The early history of Switzerland begins with the earliest settlements up to the beginning of Habsburg rule, which in 1291 gave rise to the independence movement in the central cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden. Since 1848, the Swiss Confederation has been a federal state of relatively autonomous cantons, some of which have a history of confederacy that goes back more than 700 years, arguably putting them among the worlds oldest surviving republics. ... For broader historical context, see 1290s and 13th century. ... 1550 illustration for the Sempacherbrief of 1393, one of the major alliance contracts of the Old Swiss Confederacy The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland. ... The growth of the Old Swiss Confederacy began as an alliance between the communities of the valleys in the central Alps to facilitate the management of common interests such as free trade and to ensure the peace along the important trade routes through the mountains. ... For broader historical context, see 1290s and 13th century. ... // Events March - With the death of Ferdinand II of Aragon, his grandson Charles of Ghent becomes King of Spain as Carlos I. July - Selim I of the Ottoman Empire declares war on the Mameluks and invades Syria. ... The Protestant Reformation in Switzerland was promoted initially by Huldrych Zwingli, who gained the support of the magistrate and population of Zürich in the 1520s. ... // Events March - With the death of Ferdinand II of Aragon, his grandson Charles of Ghent becomes King of Spain as Carlos I. July - Selim I of the Ottoman Empire declares war on the Mameluks and invades Syria. ... 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... During the Thirty Years War, Switzerland was a relative oasis of peace and prosperity (Grimmelshausen) in war-torn Europe, mostly because all major powers in Europe were depending on Swiss mercenaries, and would not let Switzerland fall in the hands of one of their rivals. ... 1648 (MDCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Saturday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... During the French Revolutionary Wars, the revolutionary armies boiled eastward, enveloping Switzerland in their battles against Austria. ... 1798 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The Züriputsch: clashes on Zürich Paradeplatz The Restauration is the period of Swiss history lasting from 1814 to 1847. ... 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1847 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... In 1847, a civil war broke out between the Catholic and the Protestant cantons (Sonderbundskrieg). ... Year 1848 (MDCCCXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... During both World War I and World War II, Switzerland managed to keep a stance of armed neutrality, and was not involved militarily. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday. ... After World War II, Swiss authorities considered the construction of a nuclear bomb. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday. ... The military history of Switzerland comprises centuries of armed actions, and the role of the Swiss military in conflicts and peacekeeping worldwide. ... Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ... For broader historical context, see 1290s and 13th century. ... The twenty-six cantons of Switzerland are the states of the federal state of Switzerland. ... Uri (German:  ) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. ... The town of   (French: , Italian: ) is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. ... Unterwalden is the old name for what is now two cantons in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne. ...

Prehistory

Archeological evidence from the Wildkirchli cave in Appenzell suggests that hunter-gatherers settled in the lowlands north of the Alps by the late Paleolithic. In the Neolithic period, the area was relatively densely populated, as is attested to by the many archeological findings from that period. Remains of pile dwellings have been found in the shallow areas of many lakes. Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Appenzell (or Appenzellerland) is a region in the northeast of Switzerland, entirely surrounded by the Canton of St. ... In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ... The west face of the Petit Dru above the Chamonix valley near the Mer de Glace. ... The Paleolithic or Palaeolithic (Greek παλαιός paleos=old and λίθος lithos=stone or the Old Stone Age) was the first period in the development of human technology of the Stone Age. ... An array of Neolithic artifacts, including bracelets, axe heads, chisels, and polishing tools. ... Pile dwelling on Sumatra, Indonesia Pile dwellings are houses raised over the surface of the soil or a body of water. ...

