The Significance of Morgarten

On 15 November 1315, a battle took place at Morgarten (canton of Zug) between the first Eidgenossen (Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden) and Duke Leopold of Habsburg (1290-1326). Little is known about the course of the battle. Only the winner (the three Eidgenossen), the loser (Duke Leopold), and the ambush for Leopold are known. The fact … Read more » “The Significance of Morgarten”

The Lion Monument of Lucerne

The Lion Monument (Löwendenkmal) was inaugurated on 10 August 1821, 29 years after the attack on the Tuileries in 1792. One of the few surviving Swiss guardsmen was Carl Pfyffer von Altishofen, an officer in the Swiss Guard Regiment of King Louis XVI (1754-1793). On 10 August 1792, he was in Switzerland; otherwise, he would … Read more » “The Lion Monument of Lucerne”

Rolle, De la Harpe and the Tsar

The town of Rolle (canton of Vaud) decided to give the name De la Harpe to the newest island in Lake Geneva after the death of Fréderic-César de la Harpe (1754-1838). Rolle is a port town on Lake Geneva. A dyke was built in 1835 to protect the boats in the harbour from the wind. … Read more » “Rolle, De la Harpe and the Tsar”