In 1605, the Gunpowder Plot was foiled — a daring plan by Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators to blow up the Houses of Parliament and assassinate King James I. Their discovery sparked nationwide relief and celebrations that continue today as Guy Fawkes Day, with fireworks and bonfires marking the night England narrowly escaped disaster.

On June 11, 1509, 17-year-old Henry VIII married Catherine of Aragon, the Spanish princess who had previously been wed to his late brother, Arthur. Their union began with promise—strengthening England’s alliance with Spain and uniting two respected royal houses. But years later, Catherine’s inability to produce a male heir and Henry’s desire for Anne Boleyn would turn this marriage into the catalyst for England’s break f rom the Catholic Church.

Nicholas Owen, a Jesuit martyr, built secret priest holes to hide clergy in Tudor England—his genius saved lives, but cost him his own.