Victory or Defeat

In Lausen, the fighting in the valley temporarily ceased. The timely support of the Saxon Army ensured that the Swiss ultimately failed to break through the Swabian lines. Werner boldly pushed his cannons onto the slopes near the battlefield, causing considerable casualties to the Swiss and Swabians fighting together with continuous bombardment.

Nevertheless, the Margrave of Baden still thanked him afterwards for his timely reinforcement.

Matthias had been guarding the small path to the south, repelling a Swiss surprise attack, which made the enemy abandon their plan of flanking and attacking from behind.

Seeing the battlefield stalemated and the sun beginning to set, the Swiss finally began an orderly retreat.

The Swabians, who had survived the ordeal, had no intention of pursuing them.

Werner was also afraid of a trap, so he only ordered the artillery and crossbowmen to bid farewell to the Swiss leaving the battlefield with roaring cannons and sharp arrow rain.

It was certain that the Swiss camp was in the village of Ittingen, a few miles east of Lausen, completely blocking their path forward.

To continue marching towards Aargau, they had to defeat the Swiss army in front of them.

However, from the current situation, the Swiss had not yet committed all their forces in today's battle, and tomorrow's fight would likely be even more difficult.

This caused the Swabians, led by the Margrave of Baden, to consider retreating.

In just one day of brutal fighting, they had left over two thousand bodies in the eastern pass.

When one of the bodies was transported back to the main camp in Lausen village, more Swabians demanded a withdrawal.

Night enveloped the small square in the center of Lausen village. Soldiers held torches and formed a circle, dispelling the surrounding darkness. The allied commanders stood silently within the circle.

Before them lay the body of the allied commander-in-chief, Ulrich V, the Count of Württemberg-Stuttgart, the Venerable.

Several shocking wounds were visible on his body.

Evidently, this commander, who had first organized his troops to resist the Swiss surprise attack and gain time for his allies, had engaged in fierce combat with the Swiss before his death, and unfortunately fell in the chaotic battle.

The young Count of Württemberg-Urach, Eberhard V, nephew of Count Ulrich, knelt helplessly beside the body, his eyes red, his face full of anger and hatred.

When his father and brother passed away one after another, Eberhard was still young. It was his uncle Ulrich who cared for and educated him, helping him manage his territory.

Although there was some unpleasantness later over the return of ruling power, the two branches of the Württemberg Family eventually reconciled.

Eberhard V could not accept this cruel reality.

He picked up the exquisite crossbow beside Ulrich's body; he had personally retrieved it from the Swiss, and it was still engraved with the mark of Heinrich, the Swiss master crossbow maker.

This was a powerful crossbow that Count Ulrich had spent a fortune to have made by the people of Zurich. The Count hoped to pass this weapon down through generations as a family heirloom.

He believed this weapon would bring him good luck, so he always kept the crossbow by his side.

The arrows fired from this crossbow had once wounded Elector Frederick, the deposed Elector Palatine.

Presumably, before its master fell in battle, this Swiss crossbow had also killed many Swiss barbarians.

The commanders were both shocked and saddened by the death of Count Ulrich.

This should have ignited the allied forces' desire for revenge, but the Austrians overestimated their allies; some of the Swabians were already terrified.

Eberhard ordered his uncle's body to be laid to rest, then walked back to the main camp without looking back.

The Margrave of Baden watched the nineteen-year-old's retreating figure, feeling the resentment emanating from him, and his gaze began to wander.

When he heard Matthias invite him to discuss tomorrow's battle plan, this Swabian Governor appointed by the Emperor almost instinctively wanted to wave his hand in refusal.

But he immediately realized the responsibility he bore, and so he nodded somewhat reluctantly.

"Gentlemen, cheer up. We are now not only burdened with the Emperor's mission but also must avenge Count Ulrich.

The Swiss must pay for their evil deeds!"

The atmosphere at the military council was very somber. Matthias tried to ignite the commanders' fighting spirit with impassioned words, but the effect was not significant.

The Margrave of Baden's only reason for assembling a large army to Switzerland was to maintain friendly relations with the Emperor, commonly known as clinging to a powerful figure.

As for plundering wealth, where could there be any wealth in this impoverished land of Switzerland, which was as poor as a church mouse?

Count Ulrich of Württemberg actually had no different thoughts from his. Count of Württemberg, whose power was weaker in Swabia, relied more on the Emperor's appreciation and support.

