and demanded the return of his Argovian territories. The residents of Brugg expected an economic boost upon the return of the Habsburgs and were therefore sympathetic to Zürich's cause. Brugg's location at the edge of Bern's territory had led to a substantial economic slowdown in town. As Zürich was besieged by troops from the other Swiss cantons, French King Charles VII dispatched Armagnac mercenaries to the conflict region to aid Zürich. To assist in their advance towards the town, Brugg was attacked on the night of the 29th / 30 July 1444. A small band led by Baron Thomas von Falkenstein sneaked down the Bruggerberg and forced its way through town, ransacking homes and setting a number of them ablaze. Many citizens were kidnapped in the ensuing chaos and held for ransom. Although the ordeal did not cause many deaths, it was nonetheless characterized as a downright massacre by Zürich's opponents and subsequently referred to as the "Brugg Night of Murder" (Brugger Mordnacht). In retaliation, forces from Bern and Solothurn attacked and destroyed Falkenstein's family seat near Niedergösgen. Meanwhile, the Armagnac's advance was halted at the Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs on August 26, 1444, making the raid on Brugg militarily insignificant. On September 5, 1445, troops from Zürich launched another assault on Brugg, but their raid was detected at an early stage and consequently repelled, whereupon they pillaged surrounding villages. In 1451, Thüring of Aarburg sold Schenkenberg to Hans and Markwart of Baldegg. The new rulers and Brugg soon found themselves in conflict with one another over Brugg's right to use the Bruggerberg. The Baldeggs, who had demonstratively aligned themselves with the Austrians, considered their territory on the northern bank of the Aare to be their personal property and took offense at the town's claims upon it. By 1460, Bern had had enough of the constant harassment of its subject town and seized the dominion. All residents of Brugg were thereafter subjects of Bern. Nonetheless, this changed little on the outskirts of town, as Bern's border had been pushed to the north by only a few kilometers, and conflict continued to impair the town's economy. During the eighty years subsequent to the "Brugg Night of Murder" the population of Brugg was halved and surrounding communities were able to expand their trading areas and markets at the expense of Brugg. Subject Territory of Bern Brugg was granted the