HBO loves Jon Snow.

The cable network has bought the BBC One miniseries "Gunpowder," starring "Game of Thrones" star Kit Harington. The three-part series will air for consecutive nights starting on December 18.

"Gunpowder" is based on the real-life events in the 17th century that led to Guy Fawkes Day. Harington plays Robert Catesby, the driving force behind the 1605 Gunpowder Plot in London. Catesby was a fervent Catholic during a time when Protestant England harshly persecuted those of his faith.

The plan was to blow up the House of Lords on November 5, 1605 during Parliament's State Opening, killing King James I and then installing his 9-year-old daughter Princess Elizabeth as a Catholic Queen in his place. (History spoiler alert: The plan failed.)

Interesting fact: Harington is actually a descendent of Catesby.

"Gunpowder" also stars Mark Gatiss as the king's spymaster, Robert Cecil; Peter Mullan as a Jesuit priest; and Liv Tyler as Catesby's cousin, Anne Vaux. The miniseries is already airing in the U.K.