In Neolithic Europe, the Swiss plateau was dominated by the Linear Pottery culture from the 5th millennium BC; it lay on the south-western outskirts of the Corded Ware horizon in the 3rd millennium BC, evolving into the early Bronze Age Beaker culture. The first Indo-European settlement likely dates to the 2nd millennium, at the latest in the form of the Urnfield culture from c. 1300 BC. The Swiss plateau lay in the western part of the pre- or proto-Celtic Halstatt culture, evolving into the Celtic La Tène culture from the 5th century BC. In the 1st century BC (late La Tène), the Swiss plateau was occupied by the Helvetii in the west and by the Vindelici in the east, while the Alpine parts of eastern Switzerland were inhabited by the Raetians. Map showing the Neolithic expansions from the 7th to the 5th millennium BC Europe in ca. ... The Swiss plateau (plateau suisse in French, Schweizer Mittelland in German) constitutes one of the three major landscapes in Switzerland alongside the Jura mountains and the Alps. ... The Linear Pottery culture or (German) Linearbandkeramik (abbr. ... Corded ware is pottery having an ornamental pattern created by a cord impressed in the unfired clay. ... The Bronze Age is a period in a civilizations development when the most advanced metalworking has developed the techniques of smelting copper from natural outcroppings and alloys it to cast bronze. ... approximate extent of the Beaker culture The Bell-Beaker culture (sometimes shortened to Beaker culture, Beaker people, or Beaker folk, German Glockenbecherkultur), ca. ... For the language group see Indo-European languages; for other uses see Indo-European (disambiguation) Indo-Europeans are speakers of Indo-European languages. ... The Urnfield culture of central European culture is dated roughly between 1300 BC and 750 BC. The name describes the custom of cremating the dead and placing them in cemeteries. ... Proto-Celtic, also called Common Celtic, is the putative ancestor of all the known Celtic languages. ... The Hallstatt culture is named for is type site, Hallstatt a lakeside village in the Austrian Salzkammergut southwest of Salzburg, where a large prehistoric cemetery, eventually extending to 1045 burials was discovered by Ramsauer beginning in 1846 and excavated during the second half of the 19th century. ... This article is about the European people. ... The La Tène culture was an Iron Age culture named after the archaeological site of La Tène on the north side of Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland, where a rich trove of artifacts was discovered by Hansli Kopp in 1857. ... (2nd millennium BC - 1st millennium BC - 1st millennium) The 1st century BC started on January 1, 100 BC and ended on December 31, 1 BC. An alternative name for this century is the last century BC. The AD/BC notation does not use a year zero. ... A map of Gaul showing the northern Alpine position of the Helvetii. ... In ancient geography, Vindelicia is a country bounded on the south by Raetia, on the north by the Danube and the Vallum Hadriani, on the east by the Oenus (Inn), on the west by the territory of the Helvetii. ... The Roman Empire ca. ...

Roman era

Switzerland during the Roman era

In 58 BCE, the Helvetii tried to evade migratory pressure from Germanic tribes by moving into Gaul, but were stopped and defeated at Bibracte (near modern-day Autun) by Julius Caesar's armies and then sent back. In 15 BCE, Tiberius and Drusus conquered the Alps, and the region became integrated into the Roman Empire: the Helvetii settlement area became part first of Gallia Belgica and later of the province of Germania Superior, while the eastern part was integrated into the Roman province of Raetia. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2500x1594, 781 KB) Other versions German version File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): History of Switzerland Early history of Switzerland Maps of Switzerland ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2500x1594, 781 KB) Other versions German version File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): History of Switzerland Early history of Switzerland Maps of Switzerland ... A map of Gaul showing the northern Alpine position of the Helvetii. ... The term Germanic tribes (or Teutonic tribes) applies to the ancient Germanic peoples of Europe. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin: ) was the name given, in ancient times, to the region of Western Europe comprising present-day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... Autun is a town in the Saône-et-Loire département in Burgundy, France, and has a history which dates back to Roman times. ... Gaius Julius Caesar [1] (Latin pronunciation ; English pronunciation ; July 12 or July 13, 100 BC – March 15, 44 BC), often simply referred to as Julius Caesar, was a Roman military and political leader and one of the most influential men in world history. ... (Redirected from 15 BCE) Centuries: 2nd century BC - 1st century BC - 1st century Decades: 60s BC 50s BC 40s BC 30s BC 20s BC - 10s BC - 0s 10s 20s 30s 40s Years: 20 BC 19 BC 18 BC 17 BC 16 BC 15 BC 14 BC 13 BC 12 BC... Tiberius Caesar Augustus, born Tiberius Claudius Nero (November 16, 42 BC – March 16 AD 37), was the second Roman Emperor, from the death of Augustus in AD 14 until his own death in 37. ... Motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus (SPQR) The Roman Empire at its greatest extent, c. ... The Roman Province of Gallia Belgica in 58 BCE The Roman Province of Gallia Belgica around 120 CE Gallia Belgica was a Roman province located in what is now the southern part of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, northeastern France, and western Germany. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Ancient Roman provinces | German history | Germany | History of the Germanic peoples ... The Roman Empire ca. ...

