129 Fun Facts About Kings & Royalty

Which English king was forced to seal the Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215?

King John sealed the Magna Carta at Runnymede on June 15, 1215. The charter was a peace treaty between the king and his rebellious barons, guaranteeing feudal rights and limiting royal power.

What famous nickname was given to Louis XIV of France?

Louis XIV was the Sun King (le Roi Soleil): he took the sun as his emblem after dancing the role of Apollo, the sun god, in the 1653 Ballet de la Nuit.

How many wives did King Henry VIII of England have?

Henry VIII had six wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, and Catherine Parr. Their fates are often remembered as: divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived.

In what year did William the Conqueror win the Battle of Hastings?

William won the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold Godwinson, whose army had marched south after beating Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge three weeks earlier.

Which ancient Egyptian pharaoh's tomb was discovered by Howard Carter in 1922?

Howard Carter discovered the nearly intact tomb of the young pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt's Valley of the Kings on November 4, 1922. It was one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century.

Roughly how many years did Louis XIV reign as King of France?

Louis XIV reigned for 72 years, from 1643, when he inherited the throne aged four, until his death at Versailles in September 1715, the longest verified reign of any sovereign monarch.

What was the first language of Cleopatra, the last active pharaoh of Egypt?

Cleopatra's first language was Koine Greek, the tongue of her Macedonian Greek dynasty; Plutarch wrote that she was the first of her line to learn Egyptian as well.

What is the name of the palace built by Louis XIV outside Paris?

Louis XIV transformed a hunting lodge into the magnificent Palace of Versailles, which became the seat of French royal power. Construction and expansion continued throughout his reign, and it remains one of the most visited landmarks in the world.

Which country has the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world?

Japan's imperial house is the world's oldest continuous hereditary monarchy; tradition dates it to Emperor Jimmu in 660 BC, though historians regard the first several emperors as legendary.

How old was Alexander the Great when he died in Babylon in June 323 BC?

He died at 32 in June 323 BC in Nebuchadnezzar II's palace, having built an empire from Greece to northwestern India.

On what date was King Charles III crowned at Westminster Abbey?

Charles III was crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023, eight months after acceding on the death of Elizabeth II; Buckingham Palace announced the date in October 2022.

Which Russian tsar traveled incognito across Europe on the "Grand Embassy" of 1697?

Peter the Great travelled as 'Peter Mikhailov' on the 1697-98 Grand Embassy, even working as a shipwright at the Dutch East India Company yard in Amsterdam.

Which English king spent only about six months of his ten-year reign in England?

Richard I, the Lionheart, spent barely six months of his 1189-1199 reign in England; the rest went to crusading in the Holy Land, captivity in Germany, and defending his French lands.

Generations of cousin marriages gave which European dynasty a protruding lower jaw that now bears the family's name?

The Habsburgs' jaw, mandibular prognathism, was common in both the Spanish and Austrian branches of the family.

Which queen of France was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution?

Marie Antoinette, the Austrian-born queen of France, was guillotined in Paris on 16 October 1793 after a two-day trial in which the Revolutionary Tribunal convicted her of high treason.

Who was the only woman in Chinese history to officially hold the title of Emperor?

Wu Zetian proclaimed her own Zhou dynasty in 690 in place of the Tang and ruled as emperor until a coup restored the Tang in 705.

Which conqueror founded the largest contiguous land empire in world history?

Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous land empire in world history, eventually covering about 9 million square miles. He unified the Mongol tribes and was proclaimed their ruler in 1206.

In which year was Queen Elizabeth II's coronation ceremony held?

Elizabeth II was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 2 June 1953, sixteen months after acceding in February 1952; it was the first British coronation to be televised in full.

Which British monarch gave her name to an entire era spanning much of the 19th century?

Her reign ran from June 1837 to January 1901, and historians often split it into early, mid and late Victorian phases.

On what Christian holiday was Charlemagne crowned Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III?

Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Emperor of the Romans on Christmas Day, December 25, 800 CE, at Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. He was the first emperor in the West since the fall of Rome in 476 CE.

Which of Henry VIII's wives was beheaded in 1536 after being accused of adultery and treason?

