Guy Fawkes

Guy Fawkes was a English conspirator involved in the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, a failed attempt to blow up the House of Lords and assassinate King James I to promote Catholic rights. Fawkes was tasked with igniting the gunpowder stored beneath Parliament. When authorities discovered the plot, he was captured, tried, and executed. Today, he is remembered through Bonfire Night (or Guy Fawkes Night) on November 5th, celebrating the foiling of the plot with fireworks, bonfires, and fireworks. The image of Guy Fawkes has also become a symbol of protest and dissent, popularized by the graphic novel and film "V for Vendetta."