History quiz

I'm only suggesting, feel free to post any question you want. My point is don't post a question about something not known outside of a specific country, be it England or Germany or France or whatever...

If I may use an example from my own country history - Tito is well known so if I ask a question about him or an event connected with him, that would be ok, but if I ask a question about his chief of secret police, and even give enough hints that it's about chief of secret police, you wouldn't know the answer because you just don't know about him. Someone from Serbia or former Yugoslavia may know the answer or may have fun looking for one based on additional hints but it would be boring, hard, uninspiring to anyone else. It's a crude example, but I hope you get my point.

Of course, it's not a rule, just my suggestion, so it's up to you...

Sarmatian makes a good point, but I find it is hard to make a fair question. I don't know enough about what nationalites (other than my own) consider important. For example, I did not know that George Washington was famous outside the USA until someone told me. Even now, I don't know if that's true or not.

Then again, you would not expect an American like me to know more British history than I know American history, but I do. Nor would you expect me to know who Lei Feng was or how he died.

My point is that there is no international standard we can point to and say "everyone knows who that is," unless it is someone really obvious like Ghengis Khan.

So, here is my try at a fair question.

A: Why is it unlikely that Charles Edward Stuart was actually called Bonnie Prince Charlie by his followers? (Please do not say because some of them did not speak English. There is a perfectly valid reason why even those who spoke English would not have called him that.)
B: Why did his followers not try to put him on the throne as king at the time of the "Forty-Five"?
and C: why would it be untrue to call the "Forty-Five" an attempt to obtain Scottish independence?

If you are British or consider yourself a British history buff, then you should get all three parts.

If you are not British and don't know much British history, then two out of three is good enough. You are on your honor to tell me which category you belong to. I hope this makes it fair.

Okay Brandy Blue, I will have a stab....please bear in mind that I am Australian, and in no way can be considered to be a British History buff.....

In relation to the first part, I have no idea, other than to guess that the name "Bonnie Prince Charlie" did not become popular until after the Skye Boat Song was written in the late 19th century (again that is a guess).

As for (b), I have an inkling that the aim of the '45 uprising was to restore Charles' FATHER (James?) to the throne. As a consequence, it was never about plonking young Charlie in the big seat...In any case, the Jacobites needed to be successful before they could think about putting anybody on the throne.

On to the third part - they were trying to claim the throne of England for James(?) Stuart, not trying to obtain Scottish independence.

Am I at least close? Even close-ish?

A: The word bonnie would be used to describe a pretty girl or beautiful woman. Braw would mean a handsome man. But I wouldn't expect you to know that, down under. As far as I know, the phrase Bonnie Prince Charlie was invented by English newspapers, and was probably contemptuous. For the Jacobites, political legitimacy would mean more than looks anyway.

B: I would say that the Jacobites were trying to put someone on the throne. It was an armed insurrection after all. Their attempt just failed, that's all.

However, it is quite true that daddy James was still alive. Charles was considered Prince Regent by his followers, i.e. acting as king on his father's behalf, but not king himself. So you got that one.

C: Not precisely. The Jacobites were trying to make James Stuart king of three kingdoms - England, Scotland and Ireland, not England alone. But I expect that's what you meant, and you were close enough anyway, considering the non-Brit handicap.

You win, Bamff. I look forward to your question.

Thanks Brandy Blue. This one probably isn't all that tough, but for what it is worth.....

Who am I?

A follower of Jan Hus, I stood ready to defend Bohemia.

I may have been half blind, but I could see a way to defeat the mighty knights. My army defeated two crusades, and two more after plague had claimed my life. Our tactics were unusual in their day - we were circling wagons long before American settlers on the great plains. I devised a system of using wagons as mobile field fortifications, and our preferred weapons - small bombards, crossbows, handguns, polearms and flails would exact a terrible toll on attacking knights.

Jan Zizka.

My mother went to a Moravian school and my mother in law is a Moravian, BTW. Lucked out there, didn't I?

Wel done Brandy Blue - back to you for the next one! :2thumbsup:

The Chinese invented various things. However, four of them are known as the Four Great Inventions. Ironically, the four inventions had a huge impact on Western culture, and help explain the dominance of western civilization. What are the Four Great Inventions?

Off the top of my head
- gunpowder
- the compass
- I though perhaps paper, but the Egyptians had papyrus paper ages ago, so not sure

After some research, the other 2 "Four Great Inventions"

- paper is included
- printing

I think that noodles, eaten for 4,000 years, are also a worthy invention!

Yes, paper is included, though it is a tricky one because of the Egyptian papyrus. I guess it depends on how you define paper.

As you point out, there are other worthy inventions that did not get included.

Your answers are correct.

Ok, I will have a go at the next one then. There are 2 versions of the question, one with much more info under the spoiler tag. Good luck everyone.

