was their wont in warfare—they were very religious, almost
superstitiously so, at that time—the Swiss knelt down, and extended
their hands in prayer. To the enemy it seemed as if they were
begging for mercy, and Charles exclaimed, "These cowards are
ours!" and ordered his men to fire. His artillery swept down whole
files, but, though their ranks were broken, the Swiss stoutly held their
ground against the oncoming foe. Suddenly Charles ordered his
forces to fall back, with the double intention of getting more room, and
of alluring his foe into descending from the higher ground. But his
men unapprised of their leader's intentions mistook the movement for
an actual flight, and their ranks began to show signs of falling into
disorder. At this most critical moment the chief body of the Swiss
appeared on the heights, their armour glittering in the sun. The
deafening noise of their war-cries and war-horns (Uristier of Uri,
Harsthörner of Lucerne) "struck such terror into the Burgundians,"
reports an old chronicler of Neuchâtel, "that they took to their heels,
and disappeared from sight, as if a whirlwind had swept them from
the earth." Not far, however, did the Eidgenossen pursue, for, "with
indescribable joy," they dropped on their knees to render thanks for
the great victory. When they neared the camp of Charles the terrible
sight they saw stirred up still more their desire for revenge. Their
brethren were still suspended by dozens from the trees by the
wayside.
[Pg 210]
BATTLE OF GRANDSON—SKETCH MAP.
Scale 1 in 150,000.
MAP OF GRANDSON DISTRICT.
[Pg 211]
The battle of Grandson is remarkable for the immense quantity of
spoil that fell to the victors. For Charles and his nobles were wont to
carry the splendour of their court even into their camps. Four hundred
silk tents came into the hands of the Swiss, as well as the arras
carpets, and Charles's sets of gold plate and dishes, the admiration
of the sovereigns of the time. His Flemish lace and fine linen were cut
up like homespun, and divided amongst the rough soldiers; his
money dealt out in helmets; his artillery, his beautiful swords and
hand-guns; and, most precious of all, his jewellery, were shared
amongst the victorious Swiss. Of his three famous diamonds the
finest passed finally to Pope Julius II., another to Henry VIII., of
England, and thence to Philip of Spain, and the third to the kings of
Portugal. It would require pages to give even a bare list of the
spoils.[42]
[Pg 212]
Despite this great disaster, Charles did not lose heart, and within a
fortnight began to reassemble his scattered forces. His movements
were closely watched by the Bernese, who strongly fortified Morat,
their strongest outpost, sending Adrian von Bubenberg with fifteen
hundred men to hold it against the duke. On the 9th of June, 1476,
Charles appeared before the town with twenty-five thousand men,
and his artillery soon made terrible havoc amongst the weak
fortifications. Von Bubenberg, however, vowed that he would not
surrender so long as a drop of living blood remained in his veins. The
Eidgenossen forces, which had returned home after the last
engagement, did not reach Morat till the 21st of June, but determined
to give battle on the 22nd, that day being the anniversary of the ever-
memorable Laupen. Charles had drawn up his troops on the plateaux
of Munchwiler, Courlevon, and Cressier, opposite Morat, and had
strengthened his front with a ditch and a barricade of trees, having
also lined the hedges with his artillery, and flanked it with his horse. It
was raining in torrents; to weary the foe the Swiss spent the morning
in dubbing knights; Duke René of Lorraine, who had joined the Swiss
ranks as simple spearman, and Hans Waldmann having that honour
bestowed upon them. Towards noon the sun unexpectedly broke
forth, and Hans von Hallwyl, a Bernese nobleman, brandishing his
sword, exclaimed, "Onward! brave men. God lights up our path. Do
not leave your wives and children to the stranger!" Leading his van in
a wide circle to avoid the hedge he fell on the right wing of Charles.
Seeing him thus engaged
[Pg 213]
Hans Waldmann of Zurich, with his ten thousand troops occupying a
central position in the field, marched up, sprang on the intrenchment,
and trampled down the hedge. Carrying their guns across their
shoulders, they rushed on the artillery, who were keeping up a deadly
fire, and, thrusting back the enemy, soon silenced their guns. Then
the Swiss force advanced in a close phalanx to the hostile centre,
where stood Charles with the Prince of Orange, and other
distinguished officers, and where, too, were placed the English
archers under Somerset. A murderous engagement ensued, Charles
fought like a lion, and soon fifteen hundred nobles lay at his feet.