Anne Boleyn, Henry's second wife, was beheaded at the Tower of London on 19 May 1536 after being convicted of adultery and treason; their daughter became Elizabeth I.

Why did Tsar Peter I tax beards in 1698?

Peter I taxed beards to make his subjects look Western, part of his drive to remodel Russia on European lines; those who paid carried a copper 'beard token' as proof.

Where are the British Crown Jewels kept and displayed?

The Crown Jewels have been stored and displayed at the Tower of London since 1661. The collection contains 23,578 gemstones and includes items still used by the monarch for state ceremonies.

According to the Bible, which king of Israel was renowned for his extraordinary wisdom?

Solomon, son of David, asked God for wisdom rather than long life or riches (1 Kings 3); his judgment between two women claiming the same baby became the byword for royal wisdom.

Which royal line, Macedonian Greek in origin, did Cleopatra belong to?

The Ptolemaic dynasty descended from Ptolemy I Soter, a general and companion of Alexander the Great; Cleopatra VII was its last active ruler, dying in 30 BC.

The boy pharaoh whose tomb Howard Carter opened in 1922 died at approximately what age?

Tutankhamun died at about 18, around 1323 BC, after a reign of roughly ten years that began when he was nine; born Tutankhaten, he restored the old gods Akhenaten had swept aside.

Which king is the only native-born English monarch to carry the epithet 'the Great'?

Alfred the Great, king of Wessex 871-899, is the only native-born English monarch styled 'the Great'; the epithet, first recorded in the 13th century, honours his defence of Wessex against the Vikings.

What additional title did Parliament vote to grant Victoria in 1876?

The Royal Titles Act of 1876, steered through Parliament by Disraeli, made Victoria Empress of India; her successors held the title until George VI dropped it in 1948, after Indian independence.

Which king of Spain, the last of his line, was so inbred his jaw kept him from chewing food properly?

Charles II of Spain, the last Spanish Habsburg, was born to an uncle-niece marriage; his death without heirs in 1700 triggered the War of the Spanish Succession and brought the Bourbons to Spain.

Which city, founded by the tsar in 1703 on a captured Swedish fortress site, became Russia's 'window to the West'?

It was named for the apostle Saint Peter, not its founder, and served as capital from 1712 until 1918.

Which numbered crusade, prompted by Saladin's 1187 capture of Jerusalem, was led by three monarchs?

The Third Crusade (1189–1192) set out after Saladin took Jerusalem; Frederick I drowned en route and Philip II went home early, leaving Richard I in command.

What document, recorded in the Domesday Book, was commissioned by William the Conqueror?

The Domesday Book, commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1085 and completed in 1086, was a comprehensive survey of English landholdings and resources. It was used to determine taxes owed and remains one of the most remarkable documents in English history.

Which Crown Jewels diamond is claimed by India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan?

The Koh-i-Noor ('Mountain of Light') is a 105.6-carat diamond originally from India. It passed through Mughal, Persian, Afghan, and Sikh hands before being acquired by the British. Multiple countries have demanded its return.

Who was the last Tsar of Russia before the Russian Revolution?

Nicholas II was the last Tsar of Russia, reigning from 1894 until his forced abdication in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. He and his family were executed by the Bolsheviks in July 1918.

Which 1534 Act of Parliament made Henry VIII head of the Church of England?

The Act of Supremacy, passed in November 1534, declared Henry VIII Supreme Head of the Church of England after the Pope refused to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon.

According to the Bible, which Babylonian king destroyed the First Temple in Jerusalem?

Nebuchadnezzar II's armies breached Jerusalem's walls after a 30-month siege in 587/6 BCE; no positively identified remains of the temple have ever been found.

Emperor Hirohito's reign, the longest in Japanese history, ran for how long?

Hirohito reigned 62 years and 13 days, from December 1926 to January 1989, the longest reign of any Japanese emperor.

Which Roman general allied with Cleopatra VII against Octavian before their defeat at the Battle of Actium?

Mark Antony killed himself when Octavian's forces invaded Egypt in 30 BC, ending three centuries of Greek rule on the Nile.