I was a Buddhist monk who journeyed to the Buddhist homeland, but I am best known for the still famous book I wrote about my travels. A tall brick pagoda still stands in a monastery I founded in the then capital after my triumphant return, more than 1,300 years later. Who am I?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

I was a buddhist monk who had a keen interest in Buddhist scholarship, and I felt compelled to go on a pilgrimage to the land where Buddhism originated, to explore my faith and explore the vast catalogue of Buddhist literature there, despite the official prohibition on foreign travel. My journey was initially fraught with danger and difficulty, and I was only saved by the divine intervention of a Bodhisattva. Thereafter my journey was made easier by my growing reputation and I eventually arrived in the Buddhist homeland, where I studied extensively and also journeyed widely. I eventually made my way back to my homeland in triumph, after 16 years, bearing massive quantities of Buddhist scripts and untold riches from my journeys and sponsors. Most famously I am now associated with a diary that I wrote, about my travels, and this is still one of the most famous books of my homeland, even now, having been the inspiration for a multitude of books, movies and TV series, one of which achieved cult status in the West. A tall brick pagoda still stands in the monastery I founded after my return to the capital, more than 1,300 years after my death. Who am I?

Is it Xuanzang (aka. Monk Tang), the chap with the chimp, ham, hairy man and the pony?

I used to watch the show :grin:

That's right Quintus. The influence of his book is amazing really, though the quality of the spawned works is sometimes debateable!

Afraid I only got the answer by watching the TV show "Journey to the West', I tried to read the book too, but got confused by all the evil spirits and animal shape-shafters who seems bent on immortality and cannibalism. :grin:

It seems that I can't think of any good question right now, may the next poster feel free to ask.

:bow:

Who am I


Be an example to your men, in your duty and in private life. Never spare
yourself, and let the troops see that you don't in your endurance of fatigue
and privation. Always be tactful and well-mannered and teach your
subordinates to do the same. Avoid excessive sharpness or harshness of
voice, which usually indicates the man who has shortcomings of his own to
hide.

It's been a while since I read the book, but I'm guessing it's Sun Tzu.

I believe that would be Rommel. Someone else can take the next question if I am right.

Looks like this thread is stalled. Blind Samurai, I think everyone is waiting for you to confirm Evil Maniac's answer. It looks like he is not sure it is right.

I'm not sure if the blind samuri can find his way back into the monastery... :sweatdrop: :clown:

This thread needs to be revived. :yes:

EMFM is correct, that is a quote from Rommel.

I guess this thread needs a jump start, so here goes.

What did Edmond Albius invent?

He invented the hand cultivation method in spreading the vanilla plant from Mexico to other tropical lands (such as Madagascar, etc.).

That's right, Ghone.

Thanks.

Who am I?

I allied the broken chiefdoms of a pacific island realm isolated from their brethern near and west of Australia. I managed to achieve this by borrowing Western arms and expertise as European/American ships went on to the far eastern realms of China. However, I only conquered six out of the seven different realms, with the last coming in due to a marriage. I married many women and it was one of them who influenced my kingdom/heir to become Christian. I died with my bones being buried without any evidence on it's location. My family lasted to the fifth of my name until the monarchy become elected, then thrown out due to a cabal of American planters, whom then appealed to Congress to annex them. My name is used for a private (very wealthy/selective) school system and a Japanese animation involving men that shoot energy blasts that dye their spiky hair blonde. I have been compared with Shaka Zulu in certain academic circles.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gbone

Thanks.

Who am I?

I allied the broken chiefdoms of a pacific island realm isolated from their brethern near and west of Australia. I managed to achieve this by borrowing Western arms and expertise as European/American ships went on to the far eastern realms of China. However, I only conquered six out of the seven different realms, with the last coming in due to a marriage. I married many women and it was one of them who influenced my kingdom/heir to become Christian. I died with my bones being buried without any evidence on it's location. My family lasted to the fifth of my name until the monarchy become elected, then thrown out due to a cabal of American planters, whom then appealed to Congress to annex them. My name is used for a private (very wealthy/selective) school system and a Japanese animation involving men that shoot energy blasts that dye their spiky hair blonde. I have been compared with Shaka Zulu in certain academic circles.

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Saiyan... :sweatdrop:

I would like to request more clue please. :yes:

Kamehameha the Great?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gbone

Thanks.

Who am I?

I allied the broken chiefdoms of a pacific island realm isolated from their brethern near and west of Australia. I managed to achieve this by borrowing Western arms and expertise as European/American ships went on to the far eastern realms of China. However, I only conquered six out of the seven different realms, with the last coming in due to a marriage. I married many women and it was one of them who influenced my kingdom/heir to become Christian. I died with my bones being buried without any evidence on it's location. My family lasted to the fifth of my name until the monarchy become elected, then thrown out due to a cabal of American planters, whom then appealed to Congress to annex them. My name is used for a private (very wealthy/selective) school system and a Japanese animation involving men that shoot energy blasts that dye their spiky hair blonde. I have been compared with Shaka Zulu in certain academic circles.

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There isn't anything much west of Australia, until you get to Madagascar, and I love it how there is an anime reference. I guess this is Hawaii, so Brandy Blue is right? I don't know the names of any other Hawaiian monarchs.

Yes - Brandy Blue got it right.

Who were the Watergeuzen?

The navy of the geuzen, the insurgents against the Spanish crown in the Netherlands during the reign of Philips II
Well navy, or just rebels on boats and stuff.