Early modern Switzerland: Difference between revisions
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==Treaty of Westphalia== |
==Treaty of Westphalia== |
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At the [[Treaty of Westphalia]] in [[1648]], the '''[[Old Swiss Confederacy|Swiss Confederacy]]''' attained legal independence from the [[Holy Roman Empire]], although it had been ''de facto'' independent since the [[Swabian War]] in [[1499]]. With the support of the [[Duke of Orléans]], who was also prince of [[Neuchâtel]] and the head of the French delegation, |
At the [[Treaty of Westphalia]] in [[1648]], the '''[[Old Swiss Confederacy|Swiss Confederacy]]''' attained legal independence from the [[Holy Roman Empire]], although it had been ''de facto'' independent since the [[Swabian War]] in [[1499]]. With the support of the [[Duke of Orléans]], who was also prince of [[Neuchâtel]] and the head of the French delegation, [[Johann Rudolf Wettstein]].<ref name="Flueler">{{cite book |editor=Niklaus Flüeler and Roland Gfeller-Corthésy |title=Die Schweiz vom Bau der Alpen bis zur Frage nach der Zukunft |year=1975 |publisher=C. J. Bucher AG |location=Luzern |pages= 67-71}}</ref>, the mayor of Basel, succeeded to get the formal exemption from the empire for all cantons and associates of the confederacy. Following the Thirty Years' War, as France grew into a great power in Europe, the newly independent Confederation turned to France for trade and protection. In [[1663]] the Confederation agreed to a new treaty with France which granted Swiss mercenaries certain rights and protections as well as promised French neutrality in Swiss religious conflicts<ref>{{HDS|9802-1-2|Treaties}}</ref>. |
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During the Thirty Years' War, the ''[[Three Leagues|Drei Bünde]]'' ([[Graubünden]], an associate state of the Swiss Confederation) had been caught in the middle of internal and external conflict. Because the Leagues were very decentralized, conflicts over religion and foreign policy broke out during the war (known as the ''Bündner Wirren'' or Confusion of the Leagues)<ref name="Flueler"/>. Following the war the League took steps to strengthen itself. The [[Valtellina]], which had broken from the Three Leagues, became a dependency once again after the Treaty and remained so until the founding of the [[Cisalpine Republic]] by [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] in [[1797]]. |
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Political power congealed around the 13 cantons ([[Bern]], [[Zürich]], [[Canton of Zug|Zug]], [[Glarus]], [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], [[Schwyz]], [[Unterwalden]], [[Fribourg (canton)|Fribourg]], [[Solothurn]], [[Basel]], [[Luzern]], [[Schaffhausen]], [[Appenzell]]) of the old confederation. During this era, the patrician families decreased in number but increased in power. Some patrician families were drawn from leadership in the [[Guild]]s or trading groups within the town. While other families grew from successful mercernary captains and soldiers. The trend toward increasing [[Authoritarianism]] conflicted with the history of public expression which grew out of the [[Swiss Reformation]]. In many regions the patrician families were unable to suppress the public assemblies but they did dominate the assemblies. The tradition of inviting the people to express their opinions died out mostly during this era. |
Political power congealed around the 13 cantons ([[Bern]], [[Zürich]], [[Canton of Zug|Zug]], [[Glarus]], [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], [[Schwyz]], [[Unterwalden]], [[Fribourg (canton)|Fribourg]], [[Solothurn]], [[Basel]], [[Luzern]], [[Schaffhausen]], [[Appenzell]]) of the old confederation. During this era, the patrician families decreased in number but increased in power. Some patrician families were drawn from leadership in the [[Guild]]s or trading groups within the town. While other families grew from successful mercernary captains and soldiers. The trend toward increasing [[Authoritarianism]] conflicted with the history of public expression which grew out of the [[Swiss Reformation]]. In many regions the patrician families were unable to suppress the public assemblies but they did dominate the assemblies. The tradition of inviting the people to express their opinions died out mostly during this era. |
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Revision as of 01:27, 3 April 2008
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The Early Modern period of Swiss history, lasting from formal independence in 1648 to the French invasion of 1798 came to be referred as Ancien Régime retrospectively, in post-Napoleonic Switzerland.