However, when the Margrave of Baden witnessed the Count of Württemberg die at the hands of the Swiss, pleasing the Emperor became less important.

He now only wanted to leave this damned Switzerland alive.

In previous years, he had endured so much suffering and finally acquired large territories in Palatinate, and even became the Swabian Governor, which was truly glorious.

But if he died here like the Count of Württemberg, wouldn't everything be over?

Count of Württemberg's son was already over twenty years old and had also experienced the baptism of the Mainz War, so he would certainly become a qualified lord.

But his son was still so young. If anything happened to him now, who knew what would become of the Baden Family, which had just shown signs of revival.

His wife was also the Emperor's aunt. If the Emperor were to extend his hand towards the Baden Family, his two younger brothers, the Bishop of Metz and the Archbishop of Trier, would almost certainly be unable to stop him.

Judging from the Emperor's past actions, the possibility of this happening, though small, was by no means zero.

This made him even more worried.

Apart from him, the other commanders still harbored a desire to fight, which was rare good news for Matthias.

As an external trusted minister of the Emperor and the Governor of Outer Austria, his most important task was to represent the Emperor and supervise the operations of this army.

If he were to lead the large army directly out of Switzerland now, it would likely put the Emperor in danger, and no one could bear that responsibility.

Fortunately, not all Swabians had lost their courage. Count Eberhard took the Imperial Battle Standard from his uncle's hand,

and voluntarily offered to serve as the vanguard in tomorrow's battle.

The right of vanguard, this was a right that the Swabians had possessed since ancient times, reportedly originating from the Carolingian era.

In military operations convened by the Emperor, the Swabians always had the right to serve as the vanguard.

This was because the ancient Swabians were skilled in warfare and deeply trusted by the Emperors, always earning the honor of the vanguard.

And the Württemberg Family was even more special; they controlled the Swabian town where the Imperial Battle Standard was preserved, just as the ceremonial regalia for the Emperor's coronation was long preserved in Nuremberg.

The true Imperial Battle Standard was not the double-headed eagle battle standard with distinct Habsburg characteristics that Laszlo granted to every General and Marshal, but a flag symbolizing the Imperial Army's might, passed down from the Hohenstaufen Dynasty.

The current custodian of the battle standard was precisely Count Ulrich.

Although theoretically, only the Elector of Saxony, the Imperial Grand Marshal, was qualified to carry the Emperor's flag, the Count of Württemberg did not hesitate to take the flag from Grüningen during this campaign and use it as his own commander's flag.

This perfectly matched his status as the allied commander-in-chief.

Unfortunately, Ulrich tragically died in the first battle with the Swiss, and now this flag was temporarily entrusted to Eberhard.

He did not intend to dishonor this flag, and therefore decided to act as the vanguard, making the Swiss pay with blood in tomorrow's decisive battle.

"Count Eberhard, your army suffered too heavy losses today. You and the Margrave of Baden's army should rest as a reserve force in the rear. Tomorrow, General Werner and I will lead the charge."

"This… Alright, rest assured, if the situation turns unfavorable, I will immediately lead my army into battle."

The young Eberhard had no hidden motives. He was now filled with grief and indignation, determined to avenge his uncle. This display of fighting spirit also gave Werner and Matthias more confidence for tomorrow's decisive battle.

The Generals turned their gaze to the biggest uncertainty—the Margrave of Baden—whose current performance was truly worrying.

"I… I will also do my utmost to fight the Swiss, and I will never betray the Emperor's trust!"

The Margrave of Baden seemed to be speaking to the commanders, but also to himself.

He comforted himself inwardly, thinking that with the Austrians at the front tomorrow, even if the operation failed, he could retreat with his troops first, and nothing would go wrong.

Seeing that he had finally made up his mind with great difficulty, Matthias said nothing more.

It was late, and the Generals returned to their respective camps to rest, while also strengthening the camp's defenses to prevent the Swiss from catching them off guard again with treacherous tactics.

Earlier that day, on the other side, in Niederwyl, the battle finally reached its most dangerous moment.

Loud noises accompanied by pervasive gunpowder smoke drew the attention of the entire battlefield to the Guards' square formation.

The first Swiss square formation, which had already suffered some losses in the battle with the Croatians, then encountered a head-on volley of musket fire while rushing towards the next defensive line.

The Imperial Army unleashed its full firepower, the flames spewing from the gun barrels seeming to tear apart the sky and earth.

