Contemporary sketch of the conspirators by Crispijn van de Passe

The Gunpowder Conspiracy of 1605 was a plan to murder King James I of England and VI of Scotland. Other names for the plot are The Powder Treason or The Gunpowder Plot. A group of Catholics wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament during the State Opening of Parliament on 5 November 1605. This would have killed the king, and most of the Protestant aristocracy.

The conspirators also planned to kidnap the royal children, and lead a popular revolt in the Midlands.