Guy Fawkes Night in England (05/11)

Guy Fawkes Night. Guy Fawkes' Night, also known as Bonfire Night. Bonfire Night) — is one of the noisiest holidays in England. It is celebrated every year on November 5th.

The holiday is dedicated to one historical event that occurred on November 5, 1605, when attackers planned a conspiracy against King James I and members of Parliament.

Catholics had high hopes for the king, believing that he would abolish the fines and restrictions imposed on them under Queen Elizabeth I, but their hopes were dashed. Then a group of conspirators decided to take an emergency step, which went down in history as the «Powder Plot». Robert Catesby proposed blowing up the Houses of Parliament during the annual opening ceremony of the House of Lords.

The purpose of the alleged explosion was to assassinate the king, change power in the country and the accession of a Catholic king to the throne. To carry out the explosion, they purchased 36 barrels of gunpowder and stored it in the basement under the House of Lords.

But the conspiracy was unexpectedly foiled. On the eve of the planned explosion, one of the participants sent a letter to his friend Lord Monteagle, in which he asked him not to visit Parliament on November 5. A few hours later, the letter ended up in the hands of the king himself. James I ordered a search of the cellars of Parliament, where 36 barrels of gunpowder were discovered, and Guy Fawkes, who intended to set fire to the wick leading to the powder-filled cellar under the House of Lords any minute.

After inhuman torture and bullying, Guy Fox revealed all the names of the attackers. All conspirators were publicly executed, and Guy Fawkes quartered. Londoners, in gratitude for the king's deliverance from death, began to burn fires in the streets. Over time, this tradition grew into a more grandiose event, and effigies of Guy Fawkes, symbols of the « Gunpowder Plot», began to be burned at the stake, in addition, it was supplemented with fireworks and exploding firecrackers and has survived to this day.

According to some sources, this conspiracy could not be carried out because the acquired gunpowder was raw and old, and it was not possible to set it on fire. And some historians even believe that the «Powder Plot» was invented by King James I himself in order to strengthen his power, because it was unrealistic to quietly drag 36 barrels of gunpowder into the Parliament building. Perhaps this was done in order for Parliament to introduce additional restrictions on rights for Catholics.

In England, at Bonfire Night, it is customary to invite guests to a festive dinner, where the highlight of the program is burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes and setting off fireworks. All guests go out to the site, set off firecrackers, set fire to the effigy, burn a fire and communicate nicely with each other.

Traditionally, on November 5, mashed potatoes are prepared with thick English sausages fried on the grill, and potatoes are baked in coals and eaten with a pinch of salt.

There is another food — chicken barbecue legs as a bite with cabbage and carrot salad «coleslaw», seasoned with mayonnaise, and for dessert, toffee apples with syrup from which toffees are made. Children decorate their faces with charcoal « for camouflage» and happily run around the fire, unaware of the real purpose of this holiday.

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