For a time, the Swiss at the very front fell in large numbers.

The distance between the two square formations was so close that even the often inaccurate smoothbore muskets achieved significant results.

Among the Swiss infantry filling the first rank, there were even some unarmored spearmen, undoubtedly true raw recruits.

Seeing the flagging momentum of this formation, Laszlo knew that the second wave of attack would come soon.

His gaze turned to the lake shore, where, on the flank inaccessible to the Swiss, his artillerymen had finally found an excellent firing angle. "Faster, the Swiss from behind are about to come up."

The artillery commanders loudly urged their artillerymen to adjust the cannons' angles, so that these cannons were aimed directly across Lake Elgg at the Swiss square formation approaching from the rear.

These professional gunners recruited from Italy first adjusted the hinges by eye, bringing the cannons' elevation to a suitable position. With a thunderous roar, the first experimental volley of cannon fire slammed into the Swiss square formation.

The cannonballs skimmed across the calm lake, striking directly from the diagonal front of the formation.

Most of the more than twenty cannonballs missed their target, but several still struck solidly into the Swiss formation.

The Swiss unlucky enough to be hit by cannonballs didn't even have time to scream before being torn into fragments.

The smell of blood permeated the air; even the most seasoned warriors could barely suppress the urge to vomit in the face of such a gruesome sight, let alone the rookies fresh to battle.

Some young Swiss were stunned into immobility, unable to move their feet, and it was only with shoves from comrades behind them that they forced themselves to overcome their fear and continue advancing.

The bombardment continued, each roar of the cannons having the potential to inflict heavy casualties on the Swiss.

Seeing such a scene, Laszlo's heart was filled with excitement.

In the late Hundred Years' War, after the French first sparked the artillery revolution, few European countries realized the true extent of artillery's impact on warfare.

The Burgundian artillery, long known as the "strongest artillery in Europe," was now almost surpassed by the Austrian artillery.

Meanwhile, the French, who had developed granular gunpowder, wheeled gun carriages, and wrought-iron cannons, were still indulging in the romance of the "Flower of Chivalry," unable to extricate themselves.

Although King Louis XI also placed great importance on the development of artillery, he invested more money in expanding the Ordinance Companies of Knights and recruiting Swiss mercenaries, with his investment in artillery research being far less than Laszlo's guidance and investment.

Ever since Laszlo shared some basic artillery knowledge with the master gunsmiths at the arsenal, the arsenal had been trying to increase the bore ratio.

The huge white cannons of the early part of this century, with bore ratios of 1-1.5, proved to be inefficient instruments of war.

The French were the first to adopt bore ratios of 3:1 or even higher, and they verified the correctness of this theory with the crushing defeat of the English at the Battle of Castillon.

Laszlo knew that a hundred years later, European artillery would commonly have bore ratios of 20:1 or more, which was the result of a great development in military and metallurgical industries.

At that time, artillery had become the undisputed protagonist on the battlefield.

The longer the barrel of a cannon, the greater the muzzle velocity of the projectile, and naturally, the greater the destructive power.

At least at this stage, lengthening the barrel and reducing the caliber was definitely the correct direction for improvement.

Unfortunately, current technology was not yet sufficient to research such precise, lightweight, and powerful cannons.

Austrian master gunsmiths initially used ancient wrought-iron techniques to forge cannons.

However, too many barrel explosions during testing made them clearly realize that manufacturing long-barreled cannons by segmentally forging and then joining the barrel sections was a mistake.

Just four years ago, news came from distant Scotland that their King James II, who was also Sigismund, the Serbia Regent (the Deposed Duke)'s brother-in-law, had died in a cannon explosion accident.

Thus, Austrian gunsmiths began using bronze to cast cannons.

Although bronze cannons were more expensive, their airtightness and reliability were far superior to wrought-iron cannons.

Moreover, the entire empire's copper ore sources were basically controlled by the Emperor and his partners, so the cost of cannon materials was not as exaggerated as imagined.

They also, under Laszlo's guidance, incorporated all the excellent structures of French and Burgundian artillery into cannon manufacturing.

Wheeled gun carriages, granular gunpowder, Rhineland proportions, and adjustable elevation hinges were all integrated into the design.

These elements collectively formed today's Austrian artillery, which moved much faster than traditional heavy stone-throwing cannons, had a range of up to six hundred meters, and could fire twenty-pound cast-iron cannonballs, causing massive casualties to the enemy.

