During a particularly warm fall, I have the strong recollection of silently sweating through Mr. Walker’s Western Civilization class with the lyrics of a recently released Sting album going through my head:
Sooner or later just like the world first day
Sooner or later we learn to throw the past awayHistory will teach us nothing…
I’ve never been a particular fan of history, but my teachers and professors never made the subject as interesting as the wonderful writers and directors of the many historical fiction dramas on television. I find myself getting drawn into the time-warp known as Wikipedia to learn what is fact in these series. Try your hand and see how much you know about the history in your favorite shows.

#1. In the History Channel’s Vikings, Ragnar and Rollo are brothers. What is their historical relationship?
#2. Which character from the History Channel’s Vikings is the common ancestor of virtually every English/British monarch since William the Conquerer?
Rollo, baptized as a Christian, became Robert, the first Count of Rouen. He ruled over lands that became known as Normandy and his decedents held the title of Duke of Normandy. Rollo’s great great great grandson, William I (the Conquerer), Duke of Normandy became the king of England in 1066 and the House of Normandy ruled England for over 100 years until 1167.
#3. BBC America’s series, The Last Kingdom, has a number of overlapping characters with History Channel’s Vikings. Which character is not amongst them?

#4. The BBC and STARZ series “The White Queen” was set against the backdrop of the War of the Roses where multiple royal houses fought for control of England. Which house eventually won control?
The final victory went to a claimant of the Lancastrian party, Henry Tudor, who defeated the last Yorkist king, Richard III, at the Battle of Bosworth Field. After assuming the throne as Henry VII, he married Elizabeth of York, the eldest daughter and heiress of Edward IV, thereby uniting the two claims. Henry VI was the father of Henry VIII, the primary focus of Showtime’s “The Tudors”. The House of Tudor ruled England and Wales from 1485 until 1603.

#5. This son of Ragnar Lothbrok on History Channel’s “Vikings” went on to be a legendary King of Sweden

#6. In Showtime’s “The Borgias”, Rodrigo Borgia / Pope Alexander VI is embroiled in an affair with Giulia Farnese. In addition to giving her a palace and a pension, Giulia convinces Rodrigo to do what?

#7. Peter O’Toole was featured as Pope Paul III in the final season of “The Tudors”. Paul III was in fact installed as a Cardinal by Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) and is the only character to crossover between “The Borgias” and “The Tudors”. Which Cardinal became Pope Paul III?
