Quizzes!

1.  How do you take on your enemy in battle?

A) On horseback with your lance
B) Stay back with the archers and shoot
C) Challenge your opponent to a boxing match
D) Dismount and use your sword

 

2.  The battle is going well but William orders your cavalry to retreat.  Do you…

A) Run away as fast as you can to the nearest pub
B) Ignore William, carry on fighting against the Saxons
C) Call William a plonker and demand he lets you take charge
D) Retreat halfway down the hill and wait for the next command

 

3.  Jousting is a crucial skill for tournaments and battle.  Who do you practise against?

A) Your defenceless squire
B) A mannequin holding a shield
C) Another knight in full armour
D) A chicken riding a pig

4.  What do you do with the knight you’ve defeated?

A) Strip him of his armour
B) Accept his surrender 
C) Finish him off for good
D) Get him to give you a piggyback home

 

5.  What’s the best way to attack an enemy castle?

A) Scale the walls with ladders
B) Batter the gates and walls with rams and catapults
C) Tunnel under the walls
D) Surround the castle and wait for the defenders to starve

  • Answers:

    1. (A) Scare the enemy with a cavalry charge

    2. (D) Turn back and ride down the enemy when they follow you

    3. (B) It’s safest to train against a dummy

    4. (B) Knights treated enemies with honour

    5. (D) It might be boring, but it's the least dangerous option

Results: how did you do?

1 - 2 correct: Are you an Anglo-Saxon in disguise?

3 - 4 correct: Not bad, but keep practising your jousting!

5 correct: Congratulations! You will be a great Norman knight.

Put your knightly skills to the test to see if you are truly up to the task with these challenges...

  • Do the maths

    Can you work out this battle calculation to launch a successful attack? The Saxons are 889m away. Your horse will be too tired if it gallops more than 232m. How far will you have to trot before you can ride full speed at the Saxons?

  • Sword swinging

    Knights trained for many hours a day. Get a pillow from your bed and make sure you have lots and lots of room around you. Swing the pillow as if it was a sword, using all your strength. How long can you do it before you’re out of breath?

  • Design a shield

    Norman knights used oval-shaped shields and decorated them with animals, crosses and other patterns. Can you design your own? Click on the image above to watch our video tutorial, then make your shield and prepare for battle!

  • Carry the load

    Norman knights had a sword, shield, lance, mace, knife, helmet, chain mail, boots and saddle - and a squire to help them transport it around and change before battle. What do you think life as a squire would have been like? Would you like to have been one?

Discover Norman England

Congratulations on completing the quiz! Now that you know whether you'd make a good knight, read Kids Rule! magazine online to learn about the Norman conquest of England.

This is part of the Kids Rule! magazine series following the history of England, designed to help you discover more about the past, through fun facts, illustrated stories, games, puzzles and competitions.

Read Kids Rule! online