On 1 March 1562, the Duke stopped at the town of Wassy while travelling to Paris, and encountered a Huguenot congregation. He and his gentlemen committed a massacre. This precipitated the first French War of Religion, with the Prince of Condé citing it in his 8 April Manifesto shortly after he began hostilities with the seizure of Orléans on 2 April. The Duke of Guise, alongside Antoine of Navarre, Anne de Montmorency and Jacques de Saint André took leadership of fighting the war again Condé on the crowns behalf. After initial successes of those opposing the crown, the victory at the Siege of Rouen and the Battle of Dreux quickly turned the war in the crowns favour.