Weinheim

Discarding the old mask of friendship, he carried death and desolation into the lands of the same princes whom he had so long flattered as their beloved protector.

he next desired to gain possession of the whole electorate of the palatinate of the rhine for his brother philip of orleans who had espoused the sister of the elector charles lewis he did this with still greater arrogance for the elector was still living and legal heirs of the house of widelsbach were not wanting a demon in human form suggested to the king that he would be most sure of securing his object if he frightened the feeble and discordant imperial princes of germany that they would consent to the most disadvantageous treaty if he should terrify them as they had never before been therefore he ordered that the cities and villages of the peaceful and prosperous palatinate of the neighbouring electorate of mayence of the margrave of baden and even of the duchy of wurttemberg should be plundered and burned to the ground the inhabitants robbed abused insulted murdered as if attila had returned with the huns They burned Worms, Spires, Frankenthal, Altsau, Andernach, Kochheim, Oberwesel, Kreuznach, Mannheim, Ladenburg, Weinheim, Gernsheim, Heppenheim, Oppenheim, Dorlach, Bruchsal, Rastal, Baden, Breton, Pforzheim, etc.

In the second invasion, Heidelberg, Herschau, Kalw, Neuenberg, Knittlingen, Marbach, Weihingen.

etc., not including numerous hamlets and villages, were destroyed.