Middle Ages Canton of Bern

lands held main noble families around 1200

during 10th century, aare valley came under second kingdom of burgundy. under king rudolph , son rudolph ii burgundy s influence reached across of modern switzerland. established royal courts @ bümpliz, münsingen, uetendorf, wimmis, kirchberg , utzenstorf allow them govern aare valley. later, aare valley moved toward closer ties holy roman empire during ottonian , salian dynasties.

the succession dispute following death of rudolph iii in 1032 allowed salian kings acquire kingdom of upper burgundy , aare valley. part of holy roman empire, valley involved when investiture controversy broke out in 1056. in 1077, regent of burgundy, count rudolf of rheinfelden, declared himself anti-king against king henry iv. bishops of basel , lausanne remained loyal king henry iv, , took rheinfelden lands in oberaargau , upper aare valley. after rudolf s death in 1090, lands went son, berchtold ii of zähringen. , son, berchtold iii, tried use these lands expand power. in 1127 zähringer appointed rector or delegate of king in burgundy. hopes new, independent burgundy dashed in 1156, , last zähringen count, berchtold v, embarked on program of city founding. cities of burgdorf, murten, thun , bern founded berchtold v. when died without heir, zähringen lands went house of kyburg, while offices , fiefs reverted empire.

during high middle ages both aare valley , bernese oberland divided number of small counties, each own baron. nobles holy roman empire began marry local noble families , number of zähringen ministerialis families (unfree knights in service of feudal overlord) moved oberland. nobles began found monasteries spread power oberland. during period between 1070 , 1150, @ least ten large monasteries founded local nobles. these include; cluniac priory of rüeggisberg (lords of rümligen in 1072), münchenwiler (wiler family in 1080), st. peter s island (count of hochburgund-mâcon in late 11th century), hettiswil (1107), röthenbach im emmental (lords of rümligen or signau), benedictine monastery @ st. johannsen in erlach (fenis family in 1100), trub (lords of lützelflüh before 1130) , rüegsau (possibly lords of lützelflüh in first half of 12th century), augustinian collegiate church in interlaken (oberhofen family in 1130) , cistercian frienisberg abbey (count saugern around 1130). however, in 1191 oberland barons revolted against berchtold v of zähringen , many of oberland barons killed in battle of grindelwald.

during 13th century number of cities near bern granted city right , appointed mayors , city councils. bern became imperial city. during mid-13th century, empire s presence weakened in aare valley, forcing local nobles find allies protect themselves. bern entered number of treaties neighbors in 13th century. in 1274, emperor rudolph of habsburg, confirmed bern s imperial immediacy. however, in 1285 imposed imperial tax drove city support rudolph s enemies. although withstood 2 sieges emperor in 1288, after defeat @ schosshalde in 1289 had pay taxes , penalty.

in 1298 bernese forces won victory @ oberwangen in köniz against county of savoy , habsburg austrian nobility. in 1300, city acquired 4 surrounding parishes of bolligen, vechigen, stettlen , muri, destroyed threatening castles of bremgarten , belp , gave baron of montenach bernese citizenship. after victory of louis iv of bavaria on habsburg frederick fair in battle of mühldorf (bavaria) in 1322, bern entered alliance anti-habsburg swiss forest cantons in 1323.