Guy Fawkes Trial Begins: Gunpowder Plot Unravels
Guy Fawkes was discovered in the cellar beneath the House of Lords on November 5, 1605, guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder sufficient to level the entire building and kill everyone inside, including King James I and the assembled Parliament. The Gunpowder Plot was organized by Robert Catesby, a Catholic gentleman enraged by James's refusal to grant religious tolerance. Fawkes, a soldier of fortune who had served in the Spanish Army, was recruited for his expertise with explosives. The plot unraveled when an anonymous letter warned Lord Monteagle to stay away from the opening of Parliament. Fawkes was arrested, tortured on the rack for two days, and eventually revealed his co-conspirators' names. The trial in Westminster Hall on January 27, 1606, was a formality. All defendants were convicted and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered.
January 27, 1606
420 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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