- "Urg the Unclean. Rebel leader in the 18th century goblin rebellion."
- — Urg's Chocolate Frog Card.[src]
The 18th century goblin rebellion was one in a series of goblin rebellions in which the goblin population of the wizarding world revolted against discrimination and prejudice toward their kind by wizards and witches. Urg the Unclean, an activist and goblin, became notorious and featured on a Chocolate Frog Card for his actions and leadership of this rebellion.
Hesphaestus Gore, Minister for Magic who successfully put down this rebellion.
Minister for Magic Albert Boot retired from the post of Minister in 1752 as a result of mismanaging this rebellion. His successor, Basil Flack, did little better, lasting only two months in office before resigning when the goblins allied themselves with the werewolves. The Minister that followed, Hesphaestus Gore, successfully put down a number of these revolts, although historians feel his refusal to contemplate rehabilitation programmes for werewolves ultimately led to more attacks.[2]
During the course of this rebellion, in 1762, goblin rebel Vargot was killed in battle — a popular historical theory that may have not been proved is that Vargot was really a renegade house-elf.[3]
Behind the scenes
- J. K. Rowling has said in regards to the Second World War and the global wizarding war that "my feeling would be that while there's a global Muggle war going on, there's also a global wizarding war going on".[4] If this holds true for all wars, then the 18th century goblin rebellion may be the wizarding counterpart of the Seven Years' War, a war between most of the world's major powers that took place between 1754 and 1763.
Appearances
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (video game) (Mentioned on a Famous Wizard Card)
- J. K. Rowling Official Site (Mentioned only)
- Pottermore (Mentioned only)
Notes and references
- ↑ The goblin rebellion started during Albert Boot's term as Minister for Magic, that is, between 1747 and 1752, and ended sometime in or between 1762 (death of goblin rebel Vargot) and 1770 (end of Hesphaestus Gore's term as Minister).
- ↑ Pottermore - New from J.K. Rowling: "Minister for Magic"
- ↑ J. K. Rowling Official Site - W.O.M.B.A.T.
- ↑ Anelli, Melissa and Emerson Spartz. "The Leaky Cauldron and Mugglenet interview Joanne Kathleen Rowling: Part Three," The Leaky Cauldron, 16 July 2005