René II, Duke of Lorraine
120-702: The Burgundian Wars (1474–1477) were a conflict between the Burgundian State and the Old Swiss Confederacy and its allies. Open war broke out in 1474, and the Duke of Burgundy , Charles the Bold , was defeated three times on the battlefield in the following years and was killed at the Battle of Nancy in 1477. The Duchy of Burgundy and several other Burgundian lands then became part of France, and
240-675: A castrum (fortified camp) was built on the site of the Celtic oppidum . In AD 83, the area was incorporated into the Roman province of Germania Superior . The Roman Senator Munatius Plancus is known as the traditional founder of Basel since the Renaissance. Roman control over the area deteriorated in the 3rd century, and Basel became an outpost of the Provincia Maxima Sequanorum formed by Diocletian . Basilia
360-466: A creation of modern historiography and was not an entity that its contemporaries recognised. Many historians, especially historians of law , Belgian and Dutch historians, argue that legally speaking, the lands of the dukes formed a collection of princely estates, rather than an actual state . As such, they call those lands "Valois Burgundy", "Burgundian states", "Great Principality of Burgundy", "Burgundian Union" or "Burgundian Commonwealth". Indeed,
480-535: A diminished society. According to some historians, the extremely profitable region of the Low Countries supplied the Duchy of Burgundy with sufficient funds to support their ambitions internally but especially externally. In this period of expansion, treaties of trade and peace were signed with Swiss cantons, and would benefit the security of each power against Habsburg and French ambitions. Charles's advances along
600-536: A handful of wealthy families collectively referred to as the "Daig" played a pivotal role in city affairs as they gradually established themselves as a de facto city aristocracy . The first edition of Christianae religionis institutio ( Institutes of the Christian Religion – John Calvin 's great exposition of Calvinist doctrine) was published at Basel in March 1536. In 1544, Johann von Brugge,
720-710: A large part of France. However, Joan of Arc came and changed the course of the war, allowing Charles VII of France to be crowned in Reims on July 1429. Joan of Arc was later captured by the Burgundians and handed over to the English. In 1435, the Congress of Arras took place and ended in a reconciliation between Burgundy and France. Duke Philip the Good recognized Charles VII as King of France , and Charles recognized
840-520: A name Basilia attested in northern France as a development of basilica , the term for a public or church building (as in Bazeilles ), but all of these names reference early church buildings of the 4th or 5th century and cannot be adduced for the 3rd-century attestation of Basilia . By popular etymology, or simple assonance, the basilisk becomes closely associated with the city, used as heraldic supporter from 1448, represented on coins minted by
960-622: A new Parliament in Mechelen , being a sovereign court receiving appeals from subjects from all the Burgundian Netherlands . It was abolished by Mary 's Great Privilege of 1477, only to be reestablished by her son Philip the Handsome under the name of "Great Council of Mechelen". The Chambres des Comptes (Chambers of Accounts) were major elements of the centralization of power and of the modern financial system set up by
1080-468: A relic, possibly attributed to Saint Germanus of Granfelden . This staff (known as Baselstab ) became a symbol representing the Basel diocese, depicted in bishops' seals of the late medieval period. It is represented in a heraldic context in the early 14th century, not yet as a heraldic charge but as a kind of heraldic achievement flanked by the heraldic shields of the bishop. The staff is also represented in
1200-550: A reputation of being nearly invincible, and the Burgundian Wars marked the beginning of the rise of Swiss mercenaries on the battlefields of Europe. Although Bern and other Swiss cities invaded and controlled large swathes of Savoyard territories, the Confederacy maintained only Grandson, Morat and Echallens as notable cities. Inside the Confederacy itself, however, the outcome of the war led to internal conflict since
1320-518: A rich Dutch Protestant refugee, was given citizenship and lived respectably until his death in 1556, then buried with honors. His body was exhumed and burnt at the stake in 1559 after it was discovered that he was the Anabaptist David Joris . In 1543, De humani corporis fabrica , the first book on human anatomy, was published and printed in Basel by Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564). There are indications Joachim Meyer , author of
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#17327719586461440-706: A true Burgundian State existed only from the loss of the Duchy of Burgundy and the extinction of the Burgundian dynasty to the Dutch Revolt . After the death of Duke Philip I of Burgundy in 1361, the Duchy was integrated to the royal domain of King John II of France . He later decided to give it as a fief to his youngest son, known as Philip the Bold , who was officially recognized as Duke of Burgundy and First Peer of France on 2 June 1364. The same year, Edmund of Langley , son of Edward III of England , became engaged to Margaret of Flanders , daughter of
1560-526: Is May during which time Basel receives an average of 98 mm (3.9 in) of rain. The month with the most days of precipitation is also May, with an average of 11.7 days. The driest month of the year is February with an average of 45 mm (1.8 in) of precipitation over 8.4 days. The city of Basel functions as the capital of the Swiss half-canton of Basel-Stadt . The canton Basel-Stadt consists of three municipalities: Riehen , Bettingen , and
1680-594: Is a city in northwestern Switzerland on the River Rhine (at the transition from the High to the Upper Rhine ). Basel is Switzerland's third-most-populous city (after Zurich and Geneva ), with 177,595 inhabitants within the city municipality limits. The official language of Basel is Swiss Standard German and the main spoken language is the local Basel German dialect. Basel is commonly considered to be
1800-695: Is first named by the Ammianus Marcellinus in his Res Gestae as part of the Roman military fortifications along the Rhine in the late 4th century. The Germanic confederation of the Alemanni attempted to cross the Rhine several times in the 4th century, but were repelled; one such event was the Battle of Solicinium (368). However, in the great invasion of AD 406, the Alemanni appear to have crossed
