Battles of the Old Swiss Confederacy
List of battles fought by the Old Swiss Confederacy, 1315–1799.
The Battle of Morgarten of 1315 is famous as the first military success of the Confederacy, but it was an ambush on an army on the march rather than an open field battle. The Battle of Laupen of 1339 is an early battle which can be seen as indicating the trend of the dominance of infantry over heavy cavalry during the Late Middle Ages.
The classical period of military successes of Swiss halberd and pike warfare Pike square (in de Gevierthaufen or Gewalthaufen) are the wars of the Eight Cantons (Ten Cantons after 1481) during the 1360s to 1490s. Most notable among these are the Battle of Sempach (1386), the Burgundian Wars (1470s) and the Swabian War (1499).
The string of Swiss victories is broken in the early 16th century, and after a few painful defeats (notably at Marignano 1515), the Confederacy stopped its aggressive expansion. The early modern period is characterized by internal disputes, both religious and social (peasant uprisings). The final French invasion of Switzerland was only marginally a military operation and mostly a collapse due to centrifugal forces within the Confederacy.
Contents
Early Confederacy (1315–1351)
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| Date | Battle | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiss Habsburg Wars | |||
| 1315–18, 15 November | Battle of Morgarten | Oberägeri, Morgarten | |
| 1315, 15 November | Gefecht am Renggpass (1315) | Alpnach | Unterwalden defeats Habsburg |
| 1331–33 | Gümmenenkrieg | Gümmenen | Bern and Solothurn defeat Fribourg and Habsburg |
| 1332 | Gefecht auf der Oberalp | Oberalppass | Urseren defeats Abbey of Disentis |
| 1337, 21 September | Battle of Grynau | Grynau Castle respectively Linth plain | Zürich defeats Habsburg-Laufenburg |
| 1339, 21 June | Battle of Laupen | Laupen | Bern and confederates defeat Fribourg and allies |
| 1340, 24 April | Battle of Schönberg | Fribourg | Bern defeats Freiburg |
| 1351, 26 December | Battle of Dättwil | Dättwil | Zürich defeats Habsburg |
Eight Cantons (1353–1477)
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| Date | Battle | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1367–68 War between Bern and the Bishopric of Basel | |||
| 1367–68 | Ravaging of Biel | Biel and Bishopric of Basel | Bern vs. Basel |
| 1375 – Guglerkrieg | |||
| 1375, 25 December | Battle of Buttisholz | Buttisholz | Lucerne defeats English mercenaries |
| 1375, 26 December | Battle of Ins | Ins | Bern defeats English mercenaries |
| 1375, 27 December | Battle of Fraubrunnen | Fraubrunnen | Bern defeats English mercenaries |
| 1380 Obwalden vs. Entlebuch | |||
| 1380 | Battle of Sörenberg | Flühli | Entlebuch defeats Obwalden |
| 1383–84 – Burgdorferkrieg | |||
| 1383–84 | Siege of Burgdorf | Canton of Bern | Bern, Solothurn and allies defeat Neu-Kyburg |
| Swiss Habsburg Wars | |||
| 1386, 9 July | Battle of Sempach | Sempach | Eight Cantons defeat Habsburg and allies |
| 1388, 9 April | Battle of Näfels | Näfels | Glarus and Schwyz defeat Habsburg |
| Valais vs. Savoy | |||
| 1388, December | Battle of Visp | Visp | Upper Valais defeats Savoy |
| 1403–28 – Appenzell Wars | |||
| 1403, 15 May | Battle of Vögelinsegg | St. Gallen | Appenzell and Schwyz defeat Abbey of St. Gallen and allies |
| 1405, 16/17 June | Battle of Rotmonten | St. Gallen | City of St. Gallen defeats Habsburg |
| 1405, 1 June | Battle of Stoss | Gais | Appenzell defeats Habsburg and Abbey of St. Gallen |
| 1408, 13 January | Battle of Bregenz | Bregenz | Habsburg and order of St. Jörgenschild defeat Appenzell |
