Remember the 5th of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot

Remember, Remember the 5th of November, the Gunpowder Treason and Plot

When Protestant King James I took the throne, Catholics unsuccessfully petitioned him for toleration as they had been persecution for over 45 years under Queen Elizabeth. Tired of this treatment, a group of English Catholics attempted regicide and to assassinate his ministers by blowing up the Palace of Westminster during the state opening of Parliament in hopes to replace him with his daughter Princess Elizabeth.

The scheme began to unravel when an anonymous letter that was sent to the Catholic William Parker, the 4th Baron Monteagle, warning him to avoid the House of Parliament. The letter (which is believed to have been sent by his brother-in-law Francis Tresham, one of the conspirators), was made public and this led to a search of Westminster Palace in the early hours of November 5th. Other reasons contributing to the plot failure are explained in below video.

When the plan failed, members of the public celebrated by lighting bonfires around London. November 5, Bonfire Night is when the English celebrate the night Guy Fawkes was caught attempting to blow up King James I and the Houses of Parliament. In 1605, he was found with a large amount of gunpowder, and to have been involved in a detailed plot to kill the monarch with 13 conspirators.

The other Gunpowder Plot conspirator: Guy Fawkes (explosives expert), Thomas Bates, Robert Wintour, Thomas Wintour, Thomas Percy, Christopher Wright, John Wright (persuader/recruiter), Francis Tresham, Everard Digby, Ambrose Rookwood, Robert Keyes, Hugh Owen, John Grant and Robert Catesby (who organized the plot).

Guy Fawkes day, sometimes called Bonfire Night on November 5th is celebrated still, with the lighting of bonfires, fireworks and even the burning of a Guy Fawkes effigy. The Houses of Parliament are also still ceremonially searched by the Yeomen of the Guard before the state opening.

The traditional death for traitors in 17th-century England was to be hanged from the gallows, then drawn and quartered in public. As Guy awaited his punishment on the gallows, he leapt to his death and broke his own neck rather than let them. His body was subsequently quartered, and his remains were sent to "the four corners of the kingdom" as a warning to others. His head was placed on a spike above the London Bridge’s stone gatehouse where other figures from history like Jack Cade, Thomas More, Oliver Cromwell and William Wallace who was the first ever to be placed there in 1305.

The movie V for Vendetta made common the Quote "Remember, remember! The fifth of November, The Gunpowder treason and plot; I know of no reason Why the Gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot! ". V for Vendetta uses the Gunpowder Plot as historical inspiration, contributing to the choice of time, place, language and appearance.

A shadowy freedom fighter known only as "V" uses terrorist tactics to fight against his totalitarian government. Upon rescuing a girl from the secret police, he also finds an ally. V uses a Guy Fawkes mask and his persona functions with both practical and symbolic elements of the historical event. "Who is but the form following the function of what; and what I am is a man in a mask."

The names of Ambrose 'Rookwood', Thomas 'Percy' and Robert 'Keyes' which were used in the movie, were also the names of three of the Gunpowder conspirators.

Watch the below video for a more detailed narration of events.