The following 300 years saw extensive Roman settlement, including the construction of a road network and the founding of many settlements and cities. The center of Roman occupation was at Aventicum (Avenches), other cities were founded at Arbor Felix (Arbon), Augusta Raurica (Kaiseraugst near Basel), Basilea (Basel), Curia (Chur), Genava (Genève), Lousanna (Lausanne), Octodurum (|Martigny, controlling the pass of the Great St. Bernard), Salodurum (Solothurn), Turicum (Zürich) and other places. Military garrisons existed at Tenedo (Zurzach) and Vindonissa (Windisch). Avenches is a commune in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland, seat of the district with the same name. ... Arbon is a municipality and district capital of the district of Arbon, in the canton of Thurgau, Switzerland. ... Augusta Raurica is a large Roman archaeological site in Switzerland. ... Basel (British English traditionally: Basle and more recently Basel , German: Basel , French: Bâle , Italian: Basilea ) is Switzerlands third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerlands second-largest urban area... Chur is the capital of the Swiss canton of Graubünden and lies in the northern part of the canton. ... Hunters a cool hobo For other uses, see Geneva (disambiguation). ... Lausanne (pronounced ) is a city in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, situated on the shores of Lake Geneva (French: Lac Léman), and facing Évian-les-Bains (France) and with the Jura mountains to its north. ... Martigny is a small city in Switzerland, located in the canton of Valais at an elevation of 475 meters. ... In a range of hills, or especially of mountains, a pass (also gap, notch, col, saddle, bwlch or bealach) is a lower point that allows easier access through the range. ... Hospice at the Great St Bernard, with ancient road in foreground. ... The city of   (French: Soleure, Italian: Soletta) is the capital of the Canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. ... View of the inner city with the four main churches visible, and the Albis in the backdrop Zürich (German: , Zürich German: Züri , French: , in English generally Zurich, Italian: ) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Zurzach is commune in Zurzach in Aargau & in Switzerland Flag of Zurzach Categories: Switzerland geography stubs ... Windisch is a municipality of the Canton of Aargau, Switzerland. ...

The Romans also developed the Great St. Bernard Pass beginning in the year 47, and in 69 part of the legions of Vitellius used it to traverse the Alps. (It is doubtful whether Hannibal, in the Second Punic War some 300 years earlier, had crossed the alps over the Great St. Bernhard. Historians believe today that he had traveled over a lower and more southerly pass in the Alps between Lake Geneva and the Mediterranean Sea.) Hospice at the Great St Bernard, with ancient road in foreground. ... Vitellius, Museo Nazionale della Civiltà Romana, Rome Aulus Vitellius Germanicus (September 24, 15–December 22, 69) was Roman Emperor from April 17 69 to December 22 of the same year, one of the emperors in the Year of the four emperors. He was the son of Lucius Vitellius, who had... The west face of the Petit Dru above the Chamonix valley near the Mer de Glace. ... Hannibal, the son of Hamilcar Barca, (247 BC – c. ... Combatants Image:SPQR-Stone. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 259, Alamanni tribes overran the Limes and caused widespread devastation of Roman cities and settlements. The Roman empire managed to reestablish the Rhine as the border, and the cities on Swiss territory were rebuilt. However, it was now a frontier province, and consequently the new Roman cities were smaller and much more fortified. area settled by the Alamanni, and sites of Roman-Alamannic battles, 3rd to 6th century The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Main, land that is today part of Germany. ... Reconstructed Limes near Saalburg, Germany. ... The River Rhine (Dutch: ; French: ; German: ; Italian: ; Romansh: ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe at 1,320 kilometres (820 miles), with an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second. ...

