Complex sentence: In January 1478, a band of soldiers from the Burgundian garrison at Renescure terrorized the area around Laires and instead of helping people to fight the "French enemy", looted the village.
Split into simpler sentences: In January 1478, a band of soldiers from the Burgundian garrison at Renescure terrorized the area around Laires. Instead of helping people to fight the "French enemy" they looted the village.