"Remember, remember, the fifth of November. Gunpowder, treason and plot!"
Every year the 5th of November 1605 is indeed remembered, the day a disgruntled man tried to blow up King James I in the Houses of Parliament.
His name was Guy Fawkes and was part of a group of Catholic plotters that have been memorialised into British legend ever since.
Fawkes has become the face of Bonfire Night every year where effigies are often burnt and fireworks up and down the country are joyfully set off.
The plotter has become a major part of British popular culture, the vigilante hero in the 2005 film V for Vendetta even wore the face of Guy Fawkes as a mask
So who was Guy Fawkes?
Who was Guy Fawkes?
Fawkes was born in 1570 in York as a Protestant, but became a staunch Roman Catholic.
Being a Catholic in 16th century England was difficult at that time and they were often persecuted for their beliefs after Henry VIII set the reformation of the church in England in motion.
The Stuart king, James I, was Protestant and was expected to become a fair ruler for Catholics and Protestants alike, but he was under fierce pressure in Parliament to resist and impose laws of persecution on Catholics once again.
Upon taking the throne, James I introduced fines for Catholics.
The likes of Fawkes left England to fight for Catholic Spain against the Protestant Dutch. He adopted the Italian variant of his name 'Guido' in order to appear closer to his Catholic faith. He eventually signed his confession as 'Guido Fawkes'.
It is believed that plotters needed Fawkes as his time abroad would make him more unrecognisable as conspirator and harder for the authorities to track. Military experience also helped.
The Gunpowder Plot
The plot to assassinate the king and replace him with a Catholic ruler was instigated by plotter Robert Catesby, who was one of the main conspirators alongside Fawkes, Thomas Winter, Thomas Percy, John Wright and Robert Keyes. Seven other accomplices are also known about.
The plan was to raze Parliament to the ground and blow up the king at the state opening of Parliament, but an anonymous letter was sent Lord Monteagle, a Catholic, warning him not to attend.
The authorities were soon notified and Fawkes was discovered with 36 barrels of gunpowder in a cellar underneath Parliament on the night of the 4th to the 5th of November.
When found, he is known to have said that he planned "to blow you Scotch beggars back to your native mountains", a reference to James I, who was Scottish.
Fawkes was then tortured and gave up the names of his fellow conspirators. The plan was for him to be hung, drawn and quartered, but Fawkes jumped to his death in January 1606.
In the aftermath, an act was passed to appoint 5 November as a day of thanksgiving for 'the joyful day of deliverance'. It meant that the plot was remembered each year officially until 1859, but the custom had become popular and we still celebrate it to this day.
As is tradition at the state opening of Parliament, the Houses of Parliament are still searched by the Yeomen of the Guard to make sure there is know Fawkes-wannabe lurking in the chambers below.
