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Guy Fawkes (1570-1606), Gunpowder plot conspirator
Sitter in 7 portraits
Guy Fawkes was a member of a group of Roman Catholic revolutionaries who planned to carry out the Gunpowder plot. Their aim was to kill the king and most of the Protestant aristocracy by blowing up the Houses of Parliament during the state opening on 5 November 1605. Fawkes was by profession a soldier, who had fought for the armies of Catholic Spain in the Netherlands. He was recruited by Robert Catesby, the lead figure in devising the plan, because of his military experience. The plot was foiled shortly before its intended completion, as Fawkes was captured while guarding the gunpowder. On discovery, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London, tried for treason and executed.
by Claes Jansz Visscher