In 1553 the Catholic Queen Mary announced that she was intending to marry King Philip of Spain, an ardent Catholic who persecuted Protestants with the notorious Spanish Inquisition. The mostly Protestant English sought to work with Mary to prevent such a thing in England. Some nobles, notably Sir Thomas Wyatt of Kent set about spreading word of an uprising throughout the Kingdom. Only in Kent did the Rebels organise under Sir Henry Isley and head for battle. Upon hearing of this, Queen Mary sent Lord Abergavenny with far superior men and weaponry to quash the uprising. The Rebels were defeated. Abergavenny's men, themselves mostly Protestant and not liking to kill fellow Englishmen, ceased fighting and headed back to their camp in Wrotham Churchyard. Abergavenny himself, not realising his men were not behind him carried on fighting.