Lesson 2

2 The king’s marriages Quiz: Pearson Edexcel History, Unit 7

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 2, The king’s marriages: 20 multiple choice questions for the Pearson Edexcel GCSE History (1HI0), Unit 7: Henry VIII and his ministers, 1509–40, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. In which year did Henry marry Anne Boleyn?

    • 1536
    • 1540
    • 1533
    • 1527

  2. What was the official cause of Anne Boleyn's execution in 1536?

    • Treason and adultery
    • Plagiarising scripture
    • Heresy and blasphemy
    • Murder and theft

  3. What caused the death of Jane Seymour shortly after giving birth?

    • A riding accident
    • Poisoning
    • Postnatal complications
    • Bubonic plague

  4. Which son did Jane Seymour bear to Henry?

    • Arthur
    • Richard
    • Edward
    • Henry

  5. What was the main political aim of Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves?

    • Habsburg family treaty
    • German Protestant alliance
    • French territorial claim
    • Papal peace accord

  6. Why was Henry's marriage to Anne of Cleves quickly annulled in 1540?

    • Personal incompatibility
    • Financial bankruptcy
    • Foreign invasion
    • Secret Catholic faith

  7. Which minister helped build the treason case against Anne Boleyn?

    • Thomas Cromwell
    • Thomas More
    • Bishop Gardiner
    • Cardinal Wolsey

  8. Which wife finally gave Henry VIII the male heir he wanted?

    • Anne Boleyn
    • Catherine of Aragon
    • Anne of Cleves
    • Jane Seymour

  9. Approximately how long did Henry VIII's marriage to Jane Seymour last?

    • Seventeen months
    • Three years
    • Six months
    • Five years

  10. What was the main reason Henry VIII desperately needed a male heir?

    • Prevent civil war
    • Tax the church
    • Expand the navy
    • Conquer France

  11. Whose political plotting contributed significantly to the fall of Anne Boleyn?

    • Thomas Cromwell
    • Thomas Cranmer
    • Thomas More
    • Duke of Norfolk

  12. Which German duchy did Anne of Cleves come from?

    • Bavaria
    • Cleves
    • Brandenburg
    • Saxony

  13. How was Henry VIII's marriage to Anne of Cleves officially ended?

    • Papal divorce
    • Royal execution
    • An annulment
    • Natural death

  14. What was a key foreign policy benefit of Henry VIII's royal marriages?

    • Unified coinage systems
    • Alliances with princes
    • Direct papal control
    • Lower taxation rates

  15. Which famous artist painted the portrait of Anne of Cleves?

    • Hans Holbein
    • Raphael Sanzio
    • Leonardo da Vinci
    • Albrecht Dürer

  16. What primarily drove Henry VIII's choices of royal wives?

    • Foreign conquest
    • Democratic voting
    • Papal instruction
    • Politics and desire

  17. Which queen gave birth to a daughter who ruled England from 1558?

    • Anne of Cleves
    • Jane Seymour
    • Anne Boleyn
    • Catherine of Aragon

  18. Whose failure in foreign marriage policy led to Thomas Cromwell's downfall?

    • Anne of Cleves
    • Catherine of Aragon
    • Catherine Howard
    • Anne Boleyn

  19. Which family's influence rose after Anne Boleyn's fall?

    • The Neville family
    • The Percy family
    • The Seymour family
    • The Stanley family

  20. Why was Henry's marriage to Jane Seymour regarded as politically successful?

    • She brought wealth
    • She bore a son
    • She allied Spain
    • She secured France

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