Old Swiss Confederacy Military history of Switzerland

1 old swiss confederacy

1.1 swiss mercenaries

1.1.1 swiss guard


1.2 internal conflicts after reformation

old swiss confederacy

formed federal charter of 1291, alliance of 3 cantons formed mutual defense, chiefly against habsburgs. succession of interventions habsburgs produced battles of morgarten (1315) , sempach (1386), resulting in independence confederacy.

by 1353 original 3 cantons had been joined 2 additional cantons , 3 city states.

swiss mercenaries


battle of marignano

late in thirteenth century, soldiers drawn cantons of switzerland gained military reputation throughout europe. reputation earned result of defense against austrian habsburg overlords , during campaigns in italy. fifteenth century swiss had become particularly valued soldiers-for-hire. swiss soldiers noted combat skill , ferocious attacks in phalanx, or deep column formation using pike , halberd. had virtual monopoly on pike mercenary service until 1490.

by 1490 german mercenaries became proficient in swiss military tactics , available hire @ lower cost. in 1515 swiss pledged neutrality, , continued fight in service of royal french army. became bitter rivals german mercenaries , 2 fight on battlefields of europe during next few decades.

following battle of marignano in 1515, however, swiss style of massed-combat fighting went steady decline, replaced arquebusiers, artillery , earthworks. during battle of bicocca in 1522 swiss mercenaries saw bitter defeat heavy casualties. nonetheless swiss continued serve mercenaries during next 2 centuries, adopting musket replace pike.

swiss guard

the swiss guard has origins in 1506 when pope julius ii hired them bodyguards ; group of soldiers large enough considered army. appropriate, seeing papal states took one-third of italy @ time, requiring extensive protection. pope enlisted them, seeing believed best @ time. currently, illegal swiss citizens join country s armed forces except members of swiss guard protecting vatican. military service abroad of dual nationals permitted under circumstances.

internal conflicts after reformation

the swiss peasant war of 1653 popular revolt rural populations of several cantons. rebellion suppressed, led series of reforms. in 1656, tensions between protestants , catholics re-emerged , led outbreak of first war of villmergen. new conflict in 1712 caused second war of villmergen, overturned balance of power protestant cantons. religious conflicts renewed in 1847, resulting in sonderbund war , leading formation of switzerland federal state.