Helvetic Republic

In [[History of Switzerland|Swiss history]], the '''Helvetic Republic''' ([[1798]]–[[1803]]) represented an early attempt to impose a central authority over [[Switzerland]], which until then consisted mainly of self-governing [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]]s united by a loose military alliance, and conquered territories such as [[Vaud]]. Its name was taken from the [[Helvetii|Helvetian]] people. A constitutional arrangement imposed by [[France|French]] military might, the Republic existed as a state for only five years but failed to achieve widespread popular support among its citizens. However, some aspects of it have survived into present-day [[Switzerland]]. ==History== [[File:Strategic Situation of Europe 1796.jpg|thumb|195px|left|Strategic Situation of Europe in 1796]] During the [[French Revolutionary Wars]] of the 1790s, the French Republican armies expanded eastward. The French Republican armies enveloped [[Switzerland]] on the grounds of "liberating" the Swiss people, whose own system of government was deemed as [[feudal]], especially for annexed territories such as [[Vaud]]. {{Campaignbox French Revolutionary Wars in Switzerland}} {{History of Switzerland}} Some Swiss nationals, including [[Frédéric-César de La Harpe]], had called for French intervention on these grounds. The invasion proceeded largely peacefully, since the Swiss people failed to respond to the calls of their politicians to take up arms. On 5 March 1798, French troops completely [[Campaigns of 1798 in the French Revolutionary Wars|overran Switzerland]] and the [[Early Modern Switzerland|Old Swiss Confederation]] collapsed. On 12 April 1798, 121 cantonal deputies proclaimed the Helvetic Republic, "One and Indivisible". On 14th April 1798, a cantonal assembly was called in the [[Canton of Zurich]], but most of the politicians from the previous assembly were re-elected. Exactly 6000 days later on 18th September 1814 began the [[Congress of Vienna]]. The new régime abolished [[canton (subnational entity)|cantonal sovereignty]] and [[feudal]] rights. The occupying forces established a centralised state based on the ideas of the [[French Revolution]]. Many Swiss citizens resisted these "[[Progressivism|progressive]]" ideas, particularly in the central areas of the country. Some of the more controversial aspects of the new regime limited [[freedom of worship]], which outraged many of the more devout citizens. [[File:Alois von Reding.jpg|thumb|left|Alois von Reding led Central Swiss troops against the French]] In response, the Cantons of [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], [[Canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]] and [[Canton of Nidwalden|Nidwalden]] raised an army of about 10,000 men led by [[Alois von Reding]] to fight the French. This army was deployed along the defensive line from [[Napf]] to [[Rapperswil]]. Reding besieged French-controlled [[Lucerne]] and marched across the [[Brünig pass]] into the [[Berner Oberland]] to support the armies of Bern. At the same time, the French General [[Balthasar Alexis Henri Antoine of Schauenburg]] marched out of occupied [[Zürich]] to attack [[Zug]], Lucerne and the [[Sattel pass]]. Even though Reding's army won victories at Rothenthurm and [[Morgarten]], Schauenburg's victory near [[Sattel, Switzerland|Sattel]] allowed him to threaten the town of [[Schwyz]]. On 4 May 1798, the town council of Schwyz surrendered. On the 13th May, Reding and Schauenburg agreed to a cease-fire, the terms of which included the rebel cantons merging into a single one, thus limiting their effectiveness in the central government. However, the French failed to keep their promises in respecting religious matters and before the year was out there was another uprising in [[Nidwalden]] which the authorities crushed, with towns and villages burnt down by French troops. No general agreement existed about the future of Switzerland. Leading groups split into the '''Unitaires''', who wanted a united republic, and the '''Federalists''', who represented the old [[aristocracy]] and demanded a return to cantonal sovereignty. [[Coup d'état|Coup]]-attempts became frequent, and the new régime had to rely on the French to survive. Furthermore, the occupying forces insisted that the accommodation and feeding of the soldiers be paid for by the local populace which drained the economy. The treaty of alliance with France also broke the tradition of neutrality established by the Confederation. All this made it difficult to establish a new working state. In 1799, Switzerland became a virtual battle-zone between the French, [[Austria]]n and [[Imperial Russia]]n armies, with the locals supporting mainly the latter two, rejecting calls to fight with the French armies in the name of the Helvetic