Virginia was not safe for Puritans in the early 1600s, and convicted a number of them as "seditious sectuaries". A significant number were invited to Maryland by Catholic Lord Baltimore, who hoped they would counterbalance the troublesome Anglicans in the Province of Maryland. Puritans arrived in 1649 and founded Providence, which later became Annapolis, Maryland. By March 25, 1655, the Puritans of Providence engaged in the Battle of the Severn with the Governor's people from St. Mary's. Winning the battle, the Puritans executed three of the Governor's men and were about to execute another couple of dozen when the Puritan women rose up and told the men to stop killing people. The records do not state what threat the women used to achieve compliance.