What was the name of the tapestry that depicts the events leading up to the Battle of Hastings?

The Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres long, depicts the events leading to the Battle of Hastings in 1066; it was probably commissioned by Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, William's half-brother.

Which French king was executed by guillotine during the French Revolution?

Louis XVI was found guilty and executed by guillotine on January 21, 1793, during the French Revolution. He had been King of France since 1774 until the monarchy was abolished in September 1792.

Which ancient kingdom was Alexander the Great the ruler of before he began his conquests?

Alexander became King of Macedonia in 336 BC after the assassination of his father, Philip II. From this base, he launched his extraordinary military campaigns that would create one of the largest empires in ancient history.

What significant event regarding British monarchy occurred on September 8, 2022?

Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, at the age of 96. She had reigned for 70 years and 214 days, making her the longest-reigning British monarch in history.

Which royal house has held the British throne since it was renamed in July 1917?

Windsor was chosen from the royal residence in Berkshire when George V dropped the German name Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in July 1917.

Which pharaoh, considered ancient Egypt's greatest builder, commissioned the temples at Abu Simbel?

Ramesses II (Ramesses the Great) reigned for approximately 66 years and was ancient Egypt's greatest builder. His monumental constructions include the temples at Abu Simbel and additions to the Karnak and Luxor temples.

Which Tudor monarch reigned over England's 'Golden Age' and never married?

Elizabeth I, the 'Virgin Queen', reigned from 1558 to 1603 without ever marrying; her reign saw the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588 and the rise of Shakespeare's theatre.

Which king of Scotland was killed at the Battle of Flodden in 1513?

James IV of Scotland died at Flodden Field in Northumberland on 9 September 1513, the last monarch in Britain killed in battle, after invading England while Henry VIII campaigned in France.

Which legendary king is associated with the Knights of the Round Table and the sword Excalibur?

King Arthur is a legendary British king featured in medieval stories, associated with the Knights of the Round Table, the wizard Merlin, and the magical sword Excalibur. Whether Arthur was based on a real historical figure remains debated.

Catherine the Great came to power in 1762 through a coup against which ruler, her own husband?

Peter III, Catherine's husband and second cousin, was deposed in her coup of June 1762 after six months on the throne and died in custody days later, probably murdered by her supporters.

What did Emperor Hirohito publicly renounce in 1946?

In January 1946, Emperor Hirohito publicly renounced his divine status in what is known as the 'Declaration of Humanity.' This was a pivotal moment in post-World War II Japan, signaling the nation's move toward a constitutional monarchy.

Which king of England was defeated at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485, ending the Wars of the Roses?

Richard III was defeated and killed at the Battle of Bosworth Field on August 22, 1485. His remains were discovered under a parking lot in Leicester in 2012. His defeat ended the Plantagenet dynasty and began the Tudor era under Henry VII.

How many Commonwealth realms had Charles III as head of state when he acceded in 2022?

Fifteen realms recognised Charles III on his accession in September 2022. Elizabeth II had been queen of 32 sovereign states during her lifetime.

Besides the UK, which countries all crown their monarchs in coronation ceremonies?

Tonga, Thailand, Malaysia and Eswatini all crown their monarchs: Thailand's Vajiralongkorn was crowned in 2019, Tonga's Tupou VI in 2015, and Malaysia installs each elected king in a pertabalan ceremony.

Which monarch has the longest verifiable reign in recorded history, at 82 years and 254 days?

Sobhuza II of Swaziland reigned 82 years, from December 1899, when he was chosen king at four months old, until his death in August 1982, the longest verifiable reign of any monarch.

Which country was Bhumibol Adulyadej, King of Thailand for 70 years, born in?

He grew up in Switzerland after the 1932 Siamese revolution.

Which monarch became the longest-reigning living sovereign when Elizabeth II died in 2022?

Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei since October 1967, became the longest-reigning living monarch on Elizabeth II's death in September 2022, after 55 years on the throne.

Which African king renamed his country Eswatini in 2018?

Mswati III renamed Swaziland as Eswatini in April 2018, marking 50 years of independence and his own 50th birthday; he rules sub-Saharan Africa's last absolute monarchy.

