SimilarburdenswereinflicteduponUlmandNuremberg，andtheentirecirclesofFranconiaandSwabia。ThehandoftheEmperorwasstretchedinterroroverallGermany。Thesuddenpreponderance，moreinappearance，perhaps，thaninreality，whichhehadobtainedbythisblow，carriedhimbeyondtheboundsevenofthemoderationwhichhehadhithertoobserved，andmisledhimintohastyandviolentmeasures，whichatlastturnedthewaveringresolutionoftheGermanprincesinfavourofGustavusAdolphus。InjuriousastheimmediateconsequencesofthefallofMagdeburgweretotheProtestantcause，itsremotereffectsweremostadvantageous。Thepastsurprisemadewayforactiveresentment，despairinspiredcourage，andtheGermanfreedomrose，likeaphoenix，fromtheashesofMagdeburg。
AmongtheprincesoftheLeipzigConfederation，theElectorofSaxonyandtheLandgraveofHessewerethemostpowerful；and，untiltheyweredisarmed，theuniversalauthorityoftheEmperorwasunconfirmed。
AgainsttheLandgrave，therefore，Tillyfirstdirectedhisattack，andmarchedstraightfromMagdeburgintoThuringia。Duringthismarch，theterritoriesofSaxeErnestandSchwartzburgwerelaidwaste，andFrankenhausenplunderedbeforetheveryeyesofTilly，andlaidinasheswithimpunity。Theunfortunatepeasantpaiddearforhismaster’sattachmenttotheinterestsofSweden。Erfurt，thekeyofSaxonyandFranconia，wasthreatenedwithasiege，butredeemeditselfbyavoluntarycontributionofmoneyandprovisions。
Fromthence，TillydespatchedhisemissariestotheLandgrave，demandingofhimtheimmediatedisbandingofhisarmy，arenunciationoftheleagueofLeipzig，thereceptionofimperialgarrisonsintohisterritoriesandfortresses，withthenecessarycontributions，andthedeclarationoffriendshiporhostility。SuchwasthetreatmentwhichaprinceoftheEmpirewascompelledtosubmittofromaservantoftheEmperor。Buttheseextravagantdemandsacquiredaformidableweightfromthepowerwhichsupportedthem；andthedreadfulfateofMagdeburg，stillfreshinthememoryoftheLandgrave，tendedstillfarthertoenforcethem。Admirable，therefore，wastheintrepidityoftheLandgrave’sanswer:\"Toadmitforeigntroopsintohiscapitalandfortresses，theLandgraveisnotdisposed；
histroopsherequiresforhisownpurposes；asforanattack，hecandefendhimself。IfGeneralTillywantsmoneyorprovisions，lethimgotoMunich，wherethereisplentyofboth。\"