Sealed
We’re in an open field alongside the River Thames in Surrey, not far from Windsor Castle. We’re here to stand up and say enough is enough. We’ve had enough of excessive taxation. We’ve had enough of
oppression. We’ve had enough of injustice. We’re here to stand up for justice. We’re here to stand up for ideas which are more powerful than men. We’re here to stand up for the freedom of our church
and our country. We crowd round a tall man in purple robes as he reads from a document. He’s addressing the king – a lean, seated figure, who is increasingly unhappy about what he’s hearing. If he
wants us to follow him, he will have to put his seal on this document. Blackmail? Perhaps. But enough is enough.
- Where are we?
- Why?
- And what will the king do?
Enjoy stories? Enjoy history? You’ll love this book!
How well do you know your history? Pit your wits against this collection of 30 cultural riddles featuring popular historical stories and legends.
Engage with these riddles out of sheer fun and curiosity as a reader, or use them when facilitating an Odyssey Dynamic Learning System journey (Liberalis Books, 2015). You’ll find they intrigue, tease, inform, educate, enlighten, and entertain.
Still guessing? There are clues to help you.
Sealed
- The man in purple robes is the Archbishop of Canterbury.
- In the crowd with us are 25 noblemen, 20 monks, 12 church leaders apart from the king.
- The barons want the king to put his seal on an important document, but they’re not sure whether he’s going to agree to or not.
- The name of the field we’re in is derived from two Anglo- Saxon words: runieg (a regular meeting) and mede (a meadow).
- The King is called King John.
- As far as I know, Robin Hood isn’t among the people.
Think you’ve cracked them? Check out the background information for the answers and for suggestions on exploring topics further.
Background Information
Runnymede, England, 19 June 1215—King John is made to set his seal to The Barons’ Charter (known since 1217 as the Magna Carta). In this scene, we’re at Runnymede, a field where meetings – particularly meetings of the Witan, the wise members of the Council of Anglo-Saxon Kings – have been held for 400 years, hence the name.
History Riddles - A Treasure Trove Book
by Leon Conrad
Leon Conrad is co-founder and lead trainer at The Academy of Oratory and teaches communication skills for negotiators for The Negotiation Lab. He lives in London, UK.
BUY ONLINE
Categories:
0 comments on this article
Leave a comment
