The Gunpowder Treason and Plot

"Remember, remember the fifth of November.

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot.

I see no reason why Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot."

This famous rhyme, still popular in U.K. as a symbol of liberation reminds us why an event in history could hold so much importance for Britishers. Till today, the night of 5th November is celebrated in U.K. with a bonfire with people singing songs and burning fireworks.

The event is associated with a gunpowder plot, planned to kill the then king of Scotland, James IV,  who recently took over the throne succeeding King James 1.  James IV, who promised that the system under his regime would prosper for the Catholic group was unable to stand up to his word. Robert Catesby, the mastermind behind the plot, called upon his fellow mates to strategize a plan to blow up the King and the House of Lords. Among his fellow mates was the infamous Guy Fawkes, who had a history of being a part of such notorious plans. All of them belonged to wealthy catholic families and were opposed to the new religion. Catesby hope to bring back Catholicism in England.

Guy Fawkes, the executor of the plot, was recruited because of his knowledge of gunpowder, a skill he acquired while working as a mercenary soldier. The plan was set on execution, starting off by renting a vault near the parliament. During the next few weeks, they accumulated enough gunpowder to bring down the whole parliament into ashes.

Just a few days before the D-Day, one of the members of the house of lords,Mounteagle,  received an anonymous letter as a sign of warning of the upcoming fiasco. Mounteagle spring into action and immediately informed the rest of the members about it. James did not call for any immediate action, since that would bleak off the chances of catching the conspirators red-handed. On the night of the 4th of November, the king’s men swung into action, thoroughly searching each and every corner of the parliament. It didn't take them much time to come across a suspiciously large store of firewood. Guy Fawkes, the final key to the whole plan was caught on the spot with torch-wood and matches. He was taken in for interrogation and the whole plot crumbled like a pack of cards.

He was tortured severely till Nov 7, until he broke down, and gave all the information to the authorities about the fellow plotters. Eventually, all 13 men were caught and were found guilty of treason to the state. They all were sentenced to gruesome death of hanging, drawing and quartering. This kind of severe punishment was given in case of a severe crime, treason being one of them, Just when you thought game of thrones was just a violent series, you come to know that such events actually had happened in the past.

Its a process in which the guilty is drawn/dragged by a horse to the place of execution. Then he is hanged in a manner where his neck is not broken by a drop, but just to the point that he is conscious of the misery that he was about to face. Then came the gruesome part, when his intestines, private parts and heart were taken out of his body and burned before him. Most of the guilty died of shock and haemorrhage. After he died, he was beheaded and his body was quartered i.e. cut into 4 parts for burying. Sometimes, the head was placed on a spear and mounted on top of the castle/London bridge as an act of reminding the people what would happen if they commit such a crime. This kind of punishment was one of the worst given in ancient British period.

King James, elated the a plot of such magnitude was avoided, ordered celebration by lighting bonfires throughout London which is followed even today. 5th of November is also observed as the Guy Fawke’s day.

This event was also used as an idea in the plot for the popular movie V for Vendetta, a fantastic concept in itself