Wallenstein offered John George of Saxony such terms of peace that Gustavus feared his adherence to the Protestant cause. Gustavus knew that, had Tilly offered the same to the Elector of Saxony, the latter would never have united his fortunes to those of the Protestant States. Such an alliance was a heart-breaking care to the king of Sweden.
In spite of Richelieu's messenger, the king pressed on into Bavaria, a country so hostilely Catholic that to kill a Protestant was considered by the Bavarians to be doing God a service. Gustavus had, up to this time, been welcomed even in the most Catholic State, because he treated the citizens better by far than their own army had done, but in Bavaria he met a different spirit. The priests had stirred them to great bitterness. He was called by them the Antichrist, and in their public prayers they asked God to deliver them from "the Swedish devil." If a Swedish soldier fell into the hands of the peasants he was tortured and mutilated, which greatly exasperated the army and made it difficult for the king to keep his men from retaliating in kind, and, indeed, to keep them from laying waste the entire country.
The king, by his kindness to the towns and to the prisoners of war, showed that his Christianity was superior to theirs. He never kept better discipline in his own army than at this trying time, and he never failed to repay their bitterest hate by added kindness. At Landshut the angry passions were assuaged by the uniform kindness of the king, leading citizens came from their hiding places, and, throwing themselves at the king's feet, they begged for their own lives and for the protection of their towns. Gustavus answered: "When I think of the cruelties which you have practiced on my soldiers, I ask myself the question whether you are men or ferocious animals, and I know not how I can have compassion on you."
He made no promises. Profound silence fell on the town as Gustavus and his staff rode out. He was soon overtaken by a great storm of thunder, lightning and rain. He took that as a personal message from God that he was not to be harsh in his dealings toward this conquered town, so he only assessed them to pay one hundred thousand dollars war expenses, which they considered a complete reprieve, as they had expected the burning of the town.
From Landshut Gustavus went to Munich. The capital city was greatly excited, yet knowing his kindness to other places, they hoped for clemency. Great fear prevailed, but they hoped by an unconditional surrender to disarm vengeance. For that reason they sent messengers to meet him at Freysingen, and placed the keys of the city at his feet.
The king replied to the deputation: "You have done well. With justice I might have avenged Magdeburg on your city. But be not afraid about your property, your families and your religion. Go in peace."
His army had suffered so much they really desired revenge and plunder in this Catholic city, but Gustavus kept the strictest discipline. He conducted the king of Bohemia, the Palatine Frederick, with great pomp and ceremony, into the very palace of the prince who had driven him out. At the same time he showed such forbearance toward the citizens that they paid him marked respect. Even the Jesuits, who had done so much against him, wrote to Rome praising his magnanimity.
Gustavus at Munich visited the Jesuit college. There the Superior addressed him in Latin, praising his eminent qualities. The king replied in the same language, and began an argument concerning the Lord's Supper. He stated clearly the evangelical position, and showed how fully he understood the position of Rome. His staff officers felt annoyed, and told him that he would serve his cause better by driving out the Jesuits than by holding learned arguments with them. Gustavus replied "Do you not see they injure the cause they defend, and how useful they are to that which they oppose?"
The king found the palace at Munich had been robbed of its chief treasures. It was a very handsome building. As he was being escorted through it, the king inquired, "Who was the architect of this building?" The guide replied, "No other than the Elector himself." "I wish," said the king, "I had this architect to send to Sweden." "That," said the guide, "the architect will take care to prevent."
When the arsenal was examined they found the gun-carriages with no cannon in sight. Gustavus was like Cromwell, a shrewd detective himself, and he had the cellars and adjoining ground examined. He found the cannon concealed under the floor. The floor was partly raised up, and the king said: "Rise up from the dead and come to judgment." One hundred and forty pieces obeyed the summons.