Zurich and the Reformation in Switzerland

In the late middle ages the area known as Helvetia was considerably smaller in size than the Switzerland of today and was almost entirely German-speaking. Geneva, of course, was an episcopal state apart, and bound to be absorbed by Savoy, or so it seemed. The Graubünden were wild, independent, semi-lawless communities; the Vaud had recently been over-run by a Bernese force, but was still nominally part of Savoy; and the Valais, the Principality of Neuenburg, the bishopric of Basel and the Abbey of St. Gallen were all still outside the Confederation.

Exactly what this Confederation, Der Bund, was, is hard indeed to describe. These communities had no common law, no capital, no president or head of the state, no coinage, no flag, no common seal, no legislature. Yet from 1291, and earlier, the three lakeside communities of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden had been in the habit of acting together in self-defence, for the preservation of their ancient liberties and for keeping clear the recently opened road over the St. Gothard.