Total Quiz XVI
Archived questions and answers to AE's history contest
Total Quiz XVI was held between the 27th and 30th of July, 2007, and was composed of only 15 questions, rather than the usual 20. An uncertain lead up to the quiz resulted it being held later than usual - at the end of July. Once again, the question authors were hidden from players. In addition to previous moderators, Knights joined the quiz moderating team. Designed to be a smaller quiz, the questions used were formulated solely by the moderators - Poirot, Knights and Decebal. It saw some tough competition, with initial breakaways and last minute come-from-behinds. All in all, a splendid quiz.
-- Summary --
Quiz Moderators: Northman, Knights, Poirot, Decebal
Winner: Justinian
Total Quiz XIV
| Question 1 |
| Name the monarch nicknamed "The Spider King". (Question by poirot) |
Answer: Louis XI of France (Category: Medieval History, Difficulty: Very Easy) |
| Question 2 |
| Name the four emperors in the Year of the Four Emperors. (Question by poirot) |
Answer: Galba, Otho, Vitellius, and Vespasian. (Category: Ancient Mediterranean History, Difficulty: Very Easy) |
| Question 3 |
| What was the name for an ignited address aimed at condemning another political figure, made famous by two great Greek and Roman orators. (Question by Knights) |
Answer: A Philippic. Demosthenes delivered his Philippics to Philip II of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, while Cicero aimed his at Mark Antony, right hand man of Julius Caesar. |
| Question 4 |
| Three’s Company. Born within a span of five years and dead within three years of each other, these three men defined the political arena of a young nation. One represented the North, another represented the South, and the third the West. All three statesmen were famous orators and held powerful positions, but none achieved the highest office. Name the three men. (Question by poirot) |
Answer: Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, and Henry Clay. (Category: United States History, Difficulty: Easy) |
| Question 5 |
| Tooth and Nails. He was a great general whose deeds have found fame in the Eurasian continent. He was well known by a name that meant "arrow" in his native tongue, partly because he was a deadly archer. He achieved elite status among the best warriors of his people, and was often referred to as one of the fierce "dogs" serving a famous conqueror. Who was he? (Question by poirot) |
Answer: Jebe, which meant "arrow" in Mongolian. He joined Subotai and Jeleme as one of Chingghis Khan's loyal and fierce "wardogs". (Category: Steppe History, Difficulty: Fairly Easy) |
| Question 6 |
| Aunt and Niece. Both aunt and niece originally shared the same name. The aunt married a famous writer, while the niece married a famous actor. Coincidently, the famous writer and famous actor were actually uncle and nephew. The niece launched her own acting career and despite her background, became a favorite of a notorious politician. What was the name shared by the aunt and the niece? (Question by poirot) |
Answer: Olga Knipper. The aunt married Anton Chekhov, while the niece married Mikhail Chekhov, Anton’s nephew. The younger Olga later divorced her husband, but kept the Chekhova surname. Despite her ex-husband’s Jewish background, she became a favorite actress of Adolf Hitler. It was later discovered that Olga Chekhova might have been a Soviet spy. (Category: East European History and Twentieth Century Difficulty: Fairly Easy) |
| Question 7 |
| Control and Consolidation. Her father and mother were both capable monarchs whose union helped consolidate lands and build a new power. Her husband came from a prestigious family whose power lasted for hundreds of years. Her son would inherit vast lands from both paternal and maternal sides, enjoying an empire seemingly without bounds. Yet, despite all that, she spent much of her life in virtual captivity, locked up by either her father or her son. Who was she? (Question by poirot) |
Answer: She was Juana the Mad. Her parents were Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabel of Castille. Her husband was Phillip the Handsome, the son of Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and Mary of Burgundy. Her son was Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who inherited Austria and much of the Burgundian Neatherlands from his paternal side, and Aragon, Castille, and New World findings from his maternal side. Juana the Mad was kept in Tordesillas by her father and son for the latter years of her life. (Category: European History, Difficulty: Fairly Easy) |
| Question 8 |
