In early 1565, a large group of lesser noblemen, including William's younger brother Louis, formed the Confederacy of Noblemen. On 5 April, they offered a petition to Margaret of Parma, requesting an end to the persecution of Protestants. From August to October 1566, a wave of iconoclasm (known as the Beeldenstorm) spread through the Low Countries. Calvinists (the major Protestant denomination), Anabaptists, and Mennonites, angered by Catholic oppression and theologically opposed to the Catholic use of images of saints (which in their eyes conflicted with the Second Commandment), destroyed statues in hundreds of churches and monasteries throughout the Netherlands.
in early 1565 a large group of lesser noblemen including william's younger brother louis formed the confederacy of noblemen on 5 april they offered a petition to margaret of parma requesting an end to the persecution of protestants from august to october 1566 a wave of iconoclasm (known as the beeldenstorm) spread through the low countries calvinists (the major protestant denomination) anabaptists and mennonites angered by catholic oppression and theologically opposed to the catholic use of images of saints (which in their eyes conflicted with the second commandment) destroyed statues in hundreds of churches and monasteries throughout the netherlands