# Sack of Magdeburg (1631)

URL: https://germany-history.com/timeline/1631-sack-of-magdeburg
Location: Magdeburg
Categories: battle

On 20 May 1631 Catholic League troops under Tilly stormed Protestant Magdeburg. About 20,000 of the city's 25,000 inhabitants died. The city burned almost entirely.

## Why it matters
It became a symbol of the war's horrors.

Ruler at the time: [Ferdinand II](https://germany-history.com/rulers/ferdinand-ii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia – Sack of Magdeburg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_of_Magdeburg)