The Thirty Years War
While the start of the Early Modern period is the end of the Thirty Years' War, both the war and the Refomation led to the development of the early modern state of Switzerland. The Reformation in Switzerland left the Old Swiss Confederacy divided between two hostile factions. However, Switzerland remained a relative "oasis of peace and prosperity"[1] (Grimmelshausen) while Europe was torn by the Thirty Years' War. The cities generally lay low and watched the destruction from afar, the Republic of Zürich investing in building state-of-the-art city ramparts. The cantons had concluded numerous mercenary contracts and defence alliances with partners on all sides. Some of these contracts neutralized each other, which allowed the confederation to remain neutral — in the 1647 Defensionale von Wil[2], signed under the impression of the Swedes advancing as far as Lake Constance in the winter of 1646/47, the confederates declared "permanent armed neutrality", the historical starting point of Swiss neutrality, which would be re-confirmed by the Congress of Vienna and adhered to throughout the 19th and 20th century conflicts.
Treaty of Westphalia
At the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, the Swiss Confederacy attained legal independence from the Holy Roman Empire, although it had been de facto independent since the Swabian War in 1499. With the support of the Duke of Orléans, who was also prince of Neuchâtel and the head of the French delegation, Johann Rudolf Wettstein.[3], the mayor of Basel, succeeded to get the formal exemption from the empire for all cantons and associates of the confederacy. Following the Thirty Years' War, as France grew into a great power in Europe, the newly independent Confederation turned to France for trade and protection. In 1663 the Confederation agreed to a new treaty with France which granted Swiss mercenaries certain rights and protections as well as promised French neutrality in Swiss religious conflicts[4].
During the Thirty Years' War, the Drei Bünde (Graubünden, an associate state of the Swiss Confederation) had been caught in the middle of internal and external conflict. Because the Leagues were very decentralized, conflicts over religion and foreign policy broke out during the war (known as the Bündner Wirren or Confusion of the Leagues)[3]. Following the war the League took steps to strengthen itself. The Valtellina, which had broken from the Three Leagues, became a dependency once again after the Treaty and remained so until the founding of the Cisalpine Republic by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797.
Political power congealed around the 13 cantons (Bern, Zürich, Zug, Glarus, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, Fribourg, Solothurn, Basel, Luzern, Schaffhausen, Appenzell) of the old confederation. During this era, the patrician families decreased in number but increased in power. Some patrician families were drawn from leadership in the Guilds or trading groups within the town. While other families grew from successful mercernary captains and soldiers. The trend toward increasing Authoritarianism conflicted with the history of public expression which grew out of the Swiss Reformation. In many regions the patrician families were unable to suppress the public assemblies but they did dominate the assemblies. The tradition of inviting the people to express their opinions died out mostly during this era.
In 1653, peasants of territories subject to Lucerne, Berne, Solothurn and Basel revolted because of currency devaluation. Although the authorities prevailed in this Swiss peasant war, they did pass some tax reforms and the incident in the long term prevented an absolutist development like it occurred at the courts of Europe. The confessional tensions remained, however, and erupted again in the Battles of Villmergen in 1656 and 1712.
The Age of Enlightenment was well received in Swiss cities, in spite of contemporary tendencies towards political conservatism. Albrecht von Haller and Jean-Jacques Rousseau praised the natural beauty and unspoiled state of Switzerland and triggered an early wave of tourism (notably, Goethe's visit to Switzerland in 1775). Zürich at the time was home to a number of internationally known scholars, such as Johann Jakob Bodmer, Salomon Gessner, Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi and Johann Caspar Lavater, styling itself as "Republic" (after the great city states of the time, such as the Republic of Venice).
References
- ^ Thirty Years War in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.Error in template * invalid parameter (Template:HDS): "1"
- ^ Thirty Years War, The Confederation and the War in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.Error in template * invalid parameter (Template:HDS): "1"
- ^ a b Niklaus Flüeler and Roland Gfeller-Corthésy, ed. (1975). Die Schweiz vom Bau der Alpen bis zur Frage nach der Zukunft. Luzern: C. J. Bucher AG. pp. 67–71.
- ^ Treaties in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.Error in template * invalid parameter (Template:HDS): "1"