List of wars involving Switzerland

Last updated

Wars and conflicts involving Switzerland since the creation of the Old Swiss Confederacy include:

Contents

Old Swiss Confederacy

Growth (1291–1523)

StartFinishName of conflictBelligerentsOutcome
AlliesEnemies
15 November 1315 Battle of Morgarten

part of

Early Swiss cross.svg Old Swiss Confederacy Flag of Austria.svg Archduchy of Austria
9 July 1386 Battle of Sempach

part of

Early Swiss cross.svg Old Swiss Confederacy Flag of Austria.svg Archduchy of Austria Decisive Swiss victory
30 June 1422 Battle of Arbedo Early Swiss cross.svg Old Swiss Confederacy Flag of the Duchy of Milan.png Duchy of Milan Defeat:
  • Temporarily discouraged Swiss expansion in the direction of Lake Maggiore
2 November 144012 June 1446 Old Zürich War Early Swiss cross.svg Old Swiss Confederacy Swiss Confederation victory
14741477 Burgundian Wars Early Swiss cross.svg Old Swiss Confederacy

Blason Lorraine.svg Duchy of Lorraine

Franco-Swiss victory
January 1499September 1499 Swabian War Early Swiss cross.svg Old Swiss Confederacy Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor (after 1400).svg  Holy Roman Empire Swiss Confederation victory
15111516 War of the League of Cambrai Defeat

Reformation (1523–1648)

StartFinishName of conflictBelligerentsOutcome
AlliesEnemies
1529 First War of Kappel
  • Civil War of religions
Protestant cantonsCatholic cantonsUnresolved, no actual battles fought
1531 Musso war
Flag of the Duchy of Milan.png Duchy of Milan Victory
  • Increased Catholic-Protestant tension, leading to the Second War of Kappel
1531 Second War of Kappel
  • Civil War of religions
Catholics:Protestants:Catholic cantons victory

Ancien Régime (1648–1798)

StartFinishName of conflictBelligerentsOutcome
AlliesEnemies
January 1653June 1653 Swiss peasant war of 1653
  • Civil War
Peasant rebelsCity governments troopsMilitary victory of the ruling city councils
1656 and 1712The First War of Villmergen and the Toggenburg War (or Second War of Villmergen)
  • Civil Wars of religion
Catholic victory in First war, Protestant victory in second.

Napoleonic era and Restoration (1798–1848)

StartFinishName of conflictBelligerentsOutcome
AlliesEnemies
17981799 French Revolutionary Wars French victory
17991802 War of the Second Coalition French Republican victory
1802 Stecklikrieg
  • Civil war
Collapse of the Helvetic Republic, French Act of Mediation and creation of the Swiss Confederation
18061807 War of the Fourth Coalition French victory
10 April 180914 October 1809 War of the Fifth Coalition
French victory
18131814 War of the Sixth Coalition Coalition Victory
20 March 18158 July 1815 War of the Seventh Coalition Coalition victory
6 December 18306 December 1830 Freiämtersturm Swiss flag Bachmann 1815.pngFreiämtersturmFreiämtersturm Victory
3 November 184729 November 1847 Sonderbund War
  • Civil war
Swiss flag Bachmann 1815.png Swiss Confederation SonderbundConfederation victory

Modern era

StartFinishName of conflictBelligerentsOutcome
AlliesEnemies
19401945 Aerial incidents in Switzerland in World War II Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
  • Downing of multiple allied aircraft by Swiss fighters
  • Bombings on multiple towns
  • U.S. Government paid Swiss $4 million and an additional $14.4 million (in 1944/45 dollars)
  • End of allied and German overflights following the end of World War II
19621966 Jura Conflict Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland
Union of Bernese-Jurassic Patriots (1962-1964)
FLJ logo.png Jura Liberation Front  [ fr ] (1962-1964)

Second Jura Liberation Front (1965-1966)

Swiss Victory
  • Swiss Police arrests FLJ members and leader in 1964.
  • Second FLJ created in 1965, but Swiss police also captures them in 1966.
  • Jura becomes a canton in 1979.
20032008 War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Taliban victory

See also

References

  1. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press. 2010. p. 31.
  2. Morgarten War in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland .