Bonfire Night Origin

The Story of Guy Fawkes

Bonfire Night (also known as Guy Fawkes Night) originates from the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a failed conspiracy by a group of provincial English Catholics to assassinate the Protestant King James I of England and replace him with a Catholic head of state.

Guy fawkes was born on April 13th, 1570 in Yorkshire. His parents were called Edward and Edith. When he was 6 years old he went to the Free School of St. Peter´s.

In 1593, he joined the Spanish Army. Fawkes was described as a man of ¨excellent god natural parts, very resolute and universally learned.¨ Others noted his religious devotion and his punctual attendance at religious ceremonies. After the army, he returned to England.

In March 1605, the conspirators hired a cellar beneath Parliament. They filled the cellar with barrels of gunpowder. Fawkes was in charge of the gunpowder. Eight months later, on the night of November 4th, the cellars of Parliament were searched after the authorities recieved an anonymous letter. They found Fawkes with matches and arrested him.

Early on November 5th, 1605, Fawked was questioned. One of his questioners was James I. Fawkers said that he wanted to blow a Scotsman back to Scotland. On November 6th, James I gave the permission for the torture of Fawkes to progress from the ¨gentler tortures¨ to the ¨worst.¨ The next day, Fawkes broke his silence. He confessed that five men were involved in the plot. On November 8th, he told them the plan, and on November 9th, he named the others plotters.

On Friday 31st January 1606, Fawkes was executed for treason.

Little is known about the earliest celebration. Nowadays, Fawkes´ effigy is traditionally burned on a bonfire, commonly accompanied by a firework display.