List of battles involving 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 that 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.
Early Confederacy (1315–1351)
Eight Cantons (1353–1477)
Date
Battle
Site
Notes
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
Second 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 – Waldshut War
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 Duchy of Savoy
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)
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)
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 Lucerne
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 Musso War
Chiavenna
Three Leagues vs. Milan
1529
First War of Kappel
Kappel
Catholic cantons vs. Zürich
1531–32
2nd Musso War
Lombardy
Confederates and Three Leagues vs. Milan
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
Canton of Vaud
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)
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 of the 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
See also