The Gunpowder Plot

 Remember Remember the Fifth of November:

During the late 16th and 17th century, Catholics made several assassination attempts against Protestant rulers in Europe and in England. 
The Gunpowder plot, also called Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason.   It's a better example of this model.  Considered one of the most audicious "terrorist" act ever done against the crown of england, which  principal aim was to kill King James I,monarch's nearest relatives and members of the Privy Council.  

Protestant Opression: Henry's daughter,Elizabeth I, responded to the growing religious divide by introducing the Elizabethan Religious Settlement(everyone appointed to a public church had to swear allegiance to the monarch as head of the Church and state)  The penalties for refusing the settlement were harsh and cruel, insubordinates risked imprisonment or execution.  Catolicism became marginalised and persecuted.  King James I, the scottish succesor of Queen Elizabeth was more moderate and even tolerant in comparison with his predecessors,he believed that exile was a better solution than capital punishment.

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot: Robert Catesby, a man of distinguished lineage led the plot.   In May 20, year 1604, he organized the first meeting at the "Duck and Drake"inn, Thomas Wintour, and John Wright were in attendance, joined by Guy Fawkes, and Thomas Percy. In privacy the five conspirators received the Eucharist, and swore of secrecy on a prayer book.  Originally the plotters had planned to tunnell under the foundation of the westminster palace to do that they purchased the lease of an undercroft,owned by John Whynniard.  Since the old palace was easily accesible, taking the 20 gunpowder barrels to the ground floor( which  was directly beneath the first-floor House of Lords) was made with ease. Guy Fawkes was in charge of the gunpowder ignition, he would light the fuse and then run away across the Thames, while simultaneously a revolt in the Midlands would help to ensure the kidnapping of Princess Elizabeth. Fawkes would leave the continent, to explain events in England to the European Catholic powers. 

Monteangle Letter and Discovery: On October 26th the plot was given away by an anonymous letter sent to a Catholic nobleman Lord Monteagle.  Uncertain of the letter's meaning he immediatly took it to the court.  In November 1st the letter was shown to King James,who felt that it hinted at some "strategem of gunpowder and fire",perhaps an explossion (like the one that killed his father).   According to king's version the fisrt searching on parliament was made in November 4th's evening, they found a large pile of firerwood in the undercroft beneath the House of Lords accompained by Fawkes who they pressumed was a serving man,he assured his name was "John Johnson" and the firewoods were property of his master Thomas Percy. They left to report their findings, at same time Fawkes also left the building.  The King insisted that a more thorough search should be performed.  Late that night, the search party, headed by Thomas Knyvet, returned to the undercroft and then they came across Fawkes once more,but this time they arrested him and took him to the tower of London, where he was interrogated and tortured.  After two days of torture,in November 7th, he started to name some of the ones who where involved along with him,and in November 9th he implicated Francis Tresham as the last conspirator of the plot.  Finally he was judged and executed in January 31st 1606, his corpse was dismembered and distributed to "the four corners of the kingdom" to be displayed as a warning to other would-be traitors.

Nowadays english men celebrate the Guy Fawkes' Night where they burned a symbolical Guy Fawkes.   The 'guys' are made by children by filling old clothes with crumpled newspapers to look like a man. Tradition allows British children to display their 'guys' to passers-by and asking for " A penny for the guy".   The Nursery poem,"Remember, remember the fifth of November" was made to ensure that this crime would never be forgotten.

Queen Elizabeth I : "The Virgin Queen"

Queen Elizabeth I , daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, was born on Semptember 7th, 1533 on Palace of Placentia, Greenwich, England. She was called:  "The Virgin Queen", because she never married. There is the idea that Elizabeth vowed herself to a life perpetual virginity, she entered into a symbolic marriage with england as her husband. in this way she could receive the adulation of her subjects as the universal ballads, pageants, and dramatic entertainment. 

 She was a living legend. Novelists, poets, playwrights and filmmakers have immortalized Elizabeth. In recent years there has been a flood of books and exhibitions about her. Her figure was theatrical: small eyes, the blond curly hair and deathly pale complexion. Queen Elizabeth I, was immortalized in several movies based on myths about her life and loves. 

There is no absolute truth about life and virginity of Queen Elizabeth I, but I believe in the theory that she had lovers who were not known and that these loves were not important enough to make the Queen  fall in love and lose all the image that already had formed for his people.

The truth is that however interesting the subject is, there is no way to find the truth. So we must make do with the truth of how powerful and strong that Queen Elizabeth I was. 

Elizabeth: The golden age (2007)

Despite its obvious historical errors, it is certainly an excellent film production.

