logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2021
1h 2m

The Gunpowder Plot

NOISER
About this episode

One night in November 1605, a man is discovered underneath England’s Houses of Parliament. And he’s got enough gunpowder with him to reduce it to rubble, with the King, his sons, and the entire government inside it. The Gunpowder plot is an epic tale of adventure and murderous revenge, a detective story complete with secrets, aliases, even an anonymous letter of betrayal. But who was really behind it? What drove the conspirators to attempt such an audacious act of terrorism?

This is a Short History of the Gunpowder Plot.

Written by Kate Simants. With thanks to Jim Sharpe, historian and author of Remember Remember the Fifth of November: Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.

For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Up next
Jul 6
The Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin is a length of linen, believed by many to be the burial cloth of Jesus of Nazareth. Its most famous feature is the blurry imprint of a man’s face, which resembles the pictures of Jesus that have passed down to us over the centuries. Revered by millions, the Sh ... Show More
58m 7s
Jun 29
Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle, a doctor, war volunteer, campaigner for justice, politician, and believer in the spirit world, created one of literature’s most famous characters. In his lifetime, he wrote ghost stories, political pamphlets, historical novels, and fantastical adventures. But ... Show More
1h 1m
Jun 25
Introducing: Fidel Castro - Real Dictators
This is a taster episode of the Fidel Castro story. To hear episodes 2-10, head over to Real Dictators and hit follow. Fidel Castro - a revolutionary turned strongman dictator, beloved by his supporters and loathed by his enemies. The bête noire of the United States who pushed th ... Show More
1h 6m
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2021
Remember, Remember the 5th of November
November 4, 1605. The king's men are conducting a search. They're making their way through the storerooms and cellars and vaults that cluster around and beneath the Palace of Westminster. They've gotten a tip in the form of a mysterious, anonymous letter that something bad is goi ... Show More
31m 34s
Jan 2022
Turkmenbashy Part 2: Putin, Taliban, Internet Shutdown
As the new Turkmen leader, Saparmurat Niyazov has absolute power. He uses it to construct one of history’s most surreal regimes. Rebuilding the capital city in white marble, he puts his own mother at the forefront of public life. A series of absurd policies begins. Even as the Wa ... Show More
58m 13s
Nov 2023
Gunpowder Plot: Tudor Origins
The Gunpowder Plot is one of the hinge events of British history - an act of terror the roots of which stretch back to the Tudor period and Henry VIII's break with Rome. It's a story of Holy War, divided loyalties and religious hatred. And it has never been more timely.  In this ... Show More
56m 32s
Apr 2023
The Nazi Art Mystery (Part 2 of 3)
Art detective Arthur Brand continues his quest to find Hitler’s favourite statues, the massive bronze horses that once stood outside the Reich Chancellery. He travels to the site of a former Red Army base in East Germany where he makes a startling discovery. Now it’s not just neo ... Show More
38m 22s
Dec 2023
Herod the Great Part 2: Murders in the Family
Herod leaves Rome to wrest Judea from the Parthians. He will marry a princess, commission extraordinary building works, and even murder his in-laws as he tries to win over his people. But how will that desperate quest shape his subjects’ lives, and his own legacy? And what of Her ... Show More
56m 7s
May 2023
The Clutter Family Murders
It’s one of the most famous cases in True Crime history, thanks to Truman Capote’s classicbook In Cold Blood. The story begins one night in November 1959 when something dark anddangerous drifts into the small village of Holcomb, Kansas, killing four members of the samefamily. Spe ... Show More
51m 16s
Apr 2023
The Nazi Art Mystery (Part 3 of 3)
The year-long hunt for Hitler’s favourite statues reaches its finale, as art detective Arthur Brand closes in on the shadowy individuals behind their sale. In a high-stakes move, he meets - and secretly records - the middleman representing the sellers. He then confronts a genuine ... Show More
51m 28s
Jun 2022
Pol Pot Part 1: Tyrant in the Shadows
Cambodia today is many people’s idea of heaven on earth. But in the 1970s it was a netherworld of death and despair. Under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, in just four years around a quarter of the population perished. Pol Pot was a uniquely anonymous dictator - a man who preferred ... Show More
33m 9s
Jul 2020
Joseph Stalin Part 1: The Young Bank Robber
Joseph Stalin - the “man of steel” - was the party secretary who plotted a route to absolute power, becoming head of the Eastern Bloc and chief nemesis of the United States. But how did a man from the Georgian frontier of the Russian Empire do it? In 1917, the 300-year-old Romano ... Show More
53m 10s
Feb 2023
Hitler’s Birthday, Poland’s Doom (Part 17)
Hitler continues his Godfather act, ignoring the Munich settlement and gobbling up the rest of Czechoslovakia. As he turns 50, the Führer is showered with extravagant birthday gifts. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the finishing touches are put to a shock pact with Stalin. But Brit ... Show More
56m 12s