Switzerland

In ancient times the territory of present-day Switzerland was populated by Celtic tribes. The Helvetians were one of the most numerous tribes. When defeated by Julius Caesar in the year 58 B.C., they became Roman allies. The Roman Empire also conquered other tribes living in the area.

About the 4th century A.D., the territory of modern-day Switzerland was captured by the Germanic Alemanni and Burgundian tribes, and by the 7th century it was annexed to the kingdom of the Franks. After the collapse of Carolingian Empire, the Swiss lands came under control of Swabian dukes, but they failed to hold the territory and the region split into separate feudal domains. In 1624, the commanding position in the eastern Switzerland was conquered by the Habsburgs, and Savoy dukes took control of the west. Still, the Swiss were interested in strengthening their own power, and in August 1291, Swiss communities concluded a perpetual defensive union. From this year on, the official history of the Swiss state began. One of the first victories of the confederacy was in the battle of Morgarten in 1315, where they defeated numerically superior Habsburg troops. After the Swiss military successes of 1386 and 1388, the Habsburgs were forced to stop their conquest of the territory of the Swiss confederacy, and in the early 15th century the confederacy participants already felt strong enough to take the offensive.Throughout the 15th century, the tactics of the European armies underwent truly revolutionary changes. As a result, the infantryman became one of the major figures of the army, while infantry subdivisions began to influence the outcome of battles. The major role in this process was played by the Swiss confederacy. The Swiss infantrymen clearly proved the power of their infantry subdivisions in opposing the knights' cavalry. They created an effective system of army recruitment and supply. Subsequently, Swiss mercenaries were generally hired by European rulers.