火药阴谋 the Gunpowder Plot

Vic1619112029ClassBCONTENTSⅠBriefintroductionⅡBackgroundⅢPlotⅣReactionⅤAftermathTheGunpowderPlotof1605Ⅰ.BriefintroductionwasafailedassassinationattemptagainstKingJamesIofEnglandbyagroupofprovincialEnglishCatholicsledbyRobertCatesby.Ⅱ.BackgroundReligion•Catholicismbecamemarginalized,butdespitethethreatoftortureorexecution,priestscontinuedtopracticetheirfaithinsecret.Succession•DespitecompetingclaimstotheEnglishthrone,thetransitionofpowerfollowingElizabeth'sdeathwentsmoothly.EarlyreignofJamesI•James'sattitudetowardsCatholicswasmoremoderatethanthatofhispredecessor,perhapseventolerant.Earlyplots•IntheabsenceofanysignthatJameswouldmovetoendthepersecutionofCatholics,assomehadhopedfor,severalmembersoftheclergydecidedtotakemattersintotheirownhands.Ⅲ.Plot•InFebruary1604CatesbyinvitedThomasWintour,anemissaryofEngland,tohishouseinLambeth,wheretheydiscussedCatesby'splantore-establishCatholicisminEnglandbyblowinguptheHouseofLordsduringtheStateOpeningofParliament.•RobertCatesby(1573–1605),amanofancient,historicanddistinguishedlineage,wastheinspirationbehindtheplot.•In1603,CatesbyhelpedtoorganizeamissiontothenewkingofSpain,PhilipIII,urgingPhiliptolaunchaninvasionattemptonEngland,whichtheyassuredhimwouldbewellsupported,particularlybytheEnglishCatholics.AlsopresentatthemeetingwasJohnWright,adevoutCatholicwhohadtakenpartwithCatesbyintheEarlofEssex'srebellionthreeyearsearlier.•Thefirstmeetingbetweenthefiveplotterstookplaceon20May1604inLondon.Aloneinaprivateroom,theysworeanoathofsecrecyonaprayerbook.•WintourtravelledtoenquireaboutSpanishsupport.WhiletherehesoughtoutGuyFawkes,acommittedCatholic.ThomasPercy,Catesby'sfriendandJohnWright'sbrother-in-law,wasintroducedtotheplotseveralweekslater.•Followingtheiroath,theplottersleftLondonandreturnedtotheirhomes.•Meanwhile,KingJamescontinuedwithhispoliciesagainsttheCatholics,andParliamentpushedthroughanti-Catholiclegislation.•BythetimetheplottersreconvenedatthestartoftheoldstylenewyearonLadyDay,25March1605,threemorehadbeenadmittedtotheirranks;RobertWintour,JohnGrant,andChristopherWright.•Theplotwasrevealedtotheauthoritiesinananonymousletteron26October.•DuringasearchoftheHouseofLordsataboutmidnighton4November,Fawkeswasdiscoveredguarding36barrelsofgunpowderandarrested.•MostoftheplottersfledfromLondon.•Attheirtrialon27January1606,eightofthesurvivors,includingFawkes,wereconvictedandsentencedtobehanged,drawnandquartered.•ThefailureoftheGunpowderPlotinitiatedawaveofnationalreliefatthedeliveryoftheKingandhissons,andinspiredintheensuingparliamentamoodofloyaltyandgoodwill.Ⅳ.ReactionⅤ.Aftermath•Thediscoveryofsuchawide-rangingconspiracy,thecaptureofthoseinvolved,andthesubsequenttrials,ledParliamenttoconsiderintroducingnewanti-Catholiclegislation.•TheGunpowderPlotwascommemoratedforyearsbyspecialsermonsandotherpublicacts,suchastheringingofchurchbells.•ItaddedtoanincreasinglyfullcalendarofProtestantcelebrationsthatcontributedtothenationalandreligiouslifeof17th-centuryEngland,andhasevolvedintotheBonfireNightoftoday.