Which queen abdicated in January 2024 after exactly 52 years on the throne?

Margrethe II abdicated on 14 January 2024, 52 years to the day after her accession, and was succeeded by her son Frederik X; she had illustrated a Danish edition of Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.

In which sport did King Harald V of Norway compete at three Olympic Games?

Harald V, then Crown Prince, sailed for Norway at the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympics; his father Olav V had won a sailing gold medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Games.

Which 1974 document formally stripped the Swedish king of his executive powers?

The 1974 Instrument of Government, in force from 1975, removed the Swedish monarch's remaining formal powers, leaving Carl XVI Gustaf purely ceremonial duties such as opening the Riksdag.

Which law did Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg refuse to sign in 2008, sparking a crisis?

Grand Duke Henri refused on grounds of conscience to sign Luxembourg's euthanasia law in December 2008, so the constitution was amended to remove the need for his assent; the law took effect in 2009.

Prince Albert II of Monaco competed at Winter Olympics in which sport?

Albert II competed in bobsleigh for Monaco at five Winter Olympics, from Calgary 1988 to Salt Lake City 2002, driving in both two-man and four-man events.

A 2003 referendum expanded the powers of which European prince?

Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein won a March 2003 referendum giving him the power to dismiss the government and veto laws; he handed day-to-day duties to his son Alois in August 2004.

Which Saudi king issued a 2017 decree allowing women to drive?

King Salman issued the decree in September 2017 and Saudi women began driving legally in June 2018; the reform was pushed by his son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Which king of Lesotho declared HIV/AIDS a natural disaster in 2000?

Letsie III declared HIV/AIDS a natural disaster in 2000, when roughly a quarter of Lesotho's adults were infected; his father Moshoeshoe II had been forced into exile in 1990.

Which language did Mohammed VI make an official national language of Morocco alongside Arabic?

Standard Moroccan Amazigh (Berber) became an official language alongside Arabic under Morocco's 2011 constitution, and in 2023 Mohammed VI made the Amazigh New Year, Yennayer, a national holiday.

Vajiralongkorn is which numbered monarch of Thailand's Chakri dynasty?

Vajiralongkorn is Rama X, the tenth Chakri king; he succeeded his father Bhumibol (Rama IX) in October 2016 and was crowned in May 2019.

Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni worked in what artistic field before his reign?

Norodom Sihamoni trained in classical ballet in Prague, danced and taught in Paris for years, and served as Cambodia's ambassador to UNESCO before becoming king in 2004.

Which guiding principle of governance is the king of Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdom, known for championing?

Gross National Happiness is Bhutan's guiding principle, championed by a king who became the world's youngest reigning monarch at 26 in 2006.

Which Pacific king was previously his country's prime minister from 2000 to 2006?

Tupou VI served as Tonga's prime minister from 2000 to 2006 under his father Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV, then as high commissioner to Australia, before succeeding his brother George Tupou V in 2012.

Emperor Naruhito is which numbered monarch in Japan's traditional order?

Naruhito is counted as the 126th emperor in Japan's traditional order, which begins with the legendary Jimmu; he acceded on 1 May 2019, opening the Reiwa era.

Which Qing emperor's 61-year reign is the longest in Chinese history?

Kangxi reigned from 1661 to 1722, 61 years, the longest of any Chinese emperor; his grandson Qianlong abdicated after 60 years in 1796 so as not to surpass him.

Which title did Qin Shi Huang invent instead of reusing the word for 'king'?

Qin Shi Huang coined 'Huangdi' in 221 BC, combining the characters of the legendary Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, and Chinese rulers used the title for the next two millennia.

Which brutal war around 260 BCE turned Ashoka toward Buddhism?

The Kalinga War, fought around 261 BCE on India's east coast, cost perhaps 100,000 lives; Ashoka's remorse turned him to Buddhism and his edicts then promoted 'dhamma'.

Which syncretic creed did the Mughal emperor Akbar promulgate?

Akbar promulgated Din-i Ilahi, the 'Religion of God', in 1582; it drew on Islam, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Christianity and never won more than a handful of courtiers.

