James I Influence

In the 1590s, bearing in mind that the Queen was childless, the games for the throne began. The most likely candidate to the throne was James VI of Scotland and I of England (further in text as James I), the descendant of the Mary Queen of Scots. His accession was not without the complications, however, according to Fraser (1996) James I, possessing excellent diplomatic skills, played clever political game, toying with the minds of the Catholic world, raising the Catholic hopes of religious tolerance. James I led them to believe in tolerance towards the Catholicism and possibility that he, himself, and the country will turn back into the realm of Catholic faith in order the secure the place on throne (Haynes, 2001). However, later on vigorously
denied that he had anything to do with upraising of the hopes or ‘had given encouragement to the Roman Catholics to expect from him a relaxation of the penal laws passed against them’ (Jardine, 1857:16). In disregard of the denial The Catholics still remained hopeful. On 24th of March 1603 Elizabeth I dies and the crown falls, unopposed, upon the head of Scottish James (Hutchinson, 2009).
For two years since the assertion to the throne James I was lenient towards Catholics, however ‘as soon as he felt himself firmly seated on the throne’ (Jardine, 1857:20) all the illusions of the religious freedom were dispelled by James I declaring to his council that ‘he never had any intentions of granting toleration to the Catholics’ (Jardine, 1857:21).
The final point that sealed the deal of the lost hopes was the Treaty of London, signed in August 1604, where one of the conditions were that Spain will renounce its intentions of reinstating Catholicism in England (Sharpe, 1995). Therefore, in overall nothing has been changed, causing dismal moods among the
Catholics.
A group of disaffected Catholics, disappointed by James I’s rejection of his earlier promises of religious tolerations, decided that it was time to deal with the source of their oppression, therefore they decided to blow up the English parliament on its opening day (Herman, 2014).
Catesby justified his choice of place by simply saying ‘… in that place have they done us all the mischief…’ (Fraser, 1996:98). They referred to the plan as to a single ‘stroke at the root’, if it would have succeeded then it would bring, in their opinion, ‘new alterations’ in religion, however, if it would have failed then it would be the scandal
surrounding