Accordingly at eight o'clock the
Count of Gratz at the head of his soldiers marched out with colours
flying and drums beating, and retired into Silesia. A garrison was
placed in Landsberg, and the blacksmith appointed burgomaster of
the town. Landsberg fell on the 15th of April, and on the 18th
the force marched back to Frankfort.
CHAPTER VII A QUIET TIME
In spite of the urgent entreaties of Gustavus and the pressing
peril of Magdeburg, the wavering Duke of Brandenburg could not
bring himself to join the Swedes. He delivered Spandau over to
them, but would do no more. The Swedish army accordingly marched to
Berlin and invested his capital. The duke sent his wife to Gustavus
to beseech him to draw off his army and allow him to remain neutral;
but Gustavus would not listen to his entreaties, and insisted, as
the only condition upon which he would raise the siege, that the
duke should ally himself with him, and that the troops of Brandenburg
should join his army.
These conditions the duke was obliged to accept, but in the meantime
his long hesitation and delay had caused the loss of Magdeburg,
which after a gallant defence was stormed by the troops of Pappenheim
and Tilly on the 10th of May. The ferocious Tilly had determined
upon a deed which would, he believed, frighten Germany into submission;
he ordered that no quarter should be given, and for five days the
city was handed over to the troops.
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