What if?: In the spirit of Guy Fawkes night

How much explosive power did Guy Fawkes actually have? What is the deathcount possible? and what important people would have died?
 
How much explosive power did Guy Fawkes actually have? What is the deathcount possible? and what important people would have died?

Supposedly some quantity of the powder that was actually used was in bad condition and may not have ignited. This video shows that the quantity of powder used (36 barrels), had it all gone off, would have effectively destroyed the Parliament building, blowing out windows in a one-kilometer radius. It would have almost certainly have killed everyone there, including King James and all of Parliament.

I don't know how many members Parliament had at the time (help from more knowledgeable members, please?), but the effect would have been analogous to blowing up the US Capitol during the State of the Union Speech - utterly devastating, decapitating much of the government.
 
This POD is interesting, but I don't really know what its effects would be. The new King Henry IX would have been 12 years old, and would have had at least 3 or 4 years of regency.

This could end up being the Stuart's chance to get absolutism going. With the destruction of Parliament and the quick majority of Henry (say 15 years old), Henry could try and capitalize on his father's memory by getting the "King of Britain" title recognized. This would give him a platform to ignore the constitutional constraints placed on his office by English documents and Parliament, and create the basis of an absolute monarchy.

Not that I think its all that possible. Just throwing it out there.
 
Different Timeline

Henry, Prince of Wales, was regarded with promise and his death from typhoid in 1612 was a huge blow to the Stuarts.

As stated, he would have become King on the assassination of his father in 1605. It's possible that his trusted Tutor, George Lauder, might have come to England to assist the young King.

On the assumption we can butterfly away the typhoid of 1612, Henry IX "could" have become a significant and positive king. It's entirely likely that the developments which would lead to the Civil War wouldn't occur under Henry but that's not to preclude the likelihood of growing tension between King and Parliament.

We might conjecture that a more efficient, effective and "popular" absolutism might be instigated by Henry in the 1620s though again it's hard to see how some form of conflict with the evolving middle-class wouldn't happen.

It's all conjecture but Henry's accession and reign would certainly reduce Charles Stuart to the sidelines of history.
 

Hnau

Banned
That's great and all, but from the links I posted above, Henry, Prince of Wales, would be killed in the blast. He was there with the King and Queen when the gunpowder was set to explode. Charles is still set to become King.
 

ninebucks

Banned
Right. Simple enough: What if the Gunpowder Plot succeeded?

There would be a genocide of Catholics, instigated by the furious Protestant population and supported by what remained of the government.

I don't think Charles Stuart could ascend to the throne in those circumstances.
 
There would be a genocide of Catholics, instigated by the furious Protestant population and supported by what remained of the government.

I don't think Charles Stuart could ascend to the throne in those circumstances.

Charles I would be a child-king. He would absolutely be able to ascend. And though his personality might still lead to a Civil War, I don't think that lingering doubts about his commitment to Catholicism would be among the reasons anyone opposed him.
 
Supposedly some quantity of the powder that was actually used was in bad condition and may not have ignited. This video shows that the quantity of powder used (36 barrels), had it all gone off, would have effectively destroyed the Parliament building, blowing out windows in a one-kilometer radius.

And likely have set the rest of London afire (as flaming bits of timber rained down on neighboring thatch-roofed buildings)

EDIT: or not... apparently it had been pouring down rain all the first week of November, 1605.
 
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Ugh. As I said before:

This is ASB:
Everyone involved was mysteriously killed straight after (very Cecil-styled), and a series of letters sent by Cecil indicate his knowledge of the plot. No Gunpowder was ever found, and control of Gunpowder was completely controlled by Protestants at this time.
 
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