| Up and Down. This civilization derived parts of its culture from a more advanced neighboring culture, and for a relatively brief period of time, its power extended north, establishing a line of rulers that also controlled lands of the neighboring civilization. An extremely militant foreign power invaded, and after a series of events, those lands were lost. Subsequently, the centre of activity shifted south, and the capital was moved to another city. The new capital city flourished and gradually became famous for a unique set of graves. Name the city. (Question by poirot) |
Answer: Meroe. The Nubian Kush civilization derived parts of its culture from Ancient Egypt. Amidst the turmoil following the New Kingdom, Kush*tes based from the city of Napata controlled Upper Egypt and later added Lower Egypt to the mix, establishing the Twenty-Fifth dynasty. After a clash with the Assyrians, Kush*te control over Egypt waned, and the next Egyptian dynasty drove the foreign rulers back to Nubia, where the center of activity shifted southwards, to Meroe. Meroe became famous for its pyramids, in which Nubian monarchs were entombed in the Egyptian style. (Category: Ancient History and African History, Difficulty: Medium) |
| Question 9 |
| Charm and Chameleon. She was born from an ordinary background, but eventually captured the eyes and ears of an entire continent through extraordinary means. Best known by a charming foreign name, she reinvented herself as a goddess, dressing in exotic garbs and mystifying herself with ever changing tales from far away lands. Despite a lack of stunning beauty, she became the symbol of sexual freedom, and the jewel of very influential men. Nevertheless, her chameleon-like charm proved detrimental during hard times, as she was eventually accused as a traitor and executed. Who was she? (Question by poirot) |
Answer: She was Margaretha Zelle, better known as Mata Hari, the exotic Eastern style dancer and courtesan who burst into the Parisian scene in the early 1900s. Although born from an ordinary Dutch Family, Margaretha reinvented herself as an Eastern goddess, and incorporated foreign dance styles she witnessed during a stay in Java into her performance. She told the press ever changing tales of her fake upbringing in the Orient, which intrigued the public, and made her a symbol of exotic female promiscuity. During the latter stages of World War I, her reputation as a mysterious persona made her a target, as she was subsequently accused of being a German spy, tried, and executed by firing squad. (Category: Cultural History and Famous Women, Difficulty: Medium) |
| Question 10 |
| Sense and Sensibility. Known for his sense of fairness and judicial talents, he was chosen as the supreme leader. He brought unity and order to a previously disorderly people, but despite his fair reputation as an arbitrator, decided to make him less accessible, and thus heighten his distinction, by spending most of his time in a newly constructed palace. One of his descendants would blaze new ground and found an empire with unprecedented power and riches. His ascendancy to power was recorded by a famous historian, whose work gave us exciting accounts of the struggles between two great civilizations. Name the leader. (Question by poirot) |
Answer: The leader is Deioces, first king of the Medes. Known for his judicial powers, he was elected king by the Median tribes. Deioces famously demanded a great palace be built for him in Ecbatana, the new capital, and spent most of his time in the palace, away from his subjects. One of his descendants, Cyrus (distantly related through Cyrus' mother), would later found the first Persian Empire, and lay foundations for its greatness. Deioces’ ascendancy to power is mentioned in Herodotus’ The Histories, which details the struggle between the Greek city states and the mighty Persian Empire. (Category: Ancient History and Iranian History, Difficulty: Medium) |
| Question 11 |
| Calm and Calamity. An arrogant army easily entered into foreign territory, intent on toying with local politics. The existing ruler was driven out, and a new, more obedient puppet ruler was installed. All seemed well, until arrogance and ignorance bred hatred among the locals, leading to revolts that spiraled out of control. The once arrogant army surrendered to the exiled ruler’s son, and despite being guaranteed a safe exit, the soldiers and their followers were ruthlessly hunted down on their retreat route. Only one person successfully made the journey home. Name the lone survivor. (Question by poirot) |
