"Remember the 5th of November." This iconic line from the cult film V for Vendetta (2005) is actually inspired—like the mask worn by the protagonist "V"—by the historical event known as the Gunpowder Plot and its main perpetrator: Guy Fawkes (1570–1606). All this took place in post-Elizabeth I England: the religious struggles between Protestants and Catholics, exacerbated by the accession to the throne of the inept and fervent Catholic James I (1566 - 1625), who was effectively a puppet in the hands of the skilful and charismatic Prime Minister Robert Cecil I (1563 - 1612). Although he never openly converted to Catholicism, King James - as evidenced by his correspondence with Robert Cecil - declared himself in favour of religious tolerance and opposed to the shedding of blood in the name of religious faith, provided that Catholics did not create unrest and did not increase in number. Considering that the country was predominantly Protestant. However, a series of plots (Main Plot and Bye Plot) hatched by fanatical Catholics, laymen and Jesuits led the king in 1604 to total intolerance of Catholicism, banning it from the country. On 20 May 1604, Robert Catesby, Guy Fawkes, Tom Wintour, Jack Wright and Thomas Percy (English politicians and military men) met for the first time in a pub to plot against the king and Parliament. The plan was to blow up Parliament with gunpowder in order to destroy the king and his government, thus bringing the suffering of Catholics to the attention of the whole world. This would have led to the death not only of the guilty, but also of many innocent people. The conspirators believed that the value of the operation was such that it would compensate for their deaths. To this end, gunpowder was purchased, a cellar-refuge near Parliament was acquired, and a plan was devised whereby Fawkes would detonate the barrels under Parliament and then escape. However, Robert Cecil had many spies in London and Fawkes' name came to his attention. Subsequently, an anonymous letter warned him and the king not to go to Parliament because of the danger of a conspiracy. After careful searches, the king's men found Fawkes and Percy and, after torture and confessions, they also found the other conspirators, who were all publicly hanged in 1606 under Cecil's satisfied gaze. In memory of Guy Fawkes and his men, even today some royal guards inspect the underground passages of Parliament, dressed in their typical red coats and black hats.