1920-446: Is forested. Of the rest of the land, 20.67 km (7.98 sq mi) or 86.4% is settled (buildings or roads), 1.45 km (0.56 sq mi) or 6.1% is either rivers or lakes. Of the built up area, industrial buildings made up 10.2% of the total area while housing and buildings made up 40.7% and transportation infrastructure made up 24.0%. Power and water infrastructure as well as other special developed areas made up 2.7% of
2040-738: Is located in Northwestern Switzerland and is commonly considered to be the capital of that region. It is close to the point where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, and Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany. As of 2016 , the Swiss Basel agglomeration was the third-largest in Switzerland, with a population of 541,000 in 74 municipalities in Switzerland (municipal count as of 2018). The metropolitan area , called
2160-577: The Alsace in the Treaty of Saint-Omer as a fiefdom to the Duke of Burgundy for a loan or sum of 50,000 florins, as well as an alliance with Charles the Bold , to have them better protected from the expansion of the Eidgenossen (the Old Swiss Confederacy ). Charles's involvement west of the Rhine gave him no reason to attack the confederates, as Sigismund had wanted, but his embargo politics against
2280-484: The Basel massacre . The Basel earthquake of 1356 destroyed much of the city along with a number of castles in the vicinity. A riot on 26 February 1376, known as Böse Fasnacht , led to the killing of a number of men of Leopold III, Duke of Austria . This was seen as a serious breach of the peace , and the city council blamed "foreign ruffians" for this and executed twelve alleged perpetrators. Leopold nevertheless had
2400-719: The Battle of Nancy put an end to his Lotharingian dream and his legacy passed to the House of Habsburg through the marriage of his daughter Mary to Maximilian of Austria . Meanwhile Picardy and the Duchy of Burgundy were conquered by the King of France . The partition of the Burgundian heritage marked the beginning of the centuries-long French–Habsburg rivalry and played a pivotal role in European politics long after Burgundy had lost its role as an independent political identity. With
2520-683: The Belgian Revolution , modern-day Belgium . The Court of Burgundy was itinerant . There was no such thing as a capital, although some towns could have claimed it. Dijon was the traditional capital of the Dukes of Burgundy , and it was there Philip the Bold founded the Palace of the Dukes and the Chartreuse of Champmol , which was meant to be a burial place for the dynasty. But Philip
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#17327719586462640-534: The Burgundian Netherlands and Franche-Comté were inherited by Charles's daughter, Mary of Burgundy , and eventually passed to the House of Habsburg upon her death because of her marriage to Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor . The dukes of Burgundy had succeeded, over a period of about 100 years, in establishing their rule as a strong force between the Holy Roman Empire and France. The consolidation of regional principalities with varying wealth into
2760-763: The Cross of Burgundy and the Order of the Golden Fleece . Under Charles the Bold , who wanted to create a kingdom of his own, propaganda insisted that the Belgae were the common ancestors for all of his lands. The Leo Belgicus appeared after that to symbolise the unity of the Low Countries . Furthermore, the Burgundian State was not a de jure sovereign state . The dukes of Burgundy were vassals of
2880-466: The Duchy of Luxembourg . The Low Countries were at last united, becoming the Burgundian Netherlands . Under his rule, the court of Burgundy found its apex. A great patron , he made it a major artistic center. Burgundian celebrations and banquets enjoyed an international reputation. Philip himself was a renowned prince within Christendom , especially for his repeated calls for a Crusade against
3000-737: The French Revolutionary Wars . In more recent times, the World Zionist Organization held its first congress in Basel from 29 August through 31 August 1897. Because of the Balkan Wars , the (Socialist) Second International held an extraordinary congress at Basel in 1912. In 1989, the Basel Convention was opened for signature with the aim of preventing the export of hazardous waste from wealthy to developing nations for disposal. Basel
3120-820: The Guelders Wars , the following territories were added to the Burgundian states: Friesland , and Frisia , Utrecht , Overijssel , Groningen , the County of Zutphen , and the Duchy of Guelders . In 1549, Charles V issued the Pragmatic Sanction and organized the Burgundian Low Countries in Seventeen Provinces . Following the Dutch Revolt , those territories were divided between the Spanish Netherlands and
3240-574: The Margraviate of Antwerp and the Duchies of Brabant , Limburg and Luxembourg , succeeding his cousin Philip , son of Anthony of Burgundy . He also took advantage of a succession crisis to make himself the heir of Jacqueline of Hainaut — at the time of her death, in 1433, he seized her Counties of Hainaut , Holland and Zeeland . Finally, in 1441 he bought from his aunt Elizabeth of Görlitz
3360-788: The Ottoman Empire , such as during the Feast of the Pheasant . In 1430, he created the prestigious Order of the Golden Fleece . However, the growing centralisation of power under the House of Burgundy did not please the Flemish cities, proud of their autonomy and liberties. Duke Philip had to suppress the Bruges Rebellion of 1436–1438, and then the Revolt of Ghent of 1449–1453. Both times, Burgundian forces were able to count on
3480-517: The Spanish Netherlands , or Southern Netherlands (corresponding roughly to present day Belgium , Luxembourg and northern Hauts-de-France ). The notion of a "Burgundian State" was coined in the 19th century by the Belgian historian Henri Pirenne in his Histoire de Belgique to describe what he saw as the precursor of the Belgian state . In his nationalist view, the Dukes of Burgundy were
3600-535: The Swiss Confederacy , leading to the Burgundian Wars (1474–1477). Charles the Bold 's armies suffered two large defeats in 1476, at Grandson and Morat . The Duke of Lorraine took advantage of that and took Nancy back. With a weakened army, Duke Charles persevered and wanted to besiege Nancy as quickly as possible. The union of the Swiss and Lorrainer armies defeated the Burgundians during
3720-478: The Trinational Eurodistrict of Basel (TEB), consists of 62 suburban communes including municipalities in neighboring countries, and counted 829,000 inhabitants in 2007. Basel has an area, as of 2009 , of 23.91 square kilometers (9.23 sq mi). Of this area, 0.95 km (0.37 sq mi) or 4.0% is used for agricultural purposes, while 0.88 km (0.34 sq mi) or 3.7%
