What name did Guy Fawkes use while serving in the Spanish Netherlands?

Guy Fawkes used the name Guido Fawkes while serving in the Spanish Netherlands.

Fawkes adopted the continental form “Guido” during his military service with Spanish forces. He was an Englishman from York who had converted to Catholicism and travelled abroad to fight for Catholic Spain against the Dutch Republic.

The name Guido reflected his life among Catholic soldiers and communities on the European mainland. When he returned to England and joined Robert Catesby’s conspiracy, he became associated with the English name Guy Fawkes. He was arrested under the alias John Johnson, so several names appear in historical accounts of the plot.

The famous Guy Fawkes identity therefore sits alongside both Guido Fawkes, used overseas, and John Johnson, the false name he gave authorities after his arrest. These names refer to the same person, not separate conspirators.