The film tells the story of Queen Elizabeth I (played by Cate Blanchett), a lonely but strong woman who must face the recurrent attempts of take her throne. On the other hand, Catholicism is gaining ground wanting to get it over with Protestant England and restore the glory of the Roman Catholic Church.

In this context, Elizabeth “the virgin” is being pressured to marry soon and leave offspring, in this way, her cousin Mary Stuart, defender of Catholicism, wouldn't take the throne. 

Many men are presented to her, and as usual she refuses to marry, but she takes note about Walter Raleigh, a man that returned from “the new world” and then fascinates to her with his adventures stories at sea. 

Unwilling to give vent to his passion, Elizabeth encourages Bess (played by Abbie Cornish), her favorite lady, to relate to Raleigh to have him around. But they fall in love; Bess gets pregnant and then get married in secret and without permission from the queen. The queen discovered it and she threw into a jealous rage and Raleigh and his wife were imprisoned in the Tower. Later, the Queen forgives them and gives

blessing to his son.

Mary Stuart was beheaded for treason and in the context of war, England faces to Spain and comes out triumphant.

The great production makes us dive into the story and believe what the film shows. But the truth is that much of what is presented is fiction- distant from the real story.

How much true is there in the movie?

There are several details that were added and / or omitted:

• William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and one of the most trusted advisors of the Queen, was omitted in this film.
• England didn't win the war because they had a great navy, but a storm happened in his favor.

Philip II: "I sent my ships to fight men, not against the storms."

• Raleigh never went out to meet the Spanish Armada
• Bess Throckmorton's pregnancy actually occurred the summer of 1591, three years after the Armada, not immediately before

Was Walter Raleigh for the queen as important as the film shows?

The truth is that as well as Raleight, there were many men favorites: Robert Dudley, Sir Robert Cecil, or Robert Devereux, all of which were much more significant than Raleigh.

Was really Elizabeth a virgin?

It was said that she gave her "intimate affection" to a big number of favorites, including Robert Dudley (first Earl of Leicester), Sir Walter Raleigh and Robert Devereux, (second Earl of Essex). It was even rumored that she had a son with Dudley named Arthur, and when he was born he was delivered promptly to other hands for his care and already big he went out in search of his real parents.

“For my secret sins, clean me. For the sins of the others, you put your servant. Many sins have been excused to her because she loved too much… “

“Here lies Elizabeth, who reigned virgin and died virgin"

Buried as a virgin and glorified by his personal sacrifice on behalf of the happiness of his country, the truth about the intimate life of Elizabeth I and her possible motherhood, will continue being a fascinating mystery.

Elizabeth I, Armada Portrait, c.1588 - Woburn Abbey

Queen Elizabeth I : Art Legacy

                 Many years ago a strong Queen ruled England, making it more powerful and creating a huge Empire; The British Empire. Besides of being a mother to her country she was a great lover of the finest arts.  She was very well-educated, she knew six different languages, she enjoyed the theatre, the dance, history, politics, and the art in general, and furthermore she was very clever. She surrounded herself with the best.

She knew that the basis for a stable government and economy was to create culture, hence, there’s an opening of the mind to knowledge. They needed to create a good education. This is the best moment of the public schools in the story of England. In her times emerges The Humanism, and here is where the Universities became a sort of sanctuary. 

In her reign London becomes a multicultural city for the first time. It’s the beginning of the Powerful England.

The art is very important to the Queen; she gives to her people a new way to see the life, to perceive the world inside of them, now there’s not just to survive, there’s a conception of what needs to be near or what needs to stay away from their thoughts. That is what makes a real Empire (in addition to conquer new places); when the kingdom is not only worried about the primary needs of the people, but beyond; they are worried about the people’s mind. She introduces the art as an entertainment but indeed she introduces it as a way of making the people more thoughtful. And intelligence is power. 

As future teachers we have to consider this, education is power, we can change lives through teaching. The education is the base for a powerful and cultured country, who respect each other no matter what we look like, what beliefs we have or what we want to do with our life. 

She was visionary because nowadays, intelligence makes people powerful. Her legacy to me was a kind of advice: Conquer all that you have to, all that you need to, but be clever so you can achieve your goals. Be always concerned about your learning process, develop your spiritual side and your mind. Use all your capabilities to be the best you that you can.

Queen Elizabeth I portrait 

                       Cate Blanchett as Elizabeth I in the movie "Elizabeth : The Golden Age"

If we talk about theatre I wonder: Did Queen Elizabeth I, meet Shakespeare ? 

I didn't find any specific information, there aren't any proofs if this happened or not. But I think that this is just a myth. Anyway, If that happened sometime, it would be the most awesome fact on Elizabeth's life and in the history of England.