Every fifth of November, people across the United Kingdom celebrate Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Guy Fawkes Day, Bonfire Night, and Firework Night). Every November, cities and towns across the country put on fireworks displays to commemorate the day which fills the autumn air with a merry atmosphere. Yet, beneath the cheerful façade of the modern celebration of Guy Fawkes Day lies a darker, more sinister history.
Guy Fawkes Day is in fact a celebration of a failed attempt to blow up the British House of Lords in 1605. This attempt is known today as the Gunpowder Plot.
‘Guy Fawkes’ by Charles Gogin, York Art Gallery. (York Museums Trust/Public Domain)
A Reaction to Religious Persecution
The reigning King of England that year was James I, who succeeded Elizabeth I upon her death in 1603. At that time, England was a Protestant country, and Catholics had been persecuted since the reign of Henry VII. These persecutions became more severe during the reign of James’ immediate predecessor, especially after the failed invasion by Catholic Spain in 1588. As James’ wife and mother were both Catholics, it was hoped that the situation for Catholics would improve. Some measures were initially taken to reduce the persecution.
James, however, was pressured by some of his advisors to continue to hound Catholics, as this would placate England’s more extreme Protestants, such as the Puritans. This resulted in a feeling of disappointment and anger, and some Catholics were willing to take extreme…
