Because Bern and Zurich had been preparing the war for a long time, they seized the offensive. Bern opened the first war phase on 26 April, when its first troops crossed the river Aar at Stilli, to support Zurich with the occupation of Thurgau and the assault on the abbatial lands. In mid-May, about 3000 Zurichers, 2000 Bernese, 2000 Toggenburgers and 1800 Protestant Thurgauers marched into the Princely Lands and first hit upon the abbatial city of Wil, that fell on 22 May after a short siege. The allies then pushed forward to St. Gallen and occupied the Abbey of Saint Gall and the Vogtei Rheintal. The abbot fled to Neuravensburg, a lordship north of Lake Constance that the abbey had acquired in 1699. The five Catholic cantons did occupy Rapperswil, but initially left the abbot without any support. In concordance with contemporaneous laws of war, the abbey and its goods were put an under a military governance and the chattel and riches were abducted to Bern and Zurich.

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