Canton of Zug

4 April 2021

The German-speaking canton of Zug has been a full member of the Confederation since 1415. The counts of Nellenburg, Kyburg, and, from the thirteenth century onwards, the house of Habsburg were the most important political powers. At the end of the 14th century, the nobility no longer played a significant role.

The canton signed a treaty with the Eidgenossenschaft in 1532 but still belonged to the House of Habsburg. Zug was granted Reichsunmittelbarkeit and became a free imperial town in the Holy Roman Empire in 1415.

The canton reached its current size in 1500. Zug remained Catholic during the Reformation. Zug was one of the nineteen cantons of the new Confederation in 1803 (Act of Mediation) and joined its successor in 1815.

The canton was a member of the Sarnerbund (1832) and the Sonderbund (1845) and was one of the losers of the Sonderbundskrieg of 1847. The Landsgemeinde was the political organisation of the canton until the new constitution of 1848.

Zug is one of the smallest and most prosperous cantons in the country nowadays.

Flag

The heraldry of Zug was identical to that of Habsburg until 1352. Afterwards, the current white-blue-white was introduced.

Source: (www.schweizerkantone.ch, Kanton Zug)