In the wake of the posters, the French monarchy took a harder stand against the protesters. Francis had been severely criticized for his initial tolerance towards Protestants, and now was encouraged to repress them. At the same time, Francis was working on a policy of alliance with the Ottoman Empire. The ambassadors in the 1534 Ottoman embassy to France accompanied Francis to Paris. They attended the execution by burning at the stake of those caught for the Affair of the Placards, on 21 January 1535, in front of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris.