Page "Holy Roman Empire" Paragraph 46

From 1515 to 1523, the Habsburg government in the Netherlands also had to contend with the Frisian peasant rebellion, led first by Pier Gerlofs Donia and then by his nephew Wijerd Jelckama.

The rebels were initially successful, but after a series of defeats, the remaining leaders were taken and decapitated in 1523.

This was a blow for the Holy Roman Empire since many major cities were sacked and as many as 132 ships sunk ( once even 28 in a single battle ).