The weight of each cannon was strictly controlled to under two tons, allowing them to move with the main army.

It is worth noting that Burgundian artillery craftsmen had already begun experimenting with casting cannons from solid iron, hoping to replace wrought-iron cannons with them.

Clearly, the Burgundians were also attempting to further improve their artillery.

Of course, the most important reason was that copper was monopolized by the Emperor, and to save money, they had no choice but to try using cast iron to reduce costs.

However, early cast-iron cannons performed worse than wrought-iron cannons and were far inferior to bronze-cast cannons.

Therefore, the Burgundians had to abandon this immature technology and hoped to purchase copper ore at a cheaper price from the Emperor's merchants.

Now, Austria's cannons were undoubtedly the finest in all of Europe, their power far exceeding the Swiss' imagination.

The Swiss, who continued to suffer heavy casualties under the bombardment, also realized that something was wrong.

They and the Imperial Army were caught in a meat grinder between the forest and Lake Egel, and the cannons could hide behind and bombard their flanks wantonly, leaving them nowhere to hide.

"Damn the Austrians, Hans, take your troops to support the lakeside! You must break through the enemy's defenses and silence their cannons!"

Emmanuel, who was constantly observing the battlefield situation, looked very grim and ordered the commander of a reserve phalanx beside him.

"Leave it to me, General."

The officer, upon receiving the order, immediately led his subordinates towards the side of the front line closer to the lake, attempting to break through the Imperial Guards' defenses and directly threaten the artillery positions.

However, before they could even approach the battlefield, several cannonballs immediately struck the phalanx, and the phalanx's standard-bearer was unfortunately hit by the first shell, leaving no trace of him.

Someone immediately picked up the fallen flag, and this phalanx of several hundred men struggled to maintain an almost intact formation as they advanced forward.

In front of them, thick white smoke had already enveloped the entire battlefield, and the Austrians had consumed more gunpowder in just a few hours than the total consumed in the past few years.

In order to defeat the Swiss, Laszlo went all out this time, bringing out most of the armory's stock.

According to post-war statistics from eyewitnesses, the Swiss lost nearly three hundred men during their advance due to artillery fire alone.

The narrow battlefield the Swiss had meticulously chosen for the Imperial Army turned them into immobile live targets, forced to continuously endure flanking artillery fire.

Laszlo easily detected the Swiss' attempt to rush the artillery and immediately committed his reserves to the lakeside front in batches.

Two walls of pikes pushed against each other, curses and battle cries rose and fell, interspersed with roaring cannon fire and sudden gunshots.

Over a thousand bodies had already been left on the battlefield.

"For the Empire, for the Emperor, for glory, push these mountain barbarians back!"

"Oh! Die, you insane cattle-fuckers!"

"By the Emperor, slaughter these despicable traitors, and make them never dare to serve the French again!"

Ester, the Guards commander, rode his warhorse, personally holding the Emperor's eagle standard, and roused the morale of the Austrian soldiers in the most critical areas.

His response was the Guards' hoarse battle cries.

Some Swiss crossbowmen scattered on the flanks spotted him and fired a few cold arrows. Ester easily dodged them and continued to inspire morale on the front line. Both sides continuously committed troops to this narrow battlefield, neither showing any intention of retreating.

On the battlefield, completely engulfed by gunpowder smoke, thick black smoke billowed like a demon's tentacles, and the pungent smell of sulfur mingled with the scent of blood, almost suffocating everyone.

Deafening battle cries, screams, and the clang of weapons, like roars from hell, tore the entire space apart.

Now, the Swabians were also fully committed to the battle; encouraged by the Emperor, they finally found the courage to fight.

Laszlo still had three companies, over a thousand Austro-Hungarian Army infantry, as reserves.

These soldiers, known as the "Old Guards," were eager to show the prestige of the former king's Guards to their juniors. Laszlo's expression gradually relaxed; the Swiss' attempt to assault the artillery had failed, and they could not advance another step.

In the center of the battlefield, unlucky individuals were occasionally pierced by spears or killed by stray shots or arrows.

The Swiss' initial momentum failed to quickly break the rigorously trained Guards; they were now even being suppressed by the Imperial Army.

Some experienced Swiss mercenaries quickly noticed something amiss in the Austrian Guards' formation.

The enemy was using the same battle formation as them; their core technology, which had made the Swiss invincible, had been leaked.

Without a doubt, some Swiss mercenaries, coveting wealth, must have succumbed to the Emperor's temptation and served as instructors for his army.

