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In 1605, 13 young men planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament in what is now called "the Gunpowder Plot". The Gunpowder Plot came about after Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603. English Catholics, who had been persecuted under her rule, were bitterly disappointed when her successor, James I, who had a Catholic mother, failed to be more tolerant of their religion. Their leader Robert Catesby decided to blow up the Houses of Parliament, hoping to kill the King, the Prince of Wales, and the MPs who were making life difficult for Catholics. Among 13 young men was Guy Fawkes, Britain's most notorious traitor and Roman Catholic convert. He was arrested in Parliament's cellar with 36 barrels of gunpowder. Fawkes was tried, convicted, and executed for treason.
Even now, four hundred years later, the reigning monarch only enters the Parliament once a year for the State Opening of Parliament. And before the opening, according to custom, the Yeomen of the Guard searches the cellars of the Palace of Westminster.

1 posted on 11/05/2010 4:33:19 PM PDT by Alex Murphy

Thanks

You come up with some of the most interesting tidbits of history.

2 posted on 11/05/2010 4:44:05 PM PDT by wmfights (If you want change support SenateConservatives.com)

We join a party that burns Guy Fawkes in effigy every year!

3 posted on 11/05/2010 4:51:47 PM PDT by agrarianlady

Thanks Alex for the reminder. Just made martinis and had a toast to that great patriot.

5 posted on 11/05/2010 5:35:46 PM PDT by markomalley (Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus)

Have a happy high holy day! I’m sure it’s a fine time for you to wallow in your anti-Catholic bigotry...

6 posted on 11/05/2010 6:12:12 PM PDT by Unam Sanctam

The movie “V for Vendetta” had the ridiculous premise that the Koran was a great book that had been banned. If I had know that before going in the theater I would have stayed home.

7 posted on 11/05/2010 7:22:34 PM PDT by Nateman (If liberals are not screaming you are doing it wrong!)

I lived in England during early 90’s and my little village always lit old Guy up on Nov 5th. It’s kind of a neat notion that traitors to the country are remembered this way every year. Maybe we should have a similar Pelosi/Obama day here in the USA

9 posted on 11/05/2010 7:57:00 PM PDT by strongbow

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