Guy Fawkes: Treason, Torture, and the Birth of Bonfire Night

DEC 9, 202565 MIN
The Compendium: An Assembly of Fascinating Things

Guy Fawkes: Treason, Torture, and the Birth of Bonfire Night

DEC 9, 202565 MIN

Description

A failed explosion beneath Parliament ignites a chain of treason, torture, and myth-making that still echoes every Bonfire Night.

This episode traces the real story of Guy Fawkes, from Robert Catesby’s radical plot to the brutal aftermath that shaped Britain’s most famous annual ritual. We explore whether Fawkes was the mastermind or the perfect scapegoat, and how a botched act of rebellion became a national night of fire, memory, and political symbolism.

Topics include

  • The Gunpowder Plot’s origins
  • Guy Fawkes’s role and interrogation
  • Robert Catesby’s leadership
  • King James I’s response
  • The making of Bonfire Night tradition

Resources and Further Reading

Host & Show Info

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