Since it’s been 419 years, let’s do a little thread on the history of the Gunpowder Plot. Some background: England at the end of the 16th and start of the 17th centuries was a decided place. Elizabeth I had refused to marry, have babies, or even name an heir. Rude. It gets worse.

Her natural successor, Mary Queen of Scots was unavailable due to being executed by Elizabeth in 1587 for the heinous crime of being Catholic rather than Protestant. I know, right? So various options were mooted for a new monarch, including importing a Royal from Spain.