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3840-839: The United Provinces . Franche-Comté was ceded by Spain to France in the Treaty of Nijmegen (1678). Following the War of the Spanish Succession , the Habsburg Netherlands passed to Austria and remained in Austrian hands until the French conquest of the late 18th century. Following the Congress of Vienna , the former Burgundian territories remaining divided between France, the Netherlands and, following
3960-536: The Zoo Basel , opened its doors in the south of the city towards Binningen . In 1897 the first World Zionist Congress was held in Basel. Altogether the World Zionist Congress was held in Basel ten times, more than in any other city in the world. On 16 November 1938, the psychedelic drug LSD was first synthesized by Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann at Sandoz Laboratories in Basel. In 1967,
4080-595: The king of France and the Holy Roman Emperor , even if they acted as sovereigns. The authority of the emperor was highly hypothetical, but in most of their French fiefs , for instance, their judgements could be challenged before the Parlement of Paris . Charles the Bold created the Parliament of Mechelen to avoid this. Following Johan Huizinga, Marc Boone and Wim Blockmans ironically concluded that
4200-411: The 11th to 12th century, Basel gradually acquired the characteristics of a medieval city . The main market place is first mentioned in 1091. The first city walls were constructed around 1100 (with improvements made in the mid-13th and in the late 14th century). A city council of nobles and burghers is recorded for 1185, and the first mayor , Heinrich Steinlin of Murbach, for 1253. The first bridge across
4320-481: The 20th century also Hermann Hesse and Karl Jaspers . Basel was the seat of a Prince-Bishopric starting in the 11th century, and joined the Swiss Confederacy in 1501. The city has been a commercial hub and an important cultural centre since the Renaissance , and has emerged as a centre for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries in the 20th century. In 1897, Basel was chosen by Theodor Herzl as
4440-452: The Bishop of Basel was added to the Bench of the Ecclesiastical Princes of the Imperial Diet . In 1500 the construction of the Basel Münster was finished. The city had remained neutral through the Swabian War of 1499 despite being plundered by soldiers on both sides. The Treaty of Basel ended the war and granted the Swiss confederates exemptions from the emperor Maximillian's taxes and jurisdictions, separating Switzerland de facto from
4560-404: The Bold sacked and destroyed the town in 1468. At the end of Philip's long reign, under the influence of the House of Croÿ , the Duke got closer to King Louis XI of France , whom he hosted when he was opposed to his father. Louis bought back the towns of Picardy , which displeased Charles , count of Charolais , the Duke's son and heir. He joined a noble revolt against the King, the League of
4680-408: The Bold lost the support of his lords, who were losing men and profit, and a rebellion soon began, led by René II, Duke of Lorraine . As the revolt continued, René used his land's strategic location between northern and southern Burgundy to cut off communication and to disrupt war capabilities. The internal conflict only made the war with the Swiss more difficult and pulled Charles's attention away from
4800-440: The Bold's Lombard mercenaries. That raised concern to the Bernese as they began to call on their Swiss allies for assistance in the conflict with Burgundy. The aggressive actions of Charles the Bold would eventually culminate in the Swiss giving him the nickname, "the Turk in the West", and make Burgundy as fierce a rival as the Ottomans in the East. Initially in 1469, Duke Sigismund of Habsburg of Austria pawned his possessions in
4920-529: The Burgundian Jura ( Franche-Comté ) by winning the Battle of Héricourt in November 1474. King Louis XI of France joined the coalition by the Treaty of Andernach in December. The next year, Bernese forces conquered and ravaged Vaud , which belonged to the Duchy of Savoy , which was allied with Charles the Bold. Bern had called out to its Swiss allies for expansion into the Vaud region of Savoy to prevent future aggression by Charles near Bernese lands that were geographically closer to Burgundy than those of
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5040-677: The Burgundian State brought great economic opportunity and wealth to the new power. A deciding factor for many elites in consolidating their lands was the relatively safe guarantee of making a profit under the economically stable Duchy of Burgundy. Their possessions included, besides their original territories of the Franche-Comté and the Duchy of Burgundy , the economically-strong regions of Flanders and Brabant as well as Luxembourg . The dukes of Burgundy generally pursued aggressive expansionist politics, especially in Alsace and Lorraine , seeking to unite their northern and southern possessions geographically. Having already been in conflict with
5160-435: The Burgundian State remained a personal union of territories under the remote authority of the duke. The provinces shared no common legislation, although the dukes created common institutions. At the time, there was no name to describe the territorial complex otherwise than "the lands and estates of the duke of Burgundy". The last dukes of the Valois dynasty, however, tried to rally the various populations around symbols such as
5280-461: The Burgundian territorial acquisitions. Philip was personally exempted from pledging homage to the King. After 1435, Philip the Good was no longer interested in the French affairs, and ruled his own territories as their sovereign . Philip managed to considerably expand the Burgundian State in the Low Countries . In 1421, he bought the County of Namur from the impoverished Marquis of Namur , inheriting it outright in 1429. In 1430, he inherited
5400-399: The Confederacy to deal with the more pressing matter of René's revolt. Charles the Bold raised a new army but fell during the Battle of Nancy in 1477 in which the Swiss fought alongside an army of René. The military failures of Charles the Bold are summarized by a common contemporary Swiss quote: "Charles the Bold lost his goods at Grandson, his bravery at Morat and his blood at Nancy." Near
