History Series: Guy Fawkes

History of Guy Fawkes Night

How Gunpowder Mixed with Parliament

Guy Fawkes, by Crispijn van de Passe the Elder. Image: Wikicommons

For my friends across the Pond.

November 5th is known as “Bonfire Night” or “Guy Fawkes Night.” All over Britain, people shoot off fireworks, light bonfires, and burn effigies of Guy Fawkes. Guido Fawkes was an Englishman who, in popular legend, tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament with barrels of gunpowder. He was caught, imprisoned, tortured on the rack, and finally executed.

History of Guy Fawkes

Over 400 years ago, Guy Fawkes was a co-conspirator in England’s “Gunpowder Plot” of 1605. He and his cohorts planned to blow up both of the Houses of Parliament in London and kill King James I (of the King James Bible fame) upon the inaugural opening of the Parliament that year during what we now call “The King’s Speech” and smuggled several barrels of gunpowder into the basement of the Parliament for that purpose.

Guy Fawkes Gunpowder Plot

Gunpowder Plot, printed by P. Brooksby. Image: Wikicommons

This “Gunpowder Plot” occurred two years after King James I ascended to the throne.