Which 1529 siege stopped Suleiman the Magnificent's advance into Europe?

The 1529 Siege of Vienna failed after Suleiman's army, slowed by autumn rains and short of heavy guns, could not breach the walls; the Ottomans failed again before Vienna in 1683.

Which Persian king founded the Achaemenid Empire?

Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire around 550 BC by overthrowing the Medes, then conquered Lydia and, in 539 BC, the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

Darius the Great divided his empire into provinces run by officials called what?

Darius the Great governed his provinces, or satrapies, through satraps, royal governors answerable to him; he also made Aramaic a co-official administrative language.

Which strait did Xerxes cross with his army into Europe in 480 BC?

Xerxes crossed the Hellespont (the Dardanelles) on two pontoon bridges at Abydos in 480 BC; Herodotus says he had the strait whipped after a storm wrecked the first bridges.

Which female pharaoh initially ruled as regent for her stepson Thutmose III?

Hatshepsut ruled as regent for her stepson Thutmose III from about 1479 BC before taking full pharaonic titles; her statues show her in male royal garb, including the false beard.

By what name did ancient Greek sources refer to Ramesses II?

Ozymandias, the Greek rendering of Ramesses II's throne name Usermaatre, is the name Diodorus Siculus used for him and the title of Shelley's 1818 sonnet.

Which battle of Ramesses II is generally regarded as a stalemate?

The Battle of Kadesh, fought against the Hittites around 1274 BC, ended in stalemate despite Ramesses II's temple reliefs proclaiming victory; it led to the earliest surviving written peace treaty.

Cleopatra named which son co-ruler as Ptolemy XV?

Caesarion, Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar, was made co-ruler as Ptolemy XV in 44 BC; Octavian had him killed after Cleopatra's death in 30 BC.

Which uniform rewriting of Roman law was Justinian's most enduring legacy?

Justinian's Corpus Juris Civilis, compiled 529-534 under the jurist Tribonian, gathered imperial law into the Code, Digest and Institutes and became the foundation of Europe's civil-law tradition.

Which decree under Constantine decriminalised Christian practice?

The Edict of Milan, agreed by Constantine and Licinius in 313, granted Christians freedom of worship and restored confiscated church property; Constantine later founded Constantinople as a new capital in 330.

Charlemagne became King of the Lombards in which year?

Charlemagne took the Lombard crown in 774 after a nine-month siege forced King Desiderius to surrender Pavia; he then styled himself King of the Franks and Lombards.

Which Norse leader was William the Conqueror descended from?

William descended from Rollo, the Viking leader granted Normandy by Charles the Simple in 911; William was Rollo's great-great-great-grandson and was also known as William the Bastard.

Eleanor of Aquitaine was queen consort of which two countries?

Eleanor of Aquitaine was queen of France as wife of Louis VII from 1137, then queen of England after marrying Henry II in 1152; her sons Richard I and John became English kings.

Which war did Edward III start by claiming the French throne in 1337?

The Hundred Years' War began in 1337 when Edward III claimed the French crown through his mother Isabella; English victories at Crécy (1346) and Poitiers (1356) followed.

Mary, Queen of Scots was executed in 1587 at which castle?

Mary, Queen of Scots was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle in Northamptonshire on 8 February 1587 after nearly nineteen years as Elizabeth I's prisoner, convicted of plotting her cousin's assassination.

Which 1597 book on witchcraft did James VI write?

James VI published Daemonologie in Edinburgh in 1597, a treatise defending witch-hunting written after the North Berwick trials; he also wrote The True Law of Free Monarchies.

Charles I was executed at Whitehall on which date in 1649?

Charles I was beheaded outside the Banqueting House at Whitehall on 30 January 1649; Scotland proclaimed his son Charles II king six days later.

Charles II was received in London on 29 May 1660, which was also what?

Charles II entered London on 29 May 1660, his 30th birthday, restoring the monarchy eleven years after his father's execution; Parliament later made the date a holiday, Oak Apple Day.

William of Orange's 1688 invasion of England became known as what?

The Glorious Revolution of 1688 saw William of Orange land at Torbay in November and James II flee to France; Parliament then passed the 1689 Bill of Rights.