5520-607: The Count Louis II of Flanders and heiress to Flanders , Artois , Rethel , Nevers and the Free County of Burgundy . King Charles V of France could not let this marriage happen. Since Edmund and Margaret were cousins, they needed a papal dispensation to marry, which Pope Urban V refused them because of lobbying by Charles, who wanted to marry Margaret to his younger brother, Philip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy. The Count of Flanders, eager for an alliance, agreed to marry his daughter and heir presumptive to Philip. The marriage took place on 19 June 1369 in Ghent , and from then Philip
5640-407: The County of Burgundy. Later, by the Treaty of Cambrai of 1529, King Francis I of France definitively gave up French sovereignty over Artois and Flanders; in return, Emperor Charles V gave up on his claim to the Duchy of Burgundy. In 1512, the Burgundian Circle was created as an Imperial Circle of the Holy Roman Empire , bringing together Franche-Comté and the Habsburg Netherlands . During
5760-477: The English. As regent, he made King Charles sign the Treaty of Troyes , which disinherited his son in favor of Henry V of England , who was to marry Catherine of Valois , uniting the Houses of France and England . But Henry died in August 1422, followed two months later by Charles. Henry VI , King of France and England , was just a baby, and the regency was assumed by John, Duke of Bedford . The Anglo-Burgundian alliance won many major victories, and controlled
5880-436: The French king, Burgundy had sided with the English in the Hundred Years' War but then the Yorkists in the Wars of the Roses , when Henry VI sided with France. The conflict had left the regional powers of France and England in a weakened state and allowed for the rise of the Burgundian power, alongside its fierce French rivals. The repercussions of the Black Death also continued to affect Europe and assisted in maintaining
6000-479: The French lands of the Duke of Burgundy from the jurisdiction of the Parlement of Paris . But he later opposed this agreement, and declared war on the duke in December 1470. According to the noncompliance clause of the treaty, Duke Charles declared himself and his lands forever freed of the French crown . In the same time, he encouraged a resumption of the Hundred Years' War . He supported King Edward IV of York , marrying his sister , and had him land in Calais in
6120-439: The Good and his successors preferred to stay in the Netherlands , in towns such as Brussels , Ghent , Bruges , Lille , Arras and Hesdin . Around the Duke was his hôtel , the household having in charge the daily life of the Court, following the French model. The wealthy Court of Burgundy displayed unprecedented splendor, culminating in the sumptuous wedding of Charles the Bold and Margaret of York , "the wedding of
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#17327719586466240-454: The Holy Roman Empire. On 9 June 1501, Basel joined the Swiss Confederation as its eleventh canton . It was the only canton that was asked to join, not the other way round. Basel had a strategic location, good relations with Strasbourg and Mulhouse , and control of the corn imports from Alsace, whereas the Swiss lands were becoming overpopulated and had few resources. A provision of the Charter accepting Basel required that in conflicts among
6360-560: The King was considered mad and the Duke of Burgundy effectively had power, although Louis I, Duke of Orléans , gained more and more power and Philip's influence diminished. Philip died in 1404 and John the Fearless succeeded him. His main goal was to regain power over the regency by excluding Louis of Orléans . Louis was very unpopular: he wanted to resume war with the English and was rumoured to have had an affair with Queen Isabeau . Both men were constantly hampering each other, until John finally decided to kill his enemy. Louis of Orléans
6480-435: The Lorrainer city of Nancy the capital of his kingdom. Charles was obsessed with kingship, which could have given his lands the unity they lacked. He always dressed very richly, and, faced with the King of France or the Emperor, presented himself as their equal. He made himself a golden hat, of which an Italian observer of the time said that "it seemed like a king's crown". Valois Burgundy's territorial appetite frightened
6600-401: The Netherlands, which were imperial estates), while France won the Duchy of Burgundy, Artois and Picardy , and soon the County of Burgundy as the dowry of Margaret. But the Dauphin, after having been crowned as Charles VIII, instead married Anne of Brittany , who was already married by proxy to Maximilian. By the Treaty of Senlis of 1493, the French king gave back Artois, Charolais and
6720-434: The Old City, and likely identical with the town of Arialbinnum that was mentioned on the Tabula Peutingeriana ). The unfortified settlement was abandoned in the 1st century BC in favour of an oppidum on the site of Basel Minster , probably in reaction to the Roman invasion of Gaul . In Roman Gaul , Augusta Raurica was established some 20 km (12 mi) from Basel as the regional administrative centre, while
6840-428: The Public Weal , whereupon the King returned the towns to Burgundy. Philip the Good nurtured the ambition to elevate the Burgundian State to the status of a sovereign kingdom within the framework of the Holy Roman Empire , which included a nominal Kingdom of Italy and a more substantial Kingdom of Bohemia , and in the past had also incorporated the ancient Kingdom of Burgundy that however had lost any materiality by
6960-422: The Rhine a final time, conquering and then settling what is today Alsace and a large part of the Swiss Plateau . The Duchy of Alemannia fell under Frankish rule in the 6th century. The Alemannic and Frankish settlement of Basel gradually grew around the old Roman castle in the 6th and 7th century. It appears that Basel surpassed the ancient regional capital of Augusta Raurica by the 7th century; based on
7080-527: The Rhine brought him into conflict with the Habsburgs, especially Emperor Frederick III . According to a Cambridge publication on Swiss history, both the Swiss and the Burgundians had made aggression a significant impact on the region's foreign affairs. In the effort of consolidating the Swiss Confederacy and for independence from Habsburg rule, Swiss forces gained control of the Habsburg town of Thurgau in an effort to expand its borders and influence. The Bernese people were more frequently being attacked by Charles
7200-436: The Rhine was built in 1225 under bishop Heinrich von Thun (at the location of the modern Middle Bridge ), and from this time the settlement of Kleinbasel gradually formed around the bridgehead on the far river bank. The bridge was largely funded by Basel's Jewish community who had settled there a century earlier. For many centuries to come Basel possessed the only permanent bridge over the river "between Lake Constance and
