What was the main religious aim of the Gunpowder Plot commemorated by Bonfire Night?

The main religious aim of the Gunpowder Plot was restoring Catholic rule in England.

The conspirators were English Catholics who opposed the religious settlement under the Protestant King James I. They hoped that killing the king and destroying Parliament would create a political crisis in which a Catholic monarch could be installed, changing England’s religious direction.

This aim is often reduced to a simple attack on the king, but the plot was connected to wider Catholic grievances and hopes. The conspirators did not merely seek destruction; they intended the explosion to enable a new Catholic-led government.

The plan failed before Parliament met, and the government responded with stronger anti-Catholic measures. Bonfire Night later became both a political commemoration and a popular annual celebration involving fire and fireworks.