| 1428, 2 December | Battle of Letzi | Herisau/Gossau | Count of Toggenburg defeats Appenzell |
| 1409 Basel War | |||
| 1409 | skirmishes and raids | canton of Basel | Basel vs. Habsburg |
| 1415 Annexation of Aargau | |||
| 1415, April–May | Annexation of Aargau | Aargau | confederate conquest of Baden |
| 1418–19 – Raron affair | |||
| 1419, 29 September | 2nd Battle of Ulrichen | Ulrichen | Upper Valais defeats Bern |
| 1403–1495 – War with Milan | |||
| 1422, 30 June | Battle of Arbedo | Arbedo | Duchy of Milan defeats confederates |
| 1449, 6 July | Battle of Castione | Castione | Milan defeats Uri and Leventina |
| 1478, 28 December | Battle of Giornico | Giornico | Confederates defeat Milan |
| 1487, 28 April | Battle of Crevola | Crevola d'Ossola | Milan defeats Confederates and Valais |
| 1436–50 – Old Zürich War | |||
| 1439, 5 May | Battle of Etzel | Etzelpass | Schwyz and Glarus defeat Zürich |
| 1440, November | Battle of Pfäffikon | Pfäffikon SZ | Confederates defeat Zürich |
| 1443, 22 May | Battle of Freienbach | Freienbach | Confederates defeat Zürich |
| 1443, 24 May | Battle of Hirzel | Horgen | Confederates defeat Zürich |
| 1443, 22 July | Battle of St. Jakob an der Sihl | Zürich | Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, Glarus and Zug defeat Zürich and Habsburg |
| 1444, 28 May | Siege of Greifensee | Greifensee | Bern, Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden, Glarus and Zug defeat Zürich and Habsburg |
| 1444, 26 August | Battle of St. Jakob an der Birs | Basel | France defeats confederates |
| 1444, 13 October | 1st Battle of Erlenbach | Erlenbach ZH | Zürich defeats confederates |
| 1445, 11 June | Battle of Wolfhalden | Wolfhalden | Appenzell defeats Habsburg |
| 1445, 6 October | 2nd Battle of Erlenbach | Erlenbach ZH | Zürich defeats confederates |
| 1445, 29 October | Naval battle on Lake Zürich | Lake Zürich | Zürich defeats confederates |
| 1445, 16 December | Battle of Wollerau (1445) | Wollerau | Confederates defeat Zürich |
| 1446 | Battle of Gams | Gams | Habsburg defeats Appenzell and Toggenburg |
| 1446, 6 March | Battle of Ragaz | Bad Ragaz | Confederates defeat Zürich and Habsburg |
| 1445–49 – St. Jakoberkrieg | |||
| 1449 | Siege of Rheinfelden | Rheinfelden | Basel vs. Habsburg |
| 1447–48 – Freiburgkrieg | |||
| 1448, 29 March | Battle of Neumatt | canton of Fribourg | Bern and Savoyen vs Fribourg and Habsburg |
| 1448, 12 June | Battle of Tafers | Tafers | Fribourg defeats Bern |
| 1460 – annexation of Thurgau | |||
| 1460 | various campaigns | Thurgau | confederate conquest of Thurgau |
| 1468 – Waldshuterkrieg | |||
| 1468 | Siege of Waldshut | Waldshut | Confederates defeat Habsburg |
| 1474–77 – Burgundian Wars | |||
| 1474, 13 November | Battle of Héricourt | Héricourt | Confederates and Lower League defeat Duchy of Burgundy |
| 1475, 13 November | Battle on the Planta | Sion | Confederates and Valais defeat Burgundy |
| 1476, 2 March | Battle of Grandson | Grandson | Confederates defeat Burgundy |
| 1476, 22 June | Battle of Murten | Murten | Confederates, Lothringia and Lower League defeat Burgundy |
| 1477, 5 January | Battle of Nancy | Nancy | Lothringia, Lower League and Confederates defeat Burgundy |
Ten Cantons (1481–1500)
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| Date | Battle | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1489–90 – St. Gallerkrieg | |||
| 1489, 28 July | Rorschacher Klosterbruch | Rorschach | Abbey of St. Gallen, Zürich, Luzern, Schwyz und Glarus vs. City of St. Gallen und Appenzell |
