The history of the anti-establishment movement is a long, interesting and occasionally
Guy Fawkes
violent one. As we’ve written here previously, the term ‘anti-establishment’ was not coined until the 20th century but of course the sentiment has existed since the class system has existed. And not just the class system, royalty and the organised religion have also been regarded as legitimate targets. Guy Fawkes was one such anti-establishment protagonist and you can read the story below.
Born on the 13th April, 1570, Guy Fawkes was born into a world in Catholics and Protestant reformers were battling for the hearts and minds of 16th century Europe. England at this point was a Protestant, vehemently anti-Catholic nation. Offspring of relatively wealthy parents, Guy Fawkes sold his inherited property following their death and made off to Europe to fight for Catholic Spain against Dutch Protestant reformers in the Eighty Years War. A reasonably distinguished military career followed under the pro-Catholic Sir William Stanley and in 1603, by now a Captain, he journeyed to Spain to petition Philip III for support in fomenting a Catholic rebellion in England.
Philip III received him well but, quite possibly with the failure of the Spanish Armada in 1588 still in living memory, was unwilling to get involved in another confrontation with England. It was at this point that Guy Fawkes turned to what might be termed the anti-establishment lobby; led by Robert Catesby, this small group of Catholics planned to assassinate King James and have him replaced by the pro-Catholic, third in line to the throne, Princess Elizabeth. Guy Fawkes came to the group fairly late and was recommended to Catesby via a chain of anti-establishment figures including Sir William Stanley, Thomas Wintour and Welsh spy Hugh Owen.
Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot conspirators
Guy Fawkes was a particularly impressive figure; he is known to have been a tall, powerful man with red hair, a red beard and moustache. His qualification were also impeccable; he was intelligent, had plenty of military experience and was a staunch Catholic.
The inaugural meeting of the complete group was at the Dog and Drake Inn at The Strand in London on 20th May, 1604. It was here they conceived the original plan to destroy the Houses of Parliament while it was in session and attended by the King. It is believed by some, based on a confession from Wintour, that the group began to dig a tunnel from a nearby house but no evidence of his was ever found. One way or another though, the group happened upon an undercroft (a ground floor storage room underneath a building) which they managed to lease from the tenant. 36 barrels of gunpowder were brought in to this storage room, enough to level the building and some distance around.
Unknown to the conspirators, Robert Cecil’s (1st Earl of Salisbury) network of spies across Europe had detected fairly specific rumours of a plot being hatched. The group had also tried to warn Catholics within parliament about the plan but from this, word reached King James who ordered an immediate search of the area. Eight of the plotters were arrested, tortured and eventually executed but Guy Fawkes name lives on as one of the earliest anti-establishment figures and of course the reason for November 5th – Bonfire Night.