Suddenly Bubenberg sallied forth with his force, and attacked the
Burgundian left wing, stationed between Munchwiler and Morat,
whilst Hertenstein of Lucerne attacked Charles's centre in the rear. A
terrible panic seized Charles, and his army became suddenly
disorganized, and fled in wild haste, the Swiss closely following in
pursuit. For the whole distance from Morat to Avenches there were
terrible hand-to-hand conflicts, for the Burgundians resisted stoutly,
and the Swiss gave no quarter. Countless numbers were driven into
the lake, and altogether twelve thousand of the foe fell that day, the
Swiss themselves losing three thousand men. Charles escaped with
a few horsemen to Morges, but quite dazed with despair, and the
Eidgenossen turned homewards laden with rich spoils. All over the
country the bells were set ringing to welcome the heroic men who
had saved Switzerland from becoming a subject-province of
Burgundy. The great battle of Murten, a purely defensive engagement
so far as the Swiss were concerned, still exerts on them the same
spell as Morgarten and Sempach.
[Pg 214]
OLD WEAPONS AND ARMOUR PRESERVED IN THE ARSENAL,
ZURICH.
[Pg 215]
Luckless Duke Charles had shut himself up in his castle near
Pontarlier, a prey to a morbid despair, but hearing that René was
reconquering Lorraine, he was spurred into taking up arms once
more, and started for Nancy with a new force. René went back to
Switzerland, and even with tears implored the Federal Diet to help
him. The Diet would not themselves organize a new army, but
permitted men to enlist of their own will under René's banner. Some
eight thousand soldiers enlisted, and, under Hans Waldmann, retook
Nancy, on January 15, 1477. The fate of the unhappy Charles is well
known; his corpse was found in a bog embedded in ice and snow. A
popular rhyme thus characterizes Charles's triple misfortune:—
"Zü Grandson das Gut,
Zü Murten den Mut,
Zü Nancy das Blut."
The acquisition of the victors were in no way adequate to the labour
expended. Franche Comté, to which the Eidgenossen had a title, and
which the cities wished to annex, was sold to Louis for a sum of
money, which he never paid, however. The Swiss merely retained the
protectorate over the province, whose envoys had begged on their
knees that they might be admitted to the Swiss Federation, to prevent
their falling into the hands of France or Austria, a fate which was,
however, to be theirs. Grandson
[Pg 216]
Murten, Bex, &c., remained with Bern and Freiburg, but the greater
part of Vaud fell back to Savoy, for a ransom of fifty thousand florins.
Geneva had to pay half that sum as a war contribution; yet the way
was paved for the annexation of Vaud. Freiburg and Low-Valais were
entirely rescued from the grasp of Savoy.
FOOTNOTES:
See Chap. VI.
One curious instance of his failures may be given. The Burgundian crown
was ready for him, and he proceeded to Trier (1473) to have it placed on
his brow by the (Roman) emperor, and push his imperial claims. However,
Frederick III., becoming alarmed at the presumption of the future Welsh-
German sovereign, broke off negotiations, and fled at night with his son
Max, who was to have married the daughter of Charles.
A pleasant story is related to the effect that, on one occasion, some young
Zurich men started off in a boat by way of the Limmat and the Rhine,
taking a dish of hot lentils with them. Reaching Strasburg in the evening
they placed the dish, still hot, on the mayor's dinner table. A famous poem,
"Glückhaft Schiff," describes the event.
Well known from Scott's "Anne of Geierstein."
For these matters the reader is directed to Freeman's admirable essay on
Charles the Bold.
The suits of armour, guns, and banners—the suit belonging to Charles's
court jester who fell at Morat, is at Soleure—are stored up in the museums
of various capitals. The golden seal of Burgundy is at Lucerne, whilst the
town library of Zurich possesses the seal of the Great Bastard, brother of
Charles.
[Pg 217]
XIX.
MEETING AT STANZ, 1481, &C.
Grandson, Morat, and Nancy stamped the Eidgenossen as the
enfants gâtés of Europe, and as a nation of the highest military
standing on the Continent, nay, even as an umpire in continental
politics, and a guardian of the peace. Everybody lavished flattering
praises on the prowess of the Swiss. Nation after nation made
overtures to them—France foremost, Italy, the Pontiff, the Emperor,
distant Hungary, and even England, this last desirous of breaking the
French alliance. The meetings of the Federal Diet often became
brilliant congresses, lasting for weeks, where princes and
ambassadors vied with each other in bestowing bounties and favours
on the Swiss leaders, in order to secure their aid, deeming
themselves invincible if the Swiss fought on their side. The period
1476-1512—from Morat to Marignano—a noble victory and a
scarcely less noble defeat, adds another glorious page to the military
history of the Swiss League, but the revers de la medaille shows
bitter contention and moral decline. In truth, the Burgundian
[Pg 218]
wars closed a glorious epoch, but brought about a baleful change in
the face of more noble warfare, for Nancy is linked with that period of
mercenary service and foreign pay which became the curse of
Switzerland, and which could not be checked even by the grand
efforts of the Reformation period.
