In the 16th century the Netherlands were in the grip of a religious war. The victory of the Catholics resulted in an exodus of Lutherans and members of the Reformed Church. Many of these found a new home in Frankfurt. Besides new business practices and specific craft skills they brought with them the silk industry, so that for several decades Frankfurt was the most important silk market in Germany, and possibly even in Europe. Jews also found employment as skilled workers in silk production or commissioned silk for sale. As in other industries the city council and guilds tried around 1600 to issue regulations keeping the Jews out of this business (in this case unsuccessfully). According to the historian Alexander Dietz there were 12 Jewish cloth and silk businesses up to 1635.