Guy Fawkes was caught when authorities discovered him guarding a large cache of gunpowder under the House of Lords on the night of November 4–5, 1605. The plot’s exposure came after an anonymous letter warned of a planned “terrible blow” to Parliament, prompting a search of the cellars, where Fawkes was found with fuses, a lamplight, matches, and 36 barrels of gunpowder.
Key points
- The anonymous tip led to the late-night search of the Lords’ cellars, where Fawkes was found monitoring the gunpowder.
- He was taken into custody and subjected to interrogation and torture, during which he confessed his role in the Gunpowder Plot.
- The discovery and subsequent confession linked Fawkes to the conspirators planning to blow up the Parliament and assassinate King James I, aiming to restore a Catholic monarch.
- Fawkes died during the attempted execution (either by breaking his neck while being hanged or by jumping to avoid the full sentence), becoming a symbol of the Gunpowder Plot and of Bonfire Night traditions in Britain.