| 1499 – Swabian War | |||
| 1499, 12 February | Battle of Triesen | Triesen(FL) | Ten Cantons and Three Leagues defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 20 April | 1st Battle of Hegau | Klettgau, Hegau | Confederates vs. Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 22 February | Battle of Hard | Hard | Confederates defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 22 March | Battle of Bruderholz | Basel | Confederates defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 26 March | Battle of Hallau | Hallau | Confederates and Schaffhausen defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 11 April | Battle of Schwaderloh | Ermatingen | Confederates and Schaffhausen defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 17 April | 2nd Battle of Hegau | Klettgau, Hegau | Confederates vs. Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 20 April | Battle of Frastanz | Frastanz | Confederates defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 21 May | 3rd Battle of Hegau | Klettgau, Hegau | Confederates vs. Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 22 May | Battle of Calven | Taufers | Ten Cantons and Three Leagues defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 20 July | Battle of Rheineck | Rheineck | Confederates defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1499, 22 July | Battle of Dornach | Dornach | Confederates defeat Habsburg and Swabian League |
| 1495–1522 – Italian Wars | |||
| 1500 | Treason of Novara | Milan | re-conquest of Milan for Ludovico Sforza |
Thirteen Cantons (1512–1540)
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| Date | Battle | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1495–1522 – Italian Wars | |||
| 1512 | 1st Battle of Pavia | Pavia | Confederates defeat France |
| 1513, 6 June | Battle of Novara | Novara | Confederates defeat France |
| 1513, September | Dijon campaign | Dijon | siege of Dijon |
| 1515, 13/14 September | Battle of Marignano | Melegnano | France and Venice defeat the Confederates |
| 1522, 27 April | Battle of Bicocca | Bicocca, Milan | Habsburg defeats France and Confederates |
| 1525, 23/24 February | 2nd Battle of Pavia | Pavia | Habsburg defeats France and Confederates |
| Rural uprisings | |||
| 1513 | Köniz uprising | Köniz | Köniz vs. Bern |
| 1513–14 | Zwiebelnkrieg | canton of Luzern | Uprising against Lucene |
| 1515 | Lebkuchenkrieg | canton of Zürich | Uprising against Zürich |
| 1524–26 | German Peasants' War | Holy Roman Empire, Swabia | Widespread peasant uprisings |
| 1525–31 Wars of Religion | |||
| 1525–26 | 1st Müsserkrieg | Chiavenna | Three Leagues vs. Mailand |
| 1529 | First War of Kappel | Kappel | Catholic cantons vs. Zürich |
| 1531–32 | 2nd Müsserkrieg | Lombardy | Confederates and Three Leagues vs. Mailand |
| 1531, 11 October | Battle of Kappel | Kappel | Catholic cantons vs. Zürich |
| 1531, 24 October | Battle of Gubel | Menzingen | Catholic cantons vs. Bern and Zürich |
| 1536 – Bernese conquests in Savoy | |||
| 1536 | Conquest of Vaud | Kanton Waadt | Bern, Fribourg and Valais vs. Savoy |
Early Modern conflicts (1550–1712)
After their defeats in Italy, the Confederacy pledged neutrality and did not engage in further warfare beyond its borders. For the remaining duration of the Old Swiss Confederacy 1540–1798, armed conflicts were internal, either between factions within the confederacy, or peasant uprisings). Also listed are conflicts between associates of the Confederacy (Three Leagues, Geneva) with neighbouring powers even if the Confederacy itself was not involved.
