30 Facts About Robert Catesby

Robert Catesby's family were prominent recusant Catholics, and presumably to avoid swearing the Oath of Supremacy he left college before taking his degree.

Robert Catesby married a Protestant in 1593 and fathered two children, one of whom survived birth and was baptised in a Protestant church.

Robert Catesby was shot and later found dead, clutching a picture of the Virgin Mary.

Robert Catesby was a lineal descendant of William Catesby, the influential councillor of King Richard III who was captured at the Battle of Bosworth and executed.

Robert Catesby's parents were prominent recusant Catholics; his father had suffered years of imprisonment for his faith, and in 1581 had been tried in Star Chamber alongside William Vaux, 3rd Baron Vaux of Harrowden, and his brother-in-law Sir Thomas Tresham, for harbouring the Jesuit Edmund Campion.

In 1586 Robert Catesby was educated at Gloucester Hall in Oxford, a college noted for its Catholic intake.

In 1588, at time of the Spanish Armada, Robert Catesby was allegedly imprisoned at Wisbech Castle along with Francis Tresham.

When Robert Catesby's father died in 1598, his estates at Ashby St Ledgers were left to his wife, while Robert Catesby and his family remained at Chastleton.

Robert Catesby had seemed happy to remain a Church Papist but after his wife's death later that year he further embraced Catholicism.

The Earl of Essex's purpose might have lain in furthering his own interests rather than those of the Catholic Church, but Robert Catesby hoped that if Essex succeeded, there might once more be a Catholic monarch.

Robert Catesby soon began to lose patience with the new dynasty.

Wintour at first objected to his cousin's scheme, but Robert Catesby, who said that "the nature of the disease required so sharp a remedy", won him over.

Robert Catesby then turned to Sir William Stanley, an English Catholic and veteran commander who had switched sides from England to Spain, and the exiled Welsh spy Hugh Owen; both cast doubt on the plotters' chances of receiving Spanish support.

Owen did introduce Wintour to Guy Fawkes, whose name Robert Catesby had already supplied as "a confidant gentleman" who might enter their ranks.

Robert Catesby had borne much of the scheme's financial cost thus far, and was running out of money.

Robert Catesby soon added Ambrose Rookwood, a staunch Catholic who was both young and wealthy, but who most importantly owned a stable of fine horses at Coldham.

Robert Catesby confided in Digby during a delayed Feast of Saint Luke.

Robert Catesby told him to rent Coughton Court near Alcester, so that he would "the better to be able to do good to the cause [kidnap Princess Elizabeth]".

Robert Catesby replied "I think your Lordship takes no pleasure to be there".

Several of the conspirators expressed worries about fellow Catholics who would be caught up in the planned explosion; Percy was concerned for his patron, Northumberland, and when the young Earl of Arundel's name was mentioned Robert Catesby suggested that a minor wound might keep him from the chamber on that day.

Robert Catesby immediately suspected that Tresham was responsible for the letter, a view which was shared by Thomas Wintour.

Robert Catesby waited for Percy's return from the north, before making his decision.

Robert Catesby thought the letter too vague to constitute any meaningful threat to the plan, and decided to forge ahead.

Robert Catesby elected to wait, to see how events unfolded.

Robert Catesby gave Bates a letter to deliver to Father Garnet and the other priests at Coughton Court, informing them of what had transpired, and asking for their help in raising an army in Wales, where Catholic support was believed to be strong.

Robert Catesby was absent however, so they helped themselves to further arms, ammunition, and money.

The locals were unsupportive; on hearing that Robert Catesby's party stood for "God and Country", they replied that they were for "King James as well as God and Country".

Robert Catesby, believing his death to be near, kissed the gold crucifix he wore around his neck and said he had given everything for "the honour of the Cross".

Robert Catesby refused to be taken prisoner, "against that only he would defend himself with his sword".

Robert Catesby managed to crawl inside the house, where his body was later found, clutching a picture of the Virgin Mary.