Timeline of Swiss history

This is a timeline of Swiss history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Switzerland and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Switzerland.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Centuries: 13th · 14th · 15th · 16th · 17th · 18th · 19th · 20th · 21st

13th century
YearDateEvent
1291AugustThe three Waldstätte of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden signed the Federal Charter of 1291 establishing the Old Swiss Confederacy, a confederation for mutual defense and the adjudication of disputes.

14th century
YearDateEvent
13078 NovemberThe leaders of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden swore the Rütlischwur, an oath of unity and common defense, on the Rütli above Lake Lucerne.[1]
131515 NovemberBattle of Morgarten. Swiss infantry ambushed and destroyed much of a Habsburg heavy cavalry army near Lake Ägeri.[2]
13159 DecemberFollowing the victory at Morgarten, Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden sign a second Federal Charter strengthening the Confederacy.
1332Lucerne signs a mutual protection treaty with the three Confederates.[3]
136729 JanuaryCreation of the League of God's House in the Canton of Graubünden to resist the Bishopric of Chur and the Habsburgs.[4]
13869 JulyBattle of Sempach. Lucerne, Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden and Zürich decisively defeat a Habsburg army. The victory begins to change the Confederation from a loose pact into a unified entity and allows expansion into former Habsburg lands.[5]
139514 FebruaryCreation of the Grey League in Graubünden as the abbot of Disentis Abbey, the Baron of Rhäzüns and the Baron of Sax-Misox sign an eternal alliance.[6]

15th century
YearDateEvent
143630 AprilDeath of Friedrich VII of Toggenburg, without an heir. Competing land claims in eastern Switzerland and western Austria led to the Old Zurich War.[7]
14368 JuneCreation of the League of the Ten Jurisdictions in Graubünden after the extinction of the Counts of Toggenburg.[8]
1440-1450Old Zurich War between Zurich and the Habsburgs against the remainder of the Confederation over the Toggenburg lands. At the end of the war, Zurich had to dissolve its alliance with the Habsburgs and rejoin the Confederation.[7]

16th century
YearDateEvent
152423 SeptemberThe Free State of the Three Leagues is formed from the League of God's House, the Grey League and the League of the Ten Jurisdictions

17th century
YearDateEvent
1648OctoberThe Treaty of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War and contains a special provision on Switzerland, endorsing the process begun in 1499. With this treaty, European powers recognise the Swiss Confederation as an independent state.


19th century
YearDateEvent
1843JuneThe first Schweizerisches Gesangsfest, a singing festival, was held in Zürich.
18473 NovemberSonderbund War: In the midst of a political crisis, troops from Uri, a member of the Sonderbund, a separate alliance of Catholic cantons of Switzerland, seized the Gotthard Pass between the northern and southern halves of the country.
184812 SeptemberA new constitution was issued establishing Switzerland as a federal state with a bicameral Federal Assembly.
187419 AprilThe constitution was revised to establish free public education and the optional referendum, and to make it easier for Swiss citizens to move between cantons.[9]
187719 JuneThe Aare flooded, causing significant damage.[9]

20th century
YearDateEvent
1918 30 September Bankers in Zürich walked out in their first ever strike amidst growing unrest over the rising cost of living. A local general strike then broke out in support of their demand a pay rise and was successful.
192010 JanuaryThe League of Nations, an intergovernmental organization established for the purposes of collective security and international arbitration, came into existence, with Switzerland among its founding members.[10]
1934Creates numbered bank accounts, giving account holder anonymity.[11]
195812 JulyThe Swiss government announced its intention to develop and build a nuclear arsenal.
19636 MaySwitzerland joined the Council of Europe, a body dedicated to the promotion of good governance and human rights in Europe.
19717 FebruaryA referendum granting women the right to vote in federal elections was approved with sixty-six percent of the vote.
197824 SeptemberA referendum approved the secession of the French-speaking canton of Jura from the mostly German-speaking canton of Bern.[12]

21st century
YearDateEvent
200210 SeptemberSwitzerland joined the United Nations, an intergovernmental organization devoted to the preservation of world peace and economic development.

References
  1. Benjamin Vincent (1910), "Switzerland", Haydn's Dictionary of Dates (25th ed.), London: Ward, Lock & Co. – via HathiTrust
  2. Morgarten War in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  3. Canton of Lucerne in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  4. League of God's House in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  5. Sempach War in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  6. Grey League in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  7. Old Zurich War in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  8. League of the Ten Jurisdictions in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  9. George Henry Townsend (1877), "Switzerland", Manual of Dates (5th ed.), London: Frederick Warne & Co.
  10. Leo Schelbert (2014). "Chronology". Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (2nd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 978-1-4422-3352-2.
  11. Mowbray, Sean (7 July 2017). "12 Moments That Shaped Switzerland's History". Culture Trip. 1934 – The Banking Secrecy Act of 1934
  12. "Switzerland Profile: Timeline", BBC News, retrieved 15 September 2015
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