The reformation in England was a very violent and nasty affair, and the English reformers had a lot in common with the Taliban. Beautiful churches and shrines were desecrated all over the country, and their jewels and furnishings were either destroyed or, if they had monetary value, confiscated by -- who else? -- the King. The Church's lands were confiscated by the nobility. Religious houses were forcibly closed, the buildings themselves either destroyed or put to some other use, and those monks and nuns who objected sometimes ended up dead. Catholic decorations in churches were destroyed or defaced as "idols". (Having a picture of a saint was "idolatry"; destroying that picture and replacing it, not with anything remotely Christian, but with the royal coat of arms and a slogan commanding loyalty to the crown, was "patriotism".)
Read Eamon Duffy's Stripping of the Altars for details. Duffy is a Catholic, but he's also a competent medieval historian.
Here are some good links to biographys on Tyndale.
http://store.thebereancall.org/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=B08808
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=647370&netp_id=338364&event=ESRCN&item_code=WW
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=01422X&event=CFN
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=50556&event=CFN