It's April 5th, 1534, outside Munster, a German city in the Holy Roman Empire.

43 year old Bishop Franz von Waldeck emerges from a tent into glorious sunshine.

It's Easter Sunday and normally Bishop Waldeck would be preparing for religious services that marked the most important festival and the Christian calendar.

But this year Bishop Waldeck isn't at church he's leading an army.

Two months ago a religious uprising occurred in the city of Munster.

A radical sect known as Anabaptists took over the town and expelled anyone who refused to convert to their version of Christianity.

This was unacceptable to Franz von Waldeck.

He's not only the local Catholic Bishop, he's also the region's ruler. So now he's come to Munster

to return the city to what he views as the one true Christian faith and he's

prepared to use force to do it. He set up camp outside Munster and deployed his army to

be siege the city. Now as he watches on, the city gates begin to open. Bishop

Waldeck praises God that the rebellious subjects of Munster have chosen this holy day to surrender.

But his celebrations are cut short when he sees a dozen horsemen gallop out of the gates.

They have their weapons drawn, and they're heading straight for the Bishop's tent.

Bishop's soldiers rushed to meet the threat, forming a defensive line.

Guards plead for Bishop Baldek to flee to safety, but he's not going to turn away from his enemy,

especially when this small group of attackers is hopelessly outnumbered by the hundreds of the Bishop's pikemen.

So instead, Bishop Valdak stands with his

soldiers waiting expecting the oncoming riders to recognize the overwhelming

odds and retreat. Instead they keep coming until they clash with the Bishop's well-organized line.

It is a one-sided fight.

The horses are brought down almost immediately, and the riders tumble from their saddles.

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