The Peace Treaties of Utrecht, Rastatt and Baden and Catalans

12 August 2024

What do Utrecht, Rastatt (Baden-Württemberg) and Baden (Canton Aargau) have in common? These cities not only played a role in the constitutional history of the Netherlands, the Federal Republic of Germany and Switzerland, respectively. The most relevant (bilateral) treaties to end the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713) took place in these cities in 1713 … Read more » “The Peace Treaties of Utrecht, Rastatt and Baden and Catalans”

The Heart of the Confoederatio Helvetica

30 July 2024

Switzerland celebrated its national day on 1 August. The country has long struggled with its national anthem, flag, and Constitution. After a long unification process me t(civil) wars and other (religious) disputes from the 13th century onwards, the cooperation of and between the cantons changed on 12 September 1848. The Confederation became the Confoederatio Helvetica … Read more » “The Heart of the Confoederatio Helvetica”

Porrentruy, the Bishop and the canton of Jura

10 July 2024

Porrentruy (Pruntrut in German, canton of Jura) was the seat of the bishop of Basel for a long time after he left his episcopal palace at the Münster in Basel during the Reformation in 1529. The large episcopal complex on the hill still bears witness to this period. The canton’s coat of arms still shows … Read more » “Porrentruy, the Bishop and the canton of Jura”