7320-412: The Romans and the next Emperor, then pivoted to reviving the Kingdom of Burgundy, which would have included all Burgundian State's lands within the Empire plus the Duchies of Lorraine , Savoy and Clèves and the Bishoprics of Utrecht , Liège , Toul and Verdun . The date of 25 November 1473 was set for Charles' coronation, and a crown and scepter were prepared. The Emperor, however, abruptly ended
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#17327719586467440-406: The South; and the Netherlands to the North. The States General of the Netherlands were summoned for the first time on 9 January 1464 in Bruges , with representatives of the three estates from 16 or 17 provinces – giving its name to the Seventeen Provinces . One institution was gaining power: the Chancery . The chancellor of Burgundy was getting a political role, becoming a chief minister for
7560-422: The Swiss confederates, which eventually was concluded in Konstanz in 1474 (later called the Ewige Richtung or Perpetual Accord ). He wanted to buy back his Alsace possessions from Charles, who refused. Shortly afterwards, von Hagenbach was captured and executed by decapitation in Alsace, and the Swiss, united with the Alsace cities and Sigismund of Habsburg in an anti-Burgundian league, conquered part of
7680-510: The Swiss, who refused to end the war unless Charles left the Duchy of Lorraine, whose lands were controlled by René II. It is evident through contemporary writings that espionage and censorship played an influential role in both Swiss and Burgundian actions throughout the war. Professional spies were hired by both sides to recover information of enemy movements and weak points. However, this profession proved to be extremely lethal, as some Swiss cities suffered heavy losses, and obtaining information of
7800-430: The Swiss. There, he had the capitulated garrison hanged or drowned in the lake. When the confederate forces arrived a few days later, Charles was defeated in the Battle of Grandson and was forced to flee the battlefield, leaving behind his artillery and many provisions and valuables. Having rallied his army, he was dealt a devastating blow by the confederates at the Battle of Morat . As Burgundian losses continued, Charles
7920-433: The abdication of Emperor Charles V in 1555, the Burgundian Netherlands passed to the Spanish Empire of King Philip II . During the Dutch Revolt , or the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648), the northern provinces of the Low Countries gained their independence from Spanish rule and formed the Dutch Republic (now the Netherlands ). The southern provinces remained under Spanish rule until the 18th century and became known as
8040-671: The area while parks, green belts and sports fields made up 8.9%. Out of the forested land, all of the forested land area is covered with heavy forests. Of the agricultural land, 2.5% is used for growing crops and 1.3% is pastures. All the water in the municipality is flowing water. Under the Köppen system , Basel features an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb ), although with notable continental influences due to its relatively far inland position with cool to cold, overcast winters and warm to hot, humid summers. The city averages 118.2 days of rain or snow annually and on average receives 842 mm (33.1 in) of precipitation . The wettest month
8160-465: The battle of 5 January 1477 , in which Charles the Bold was killed. After Charles's death, Louis XI didn't wait long to invade Burgundy , Artois and Flanders . To protect herself, Mary , Charles's sole heir, summoned the States General of the Netherlands . Unhappy with the previous duke's actions, she had to grant them the Great Privilege , which suppressed several centralized institutions, reestablished many local and communal rights, and increased
8280-402: The battlefield. However, the Gewalthaufen tactic used long spears to counter cavalry with remarkable success. That marked a key shift in military history and tipped the balance in favour of infantry troops over mounted soldiers. The results of the conflict would prove to have significant repercussions for the future of the Duchy of Burgundy and for the regional stability of Western Europe. With
8400-426: The bishop and from the Habsburgs and was free to pursue its own policy of territorial expansion, beginning around 1400. The unique representation of a bishops' crozier as the heraldic charge in the coat of arms of Basel first appears in the form of a gilded wooden staff in the 12th century. It is of unknown origin or significance (beyond its obvious status of bishop's crozier), but it is assumed to have represented
8520-502: The bishops's seals of the period. The use of the Baselstab in black as the coat of arms of the city was introduced in 1385. From this time, the Baselstab in red represented the bishop, and the same charge in black represented the city. The blazon of the municipal coat of arms is In Silber ein schwarzer Baselstab (Argent, a staff of Basel sable). In 1400, Basel was able to purchase the towns of Liestal , Homburg and Waldenburg with its surrounding territory. In 1412 (or earlier),
8640-706: The century", still celebrated in Bruges nowadays every five years. Another time for celebrations were the chapters of the Order of the Golden Fleece , were members of the order reunited. The order, who promoted chivalry and Christianity, was very influential in Europe. The Burgundian Court was also a major artistic center. The illustrated manuscripts of the dukes were well renowned, with illuminators such as Jean Miélot , Willem Vrelant , Loyset Liédet or Lieven van Lathem . The Early Netherlandish painting appeared thanks to
8760-474: The cities of Basel , Strasbourg and Mulhouse , directed by his reeve Peter von Hagenbach , prompted them to turn to Bern for help. Charles's expansionist strategy suffered a first setback in his politics when his attack on the Archbishopric of Cologne failed after the unsuccessful Siege of Neuss (1474–75). In the conflict's second phase, Sigismund sought to achieve a peace agreement with
8880-543: The city cantons insisted on having most of the proceeds as they had supplied the most troops. The country cantons resented that, and the Dreizehn Orte disputes almost led to war. They were settled by the Stanser Verkommnis of 1481. Burgundian State The Burgundian State ( French : État bourguignon ; Dutch : Bourgondische Rijk ) was a polity ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy from
