitos) "The Black". He saved Alexander's the Great life by cutting the hand of Mithridatis, who was ready to kill Alexander, and was later killed by Alexander himself in a fit of rage.
3. Which Byzantine Emperor is known as "The Greek"? (Editor: this question was considered factually incorrect)
Answer: The answer given is "Basil I" but he was known as "The Macedonian," not "The Greek." The author possibly mistyped the question.
4. In what year did William of Orange join the Calvinist Church?
Answer: 1573
5. As well as St Paul's Cathedral. Sir Christopher Wren built how many Churches in London after the Great Fire of London
Answer: The plan was to rebuild 52 churches, but 51 have been rebuilt. (Both numbers were accepted as correct answers)
6. In 1714, Russia conquered Finland through Victory in which Battle? (See note in the answer key)
Answer: Quiz moderator's note: There were two major battles, one on the sea, called battle of Gangut (or Hangue or Hangut or Hangoe), and the other one on the land, called Battle of Storkyro or of Napue or of Abo or Lappola. The question's author Knight Conqueror just indicated the latter one (Storkyro). Both were considered be acceptable by the moderator.
7. Who served as regent for the young Louis XV?
Answer: Philip (Philippe) II, Duke of Orleans (1715-1723)
8. This famous writer (and good officer) was glad to see the sea. (Multiple answers are possible; this question refers to a famous ancient Greek writer.)
Answer: The author's original answer was Xenophon, who cried "Thalassa, Thalassa" (Sea, sea!) as soon as he saw it. later, the author (question writer) mentioned that other writers such as Joseph Conrad and Jack London can also fulfill the question's requirements.
9. In Britain towards the beginning of the Dark Ages many Roman commanders made bids to become 'little emperors' by detaching lands from the Roman Empire and taking control. Three of these bids for power were made in the following years: 293, 350 and 383. Which commanders made these rebellions?
Answer: The date of the assassination of Carausius commander of the Roman British fleet, who ruled Britain as emperor until murdered by Allectus, a fellow rebel 350 - The uprising of Flavius Magnus Magnentius 383 - The uprising of Magnus Maximus
10. "Weary shall he be who rows against the wind" wrote a Dark Age poet. Of what people was this poet?
Answer: The poet was a Saxon (Hint given by the quiz moderator for round two: Please note Wulfhere asks about the people of this poet, not his name. Please consider also Wulfhere is British, and this poet's people were important for GB medieval history)
11. Who commanded the squadron that won the last battle with the participation of sailing battleships of the line
Answer: Vice-Admiral Pavel Nakhimov. (Battle of Sinop 1853). (Editor: the question appears vague and unclear but apparently it was easily answered during the quiz.)
12. In the 15th century, a European traveler first visited India. Who was he and what country was he from? India has erected a monument to this traveler.
Answer: Afanasy Nikitin (Afanasij Nikitin)- Russia (Editor: Not a well written question due to vague restrictions - he couldn't have been the absolute first traveler from Europe to reach India. Nonetheless, the question was answered without trouble.)
13. Which Persian king had no son?
Answer: Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar. Note: This question was unanswered in the Quiz. (Hint given for round two: Hint: He was a Persian king after Islam.)
14. How many Persian kings were women and what were their names
Answer: Two: Buran and Azarmidukht
Question Authors: (user who contributed the question) 1. Knight Conqueror; 2. jeffg006; 3. jeffg006; 4. Knight Conqueror; 5. Knight Conqueror; 6. Knight Conqueror; 7. Knight Conqueror; 8. TJK; 9. Wulfhere; 10. Wulfere; 11. Kolovrat; 12. Beloyar; 13. Cyrus Shahmiri; 14. Cyrus Shahmiri;