Leaving the foreign wars for the moment let us cast a glance at home
matters. It is not necessary to dwell at length on the excesses
indulged in by the disbanded soldiers, unoccupied and unaccustomed
to regular labour after the Burgundian wars. These things nearly
always result from long-continued struggles.
More serious danger threatened the League, through the cropping up
again of the old antagonism between the country commonwealths
and the city states. Disputes arose concerning the distribution of the
Burgundian conquests, and the admission of Freiburg and Solothurn,
which had solicited the favour, into the federal fold. In the fifteenth
century the balance of political power was gradually inclining towards
the cities. Zurich, Bern, and Lucerne, had far outstripped the "Länder"
in population, wealth, influence, and culture, and in 1481 their forces
amounted to 35,000 as against the 15,500 of the other five cantons.
They advocated the division of the spoil in proportion to their soldiery,
and the reception of their two helpmates in the previous wars by way
of reward. But the three Forest States, presuming on their prestige as
the primary stock and foundation of the league, and anxious to
maintain their position, resisted measures that would throw the weight
of power entirely on the
[Pg 219]
opposite side. Their narrow and selfish views and their obstinacy
placed the Confederation in jeopardy. Meetings, held to settle
differences, only deepened the bitterness. A final Diet was fixed for
the 18th of December, 1481, at Stanz (Unterwalden), and the
foremost men met to arrange, if possible, a compromise. But high
words were exchanged, and when the excitement had reached its
height, the pastor of that place, Im Grund, stole away, and proceeded
at dead of night to the cave Zum Ranft, in a wilderness near
Sachseln. Here he took counsel with Nicholas von der Flüe, the
famous hermit, who had dwelt there for the space of twenty years.
Mild words and deep thoughts proceeded from the good man, whose
love for his country had always been of the strongest. In his earlier
days he had served as a soldier and a magistrate, had married, and
had had several children born to him. But always given to meditation,
he was at the age of fifty-one suddenly filled with religious
enthusiasm, and, unable to appease his yearning soul, took leave of
his family, and retired into deep seclusion. His commune built him a
cell and chapel—still to be seen near Sachseln—on a rock called die
Flüe, hence his name. A few planks formed his bed, and his pillow
was a log of wood. Stores he needed not, for he lived on roots and
wild berries, and the saying went abroad amongst the country folk
that he was sustained by the bread of the holy sacrament alone, and
ate no other food. The peasants regarded his person with wonder
and awe, and though he was seen at times worshipping at
Einsiedeln, no man ever saw him on his way to or from that place.
The fame of his wisdom spread beyond the boundaries of his own
land, and many were the high personages who came to consult his
oracle—from all parts of the empire and Italy, envoys from Sigmund
and Frederick. But into subtle discussions he never entered, leaving
them rather to his priests. "Pure water does not flow through golden
pipes, but through pipes of lead," he used to say to those who
complained of the dissolute and degenerate lives of the clergy. To
this man, then, the good pastor unburdened his mind, and from him
received solace and wise words. Then he toiled back to Stanz,
December 22nd. Finding the Diet broken up, and the envoys on the
point of leaving for their respective homes, he ran to the various
hostelries, and with tearful eyes begged the men to return once more.
All opposition melted at the name of Bruder Klaus, the envoys
reassembled, and listened with thrilled hearts to the profound truths
uttered by him. Their jars and differences were settled within the
hour, and Freiburg and Solothurn were unanimously admitted into the
league. Blessing the memory of the "Peacemaker," the delegates
returned home, and the glad tidings of the establishment of concord
were everywhere celebrated by the ringing of bells.
[Pg 220]
INNER COURT OF THE ABBEY OF OUR LADY. LUTH CHAPTER
OF ZURICH.
[Pg 221]
Another feature of this memorable day was the signing of the
Covenant of Stanz, a series of measures prepared beforehand, but in
which Nicholas had no hand. They were levelled chiefly against the
excesses and tumultuous risings that were continually taking place in
the country cantons, their object being to re-establish order and
prevent a repetition of the insubordination, and to set bounds to "the
too much
[Pg 222]
freedom in the Länder." Despite the resistance of Schwyz the
agreement was ratified, and gradually became part and parcel of the
judicial enactments of the Confederation. Breathing as they do the
vigorous spirit of Hans Waldmann, the most influential Swiss
statesman of his time, these measures were, though wrongly,
attributed to him.
This Waldmann is indeed the most conspicuous figure in Switzerland
in the fifteenth century, and forms a singular contrast to the humble
recluse Zum Ranft, for he shared in all the vicissitudes of his times.
