Die Schlachtkapelle, , gemälde. Sempach. Foto/Photo: TES.

Habsburg, the Confederation and the Eternal Peace

In the Late Middle Ages, large parts of Central Switzerland and the present-day canton of Lucerne still formally belonged to the Habsburg dominion. Under Duke Leopold III (1351-1386), the Habsburgs tried to get a better grip on their territories after the foundation of the Confederation and the lost battle in 1315 (Morgarten).

At the same time, the Swiss cantons and cities endeavoured to expand their influence. Lucerne, Zurich, Schwyz, Unterwalden (Obwalden, Nidwalden) and Glarus undertook raids and military expeditions against Habsburg.

Leopold III then marched on Lucerne. On 9 July, he met troops from Lucerne and the Waldstätten above Sempach. Little is known about the course of the battle. Only Leopold’s death and defeat are certain.

The victory of the Confederation at Sempach strengthened their position but by no means meant the end of Habsburg’s presence in this region. The Habsburgs suffered a second major defeat on 9 April 1388 near Näfels (Canton Glarus). In 1415, the Confederation conquered Aargau, and in 1460, Thurgau.

Habsburg formally gave up these territories in the “Ewige Richtung” (eternal Peace) in 1474. In 1499, the Swabian War (Schwabenkrieg) ended the Habsburg rule in Switzerland (except for a few abbeys and allies and territories ((Unterengadin and Münstertal (1652), Fricktal (1803), Tarasp (1803) and Rhäzüns (1819).  

The chapel mural is attributed to Hans Ulrich Wägman (1583-1648). It was painted during the reconstruction of 1638-1641.

The painting shows troops of the  Confederation on the left, in the middle, the hero Winkelried and the fallen Duke Leopold III in front of him. On the far right, fleeing knights can be seen; on the left of the painting, soldiers of the Confederation.