Nonetheless, the northern German members of the Smalkaldic League still resisted the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. In January 1547, the imperial colonel and mercenary leader Christoph von Wrisberg recruited men in Münsterland.

Via the Prince-Bishoprics of Osnabrück and of Minden, which were still loyal to the emperor, Wrisberg's army marched to Bremen to begin besieging the city.

The units of the two military leaders Eric and Christoph von Wrisberg travelled along the Weser separately, one on each bank; they wanted to reunite at a river crossing.

Elector John Frederick I of Saxony had led the Protestant army shortly before his capture in the Battle of Mühlberg.

Originally, the army had only consisted of several Fähnlein of Landsknechte led by Albrecht VII, Count of Mansfeld [de].

Thus, the army consisted of a total of 26 Fähnlein, or approximately 6,500 men, giving them a slight numeric advantage.

The imperial forces overpowered the weak Schmalkaldic forces, seizing their war chest of about 100,000 gold guilder, which eventually they gave to Emperor Charles V. As a result of the Battle of Drakenberg, the Imperial army of Eric II virtually ceased to exist; Wrisberg's troops escaped to the Netherlands and disbanded.

The Protestant victory contributed to the stability and freedom of religion for Lutherans and Catholics in northern Germany.

The two surviving leaders, Christoph von Wrisberg and Eric II, despised each other for the rest of their lives, accusing each other of being responsible for the defeat.