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Terrorism in the early modern world was rather different from terrorism today. In the first place, there wasn’t any dynamite or automatic weaponry. It was harder to kill. In the second place, the idea of killing people indiscriminately, without regard to their identity, didn’t seem to occur to anyone yet. But still, there was lots of violence using terrorist tactics.

The post Terrorist tactics, terrorist strategy appeared first on OUPblog.

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The conspirators in what we now know as the Gunpowder Plot failed in their aspiration to blow up the House of Lords on the occasion of the state opening of parliament in the hope of killing the King and a multitude of peers. Why do we continue to remember the plot? The bonfires no longer articulate anti-Roman Catholicism, though this attitude formally survived until 2013 in the prohibition against the monarch or the heir to the throne marrying a Catholic.

The post The literary fortunes of the Gunpowder Plot appeared first on OUPblog.

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The fifth of November is not just an excuse to marvel at sparklers, fireworks, and effigies; it is part of a national tradition that is based on one of the most famous moments in British political history. The Gunpowder Plot itself was actually foiled on the night of Monday 4 November, 1605. However, throughout the following day, Londoners were asked to light bonfires in order to celebrate the failure of the assassination attempt on King James I of England. Henceforth, the fifth of  November has become known as ‘Bonfire Night’ or even ‘Guy Fawkes Night’ – named after the most posthumously famous of the thirteen conspirators. Guy Fawkes became the symbol for the conspirators after being caught during the failed treason attempt. For centuries after 1605, boys creating a cloaked effigy – based on Guy Fawkes’ disguised appearance in the Vaults at the House of Lords – have been asking for “a penny for the Guy”.

Below is a timeline that describes the events leading up to the failed Gunpowder Plot and the execution of Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators. If you would like to learn more about Bonfire Night, you can explore the characters behind the Gunpowder Plot, the traditions associated with it, or simply learn how to throw the best Guy Fawkes Night party.

Feature image credit: Guy Fawkes, by Crispijn van de Passe der Ältere. Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.

The post A history of Bonfire Night and the Gunpowder Plot appeared first on OUPblog.

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I've always loved Bonfire Night, and I especially love November 5th this year. Strange Men in Pinstripe Suits racked up two gorgeous reviews.

"This land may be called Wonderland or Nowhere, but whatever the name, Gardner maps it with careful, melancholy strokes..." Read the rest of the review by E. Catherine Tobler over at Shimmer. Yes, the Shimmer.

"Another gem of a book! Reading this book was like walking into a curio shop filled with wondrous treasures..."  Read the rest of the review over at VVB32 Reads.

NaNoWriMo catch up:

Today's Word Count: 2142 (go me!!!)
Total Word Count: 9007 / 523 (other projects)
Time Frame: Hello 24th Century, the Darling Girls have arrived

Googled: Weird Museums
Oops: Excessive swearing this session (in manuscript and without). My characters however have an excuse. They're sitting in a time-travelling submarine, the power has fizzled out and 'The Breaker' (freaking gigantic killer robot) is stomping about outside.
                                                  

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