The Castle Quest

 

Complete with the past simple of these verbs. Fill in each blank and click on the "c" button to check your answer. If it is right stars will appear around the word, otherwise incorrect letters will be blanked out.

If you need help go to the explanation in the Grammar Bank.

Isabel & Charles I
On Palm Sunday, in 1526 the King Charles I (organize) a very pompous fiesta to celebrate his Royal wedding to Isabel of Portugal in Seville (Spain).
It (be) the first time a king (get) married in that city. The place he (choose) to host the event (be) the Reales Alcázares, a Royal Fortress. There musicians, troubadours, tumblers, alchemists, hawkers, mummers and dancers (meet) .
They (arrange) a glamorous wedding for the King. All the nobility of the time: kings, queens, princes, princesses, and embassadors from many far away countries and cities (come) to the wedding.
Close to the Fortress, there (be) a jousting ground ready for 16 gentlemen, who (be) going to participate in it. In the festivities they also (enjoy) bull running. Besides there (be) an artificial area to have all the celebrations, where a very high stage was erected requiring 15 steps to ascend to the top. It was covered with grass to look like a natural mound. There, all the important people (sit) , and noble women (wear) rich brocade of different colours, as befitted such great ladies. In another part, there (be) a pond which had been specially (stock) for the feast with fish. Once the fish were caught, they were brought to the new Queen. A bit farther from the fortress, there (be) a little group of trees, which the King had ordered to be filled with bears, boars, and deer. The forest was surrounded by almost fifty hunters with all kinds of dogs in such a manner that no animal was able to escape.
Once they (unleash) the dogs, the hunters (pursue) and (kill) the beasts and (bring) them to the Queen. It was amazing for everyone to be able to carry out so many different sports at the same time in a palace.
Some days before the wedding, the king (order) to build a castle on wheels, it was sorrounded by gardeners dressed for battle, and other men with trumpets and weapons for a fight to be held.
. When the mobile castle (reach) the tower where the king (be) with his men, a great combat (start) , they (fight) with hard-boiled eggs against the gardeners and against each other, and more than 4,000 eggs were used and the battle (last) for one or two hours.
When the joust, the hunt, the fishing, and all the entertainments had been finished, the dance (begin) lasting almost all night. The King generously (give) out money, besides clothes and food to the people in the city.
In such a manner the feast (end) and they all (go) to sleep the few hours of the night that were left.
The wedding fiesta (last) a whole week. And they all (live) happily ever after.


Here is an example of menus for royal occasions that existed round about that rime although there were local variations in products and dishes. 

If you want to have a look at the menu they had, click here to make your mouth water.

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