Republic. Instability in the Republic reached its peak in 1802–03 — including the ''[[Bourla-papey]]'' uprising and the ''[[Stecklikrieg]]'' civil war of 1802. By then it was 12 million francs in debt having started with a treasury of 6 million francs. This together with local resistance caused the Helvetic Republic to [[failed states|collapse]], and its government took refuge in [[Lausanne]]. At that time [[Napoleon Bonaparte]], then [[First Consul]] of France, summoned representatives of both sides to [[Paris]] in order to negotiate a solution. Although the Federalist representatives formed a minority at the conciliation conference — known as the "Helvetic Consulta" — Bonaparte characterised Switzerland as federal "by nature" and considered it unwise to force the country into any other constitutional framework. On February 19, 1803, the [[Act of Mediation]] restored the cantons. With the abolition of the centralized state, Switzerland became a confederation once again. ==Constitution== Before the advent of the Helvetic Republic, each individual canton had exercised complete sovereignty over its own territory or territories. Little central authority had existed, with matters concerning the country as a whole confined mainly to meetings of leading representatives from the cantons: the [[Tagsatzung|Diet]]s. The constitution of the Helvetic Republic came mainly from the design of [[Peter Ochs (politician)|Peter Ochs]], a [[magistrate]] from [[Basel]]. It established a central two-chamber [[legislature]] which included the Grand Council (with 8 members per canton) and the Senate (4 members per canton). The [[Executive (government)|executive]], known as the [[Directory of the Helvetic Republic|Directory]], comprised 5 members. The Constitution also established actual Swiss [[citizenship]], as opposed to just citizenship of one's canton of birth. Under the [[Old Swiss Confederacy]], citizenship was granted by each town and village only to residents. These citizens enjoyed access to community property and in some cases additional protection under the law. Additionally, the urban towns and the rural villages had differing rights and laws. The creation of an uniform Swiss citizenship, which applied equally for citizens of the old towns and their tenants and servants, led to conflict. The wealthier villagers and urban citizens held rights to forests, [[The commons|common land]] and other municipal property which they did not want to share with the "new citizens", who were generally poor. The compromise solution, which was written into the municipal laws of the Helvetic Republic, is still valid today. Two politically separate but often geographically similar organizations were created. The first, the so-called municipality, was a political community formed by election and its voting body consists of all resident citizens. However, the community land and property remained with the former local citizens who were gathered together into the ''[[Bürgergemeinde]]''. After an uprising led by [[Alois von Reding]] in 1798, some cantons were merged, thus reducing their anti-centralist effectiveness in the legislature. [[Canton of Uri|Uri]], [[Schwyz]], [[Zug]] and [[Unterwalden]] together became the [[canton of Waldstätten]]; [[Glarus]] and the [[Sarganserland]] became the [[canton of Linth]], and [[Appenzell]] and [[Canton of St. Gallen|St. Gallen]] combined as the [[canton of Säntis]]. Due to the instability of the situation, the Helvetic Republic had over 6 constitutions in a period of 4 years. ==Legacy== The Helvetic Republic did highlight the desirability of a central authority to handle matters for the country as a whole (as opposed to the individual cantons which handled matters at the local level). In the post-Napoleonic era the differences between the cantons (varying currencies and systems of weights and measurements) and the perceived need for better co-ordination between them came to a head and culminated in the [[Swiss Federal Constitution]] of 1848. The Republic's 5-member Directory resembles the 7-member [[Swiss Federal Council]], Switzerland's {{as of|2008|alt=present-day}} executive. The period of the Helvetic Republic is still very controversial within Switzerland. It represents the first time that Switzerland existed as a unified country and a step toward the [[Switzerland as a federal state|modern federal state]]. For the first time the population was defined as Swiss, not as members of a specific canton. For cantons like Vaud, Thurgau and Ticino the Republic was a time of political freedom from other cantons. However the Republic also marked a time of foreign domination and revolution. For the cantons of Bern, Schwyz and Nidwalden it was a time of military defeat followed by occupation and military suppression. In 1995 the Federal Parliament chose to not