The conspiracy of the dust is the plot organized in England by some Catholic exponents in 1604 to do explode the parliament palace and kill the sovereign Giacomo I. The aim was to entrust power to a regent who eliminated discrimination against Catholicism. After the Anglican schism implemented by Henry VIII in 1534, in fact, in England the Catholics were strongly discriminated. The conspirators, led by Guy Fawkes And Robert CatesbyThey filled a cellar near Parliament by explosive, but they were discovered before they could implement the plan, they were therefore tried and put to death. There Guy Fawkes maskburned every year in the celebrations of November 5, is now popular thanks to the film V for revenge and the organization Anonymous.
Religious tensions in England
At the beginning of the seventeenth century, in England religious belonging caused heated tensions and had political consequences. In 1534, a few years after the beginning of the Protestant reform, the sovereign Henry VIII had made it Anglican schismsubtracting the church of England from the control of the papacy. Much of the population accepted the schism and became Anglican, but in the country there were also a Catholic minority and various radical Protestant groups. Among the religious currents there were strong tensions. During the long kingdom ofAnglican Elisabetta I (1558-1603) The Catholics, although tolerated, found themselves in a subordinate position and suffered heavy discrimination because they are considered agents to the pay of the Pope and foreign powers, such as Spain of Filippo II.
When Elizabeth’s death, in 1603, ascended to the English throne Giacomo I Stuartalready king of Scotland. The Catholics hoped that the new sovereign showed greater opening towards them, but Giacomo, after the discovery of some conspiracies against him, issued even more restrictive laws.
The planning of the conspiracy
In this context, in the most outlated Catholic environments he matured theidea of the conspiracy: If they had eliminated the sovereign and the whole ruling class, they could have ascended the throne a more tolerant person towards Catholicism. Creators of the plan were five men:
- Robert Catesbywho was the mind of the conspiracy and had already taken part in some plans, not put in place, to eliminate Elisabetta I;
- Guy Fawkeswho in previous years had enrolled abroad and tried to convince the king of Spain to invade England;
- Thomas Percyrelative of an important character, the count of Northumberland, who initially had to be involved in the conspiracy;
- John Wrightbrother -in -law of Percy;
- Tom Wintourrelative of Catesby.
The five men developed the following plan: they would have placed barrels full of gunpowder (the only explosive existing at the time) in a cellar near the Westminster palaceseat of the Parliament, and would have exploded them when the sovereign would solemnly inaugurate the work in the Lord Chamber (one of the two branches of the English Parliament, the other is the Chamber of Municipalities), as it did every year.
With the explosion, they would have killed the king and his two sons, who would certainly accompany the father to the seat. Giacomo’s third daughter, Elizabethonly nine years old, would have been kidnapped and married to a Catholic nobleman. Power would have been temporarily assumed by a regent, chosen among the noble survivors of the explosion and he would have been entrusted to eliminate ancient discrimination.
The implementation of the plan
On March 25, 1604, the conspirators rented a cellar near the Westminster building (which was different from the current building, dating back to the 19th century, but located in the same place). They began to supply dust, purchasing it from the soldiers, and to place the barrels in the cellar. However, they had to involve other men in the conspiracy, given the complexity of the organization, thus neglecting some safety rules. The inauguration of the works of Parliament was scheduled for the November 5th. The conspirators decided that the fuse to explode the gunpowder would be on Guy Fawkes.
The discovery of the conspiracy and the consequences
The conspiracy was discovered before it could be implemented. On October 26, 1604 one of the nobles who would participate in the inauguration of the works in Parliament, the Baron of Monteaglereceived an anonymous letter that warns him of the danger. Those who sent it was never ascertained, but it is certain that Monteagle immediately warned the secretary of State, Robert Cecil Conte of Salisburyand in turn he informed the sovereign. The building was subjected to an inspection. On the evening of November 4, the soldiers noticed Guy Fawkes who wandered near the building and, following him, reached the cellar. They discovered in this way that the conspirators had accumulated well Thirty barrels of gunpowder.
Fawkes was immediately arrested. The other conspirators, informed of the incident, tried to escape in Wales, but they were reached by the soldiers faithful to the king. Some were captured and others, including Robert Catesby, remained killed in the fire clashes. In London, Fawkes was subjected to torture and made the name of the other members of the conspiracy. Eight conspirators, including Fawkes himself, were executed in January 1605 with the cruel traitor reserved method: hanging, overcome and scarce. That is, they were subjected to hanging, but, when they were still alive, they were gutted and square. A few days later a priest was also executed, considered accomplice of the conspiracy. The discovery of the conspiracy had the effect of increasing suspicions towards Catholics and Underprack the laws against them.
Guy Fawkes Night and Anonymous mask
Shortly after the discovery of the conspiracy, the Parliament established that one would be organized every year on November 5th Thanksgiving ceremony For the escaped danger, turning on bonfires. With the passage of time the celebration has become known how Guy Fawkes Night (or Bonfire Night, that is, bonfire night).
Often in the fires the effigies of fawkes and other enemies of England are burned, but in the twentieth century the celebration has lost the ancient meaning to become a simple popular festival. From the anniversary, a famous symbol derives, the Guy Fawkes mask. In 1982 the designer David Lloyd created a stylized version of the Fawkes mask, based on the effigy burned in the celebrations of November 5, which became popular in the film V for revenge of 2005.
The mask is also the symbol of the organization of Anonymous Hackers and other protest groups.