Christianization and post-Roman era

Main article: Alemannia

In the late Roman period in the 3rd and 4th centuries, the Christianization of the region began. Legends of Christian martyrs such as Felix and Regula in Zürich probably are based on events that occurred during the persecution of Christians under Diocletian around 298. Alemannia (red) and Upper Burgundy (green) around AD 1000. ... The saints Felix and Regula, together with their servant Exuperantius are the patron saints of Zürich, their feast day being 11 September. ... First Christians in Kiev by Vasily Perov; Christians worshipping secretly in fear of persecution Christians have experienced persecution from both non-Christians and from other Christians during the history of Christianity. ... Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus ( 245– 312), born Diocles (Greek Διοκλής) and known in English as Diocletian,[1] was Roman Emperor from November 20, 284 to May 1, 305. ...

The first bishoprics were founded in the 4th and 5th century in Basel (documented in 346), Martigny (doc. 381, moved to Sion in 585), Geneva (doc. 441), and Chur (doc. 451). There is evidence from the 6th century for a bishopric in Lausanne, which maybe had been moved from Avenches. The Bishop of Basel (German: Bischof von Basel) is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic diocese of Basel, Switzerland (Latin: Dioecesis Basileensis). ... Martigny is a small city in Switzerland, located in the canton of Valais at an elevation of 475 meters. ... The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion (German Sitten, Latin Sedunensis), in the Swiss canton of Valais, is the oldest bishopric in Switzerland and one of the oldest north of the Alps. ... Hunters a cool hobo For other uses, see Geneva (disambiguation). ... The Bishop of Chur is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic diocese of Chur (Grisons, Switzerland). ... The Bishop of Lausanne (French: Évêque de Lausanne) was a Prince-Bishop of the Holy Roman Empire and the Ordinary of the diocese of Lausanne, Switzerland (Latin: Dioecesis Lausannensis). ...

With the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Germanic tribes moved in. Burgundians settled in the Jura, the Rhône valley and the Alps south of Lake Geneva; while in the north, Alamannic settlers crossed the Rhine in 406 and slowly assimilated the Gallo-Roman population, or made it retreat into the mountains. Burgundy became a part of the Frankish kingdom in 534; two years later, the dukedom of Alemannia followed suit. The Western Roman Empire is the western half of the Roman Empire after its division by Diocletian in 286. ... The Burgundians or Burgundes were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr (the Island of the Burgundians), and from here to mainland Europe. ... Looking towards Lelex from near to Crêt de la Neige The Jura folds are located north of the main Alpine orogenic front and are being continually deformed, accommodating the northwards compression from Alpine folding. ... The Rhônes course. ... Lake Geneva or Lake Léman (French Lac Léman, le Léman, or Lac de Genève) is the second largest freshwater lake in Central Europe (after Lake Balaton). ... area settled by the Alamanni, and sites of Roman-Alamannic battles, 3rd to 6th century The Alamanni, Allemanni, or Alemanni were originally an alliance of Germanic tribes located around the upper Main, land that is today part of Germany. ... The River Rhine (Dutch: ; French: ; German: ; Italian: ; Romansh: ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe at 1,320 kilometres (820 miles), with an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second. ... This article covers the culture of Romanized areas of Gaul. ... Look up Frank, frank in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Alemannia (red) and Upper Burgundy (green) around AD 1000. ...

The Burgundy kings furthered the Christianization through newly founded monasteries, e.g. at Romanmôtier or St. Maurice in the Valais in 515. In the Alaman part, only isolated Christian communities continued to exist; the Germanic faith including the worship of Wuodan was prevalent. The Irish monks Columbanus and Gallus re-introduced Christian faith in the early 7th century. The Bishopric of Konstanz also was founded at that time. Roman Agaunum, the modern Saint Maurice-en-Valais in southwesternmost Switzerland, was a minor post confined between the Rhone and the mountains along the well-travelled road that led from Roman Genava, modern Geneva, over the Alps by the Great St Bernard Pass to Italy. ... The Valais (German:  ) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the south-western part of the country, in the Pennine Alps around the valley of the Rhone River from its springs to Lake Geneva. ... ROSIE IS A GERMN LADYGermanic paganism refers to the religion of the Germanic nations preceding Christianization. ... For other meanings of Odin, Woden or Wotan see Odin (disambiguation), Woden (disambiguation), Wotan (disambiguation). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Saint Gall or Gallus (c. ... The Bishopric of Constance was a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church that existed from about 585 until 1821. ...