Total Quiz V Part 4

1. In 1500 Louis XII of France and Ferdinand II of Spain signed the Treaty of Granada. Which country was to divide be between France and Spain?
Answer: Kingdom of Naples. Quiz Moderator's note: there were also other treaties by the name of "Treaty of Granada"
2. The famous Prussian Field Marshall Gebhard von Blucher was born in what year?
Answer: 1742 (December 16th)
3. The Ancient city of Troy was mythologically founded by what man? (Several possible answers)
Answer: Four answers were accepted: Dardanus, Ilus, Tros, Scamander the river god
4. According to the Bible and Judaic tradition, if one committed an unintentional murder, there were six cities one could find refuge. Out of the ancient "six cities of refuge", which three were on the west side of Jordan?
Answer: Hebron (also known as Kir'iath-ar'ba or Ephraim Kiriath Arba)in Judah, Shechem (Sichon, Nablus) in Mt. Ephraim, and Kedesh (Cedes) in Naphtali
5. What was the name of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand's wife?
Answer: Sophia (or Sophie or Sofie) Chotek von Chotkova (or von Chotkovato), Bohemian noblewoman
6. Before the Gregorian Calendar came into use in Britain in 1752, which day actually was the first of the year in that country?
Answer: 25th of March (Lady Day)
7. Ottakar I ruled as King of Bohemia between what years?
Answer: 1197-1230 (or, accorcding to other sources, 1198-1230). He ruled also from 1192 to 1193, but as Duke of Bohemia, not King
8. A certain Vandal general inflicted defeats upon the barbarian invaders of Britain during 398 and 399. Who was this Vandal?
Answer: Emperor Theodosius' general, named Flavius Stiliclo, a Vandal by birth
9. What's the name of an Armenian general serving under the Persian king Darius the Great?
Answer: Dâdarši (or Dadarshi). He is known for his expedition along the Tigris to Armenia.
10. Who was the king of Sagartia in 521 BC?
Answer: Tritantaechmes (Old Persian Ciçantakhma). According to the Behistun inscription, the Medes rose in rebellion against the Persian king Darius after he had suppressed the usurper Gaumâta.
11. In the middle of East Slavic tribes of Russia in the 8th and 9th centuries, there was one Lithuanian tribe separated from their Baltic relatives. What's the name of the tribe?
Answer: Goliad' or Golyad'. You can see it on this map by Kolovrat. It's in Cyrillic, but you can identify that tribe since its name is blue surronded by red ones (Slavs)
12. Who invented the famous croissant (sweet bread) and why?
Answer: During the siege of Vienna (Austria) in the 17th century, the bakers got aware of the Ottoman attack early in the morning (because they been up for making bread) and alerted the town. In memory of that, the Empress commisionated a new sweet bread, forming the half moon of the Ottoman banners. Because the language of the nobles was French, they've called it 'Croissant' (Crescent). Sometimes, the name of the inventor is given as Kolschitsky
13. In the American Civil War, who was the Russian officer who commanded a division of the North? What was the military rank awarded to him by President Lincoln and what other war did he also fight in?
Answer: John Basil Turchin (Ivan Vasilyevich Turchaninov/Turchanov)Brigadeer General The Crimean War
14. Born on June 12th, 1908 to a typical middle class Viennese family, he attended the University of Vienna to study engineering. He joined the Nazi Party in the twenties and signed up with the SS. During WWII he proved himself to be a superior soldier and was quickly promoted from enlistee to non-commissioned officer, and finally to officer. He bravely and even arrogantly accomplished many deeds in the name of the third Reich, the most famous of which in my country. At the end of the war he gave himself up to the Americans, but eventually escaped to be never more arrested. An irreducibly Nazi, he passed the rest of his life counseling dictators, helping other war criminals to escape justice, and trying to gather the Reich's gold. He died in Madrid on July 1975, in his bed. His name?
Answer: SS-Sturmbannführer (equivalent: Colonel) Otto Skorzeny, the man who freed Mussolini from his imprisonment on Mountain Gran Sasso. As you can see on this picture, he had a big scar on his left chick, consequence of a juvenile duel with the sword, he considered an "honour mark":
Question Authors: (user who contributed the question) 1. Knight Conqueror; 2. Knight Conqueror; 3. jeffg006; 4. jeffg006; 5. jeffg006; 6. Knight Conqueror; 7. Knight Conqueror; 8. Wulfere; 9. Cyrus Shahmiri; 10. Cyrus Shahmiri; 11. Beloyar; 12. Targan Khan; 13. Beloyar; 14. Serge L;


(The questions have been edited from their original state for grammar and clarity.)

Sources: The original quizzes can still be found on Heavengames' history forum: www.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forums...