To compete with the Heilbronn League's military potential without Wallenstein's leadership, Emperor Ferdinand was forced to rely on Spanish military resources. Since their main objective was to re-open the Spanish Road in order to support their campaign against the Dutch, the focus now shifted to the Rhineland and Bavaria. Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand, newly appointed Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, raised an army of 18,000 in Italy, which met up with an Imperial force of 15,000 at Donauwörth on 2 September 1634. Three days later, they won a decisive victory at Nördlingen which destroyed Swedish power in Southern Germany and led to the defection of their German allies, who now sought to make peace with the Emperor.