Middle Ages

Alemannia and Upper Burgundy around AD 1000 ██ Alemannia ██ Upper Burgundy

Under the Carolingian kings, the feudal system proliferated, and monasteries and bishopries were important bases for maintaining the rule. The Treaty of Verdun of 843 assigned the western part of modern Switzerland (Upper Burgundy) to Lotharingia, ruled by Lothair I, and the eastern part (Alemannia) to the eastern kingdom of Louis the German that would become the Holy Roman Empire. The boundary between Alamania, ruled by Louis, and western Burgundy, ruled by Lothar, ran along the lower Aare, turning towards the south at the Rhine, passing west of Lucerne and across the Alps along the upper Rhône to Saint Gotthard Pass. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1728x1559, 825 KB) kopiert von de:Bild:Alamannien Hochburgund ca 1000. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1728x1559, 825 KB) kopiert von de:Bild:Alamannien Hochburgund ca 1000. ... Alemannia (red) and Upper Burgundy (green) around AD 1000. ... Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Pre-Indo-European people, Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. ... Europe in 1000 The year 1000 of the Gregorian Calendar was the last year of the 10th century as well as the last year of the first millennium. ... Also see: France in the Middle Ages. ... Peasants plowing in front of a castle, French manuscript c. ... Geopolitical divisions according to the Treaty of Verdun. ... Coat of arms of the 2nd duchy of Burgundy and later of the French province of Burgundy Burgundy (French: Bourgogne) is a historic region of France, inhabited in turn by Pre-Indo-European people, Celts (Gauls), Romans (Gallo-Romans), and various Germanic peoples, most importantly the Burgundians and the Franks. ... Lotharingia (yellow), as established by the Treaty of Verdun, 843, and reduced by the Treaty of Mersen, 870 Lotharingia was a short-lived kingdom in western Europe, the aggregate of territories belonging to Lothair, King of Lotharingia (reigned 855–869), who received it in 855 from his father, Lothair I... Lothair I Lothair I (German: Lothar, French: Lothaire, Italian: Lotario) (795 – 2 March 855), king of Italy (818 – 855) and Holy Roman Emperor (840 – 855), was the eldest son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his wife Ermengarde of Hesbaye, daughter of Ingerman, duke of Hesbaye. ... Alemannia (red) and Upper Burgundy (green) around AD 1000. ... Louis the German (also known as Louis II or Louis the Bavarian or German Ludwig der Deutsche) (804 – August 28, 876), the third son of the emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye, was the king of Bavaria from 817, when his father partitioned the empire... The extent of the Holy Roman Empire in c. ... Alemannia (red) and Upper Burgundy (green) around AD 1000. ... région of Bourgogne, see Bourgogne. ... For other possible meanings, see AAR, a disambiguation page The Aar (in German Aare) is the greatest river which both rises and ends entirely within Switzerland. ... The River Rhine (Dutch: ; French: ; German: ; Italian: ; Romansh: ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe at 1,320 kilometres (820 miles), with an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second. ... Location within Switzerland View of the city from Lake Lucerne Another view across Lake Lucerne The Lion Monument Lucerne (German: (help· info)) is a city in Central Switzerland with a population of 60,274 (December 31, 2003), capital of the Canton of Lucerne. ... The west face of the Petit Dru above the Chamonix valley near the Mer de Glace. ... The Rhônes course. ... The modern concrete span of the Devils bridge (Teufelsbrücke) across the Schǒllenen Gorge replaces the older bridge below St. ...

Louis the German in 853 assigned a monastery in Zürich as the Fraumünster to his daughter Hildegard. According to legend this occurred after a stag bearing an illuminated crucifix between his antlers appeared to him in the marshland outside the town, at the shore of Lake Zürich. However, there is evidence that the monastery was already in existence before 853. The Fraumünster is across the river from the Grossmünster, which according to legend was founded by Charlemagne himself, as his horse fell to his knees on the spot where the martyrs Felix and Regula were buried. The Fraumünster church, the stained glass windows in the quire are by Marc Chagall. ... Genera About 15 in 4 subfamilies. ... A crucifix amidst the cornfields near Mureck in rural Styria, Austria A handheld crucifix A crucifix in front of the Holy Spirit Church in KoÅ¡ice, Slovakia A crucifix is a cross with a representation of Jesuss body, or corpus. ... For the Poet Laureate of Milwaukee, see Antler (Poet). ... Lake Zurich showing a sailing boat, a popular pastime on the lake Lake Zurich (also spelled Lake Zürich or Lake of Zürich; in German Zürichsee) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the town of Zürich. ... The saints Felix and Regula, together with their servant Exuperantius are the patron saints of Zürich, their feast day being 11 September. ...

