Keywords

Federal Charter, Bundesbrief, forgery of manuscripts, Switzerland history, Switzerland politics, House of Habsburg, Perpetual League, 1291

Abstract

The traditional date for the founding of the Swiss state is 1291 with the signing of the Federal Charter or Bundesbrief. The document was elevated to national significance not by historians or by the opinion of the Swiss people but as an act of government. It was unknown among the early historians of the Swiss Confederation, and many modern historians are skeptical about its authenticity and significance. Internal evidence suggests that the document was composed at a later date, and that it may be a forgery.

Original Publication Citation

Winkler, A. (2014). The Federal Charter of 1291 and the founding of the Swiss State. Swiss American Historical Society Review, 50(1), 33-50.