There are many causes for the gunpowder plot. They were building up for more than 100 years. On the night of November 5th Guy Fawkes and many others intended to blow up the houses of Parliament. Their plan was to not only to, not only, kill the King but to also replace him with his Catholic daughter.
The first, most important event, was Henry's VIII's reformation which had totally altered the religious and political face of England. England had now turned its back on Rome, and with it the supremacy of the Pope as God's representative all year round. So the Kings and Queens were now the head of the religion of England. Later monarchs wished to reinforced their status into divine rights of Kings and Queens chosen by God, obeyed by the people. The reformation was carried out because Henry wanted a divorce from his first wife Catherine of Aragon.
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English: "Guy Fawkes in Ordsall Cave". Google book...
English: The Discovery of the Gunpowder Plot, Lain...They marred in 1509 but she couldn't give him an heir to the throne who had to be a son because women were considered weak leaders and couldn't lead an army into battle. The bishops refused the divorce so Henry had no choice but to break away fro Rome. Then came the reign of 'Bloody Mary', she was supposed to be the perfect Queen but things didn't go quite as they had hoped. The reign of Bloody Mary, with her attempts of reinstating the Catholic faith, had even more people resent Catholic ways. Many Protestants were now being persecuted and many had to flee abroad, rousing further anti-Catholic resentment. Even with a return to the Protestant religion, many people could not forget the legacy and actions of the Catholics. They made sure that England would never return to its Catholic ways and they should pay. Her reign between 1552...