| Date | Battle | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rural uprisings | |||
| 1550 | Trinkelstierkrieg | Valais | peasant uprisings in Valais |
| 1570 | 1st Heringskrieg | canton of Lucerne | Rothenburg vs. Lucerne |
| 1591–94 | Rappenkrieg | canton of Basel | uprising against Basel |
| 1602 – Savoy Wars | |||
| 1602, 11/12 December | Escalade de Genève | Geneva | Geneva defeats Savoy |
| 1618–48 – Thirty Years' War | |||
| 1621–39 | Bündner Wirren | Graubünden | Graubünden is occupied and ravaged |
| 1632, 20 September | Kluser Handel | Balsthal | Solothurn vs. Bern |
| 1653 – Swiss Peasant War | |||
| 1653, 29 May/7 June | Battle of Herzogenbuchsee | Herzogenbuchsee | peasant uprising |
| 1653, 3 June | Battle of Wohlenschwil | Wohlenschwil | peasant uprising |
| 1656 – First War of Villmergen | |||
| 1656, 7 January/10 February | Siege of Rapperswil | Rapperswil SG | Catholic cantons defend Rapperswil against Zürich |
| 1656, 24 January | First Battle of Villmergen | Villmergen | Lucerne and Zug defeat Bern und Zürich |
| 1712 – Toggenburg War a.k.a. Second War of Villmergen | |||
| 1712, ?–22 May | Siege of Wil | Wil | Protestant cantons and rebels defeat prince-abbot of St Gall |
| 1712, 22 May | Battle of Mellingen | Mellingen | Bern defeats Catholic cantons |
| 1712, 26 May | Battle of Fischbach | Fischbach-Göslikon | Bern defeats Catholic cantons |
| 1712, ?–1 June | Siege of Baden | Baden, Switzerland | Bern and Zürich defeat Catholic cantons |
| 1712, 20 July | Battle of Sins | Sins, Aargau | Catholic cantons defeat Bern |
| 1712, 22 July | Battles of Richterswil and Hütten | Richterswil and Hütten, Switzerland | Schwyz and Zug attack Zürich unsuccessfully |
| 1712, 24 July | Second Battle of Villmergen | Villmergen | Bern defeats Catholic cantons |
French invasion (1798)
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These are minor skirmishes on 2–5 March 1798, leading to the swift collapse of the Old Confederacy, the clashes of April and May last pockets of resistance against the recently established Helvetic Republic. The Nidwalden uprising (Schreckenstage von Nidwalden) in September was more serious, with 435 dead, including 118 women and 25 children. The 1799 conflict in the Valais was not a "Battle of the Old Swiss Confederacy" in the narrow sense, as Valais was not a member Old Confederacy. The Valais formed the separate Rhodanic Republic in 1802 and joined the restored Swiss Confederacy only in 1815.
| Date | Battle | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1798, 2 March | Battle of Lengnau | Lengnau | France vs. Bern |
| 1798, 2 March | Battle of Twann | Twann | France vs. Bern |
| 1798, 2 March | Battles of Grenchen and Bellach | Grenchen, Bellach | France defeats Solothurn |
| 1798, 3 March | Battle of Col de la Croix | Col de la Croix | France vs. Bern |
| 1798, 5 March | Battle of St. Niklaus | Merzligen | France vs. Bern |
| 1798, 5 March | Battle of Fraubrunnen | Fraubrunnen | France defeats Bern |
| 1798, 5 March | Battle of Grauholz | Schönbühl | France defeats Bern |
| 1798, 5 March | Battle of Neuenegg | Neuenegg | Bern defeats France |
| 1798, 26 April | Battle of Hägglingen | Hägglingen | France defeats Zug |
| 1798, 30 April | Battle of Wollerau | Wollerau | France defeats Schwyz |
| 1798, 1 May | Battle of Stucketen-Chäppeli | Beinwil SO | France vs. Solothurn |
| 1798, 2 May | Battle of Schindellegi | Feusisberg | France defeats Schwyz |
| 1798, 2/3 May | Battle of Rothenthurm | Rothenthurm | Schwyz defeats France |
| 1798, 17 May | 1st Battle of Pfyn | Sion | France defeats Valais |
| 1798, 7–9 September | Nidwalden uprising | Nidwalden | France defeats Nidwalden |
| 1799, 27–28 May | 2nd Battle of Pfyn | Sion | France defeats Valais |
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