Guy Falkes Night: just what are they celebrating?

The name Guy Falkes will remind the history buffs reading this blog of the Gun Powder Plot of 1605. For the rest of us, a brief summary may be necessary. Back in the 1500's, England underwent the English Reformation when King Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church and established the Church of England so that he could get a divorce from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon (somewhere in Spain). The Reformation in England was not easy and often quite rocky. Politics as much as religious convictions were behind much of what happened during those turbulent years. After Henry died, his young son, Edward VI didn't last too long either. Mary, Henry's oldest daughter came to the throne. Her mother, Catherine, had firmly rooted Mary in the Roman Catholic faith and because of this, Mary set to reverse the actions of her father and root out all the Protestant leaders, earning her the name of Bloody Mary. She had over 300 Protestant leaders and followers burned at the stake during her short reign.

Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry and Anne Boylyn, took to the throne next and reaffirmed her father's actions and brought England back to a Protestant state of affairs. Over the next 50 years, the Roman Catholics of England had to watch their step, often conducting their affairs in private in order to not be exposed as traitors to the Crown. James I was a staunch Protestant and was less tolerant of Roman Catholics than Elizabeth (if you can call her tolerant). James had been on the throne only a few years when some of the Roman Catholic community, seeing that no help was going to come from King Philip of Spain, decided to take matters into their own hands. Their plan was to blow up the Palace of Parlament during the opening ceremonies when the king and all of Parlament would be present.

The Gun Powder Plot, as it became known, involved renting a cellar under the Parlamentary buildings and placing 800 pounds of gun powder there to blow up the entire building thereby killing everyone inside. However, at the last minute, literally, on November 5th, Guy Falkes was caught trying to light the fuse before fleeing. Under torture, he later revealed the names of his co-conspirators, all of whom were already known. He died a traitor's death along with several of his cohorts at the Tower of London soon thereafter.

Now here is where things get a little strange for us Americans to understand. By Royal Decree and by law, everyone was required to celebrate the deliverance of the king. This compulsory celebration lasted until 1859. However, to this day, most all of England celebrates Guy Fawkes night on November 5th of every year. In most communities, children would make little effigies of Guy Fawkes and stand on the street corner begging a penny for the Guy. They would then take the money and buy fireworks to shoot off at the bon fire later that night. This custom of the children has fallen by the wayside in most parts of England now, but the Bon Fire and the fireworks are still a big part of the night.

When I first experienced this last year, I asked several many of my friends here in England just what the celebration was about. Were they celebrating the fact that Guy Falkes failed in his plot or that he made the effort? I got answers on both sides of that fence, but the best answer I think I received was from a woman in my church when she said that generally, everyone just got together and celebrated anarchy for a night.

So, this November 5th, weather permitting, I may be there at the Bon Fire celebrating the results of the election of America's next president or I may be looking forward to the anarchy that may descend upon my homeland in the next few years.