George III's madness has been attributed to bipolar disorder or which other condition?

Porphyria, a hereditary blood disorder, was proposed in the 1960s to explain George III's bouts of madness; later studies favour bipolar disorder. His son ruled as Prince Regent from 1811.

George III and Queen Charlotte had how many children?

George III and Queen Charlotte had 15 children, nine sons and six daughters, including the future George IV and William IV; he was the first Hanoverian king born in Britain.

Which architect did George IV commission to build Brighton's Royal Pavilion?

John Nash remodelled the Royal Pavilion in its Indo-Saracenic style between 1815 and 1822 for the Prince Regent, later George IV; Jeffry Wyatville rebuilt Windsor Castle for him.

What title did Edward VIII hold after abdicating in 1936?

Edward VIII was created Duke of Windsor by his brother George VI in 1937, after abdicating on 11 December 1936 to marry the twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson.

Which wartime organisation did Princess Elizabeth join in 1945?

Princess Elizabeth joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service in early 1945 as No. 230873, training as a driver and mechanic and finishing the war as an honorary Junior Commander.

Charles III spent six months at the Timbertop campus of which Australian institution?

Charles III spent two terms of 1966 at Timbertop, Geelong Grammar School's bush campus in Victoria's high country, before going up to Trinity College, Cambridge.

Where was the anointing oil for Charles III's coronation consecrated?

The chrism oil was consecrated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem in March 2023 by Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III and Anglican Archbishop Hosam Naoum, from olives grown on the Mount of Olives.

What was the peak UK television audience for Charles III's coronation?

The coronation on 6 May 2023 drew a peak UK audience of 20.4 million across all channels, with the BBC's coverage taking the bulk of the viewers.

How many gemstones decorate St Edward's Crown?

St Edward's Crown, the coronation crown, is set with 444 gemstones, is made of 22-carat gold and weighs 2.23 kilograms; it was made for Charles II in 1661.

Where has the Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire been kept since 1946?

It is an octagonal hoop crown probably made for Otto I's coronation in 962, returned to Vienna from Nuremberg in 1946.

Which Bavarian king built Neuschwanstein and patronised Richard Wagner?

Ludwig II began Neuschwanstein in 1869 and bankrolled Richard Wagner, whose Ring cycle premiered at Bayreuth with the king's money; declared insane, he was found dead in Lake Starnberg in June 1886.

Franz Joseph I's wife Elisabeth was assassinated in which year?

Elisabeth was stabbed to death by the Italian anarchist Luigi Lucheni on the Geneva lakeside on 10 September 1898; her son Rudolf had died at Mayerling in 1889.

Kaiser Wilhelm II's father Frederick III reigned for how many days?

Frederick III reigned just 99 days, from 9 March to 15 June 1888, dying of throat cancer in the 'Year of the Three Emperors'; his son Wilhelm was the eldest of Victoria's 42 grandchildren.

Which chancellor did Wilhelm II dismiss in 1890?

Wilhelm II forced Otto von Bismarck to resign in March 1890 after clashes over the anti-socialist laws and foreign policy, then took direct control of policy in a 'New Course' under Caprivi.

In which city was Nicholas II and his family executed in July 1918?

Nicholas II, Alexandra and their five children were shot in the cellar of the Ipatiev House in Yekaterinburg on 17 July 1918, having been moved there from Tobolsk that spring.

Which Spanish king reigned from birth in 1886 until the republic of 1931?

Alfonso XIII was king from his birth in May 1886, as the posthumous son of Alfonso XII, until he left Spain when the Second Republic was proclaimed in April 1931; an anarchist's bomb marred his 1906 wedding.

Which Spanish king helped stop a 1981 coup attempt made in his name?

Juan Carlos I went on television in the early hours of 24 February 1981 to order the army back to barracks, ending the Tejero coup; Franco had named him successor in 1969.

Napoleon escaped from which island of exile in 1815?

Napoleon slipped away from Elba on 26 February 1815 with about a thousand men and marched on Paris, beginning the Hundred Days; after Waterloo he was exiled to Saint Helena.

Which crops did Frederick the Great introduce to Prussia?

