Swiss Soldiers, Burgundian Wars, March 1476

On 2 March 1476 the Swiss army has directed an attack on the castle of Vaumarcus, near Neuchâtel.
The attack was led by the men of Berne.
The standard bearer of the picture carries the flag and colors of Hans von Hallwyl, a Swiss army commander.

Hans Franz Naegeli, Conqueror of the Vaud, 1536

Hans Franz Nägeli was Supreme Commander of the Bernese troops in the conquest of Vaud (1536), during the war agaist Savoy.

 In the campain of March 1536 he conquered Chateau Chillon and Lausanne; the conquest of the Pays de Vaud was completed on the 29th March 1536, the day when the wonderful castle of Chillon (http://www.chillon.ch/en/castle) fell.
http://www.hr-lavater.ch/2014/08/09/der-baer-in-der-waadt-1536/

 This figure is based on the beautiful “Schützenbrunnen” and “Vennerbrunnen”, two of the many charming sculture-fountain of Bern, made by the Master Hans Gieng in the years between 1542 and 1543. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Gieng

The illustration depicts Nägeli in half-harness, with the typical broad-brimmed plumed hat.

The sculpture of the "Vennerbrunnen" in Bern 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vennerbrunnen

Wilhelm Tell, 1307 AD

Wilhelm Tell is the legendary hero of the Old Swiss Confederacy in the early 14th century. His exploits are traced back to 1307. Here is indeed represented as a "real" crossbowman of the years before the battle of Morgarten (1315). The landscape is that of the original story: the enchanting scenery of Lake Lucerne.

Historic Switzerland, a small illustrated excursion between Murten and Bern

The beautiful main street of Murten / Morat, with Berntor

View of the Mont Vully from Murten 

The walls of Murten, beautifully preserved

And now a little bit of Berne, which is always a joy for a historical illustrator: here is a selection of some of the splendid fountains in the city, decorated with polychrome statues by the Renaissance sculptor Hans Gieng (years around 1540)

And here is an example of the armours of the 30s and 40s of the 16th century, inspired precisely by the Bern fountains: Hans Franz Naegeli wears a specimen while he conquers the Vaud

Swiss Standard-bearer, Battle of Dornach, 1499 (Swabian War - Schwabenkrieg)

 The Swabian War (Schwaben- oder Schweizerkrieg) broke out due to the ancient contrasts between the Habsburgs ant the Swiss Cantons, and in this case was the territorial controversy between the Grisons and the Habsburg Duke of Tyrol (the Emperor Maximilian) to turn on again the fuse.

The conflict expanded from the Rhine Valley to the Lake Constance; saw small-scale clashes but bloody looting. Imperial troops were finally defeated at Dornach on July 22, 1499.

The battle saw the complete triumph of the Swiss Cantons (Old Swiss Confederacy) on the imperial Swabian League and ended the Swabian War.

Among the Swiss fighters there were 5000 from Bern, 400 from Zurich, 600 from Lucerne, plus contingents from Uri, Zug and Unterwalden. The arrival of the Lucerne and Zug soldiers was decisive for the victory over Maximilan's army  (16,000 men).

The battle was a key step in the history of the Swiss Confederation.

In the figure is depicted a Standard-bearer from the mighty city of Bern, with the typical feather turban and the transition clothes between the fashion of the 15th century and the much more extravagant "slasing" fashion of the 16th century.

 

 

 

Swiss halberdier, Morat/Murten 1476, & Swiss soldier from Bern, 1475

In 1475 the Bernese, with Fribourg, conquered large parts of the Vaud Savoyard, which was allied with the Burgundians. During the month of August the Bernese attacked the castle of Aigle, to end the restless deployment of enemy troops.