The Gunpowder Plot of , in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason , was an unsuccessful attempted regicide against King James VI of Scotland and I of England by a group of English Roman Catholics , led by Robert Catesby , who considered their actions attempted tyrannicide and who sought regime change in England after decades of religious persecution. The plan was to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament on Tuesday 5 November , [ a ] as the prelude to a popular revolt in the Midlands during which King James's nine-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth , was to be installed as the new head of state.
Catesby is suspected by historians to have embarked on the scheme after hopes of greater religious tolerance under King James I had faded, leaving many English Catholics disappointed. Fawkes, who had 10 years of military experience fighting in the Spanish Netherlands in the failed suppression of the Dutch Revolt , was given charge of the explosives. On 26 October an anonymous letter of warning was sent to William Parker, 4th Baron Monteagle , a Catholic member of Parliament, who immediately showed it to the authorities.
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During a search of the House of Lords on the evening of 4 November , Fawkes was discovered guarding 36 barrels of gunpowder βenough to reduce the House of Lords to rubbleβand arrested. Hearing that the plot had been discovered, most of the conspirators fled from London while trying to enlist support along the way.
Several made a last stand against the pursuing Sheriff of Worcester and a posse of his men at Holbeche House ; in the ensuing gunfight Catesby was one of those shot and killed. At their trial on 27 January , eight of the surviving conspirators, including Fawkes, were convicted and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered. Some details of the assassination attempt were allegedly known by the principal Jesuit of England, Henry Garnet.
Although Garnet was convicted of high treason and put to death, doubt has been cast on how much he really knew. As the plot's existence was revealed to him through confession , Garnet was prevented from informing the authorities by the absolute confidentiality of the confessional. Although anti-Catholic legislation was introduced soon after the discovery of the plot, many important and loyal Catholics remained in high office during the rest of King James I's reign.