These traitors had actually created such a powerful army, whose training was even superior to the Swiss, and whose equipment was far better than theirs.

The narrow battlefield they had meticulously chosen had now completely turned into a meat grinder for two Swiss phalanxes.

As the number of fallen continued to increase, wails and screams filled the entire battlefield.

By Lake Egel, where the fighting was most intense, countless soldiers fell into the lake after dying, staining a large area of the water crimson.

Above the dark red lake surface, cannonballs occasionally whistled by, carrying the sound of wind and unleashing artillery fire into the Swiss lines.

Bronze cannons were durable; the artillerymen no longer worried about the risk of barrels overheating and exploding, continuously loading and firing, clearing the barrels, and repeating the cycle.

The thunderous roar of the cannons even caused ringing in Laszlo's ears.

The sounds, the smells, everything on the battlefield stimulated his senses.

The sun hung high at noon, and the hot summer made Laszlo, clad in splendid plate armor, feel hot and uncomfortable; he felt his strength gradually draining away.

Perhaps the lightly armored Swiss still retained more stamina, but the armored Imperial regular army must have been exhausted.

Just as Laszlo began to consider whether to lead his personal Guards to the front line to boost morale, the startled cry of his attendant, Al, caught his attention.

"Your Majesty, look!"

Al pointed behind the Swiss; their rear guard suddenly fell into disarray.

"Good! It must be Gunter or Charles; one of them has broken through the Swiss'check and appeared behind these Swiss.

Let's go, Al, we will wipe out these damned mountain people!"

Laszlo was instantly more invigorated, his hand already on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw the blade and personally lead the last reserves into battle.

"Your Majesty, calm down!"

Seeing the Emperor's excited demeanor, Al was certain that the Emperor must have been overcome by the heat.

He didn't even consider how Leopold III had gotten himself killed.

Didn't Leopold, seeing the battle was fierce, lead the reserve troops in a charge, only for those beside him not to keep up, and he himself charged forward, giving his head to the Swiss?

In that battle, Leopold's recklessness almost ruined the Habsburg Family's chance to return to the central highlands.

He did not want the Emperor he served to make such a mistake.

"Although these Swiss are at a disadvantage, they are still not to be underestimated.

You are the backbone of the Empire; please take care…"

In fact, hearing Al's words, Laszlo felt a little ashamed.

He had personally led so many campaigns but had never truly fought the enemy.

However, on second thought, wielding a sword to kill enemies on the battlefield didn't seem like something an Emperor should do.

He had painstakingly earned money to raise so many warriors, wasn't it precisely for them to kill all the enemies on the battlefield for him?

Thinking this, Laszlo silently removed his hand from the sword hilt and calmly said, "You are right, I cannot repeat the mistakes of my predecessors.

Someone, convey my order: tell the soldiers that the Swiss' retreat route has been cut off.

Drive them into Lake Egel to feed the fish; leave no survivors!"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

An Imperial Knight guarding him immediately rushed to the battlefield with the Emperor's decree.

When the news of their advantage spread throughout the front line, the Imperial Army soldiers erupted with even greater fighting spirit.

The front line was gradually pushing towards the Swiss, but at this point, the Swiss had no more reserves to commit to the battle.

On the southern front, Gunter, the Independent Army commander, led from the front, taking several hundred "certified" Royal Greatswordsmen to break through the Swiss' pike formation in one fell swoop.

Facing an Imperial Army four times their size, the Swiss resisted stubbornly for several hours before being completely routed.

The Independent Army immediately seized Niederwyl village.

After observing the situation, Gunter dispatched a portion of his troops to flank the Swiss who were blocking the Imperial Army cavalry, while he personally led the main force to ambush the Swiss' rear guard.

The Swiss' retreat route was completely cut off; they had only two options: dive into the dense forest or jump into Lake Egel.

But encouraged by their commander Emmanuel, the Swiss chose a third path.

"Close ranks! We will break out!"

The commander's order was immediately transmitted to all parts of the battlefield, and the remaining Swiss formed two large phalanxes, one in front and one behind.

They gathered their scattered military flags and took along some lightly wounded soldiers, retreating towards the rear.

Seeing this, Laszlo immediately ordered the reserves, who had not yet entered the battle, to commit to the battlefield.

On the other side, seeing the Swiss planning to retreat, Gunter immediately organized his troops to cut off their escape route.