9000-529: The city placed under imperial ban , and in a treaty of 9 July, Basel was given a heavy fine and was placed under Habsburg control. To free itself from Habsburg hegemony, Basel joined the Swabian League of Cities in 1385, and many knights of the pro-Habsburg faction, along with duke Leopold himself, were killed in the Battle of Sempach the following year. A formal treaty with Habsburg was made in 1393. Basel had gained its de facto independence from both
9120-591: The city was for all practical purposes independent although it continued to nominally pledge fealty to the bishops. The House of Habsburg attempted to gain control over the city. This was not successful, but it caused a political split among the burghers of Basel into a pro-Habsburg faction, known as Sterner , and an anti-Habsburg faction, the Psitticher . The Black Death reached Basel in 1348. The Jews were blamed , and an estimated 50 to 70 Jews were executed by burning on 16 January 1349 in what has become known as
9240-451: The city, and frequently found in ornaments. The Middle French form Basle was adopted into English, but this form has fallen gradually out of use although it continues to be used in some sections of British English including the BBC . Currently, the spelling Basel is most often used, to match the official German spelling. In French Basle was still in use in the 18th century, but
9360-508: The city-canton, making Basel one of the largest cultural centres in relation to its size and population in Europe. The University of Basel , Switzerland's oldest university (founded in 1460), and the city's centuries-long commitment to humanism , have made Basel a safe haven at times of political unrest in other parts of Europe for such notable people as Erasmus of Rotterdam , the Holbein family, Friedrich Nietzsche , Carl Jung , and in
9480-464: The complex of territories they ruled is sometimes referred to as Valois Burgundy . The term "Burgundian State" was coined by historians and was not in contemporary use; the polity remained a collection of separate duchies and counties in personal union under the Duke of Burgundy. It is regarded as one of the major powers in Europe of the 15th century. The Dukes of Burgundy were among the wealthiest and
9600-400: The creators of a Burgundian or Belgian nation. Johan Huizinga reused the concept out of convenience at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1999, Bertrand Schnerb [ fr ] popularised the expression in France with a monograph named The Burgundian State . That use is, however, controversial among historians. Though he used it, Huizinga noted that the "Burgundian State" was
9720-478: The crown of France under King Louis XI . The Franche-Comté initially also became French but was ceded to Maximilian's son Philip in 1493 by Charles VIII at the Treaty of Senlis in an attempt to bribe the emperor to remain neutral during Charles's planned invasion of Italy. The victories of the Eidgenossen (Swiss Confederation) over what was one of the most powerful military forces in Europe gained it
9840-745: The cultural capital of Switzerland and the city is famous for its many museums , including the Kunstmuseum , which is the first collection of art accessible to the public in the world (1661) and the largest museum of art in Switzerland , the Fondation Beyeler (located in Riehen ), the Museum Tinguely and the Museum of Contemporary Art , which is the first public museum of contemporary art in Europe. Forty museums are spread throughout
9960-538: The death of Charles the Bold, the Valois dynasty of the dukes of Burgundy died out, and widespread revolts engulfed the Duchy, which soon collapsed under those pressures. The northern territories of the dukes of Burgundy became a possession of the Habsburgs when Archduke Maximilian of Austria , who would later become Holy Roman Emperor , married Charles's only daughter, Mary of Burgundy . The duchy proper reverted to
10080-463: The dukes. Nicolas Rolin was a well-known figure, a recognized patron and the right-hand man of Philip the Good for more than forty years. Guillaume Hugonet succeeded him, and was a spokesman for Charles the Bold : he would always express the Duke's political views (of himself as an absolute ruler) by addressing the towns or the States General. Burgundian army assembled soldiers from all
10200-760: The dukes. Philip the Bold created Chambers in Lille and Dijon ; Philip the Good in Brussels and The Hague . Charles the Bold created in 1474 a unique Chamber for the Burgundian Netherlands , in Mechelen , like the Parliament . Mechelen became the capital of the Northern Burgundian administration. The city had the benefit of being an independent lordship, so neither Flanders , Brabant or Holland would be privileged by this choice. The taxes were indirect. The towns refused direct taxes, but nonetheless
10320-581: The end of 1476, the Swiss Confederacy began receiving orders from Pope Sixtus IV , who called for an end of the war and the signing of peace between the Swiss and Charles. Although that seemed to be a peaceful resolution to the war, the Pope's aspirations for Charles to divert his attention away from the Swiss and onto the Muslims in a crusade began to show. The papal pressure was eventually ignored by
10440-478: The evidence of a gold tremissis (a small gold coin with the value of a third of a solidus ) with the inscription Basilia fit , Basel seems to have minted its own coins in the 7th century. Basel at this time was part of the Archdiocese of Besançon . A separate bishopric of Basel , replacing the ancient bishopric of Augusta Raurica , was established in the 8th century. Under bishop Haito (r. 806–823),
10560-575: The first cathedral was built on the site of the Roman castle (replaced by a Romanesque structure consecrated in 1019). At the partition of the Carolingian Empire through the Treaty of Verdun in 843, Basel was first given to West Francia and became its German exclave. It passed to East Francia with the Treaty of Meerssen of 870. Basel was destroyed by the Magyars in 917. The rebuilt town became part of Upper Burgundy , and as such
10680-676: The first one in Lille for his northern possessions, the other one in Dijon for his southern possessions. These were the first step in the centralization of power. Philip carried out an ambitious matrimonial policy that turned to the east: his first son John married Margaret of Bavaria , and his daughters Margaret and Catherine of Burgundy married, respectively, William , Count of Hainaut , Holland and Zeeland , and Leopold IV, Duke of Austria . His last son Anthony married Jeanne of Saint-Pol , daughter of Waleran III of Luxembourg . During
