In 1962 the Russian Mars 2MV-3 No.1 (dubbed Sputnik 24 by the US) launched. It failed to break Earth orbit and complete its mission to land on the Martian surface.
In 1604 Guy Fawkes was discovered late in the night along with the cellar full of gunpowder set to blow up James I the next morning.
When in 1532 Henry VIII of England attempted an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon he sought permission from the Pope (head of the Catholic Church). His request was denied and Henry began to cut all ties between the Church in England and the Roman Catholic Church. Over the Next seven years Parliament passes many acts taking control of the Church away from Rome and placing it in the hands of the King. The Pope proclaimed Henry a heretic leading to many Catholic countries, especially Spain, despising the act of the King. All over Europe Christians who questioned the Catholic churches traditional teachings and Rome’s control over their church also became Protestants.
When King Edward VI became King in 1547 he continued the dissolution of the Catholic Church in England. After his death six years later his sister Queen Mary I attempted to reconcile with Rome and made England a Roman Catholic country once more. Mary also had a short reign and when her sister (and daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn) ascended to the throne in 1558 she returned the Country to Protestantism. Many plots to overthrow her and make the country Catholic once more took place unsuccessfully including plots by her cousin Mary Queen of Scots and Philip II of Spain’s attempt to conquer England with the Spanish Armada. Upon her death, on the 24th of March 1603, without a male heir, the crown passed to James VI of Scotland (the son of Mary Queen of Scots) who became James the first of England and Ireland, uniting the realms and creating the United Kingdoms.
James I was a Protestant, unlike his mother, and continued to rule his Kingdom as such, much to the anger of Catholicism throughout the realm. Especially when in an attempt to unite his people under one religion James passed a law which taxed those people that didn’t attend Protestant services.
On the night of the 20thof May 1604 at the Duck and Drake pub in London, Robert Catesby, Thomas Winter, John Wright, Thomas Percy and Guy Fawkes met. Catesby proposed a plan to assassinate the new king by blowing up the House of Lords when King James opened Parliament.
The plan was set in motion when Thomas Percy leased a house next to the House of Lords on the 24th of May 1604 and on the 9th of June Percy becomes a body guard for James I. On the 7th of July 1604 the Parliament meeting ends and plan to reconvene on the 7th of February 1605, this becomes the planned date for the assassination. Shortly before the planned meeting of parliament is postponed until the 28th of July 1605 giving the plotters more time to plan and gain support. Robert Winter, John Grant and Christopher Wright join the conspiracy and in March of 1605 they lease the basement building of the House of Lords. The conspirators move the acquired gunpowder from Percy’s house to the basement in time for the planned parliament meeting on the 28th of July 1605 but once again the meeting is postponed until the 3rd of October. On the 29th of September Ambrose Rookwood is also recruited to the plot but by the 3rd of October the meeting of parliament is again postponed until the 5th of November 1605. In October two more conspirators are recruited, Francis Tresham and Sir Everard Digby. On the 26th of October the brother-in-law of Francis Treshman, Lord Monteagle, receives an anonymous letter warning him not to attend the meeting of Parliament. Lord Monteagle informs the King’s minister of the mysterious letter and Catesby accuses Treshman of being an informer. On the 3rd of November the conspirators meet once more and decide to continue with the plot regardless. The Kings minister advises the King to order a search of all buildings surrounding the House of Lords in preparation for the meeting of Parliament and on the night of the 4th of November 1605 Guy Fawkes is discovered with the gun powder and arrested. Guy Fawkes is tortured for several days and on the 7th of November he begins to confess to the plot. His co-conspirators had already fled London for the Midlands but were soon surrounded at Holbeach House were Catesby, Percy and the Wright brothers are killed and the other’s captured. On the 31st of January 1606 Fawkes, Rookwood, Thomas Winter and Keyes are all executed for treason. Guy Fawkes was hung drawn and quartered for his part in the plot.
