|
Guy Fawkes (13 April 1570 - 31 January 1606) was a member of a group of Roman Catholic revolutionaries who planned to carry out the Gunpowder Plot. The plot was an attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament, which would displace Protestant rule by killing King James I and the entire Protestant aristocracy, on 5 November 1605. The plot was foiled at the very last moment as Fawkes was holding a lit torch to light the fuse which would detonate the gunpowder under the Houses of Parliament. After being found guilty of treason, Fawkes and his fellow conspirators were hung in 1606. Fawkes has left a lasting mark on history and popular culture. Held in the United Kingdom (and some parts of the Commonwealth) on 5th November is Bonfire Night, centered around the plot and Fawkes.  |