Answer: The lone survivor was Dr. William Brydon, an accompanying army surgeon. In 1839, the British army marched to Afghanistan, intent on replacing Dost Mahomed, the current ruler, with a more compliant puppet, Shah Soojah. The operation was initially successful, and the British soon captured Kabul, with Dost Mahomed fleeing to the Hindu Kush. Yet, British arrogance and ignorance of Afghan customs infuriated the locals, and in 1841, Akbar Khan, the son of Dost Mahomed, led successful revolts against the occupation. The British were forced to surrender, and the 4500 strong army, along with its 12000 camp followers, endured a humiliating retreat. Soldiers and camp followers were massacred on their trek back to India, and only one escapee, Dr. William Brydon, competed the journey back to Jalalabad fort. (Category: Central Asian History and Colonial History, Difficulty: Medium) |
| Question 12 |
| A Tale of Two Nonconformists. According to one type of calendar, these two exemplary and eccentric figures died in the same year. Both were extraordinary men, nonconformists to be exact, and both helped radiate a beacon of light in a time of relative darkness, providing a jolt of energy for an empire that had lost its previous vigor. One was a military man whose highly innovative tactics and defenses against foreign forces were a rarity during a period of decaying military presence. The other was a civil servant whose moral uptightness and untainted reputation defied the widespread corruption around him. Centuries later, a famous play written about the civil servant brought controversy, and was commonly seen as the spark for a tumultuous Twentieth Century movement. Name the two men. (Question by poirot) |
Answer: The two men are Qi Jiguang and Hai Rui, nonconformist figures of the late Ming dynasty China. Both died in the Fifteenth Year of Emperor Wanli, which roughly spanned from February 1587 to February 1588. Born from a hereditary military family, Qi Jiguang revamped part of the decaying Ming military, devising innovative defensive tactics against Japanese pirates and Mongolian raiders of Altan Khan. Initially a low level civil servant, Hai Rui earned fame for his outspoken criticism against Emperor Jiajing and the corrupt bureaucracy that burdened the Ming Empire. In the Twentieth Century, a play about Hai Rui brought controversy when Mao Zedong interpreted its portrayal of Emperor Jiajing as an indirect reference to himself. Many believe that the play may have sparked the Chinese Cultural Revolution. (Category: East Asian History and Famous Men, Difficulty: Very Hard) |
| Question 13 |
| Fighting on a front thousands of miles from home, I first led an assault against an island occupied by another colonial power. Following the successful capture of this island, I swept the seas hastily after news of my countryman's distress. In the blink of an eye, in my ship of "victory", I swiftly returned to the first island to recapture a ship captured by the ever present opposing power. Shortly after, I ordered an offensive against a key nearby island, securing it from the previous occupants. This ended the conflict in this particular theater. Despite my accomplishments, I died as what some may see as unfulfilled. Who am I? (Question by Knights) |
Answer: I am Admiral Sir Josias Rowley. Born in 1765 in Ireland. Serving the British, I commanded the campaign to capture Mauritius and Reunion Island in 1810. I later died unmarried, and without an heir, in 1842. |
| Question 14 |
| He was a man of humble origins in an opressed country. He became involved in its liberation movement and was subsequently the first to be elevated to an impressive position. His views however were not well regarded by certain foreign countries. After a civil war, he was deposed and assasinated. The foreign involvement in these events was and still is quite controversial. Who is he? (Question by Decebal) |
Answer: Patrice Lumumba |
| Question 15 |
| This was a fabled city, which combined religious and political influence for hundreds of years. A state capital for several kingdoms for many years, it became a centre of learning and religion, attracting pilgrims from a huge area due in part to the very many religious buildings in the city. The city fell into political but not religious decline after the last kingdom which it ruled was attacked by a foreign superpower. What is the name of this city? (Question by Decebal) |
Answer: Bagan (situated in Burma/Myanmar) |
Original Quiz Thread: The original thread for the quiz, on the forum, can be found here:
http://www.allempires.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=20927&PN=1
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