In the 10th century, the rule of the Carolingians waned: Magyars destroyed Basel in 917 and St. Gallen in 926, and Saracenes ravaged the Valais after 920 and sacked the monastery of St. Maurice in 939. Only after the victory of king Otto I over the Magyars in 955 in the Battle of Lechfeld, the Swiss territories were reintegrated into the empire. As a means of recording the passage of time, the 10th century was that century which lasted from 901 to 1000. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Basel (British English traditionally: Basle and more recently Basel , German: Basel , French: Bâle , Italian: Basilea ) is Switzerlands third most populous city (166,563 inhabitants (2004); 690,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area stretching across the immediate cantonal and national boundaries made Basel Switzerlands second-largest urban area... Location within Switzerland St. ... In older Western historical literature, the Saracens were the people of the Saracen Empire, another name for the Arab Caliphate under the rule of the Umayyad and Abbasid dynasties. ... The Valais (German:  ) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the south-western part of the country, in the Pennine Alps around the valley of the Rhone River from its springs to Lake Geneva. ... Otto I at his victory over Berengar of Friuli Grave of Otto I in Magdeburg Otto I the Great ( November 23, 912 - May 7, 973), son of Henry I the Fowler, king of the Germans, and Matilda of Ringelheim, was Duke of Saxony, King of the Germans and arguably the... Combatants East Francia Magyars Commanders Otto the Great harka Bulcsú; chieftains Lél and Súr Strength 10,000 heavy cavalry 50,000 light cavalry Casualties about 3,500 about 30,000 fell in the battle about 5,000 killed by local farmers maybe 5,000 fleeing Magyars killed by...

King Rudolph III of Upper Burgundy (r. 993–1032) gave the Valais as his fiefdom to the Bishop of Sion in 999, and when Burgundy and thus also the Valais became part of the Holy Roman Empire in 1032, the bishop was also appointed count of the Valais, but was dominated by the 12th century by the Duchy of Savoy. Rudolf III of Burgundy, died September 6, 1032, King of Burgundy (993–1032). ... Capital Besançon Land area¹ 16,202 km² Regional President Raymond Forni (PS) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ... Events July 4 - Saint Ulrich of Augsburg canonized Births Deaths Categories: 993 ... Events February 2 - Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor, becomes King of Burgundy. ... The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion (Latin Sedunensis), in the Swiss canton of Valais, is the oldest bishopric in Switzerland and one of the oldest north of the Alps. ... For the earlier history of Savoy, see County of Savoy. ...

Also in the 12th century, the dukes of Zähringen were given authority over part of the Burgundy territories, covering the western part of modern Switzerland. They founded many cities, the most important being Freiburg in 1120, Fribourg in 1157, and Berne in 1191. The Zähringer dynasty ended with the death of Berchtold V in 1218, and their cities subsequently thus became independent, while the dukes of Kyburg competed with the house of Habsburg over control of the rural regions of the former Zähringer territory. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... Zähringen is the name of an old and influential German noble family, taken from the castle and village of that name. ... Freiburg city from Schlossberg Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, in the Breisgau region, on the western edge of the southern Black Forest (German: Schwarzwald) with about 214,000 inhabitants. ... Fribourg (French; German: Freiburg or Freiburg im Ãœechtland, often Fribourg) is a city in the country of Switzerland and the capital of the Swiss Canton of Fribourg on the river Sarine/Saane. ... Location within Switzerland The city of Berne (German   , French Berne , Italian Berna , Romansh Berna , Bernese German Bärn ), is the Bundesstadt (administrative capital) of Switzerland and the fourth most populous Swiss city (after Zürich, Geneva and Basel). ... A palace Kyburg in Kyburg, Switzerland. ... Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy; also used as the flag of the Austrian Empire until the Ausgleich of 1867. ...