10800-653: The influential 16th-century martial arts text Kunst des Fechten ("The Art of Fencing"), came from Basel. In 1661 the Amerbaschsches Kabinett , a vast collection of exotic artifacts, coins, medals and books was purchased by Basel. It was to become to the first public museum of art. Its collection became the core of the later Basel Museum of Art . The Bernoulli family, which included important 17th- and 18th-century mathematicians such as Jakob Bernoulli , Johann Bernoulli and Daniel Bernoulli , were from Basel. The 18th-century mathematician Leonhard Euler
10920-423: The late 14th century. Philip viewed Burgundian kingship as a long-term aim which needed careful preparation. In 1447, he held talks to that effect with Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III, but the latter only proposed kingship on behalf of Brabant or Frisia , both options too narrow to suit Philip's vision. In 1454, Philip traveled to Regensburg with intent to negotiate Burgundy's status, but Frederick did not attend
11040-411: The late 14th to the late 15th centuries, and which ultimately comprised not only the Duchy and County of Burgundy but also the Burgundian Netherlands . The latter, acquired piecemeal over time and largely through inheritance, was, in fact, their principal source of wealth and prestige. The Dukes were members of the House of Valois-Burgundy , a cadet branch of the French royal House of Valois , and
11160-686: The lead of the Armagnac party. In 1419, parleys took place: the Armagnac and the Burgundian parties were close to find peace at last, but on 10 September 1419, during a parley between the Duke and the Dauphin on the bridge at Montereau , John the Fearless was murdered in turn . Seeking revenge, the new 23-year-old duke of Burgundy, Philip, later known as Philip the Good , agreed to ally with
11280-540: The location for the first World Zionist Congress , and altogether the congress was held there ten times over a time span of 50 years, more than in any other location. The city is also home to the world headquarters of the Bank for International Settlements . The name of the city is internationally known through institutions like the Basel Accords , Art Basel and FC Basel . Basel is Switzerland's main centre for
11400-521: The meeting and no progress was made. Charles , known as "Charles the Bold", succeeded his father Philip the Good in 1467, after having been his lieutenant for two years. An ambitious and ruthless character, he wished to rule over a territorially continuous and independent kingdom, reminiscent of the old Lotharingia , but also of the Kingdoms of Burgundy and of Gallia Belgica . By the Treaty of Péronne of October 1468, Louis XI of France withdrew
11520-455: The most powerful princes in Europe and were sometimes called "Grand Dukes of the West". Including the thriving regions of Flanders and Brabant , the Burgundian State was a major centre of trade and commerce and a focal point of courtly culture that set the fashion for European royal houses and their courts. It nearly turned into a kingdom in its own right, but Charles the Bold 's early death at
11640-426: The negotiations by fleeing by night with his son. Charles continued to expand the Burgundian State by buying Brisgau and Sundgau from Sigismund, Archduke of Austria in 1469, then conquering the Duchy of Guelders and the County of Zutphen . Finally, in 1475, he conquered the Duchy of Lorraine , ruling at last over a vast continuous territory going from Charolais to Friesland . He proclaimed his wish to make
11760-437: The opposing side continued to be a difficult task throughout the war. The Burgundian Wars also assisted in the shift of military strategy across Europe after the Swiss victories over the numerically-superior Burgundians. The Gewalthaufen proved to be an effective Swiss military strategy against the superior Burgundian forces. Until that point, battles had been dominated by cavalry, which could easily overpower infantry troops on
11880-794: The other Confederacy allies had no legal obligation to come to the aid of the Bernese. In the Valais , the independent republics of the Sieben Zenden , with the help of Bernese and other confederate forces, drove the Savoyards out of the lower Valais after a victory in the Battle on the Planta in November 1475. In 1476, Charles retaliated and marched to Grandson , which belonged to Pierre de Romont of Savoy but had recently been taken by
12000-445: The other cantons it was to stay neutral and offer its services for mediation. In 1503, the new bishop Christoph von Utenheim refused to give Basel a new constitution; whereupon, to show its power, the city began to build a new city hall. In 1529, the city became Protestant under Oecolampadius and the bishop's seat was moved to Porrentruy . The bishop's crook was however retained as the city's coat of arms. For centuries to come,
12120-518: The patronage of the duke of Burgundy: among the most famous of those "Flemish primitives" were Robert Campin , Jan van Eyck , Rogier van der Weyden and Petrus Christus . In music, the composers of the Burgundian School were the leading composers in the mid-15th century Europe, such as Guillaume Du Fay , Gilles Binchois and Antoine Busnois . Burgundian territories were roughly divided into two parts: Burgundy ( Duchy and County ) to
12240-459: The pharmaceutical industry, hosting both Novartis and Roche . In 2019 Basel was ranked the tenth most liveable city in the world by Mercer . The name of Basel is first recorded as Basilia in the 3rd century (237/8), at the time referring to the Roman castle . This name is mostly interpreted as deriving from the personal name Basilius , from a toponym villa Basilia (" estate of Basilius") or similar. Another suggestion derives it from
12360-416: The population of Basel voted in favor of buying three works of art by painter Pablo Picasso which were at risk of being sold and taken out of the local museum of art, due to a financial crisis on the part of the owner's family. Therefore, Basel became the first city in the world where the population of a political community democratically decided to acquire works of art for a public institution. Pablo Picasso
12480-518: The power of the States General. They encouraged her to marry Maximilian of Austria . The marriage eventually took place in Ghent on 19 August 1477. The coming of Maximilian as duke cheered the troops, and turned the tables on the King of France who had been taking advantage of the death of his opponent. The French were defeated at the Battle of Guinegate (1479) , after which they negotiated a truce. However,
12600-467: The provinces. It relied on feudal duties , until Charles the Bold decided to modernize it by creating compagnies d'ordonnance , i.e. a regular army , based on the French model. Philip the Bold created a Parliament in Beaune , and around the duke was a judicial Grand Conseil , itinerant and under the jurisdiction of the Parlement of Paris , until 1471. In December 1473, Charles the Bold created