Frederick the Great promoted the potato and the turnip as hardy crops for Prussia's poor soils, issuing the 1756 'potato order' that obliged farmers to plant potatoes; he lies buried at Sanssouci in Potsdam.

Which Italian writer dubbed St Petersburg the 'window to the West'?

Francesco Algarotti, in his 1739 travel letters on Russia, called St Petersburg the great window through which Russia looks on Europe; Pushkin cited him in The Bronze Horseman.

Which region did Catherine the Great annex after victories over the Ottomans?

Catherine annexed Crimea in 1783, nine years after the Treaty of Küçük Kaynarca ended her first war with the Ottomans; she had earlier installed her former lover Stanisław Poniatowski on the Polish throne.

Which two khanates did Ivan the Terrible conquer to control the Volga?

Ivan the Terrible took Kazan in 1552 and Astrakhan in 1556, bringing the whole Volga under Russian control down to the Caspian; St Basil's Cathedral commemorates the Kazan victory.

Which Zulu king was assassinated by his half-brothers in 1828?

Shaka was stabbed to death in September 1828 by his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana; Dingane then took the Zulu throne.

Which religion regards Emperor Haile Selassie as divine?

Rastafari takes its name from Ras Tafari Makonnen, the name Haile Selassie was born with.

Which dynasty, founded in 1270, did Haile Selassie belong to?

The Solomonic dynasty, founded by Yekuno Amlak in 1270, claimed descent from King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba; Haile Selassie was its last emperor, deposed in 1974.

Mansa Musa's wealth came mainly from taxing which two trades?

Mansa Musa taxed the trans-Saharan trade in salt and gold that passed through Mali; the empire supplied perhaps half the Old World's gold in the 14th century.

Which king of Sweden was shot at a masked ball in 1792?

Gustav III of Sweden was shot by the nobleman Jacob Johan Anckarström at a masked ball in the Stockholm opera house on 16 March 1792 and died thirteen days later; Verdi's Un ballo in maschera dramatises the plot.

Which term describes a regent in Eswatini, similar to a queen mother, who rules until a new king is chosen?

Ndlovukati, 'She-Elephant', is the title of Eswatini's queen mother, who rules as regent between a king's death and the choice of his successor; Ngwenyama, 'Lion', is the king's title.

Which term means inheritance by the firstborn child regardless of sex?

Absolute primogeniture passes the crown to the eldest child regardless of sex; Sweden adopted it first in 1980, and Britain followed with the Succession to the Crown Act 2013.

Divine right of kings is associated with which three monarchs in its fullest form?

Henry VIII, James VI and I, and Louis XIV each claimed to rule by divine right; James set the doctrine out in The True Law of Free Monarchies (1598) and Bossuet defended it for Louis XIV.

What is the Latin word for 'king'?

Rex is Latin for king; through regalis, 'royal', it gives English 'regalia', originally a sovereign's ceremonial dress and emblems such as crown, orb and sceptre.

How old was Pedro II when his father's abdication in 1831 made him Emperor of Brazil?

Pedro II was five years old when his father Pedro I abdicated on 7 April 1831; he reigned, under regents until 1840, until a military coup ended the empire in November 1889.

Which Albanian leader was successively prime minister, president and, from 1928, king?

Zog I, born Ahmed Zogolli, reputedly survived more than 55 assassination attempts before Italy invaded in April 1939.

Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico was the younger brother of which European monarch?

Maximilian was the younger brother of Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria and commanded the Austrian navy before accepting the Mexican crown in 1864; Juárez's restored republic had him shot at Querétaro in June 1867.

Kamehameha I's 'Law of the Splintered Paddle' protected whom?

The Law of the Splintered Paddle decreed that elders, women and children could lie by the roadside in safety; Kamehameha proclaimed it after fishermen he had attacked broke a paddle over his head.

Which Hawaiian queen was overthrown in 1893 by a coup backed by American businessmen?

Liliʻuokalani, Hawaii's last monarch, was deposed on 17 January 1893 by a Committee of Safety of mostly American businessmen backed by US Marines; she composed the song 'Aloha ʻOe'.