The Swiss soon discovered with horror that on their flank, at the entrance to Niederwyl village, Imperial soldiers had already formed several ranks, holding those terrifying weapons and waiting for them.

Beside hundreds of matchlock guns, there were also several cannons poised to fire.

With Gunter's command, a flash of fire that seemed to shatter the gates of heaven, accompanied by a tremendous roar and thick smoke, unleashed devastating damage upon the Swiss attempting to escape the battlefield.

However, this was not the end; the first rank of musketeers immediately retreated to reload, and the second rank of musketeers aimed their guns at them.

The pouring hail of bullets caused the Swiss, arrayed in dense formations, to pay a heavy price.

After several rounds of firing, multiple bullet holes could even be found on some Swiss, almost mutilating their bodies.

As Gunter, waving his greatsword, led his Imperial Army to charge the tottering phalanx, the Swiss' will completely collapsed.

Ester, leading the pursuers from the main battlefield, arrived and, together with Gunter, flanked the disorganized enemy.

Charles, who had been absent, finally broke through the obstacles and arrived, launching a fatal cavalry charge against the Swiss' rear.

Laszlo soon arrived with the remaining main force on the flat ground north of Niederwyl, just in time to witness the Swiss phalanx being surrounded on three sides.

The setting sun created a tragic atmosphere for the Swiss' demise.

The Emperor's banner was very conspicuous.

On this vast expanse of wilderness, one could see the black double-headed eagle and the red-white-red striped shield on its chest just by looking up.

This was only dozens of meters from the front line of the battle.

The Imperial Army soldiers, seeing the Emperor's arrival, were instantly invigorated, and with more and more reinforcements entering the battle, they began to gradually tighten the encirclement.

The encircled Swiss could barely maintain their phalanx.

Except for a few strong-willed warriors, most of the soldiers, whose spirits were close to breaking, began to push hard towards the center, hoping to get further away from the enemy's pikes.

However, this was futile.

As darkness gradually enveloped the plain, this brutal struggle finally drew to a close.

The Imperial Army ruthlessly carried out the Emperor's direct order.

Just like the Swiss' long-standing tradition, this time, they also decided to leave no survivors.

Whether the Swiss fought back desperately or knelt to beg for mercy, they were ultimately pierced like sieves by pikes or beheaded by greatswords.

Watering the land beneath their feet with Swiss blood, this place would eventually become fertile ground.

Laszlo had realized that this was the most effective way to achieve a high casualty ratio.

In the Battle of Niederwyl, he suffered less than three thousand casualties while annihilating over six thousand Swiss.

The remaining few had mostly been routed and left the battlefield early, thus escaping death.

After this war, Laszlo learned that the Swiss had originally expected him to encounter resistance at Frauenfeld and be bogged down in a siege.

They then decided to launch a surprise attack from behind while the Imperial Army was besieging Frauenfeld, catching Laszlo off guard.

Unexpectedly, Frauenfeld surrendered with little resistance, which caused them to temporarily change their plans and ambush the Imperial Army at Niederwyl, on the outskirts of Frauenfeld.

Laszlo imagined that if everything had gone as the Swiss expected, the first target on their surprise attack route would have been Laszlo's main camp.

This filled him with a sense of dread; these Swiss truly deserved to die.

The army rested for a night at Niederwyl, burying the dead and clearing the battlefield.

Gunter suggested hanging the bodies of the fallen Swiss in the forest next to the battlefield, but Laszlo rejected this repulsive proposal.

Despite being enemies, these Swiss had left a deep impression on Laszlo; he ordered all the bodies to be sunk into Lake Egel.

Several Swiss commanders were beheaded, and Gunter used their heads to adorn the military banner the Emperor had bestowed upon him.

As an Austrian and the leader of a Swabian mercenary company, his aversion to the Swiss was heartfelt.

Early the next morning, the army rapidly advanced to the city of Winterthur, and no fighting broke out.

Winterthur was originally an important western city under Habsburg rule, even granted a very high degree of autonomy.

However, the people of Zurich had captured the city by force and began years of oppression.

After the Swiss' defeat, the citizens of Winterthur expelled the Swiss Confederation officials and offered the city to the Emperor.

Just as in Frauenfeld, Laszlo collected a ransom in Winterthur, then used the money to reward the soldiers who had fought bravely the day before. The last obstacle to Zurich was gone, and the Imperial Army's advance was unstoppable, heading directly for the anxious city of Zurich.