Full of vital energy, teeming with lofty schemes, his life is a bright
picture, darkened however, here and there, by deep shadows thrown
by that stirring, luxurious, fast-living epoch, an epoch itself coloured
by the Burgundian wars. The career of this remarkable man is a piece
of moral, social, and political history, quite worthy of a few moments'
notice.
A poor peasant boy Waldmann had raised himself to the highest
position in the country, that of Burgomaster of Zurich, and head, or
king, as he pleased to call it, of the Eidgenossen. The mobile and
passionate Zurcher, more than any other members of the league,
lend themselves to infatuations, and never do things by halves,
whether for good or for evil, to-day hurl down their idol of yesterday,
and hand him over to the executioner, so it has been said. A strange
career was that of Waldmann. Born in the canton of Zug, about 1436,
he wandered in early youth to Zurich to seek his fortune, and at the
age of sixteen bought the citizenship there. Apprenticed in various
callings he turned at length to the iron trade, but his restless
[Pg 223]
mind being unalterably bent on the battlefield he enlisted as a soldier
at the first beat of the drums, and plunged into the impending
struggles as captain of the Zurich men, and condottière of German
princes. In the intervals of peace he turned again to business, giving
himself up at the same time to the pleasures of the town. Young,
fiery, handsome, with an intelligent face and winsome manners, he
fascinated the women, whilst his eloquence and joviality made him a
general favourite with the men, and especially with the masses. Many
stories were current as to his adventurous life, and the excesses in
which he indulged in company with other young men of the town
caused him to be lodged in the Wellenberg, a state prison built in the
lake. Yet in that age of dissoluteness such failings did not detract
from his personal charm and credit. He married a gay and handsome
young widow of good family, and called himself the squire of
Dübelstein, from the manor he acquired. This union raised his
position in society, and with the help of the Constafel, the body of
aristocracy with which he became connected, he hoped to get a
position in the Government. But the Junker, or young nobles, treated
with disdain the pretensions of a man who had once been a tanner,
and accordingly he turned his attention to the craftsmen and guilds,
and was returned as councillor by them in 1473. Beneath his
exuberant spirits and brawling temper lay the superior gifts of the
general and the politician, gifts which the Burgundian wars were to
exhibit to the world. From first to last he shared in the campaigns. At
Morat we have seen him knighted, and leading the principal charge
[Pg 224]
against Charles the Bold; the recovery of Nancy was chiefly his
doing, for he it was who advocated the continuation of the war and
the appeal to arms by René of Lorraine, at the Federal Diet. At the
council-board and in the federal assemblies he rose to eminence by
his political and diplomatic talents, and showed himself to be an
astute ambassador. Sent to the French Court to negotiate with Louis
XI. respecting Franche Comté, he lent himself to French influences,
for his moral principles were by no means equal to his intellectual
gifts. He became a pensioner of that same king, who was thus the
first to corrupt the Swiss leaders with his gold. In his own city of
Zurich, Waldmann filled a series of public offices; as edile he built the
fine Wasserkirche, the Pantheon for war trophies, &c. In 1480 we find
him occupying a high position as tribune, and head of the guilds, and,
three years later, he was chosen Burgomaster. To obtain this last
position, however, he had ousted the powerful Chevalier Goldein. He
ruled Zurich as a veritable sovereign, head of the republic, and
swayed also the foreign policy of the Federation. He dictated terms of
peace; to him foreign princes applied for alliance or troops; and on
him they showered their favours. He was made Hofrath of Milan, and,
becoming a pensioner of Austria, began to lean more towards that
country than to France, and rightly so, perhaps. Waldmann rapidly
became, in fact, the most influential statesman, and, notwithstanding
his extravagant habits, and boundless generosity, the wealthiest of
the Eidgenossen. Thanks to his great ascendency Zurich was
restored to that pre-eminence in the state
[Pg 225]
which she had forfeited in the civil strife, and which Bern had gained
in the time of the Burgundian troubles.
Ambitious, and readily bribed, Waldmann still professed lofty views in
his home policy and in his administration, and these views he
proposed to put into practice by the help of a political club he had
founded. This club he placed under the care of twelve influential
citizens, who followed his guidance. There was, in truth, a singular
charm about his person, and his intellectual gifts commanded the
admiration of his whole circle. He intended making some sweeping
reforms that were to change the face of the Zurich republic. And he
addressed himself first to the nobility, of whom he was no friend.
Hitherto the aristocracy and the craftsmen had been equally
represented in the government (Kleiner Rath, see Zurich), each
having twelve seats (one having dropped aw