celebrate the 200 year anniversary of the Helvetic Republic, but to allow individual cantons to celebrate if they wished. ==Administrative divisions== [[File:Karte Helvetik 1.png|thumb|Provisional constitution of 15 January 1798]] [[File:Karte Helvetik 3.png|thumb|Constitution of 12 April 1798]] [[File:Karte Helvetik 4.png|thumb|Constitution of 25 May 1802]] The Helvetic Republic reduced the formerly sovereign cantons to mere administrative districts, and in order to weaken the old [[power (sociology)|power]]-structures, it defined new boundaries for some cantons. The act of 1798 and subsequent developments resulted in the following cantons: {{div col}} * [[Aargau]] (without [[Canton of Baden|Baden]] and [[Canton of Fricktal|Fricktal]]) * [[Canton of Baden|Baden]] * [[Canton of Basel|Basel]] * [[Canton of Bellinzona|Bellinzona]] * [[Canton of Bern|Bern]] (without [[Canton of Oberland|Oberland]]) * [[Canton of Fribourg|Fribourg]] * [[Canton of Fricktal|Fricktal]], added in 1802 * [[Canton of Léman|Léman]] (corresponding to [[Vaud]]) * [[Canton of Linth|Linth]] * [[Canton of Lugano|Lugano]] * [[Canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]] * [[Canton of Oberland|Oberland]] * [[Canton of Raetia|Raetia]] (corresponding to [[Graubünden]]/Grisons) * [[Canton of Säntis|Säntis]] * [[Canton of Schaffhausen|Schaffhausen]] * [[Canton of Solothurn|Solothurn]] * [[Thurgau]] * [[Canton of Waldstätten|Waldstätten]] * [[Valais]] * [[Canton of Zürich|Zürich]] {{div col end}} ==Predecessor states== As well as the [[Old Swiss Confederacy]], the following territories became part of the Helvetic Republic: ===Associate states=== {{Multicol}} * [[File:Valais-coat of arms old.svg|20px]] [[Valais#History|Republic of the Seven Zenden]] * [[File:Coa Abbey Saint Gall.svg|20px]] [[Imperial Abbey of St Gall]] * [[File:Coa St. Gallen.png|20px]] [[Imperial City of St Gall]] {{Multicol-break}} * [[Three Leagues|Free state of the Three Leagues]] ** [[File:Wappen Gotteshausbund.svg|20px]] [[League of God's House]] ** [[File:Wappen Grauer Bund1.svg|20px]] [[Grey League]] ** [[File:Wappen Zehngerichtebund1.svg|20px]] [[League of the Ten Jurisdictions]] {{Multicol-end}} ===Condominiums=== {{div col}} * [[File:Coat of arms of Baden AG.svg|20px]] [[County of Baden]] * [[File:Snake-coat_of_arms.svg|20px]] [[Vogtei of Bellinzona]] * [[File:Blenio-coat of arms.svg|20px]] [[Vogtei of Blenio]] * [[File:Freiamt blason.png|20px]] [[Freie Ämter]] * [[File:Wappen Gams.png|20px]] [[Vogtei of Gams]] / [[Hohensax]] * [[File:Grandson-coat_of_arms.svg|20px]] [[Grandson (district)|Lordship of Grandson]] * [[File:Leventina-coat of arms.svg|20px]] [[Vogtei of Leventina]] * [[File:Locarno-coat of arms.svg|20px]] [[Landvogtei of Locarno]] * [[File:Lugano-coat of arms.svg|20px]] [[Landvogtei of Lugano]] * [[File:Mendrisio-coat of arms.svg|20px]] [[Landvogtei of Mendrisio]] * [[File:Murten-coat of arms.png|20px]] [[Murten|Vogtei of Murten]] * [[File:Orbe-coat_of_arms.svg|20px]] [[File:Echallens_district_coa.png|20px]] Vogtei of [[Orbe]]-[[Échallens]] * [[File:Wappen Pfaefers.png|20px]] [[Imperial Abbey of Pfäfers]] * [[File:Wappen Vogtei Rheintalsvg.svg|20px]] [[Vogtei of Rheintal]] * [[File:Vogtei Riviera wappen.svg|20px|]] [[Vogtei of Rivera]] * [[File:Wappen Grafschaft Sargans.svg|20px]] [[County of Sargans]] * [[File:Wappen Grasburg.svg|20px]] [[Schwarzenburg]] / [[Grasburg]] * [[File:Wappen Vogtei Thurgau.svg|20px]] [[Landgraviate of Thurgau]] * [[File:Wappen Uznach.svg|20px]] [[County of Uznach]] * [[File:Vallemaggia-coat of arms.svg|20px]] [[Landvogtei of Valmaggia]] * [[File:Wappen Vogtei Windegg.svg|20px]] [[Vogtei of Windegg]] {{div col end}} ===Protectorates=== {{div col}} * [[File:Engelberg-coat of arms.svg|20px]] [[Engelberg Abbey]] * [[File:Wappen Gersau.svg|20px]] [[Gersau|Republic of Gersau]] * [[File:Rapperswil CoA.svg|20px]] [[Rapperswil|City of Rapperswil]] * [[File:Wappen Sax.svg|20px]] [[Barony of Sax-Forstegg]] * [[File:Wappen Werdenberger1.svg|20px]] [[County of Werdenberg]] {{div col end}} ===Unassociated territories=== The Helvetic Republic also annexed two territories not previously part of Switzerland: * [[File:Austria coat of arms simple.svg|20px]] [[Fricktal]], a part of the [[Breisgau]], within the [[Habsburg]] [[Further Austria]], retained by [[Aargau]] * [[File:Konstanz Bischofswappen.jpg|20px]] [[Konstanz]], a part of the [[Bishopric of Constance]], later restored to the [[Grand Duchy of Baden]] ==External links== {{commonscat}} * [http://www.histoire-empire.org/departements/suisse.htm Divisions of Switzerland under Napoleon] {{fr icon}} {{Client states of the Great French War}} This article incorporates material translated from the [[:de:Hauptseite|German-language Wikipedia]] {{coord missing}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Helvetic Republic}}