Quiz - Who is it? - The Tudor Society

A fun quiz for Easter weekend! Who is being described in the following contemporary descriptions? Can you figure it out?

Who is it?

Q1) Of whom was it said: "There is fiery power in his eyes, [Venus] in his face, and such color in his cheeks as is typical of twin roses. In fact, that face, admirable for its animated strength, could belong to either a young girl or a man."

Henry VII

Edward VI

Henry VIII

Francis I

Correct. Thomas More wrote it in his 1509 "Coronation Ode of King Henry VIII".

Wrong! It's a description of Henry VIII written by Thomas More in his 1509 "Coronation Ode of King Henry VIII".

Q2) Who was described as "a Paradise – tall, slender, grey-eyed, possessing an extreme pallor"?

Mary Tudor, Queen of France

Mary I

Mary, Queen of Scots

Margaret Tudor

Correct! The Venetian ambassador described her as such.

Wrong! It was Mary Tudor, Queen of France, described by the Venetian ambassador.

Q3) "Her beauty in this array produced such effect on everybody that all the other marvellous sights previously witnessed were forgotten, and they gave themselves up solely to contemplation of so fair an angel" - who was this angel?

Anne Boleyn

Catherine Howard

Mary I

Lettice Knollys

Correct! It is a description by Gasparo Spinelli, the Venetian ambassador, written in 1527.

Wrong! It's a young Mary I. It is a description by Gasparo Spinelli, the Venetian ambassador, written in 1527.

Q4) Who was described as "of middle stature and no great beauty, so fair that one would call her rather pale than otherwise"?

Catherine Parr

Anne Boleyn

Catherine of Aragon

Jane Seymour

Correct! As described by Eustace Chapuys in 1536.

Wrong! This is a description of Jane Seymour by Eustace Chapuys in 1536.

Q5) "He was the lustiest (handsomest) and best-proportioned lang man that she had seen; for he ,was of high stature, lang and small, even and brent up, (straight;) well instructed from his youth in all honest and comely exercises" - who is being described?

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley

Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex

Sir Walter Ralegh

Correct! This is how Mary, Queen of Scots described him in 1565.

Wrong! It's Lord Darnley. This is how Mary, Queen of Scots described him in 1565.

Q6) Who said "If I had two heads, one should be at the King of England's disposal" when she heard that Henry VIII was interested in her?

Christina, Duchess of Milan

Margaret of Austria

Mary of Hungary

Sibylle of Cleves

Correct!

Wrong! It was Christina, Duchess of Milan, also known as Christina of Denmark.

Q7) Of whom was it said "He was of visage lovely, of body mighty, strong and clean-made; howbeit in his latter days with over-liberal diet, somewhat corpulent and burly and nevertheless not uncomely; he was of youth greatly given to fleshly wantonness; from which health of body in great prosperity and fortune, without a special grace hardily refraineth."

Henry VIII

Henry VII

Richard III

Edward IV

Correct! It was written by Thomas More in The History of King Richard the Third.

Wrong! It was Edward IV. It was written by Thomas More in The History of King Richard the Third.

Q8) "A high-born prince, three fingers taller than I, but a bit slimmer and not as thickset as I am, and much more lightly built; he has quite slender arms and thighs, and also a great heart" - who is being described here?

Edward IV

Richard III

Henry VIII

Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales

Correct! They are the words of Niclas von Popplau in 1484.

Wrong! It's Richard III being described by Niclas von Popplau in 1484.

Q9) Who was described as "Not one of the handsomest women in the world; she is of middling stature, swarthy complexion, long neck, wide mouth, a bosom not much raised and eyes which are black and beautiful."?

Mary I

Elizabeth I

Anne Boleyn

Catherine Parr

Correct! These are the words of Sanuto, the Venetian diplomat.

Wrong! It's Anne Boleyn as described by Sanuto, the Venetian diplomat.

Q10) And who is this: "Her face is comely rather than handsome, but she is tall and well-formed, with good skin, though swarthy; she has fine eyes and above all a beautiful hand of which she makes a great display, and her intellect and understanding are wonderful"?

Anne Boleyn

Margaret Tudor

Mary, Queen of Scots

Elizabeth I

Correct! Written by Giovanni Michiel, the Venetian ambassador.

Wrong! It's Elizabeth I described by Giovanni Michiel, the Venetian ambassador.

Q11) "His body was slender but well built and strong; his height above the average. His appearance was remarkably attractive and his face was cheerful..." - who is this?

Henry VII

Arthur Tudor

Henry VIII

Thomas Seymour

Correct! In the words of Polydore Vergil.

Wrong! It's Henry VII in the words of Polydore Vergil.