12720-537: The reigns of Philip the Bold and his son John the Fearless , loyalty to the king of France remained strong, and serving the kingdom was a significant duty. During the minority of his nephew, King Charles VI , Philip took part in the "government of the uncles": he was regent alongside his brothers Louis I, Duke of Anjou , and John, Duke of Berry , and Louis II, Duke of Bourbon . Charles VI took power for himself in 1388, aged 19, only to give it back four years later, when he showed his first signs of madness . From then,
12840-542: The rest of the Swiss Confederation. However, the other Swiss cities had become displeased at the ever-growing expansionist and aggressive Bernese foreign policy and so initially did not support Bern. The Confederacy was a collective defense agreement between the Swiss members and ensured that if one city were attacked, the others would come to its aid. Because the military actions by Bern in Savoy were an invasion,
12960-420: The sea". The first city guild were the furriers , established in 1226. A total of about fifteen guilds were established in the course of the 13th century, reflecting the increasing economic prosperity of the city. The Crusade of 1267 set out from Basel. Political conflicts between the bishops and the burghers began in the mid-13th century and continued throughout the 14th century. By the late 14th century,
13080-552: The summer of 1475. Presenting himself without a whole army, he failed to convince Edward, who had to deal with the King of France, resulting in the Treaty of Picquigny . Charles also got closer to the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III of Habsburg . In November 1473, the two met at Trier and negotiated the marriage of Charles's daughter Marie to Frederick's son Maximilian . During that encounter, Frederick considered having Charles elected as King of
13200-535: The support of the other Flemish towns. After those two events, urban liberties were severely compromised, and Burgundian domination only increased. More opposition came in the Wars of Liège , a series of three rebellions led by the Principality of Liège , refusing the Burgundian protectorate and Louis de Bourbon , nephew of Philip the Good, as their Prince-Bishop. Three times the rebels were defeated, until Charles
13320-468: The taxes only increased and were becoming more and more direct. Under Charles the Bold, the military campaigns were expensive and military aids were often demanded, until 1475 and the granting of an aid of 500,000 crowns by the States General of the Netherlands . Basel Basel ( / ˈ b ɑː z əl / BAH -zəl ; German: [ˈbaːzl̩] ), also known as Basle ,
13440-471: The unexpected death of Mary in 1482, from a horse riding accident, weakened Maximilian's position, as he had to cope with difficulties being accepted as the rightful regent for his son Philip , aged three. The Treaty of Arras , signed on December 1482, planned to marry Mary and Maximilian's daughter, Margaret , to the Dauphin Charles , aged 12. The Burgundy-Habsburgs kept Flanders (and the rest of
13560-459: The well-known Gasthof zum Goldenen Sternen was established. Basel became the focal point of western Christendom during the 15th century Council of Basel (1431–1449), including the 1439 election of antipope Felix V . In 1459, Pope Pius II endowed the University of Basel , where such notables as Erasmus of Rotterdam and Paracelsus later taught. At the same time the new craft of printing
13680-517: Was introduced to Basel by apprentices of Johann Gutenberg . In 1461, the land around Farnsburg became a part of Basel. The Schwabe publishing house was founded in 1488 by Johannes Petri and is the oldest publishing house still in business. Johann Froben also operated his printing house in Basel and was notable for publishing works by Erasmus. In 1495, Basel was incorporated into the Upper Rhenish Imperial Circle ;
13800-646: Was murdered on 23 November 1407 in the streets of Paris. It was the beginning of the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War . The Duke of Burgundy was in power until 1413, when the Armagnacs took Paris. When Henry V of England resumed the war, John of Burgundy remained neutral and avoided the French defeat at Agincourt . He took Paris back in 1418 and had control over the King, but Charles , the Dauphin of France , an Armagnac partisan, escaped. He later took
13920-559: Was born in Basel and studied under Johann Bernoulli. In 1792, the Republic of Rauracia , a revolutionary French client republic , was created. It lasted until 1793. After three years of political agitation and a short civil war in 1833 the disadvantaged countryside seceded from the Canton of Basel, forming the half canton of Basel-Landschaft . Between 1861 and 1878 the city walls were slighted . On 3 July 1874, Switzerland's first zoo,
14040-583: Was closely associated to the reign of his father-in-law, helping him to crush the Flemish at the Battle of Roosebeke . Louis of Flanders died soon after, on 30 January 1384: Philip became Count consort of Flanders, Artois, Rethel, Nevers and Burgundy. Peace was officially restored in Flanders by the Peace of Tournai in 1385. Also in 1385, the offices of Chancellor of Burgundy and of Chancellor of Flanders were merged, and in 1386 two Chambers of Accounts were created:
14160-461: Was gradually replaced by the modern French spelling Bâle . In Icelandic, the city is recorded as Buslaraborg in the 12th-century itinerary Leiðarvísir og borgarskipan . There are traces of a settlement at the nearby Rhine knee from the early La Tène period (5th century BC). In the 2nd century BC, there was a village of the Raurici at the site of Basel-Gasfabrik (to the northwest of
14280-588: Was incorporated into the Holy Roman Empire in 1032. From the donation by Rudolph III of Burgundy of the Moutier-Grandval Abbey and all its possessions to Bishop Adalbero II of Metz in 999 until the Reformation , Basel was ruled by Prince-Bishops . In 1019, the construction of the cathedral of Basel (known locally as the Münster ) began under Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor . In
14400-689: Was so moved by the gesture that he subsequently gifted the city with an additional three paintings. Basel has often been the site of peace negotiations and other international meetings. The Treaty of Basel (1499) ended the Swabian War . Two years later Basel joined the Swiss Confederation . The Peace of Basel in 1795 between the French Republic and Prussia and Spain ended the First Coalition against France during
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