Under the Hohenstaufen rule, the alpine passes in Raetia and the St. Gotthard Pass gained importance. Especially the latter became an important direct route through the mountains. The construction of the "Devil’s Bridge" (Teufelsbrücke) across the Schöllenenschlucht in 1198 led to a marked increase in traffic on the mule treck over the pass. Frederick II accorded the Reichsfreiheit to Schwyz in 1240 in the Freibrief von Faenza in an attempt to place the important pass under his direct control, and his son and for some time co-regent Henry VII had already given the same privileges to the valley of Uri in 1231 (the Freibrief von Hagenau). Unterwalden was de facto realm-free, since most of its territory belonged to monasteries, which had become independent even earlier in 1173 under Frederick I "Barbarossa" and in 1213 under Frederick II. Arms of the Hohenstaufen Dynasty The Hohenstaufen (or the Staufer(s)) were a dynasty of Kings of Germany, many of whom were also crowned Holy Roman Emperor and Dukes of Swabia. ... The modern concrete span of the Devils bridge (Teufelsbrücke) across the Schöllenen Gorge replaces the older bridge below. ... Pont du Diable in Céret, in southern France. ... Frederick II (December 26, 1194 – December 13, 1250), of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was a pretender to the title of King of the Romans from 1212 and unopposed holder of that monarchy from 1215. ... The Reichsfreiheit or Reichsunmittelbarkeit (adjectives reichsfrei, reichsunmittelbar) was a special, privileged status a city or region could attain in the Holy Roman Empire. ... The town of   (French: , Italian: ) is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. ... Uri may refer to: geography: Canton of Uri is a canton (region) of Switzerland. ... Unterwalden is the old name for what is now two cantons in central Switzerland, south of Lake Lucerne. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... Frederick Barbarossa in a 13th century Chronicle. ...

The city of Zürich also became a realm-free liberty in 1218.

The rise of the Habsburg dynasty gained momentum when their main local competitor, the Kyburg dynasty, died out and they could thus bring much of the territory south of the Rhine under their control. Subsequently, they managed within only a few generations to extend their influence through Swabia in south-eastern Germany to Austria. Rudolph I of Habsburg, who became emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in 1273, instituted a strict rule in his homelands and raised the taxes tremenduously to finance wars and further territorial acquisitions. As king, he finally had also become the direct liege lord of the "Forest Communities" (Waldstätten, i.e. Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden), which thus saw their previous independence curtailed. A palace Kyburg in Kyburg, Switzerland. ... Germany. ... The brass of the tomb of Rudolph I in Speyer Rudolph I (Rudolph of Habsburg) (May 1, 1218 – July 15, 1291) was a German king, who played a vital role in raising the Habsburg family to a leading position among the royal dynasties of Germany. ... Roland pledges his fealty to Charlemagne; from a manuscript of a chanson de geste. ...

In the Valais, increasing tensions between the bishops of Sion and the Counts of Savoy led to a war beginning in 1260. The war ended after the Battle at the Scheuchzermatte near Leuk in 1296, where the Savoy forces were crushed by the bishop's army, supported by forces from Berne. After the peace of 1301, Savoy kept only the lower part of the Valais, while the bishop controlled the upper Valais. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sion (Latin Sedunensis), in the Swiss canton of Valais, is the oldest bishopric in Switzerland and one of the oldest north of the Alps. ... map of the Leuk discrict Leuk (46°19′ N 7°38′ E, French Loèche, population 3376 as of 31 Dezember 2002) is a town in the Valais, Switzerland. ... Location within Switzerland The city of Berne (German   , French Berne , Italian Berna , Romansh Berna , Bernese German Bärn ), is the Bundesstadt (administrative capital) of Switzerland and the fourth most populous Swiss city (after Zürich, Geneva and Basel). ...

External links

• Overview of the History of Switzerland

Literature

• Im Hof, U.: Geschichte der Schweiz, Kohlhammer, 1974/2001. ISBN 3-17-017051-1
• Schwabe & Co.: Geschichte der Schweiz und der Schweizer, ISBN 3-7965-2067-7