A Concise History of SwitzerlandDespite its position at the heart of Europe and its quintessentially European nature, Switzerland's history is often overlooked within the English-speaking world. This comprehensive and engaging history of Switzerland traces the historical and cultural development of this fascinating but neglected European country from the end of the Dark Ages up to the present. The authors focus on the initial Confederacy of the Middle Ages; the religious divisions which threatened it after 1500 and its surprising survival amongst Europe's monarchies; the turmoil following the French Revolution and conquest, which continued until the Federal Constitution of 1848; the testing of the Swiss nation through the late nineteenth century and then two World Wars and the Depression of the 1930s; and the unparalleled economic and social growth and political success of the post-war era. The book concludes with a discussion of the contemporary challenges, often shared with neighbours, that shape the country today. |
Contents
lordship communities and crises | 11 |
Creating the Swiss Confederacy 13 861 520 | 43 |
A divided Switzerland in Reformation Europe I 5 I 51713 | 73 |
The Ancien Régime 17131798 | 104 |
Revolution and contention 17981 848 13 | 162 |
The shocks of war 19141950 | 193 |
The Sonderfall years 19501990 | 227 |
a return to normality? | 254 |
Chronology | 283 |
Glossary | 297 |
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Common terms and phrases
Aargau allies Alps Ancien Régime Appenzell army banks Basle became began Berne Bernese Blocher Catholic cantons cent century challenge church communities condominiums Confederacy Confederation conflict conservative constitution country’s culture defeated despite developments Diet difficult direct democracy economic Eidgenossenschaft election electorate elite emerged encouraged Europe European Federal Council finally first forces foreign France French Fribourg further Geneva German Glarus Gotthard Grisons Habsburg Helvetic Helvetic Republic imperial increasingly influence initiative internal Italy Landsgemeinde League liberal Lucerne major mercenary military modern movement negotiations Neuchatel neutrality notably office Old Zurich War party peace alliances peasants popular population pressure Protestant Radicals reflected reform regime region religious remained resistance revolution rural Schwyz significant Social Democrats Solothurn Sonderbund Sonderfall sought St Gallen Swiss Confederacy Swiss politics Switzerland territories Thurgau Ticino tion Toggenburg treaties troops Unterwalden urban Valais Vaud votation vote Zurich Zwingli