591:). Away from this flank action, the Freiburger infantry advanced up the hill. The Bernese threw forward a screen of crossbowmen and stone-throwers to harass this advance but these quickly fell back as the Freiburgers closed. This seems to have caused a panic in the rear ranks of the Bernese army and a large number (up to 2,000) men fled into the forest behind the Bramberg. Remarkably, the rest of the army held firm. The two infantry lines then clashed. Despite their numerical advantage, the Freiburgers were quickly broken and fled away towards Laupen, the flight being led by the feudal contingent from Vaud. The contingent from Freiburg suffered particularly heavily, losing their Burgomeister and the City standard bearer. Showing great control, a part of the Bernese army reordered itself and marched to relieve the Forest Cantons, who were still surrounded by the Freiburger's cavalry. The action here was possibly the fiercest of the day, with the horsemen now fighting on two fronts themselves. After a short bloody struggle, the cavalry were routed and suffered heavy casualties. At least 80 nobles fell, including the Counts of
367:
329:
269:
573:
137:
258:
229:
356:
242:
123:
655:, with the 1389 peace treaty between Habsburg and the Swiss Confederacy. Fribourg renewed its alliance with Bern in 1403 and abandoned its expansionist policies, focusing on the acquisition of territories in its immediate neighbourhood. This permitted the rise of Bern as the most powerful city republic north of the alps by the early modern period, and paved the way for the accession of Fribourg as an associate of the Swiss Confederacy by 1454 and as a full member in 1481.
216:
287:
347:
338:
189:
322:
278:
169:
305:
159:
616:
29:
199:
149:
315:
296:
179:
585:
dubbed knights riding close to the
Bernese lines waving their swords, but the Bernese force held its position. When the Freiburg infantry formed up, the cavalry launched an assault which brought them into contact with the Forest Canton contingent, who rapidly formed an all-round defensive formation known as a hedgehog (
635:
The
Habsburg force in the east could not reach Laupen in time for joining the battle and dispersed upon receiving news of the defeat. The victory of the Bernese/Swiss against all odds, outnumbered two-to-one by an army containing such a force of mounted chivalry, came as a surprise, and chroniclers
584:
The
Freiburg force was led by their cavalry, followed by the larger body of infantry. An unknown number of troops were left in the siege camp, to protect the equipment and prevent a sally by the 600 strong Bernese garrison. The cavalry vanguard moved to threaten the Bernese, with a number of newly
562:
The
Bernese army marched to the relief of Laupen, arriving in the afternoon of 21 June. Rather than attempt an attack on the Freiburger siege lines, they drew up their army on a hill called the Bramberg, some 3 km east-northeast of Laupen Castle, as a challenge to their enemies to come and
475:
of Bern had undergone heavy expansion, however this expansion came at high expense to the feudal lords in the area and led to increasing competition with the neighbouring city of
Fribourg. Bern had been allied with Fribourg since 1241, but Fribourg had been sold to the
569:, deep bodies of infantry. To one flank, probably the left, stood the troops of the Forest Cantons. The arrival of the Bernese was noted by the Freiburgers and they rapidly armed and arrayed themselves for battle. Late in the afternoon, they launched their attack.
650:
The rivalry between Bern and
Fribourg continued throughout the 14th century but did not erupt into military conflict again. Fribourg acquired substantial territories in the vicinity of Bern, but these were all lost again in the wake of the
553:
and threatened Bern from the east. This is likely the reason that the relief force sent to Laupen was not led by the
Bernese Schultheiss, Johann II von Bubenberg, who would have remained in the city preparing for a possible siege.
690:
in the 1480s makes a point of showing this field sign as worn by troops of the Forest
Cantons as a white cross in a red field, while it is not yet attached to the cantonal banners. In the same illustrations, the attacking
1109:
698:
The battle has an important position in Swiss military history as the first victory in open battle of the Swiss
Confederacy over Habsburg. The Swiss had already routed a Habsburg army in the
607:. The evening was now drawing on, which limited pursuit, but the Bernese forces marched into Laupen, where celebrations and services of thanksgiving for the victory were held.
531:
938:
702:
in 1315, but this had been an ambush on a marching army and not an open field battle. The drawn-out conflict with
Habsburg was one of the main driving forces of the
1114:
500:
387:
391:
448:
territories on the other. Bern was victorious, consolidating its position in the region. As a consequence of the conflict, the relations of Bern and the
1128:
496:
503:. While the cavalry were a powerful force, much of the infantry, with the exception of the Freiburg contingent, were poorly equipped and unmotivated
644:
1158:
68:
105:
Bernese victory, tightening of the Bernese-Swiss relationship resulting in Bern's permanent accession to the Swiss Confederacy in 1353.
1046:
1133:
1148:
1059:
1035:
636:
record that comments like "God himself must have become a Bernese citizen" were heard among the retreating Habsburg troops.
965:
751:
1153:
703:
686:
as a badge to identify confederate troops is attested; it was shown on combatants' clothing as two stripes of textile.
676:
1086:
Armies of the Middle Ages, volume 1: The Hundred Years' War, the Wars of the Roses and the Burgundian Wars, 1300-1487
1013:
991:
926:
872:
Carey (2006) p.188. De Vries (1996) attributes the cause of the flight to the sword-waving new knights (p.134)
577:
382:
350:
854:
Oman (1924) and Carey (2006) say left, because of the nature of the ground. DelbrĂĽck (1923) suggests right
495:, raising a force of some 17,000 men, including a force of some 1,000 heavy cavalry under the command of
687:
34:
1143:
715:
332:
366:
341:
1138:
492:
816:
484:
328:
272:
664:
640:
625:
In memoriam proelii Laupensis e quo Bernenses cum sociis die 21 junii 1339 victore discessere
268:
206:
695:
cavalry displays the white-on-red cross of Savoy both in its banner and on cavalry shields.
1098:
535:
1065:
734:. After a brief Habsburg-Confederate alliance against an external threat in the so-called
667:
25 years earlier, Laupen was one of a string of battles presaging the definite decline of
587:
572:
8:
738:
of 1375, the conflict re-emerged in the 1380s, culminating in the Habsburg defeat in the
707:
699:
683:
668:
510:. To raise the siege, Bern raised a force of 6,000, consisting of Bernese, supported by
142:
472:
441:
263:
1055:
1031:
1009:
987:
739:
652:
477:
449:
604:
519:
370:
359:
234:
1023:
1163:
692:
546:
542:
488:
299:
958:
952:
946:
511:
433:
404:
128:
62:
1103:
37:(Spiez chronicle, 1480s) showing the cavalry engagement of the Forest Cantons.
1122:
731:
623:
municipality, design by Karl Marcell Heigelin (1798–1833), inscribed
515:
507:
221:
83:
70:
1001:
526:(who had entered a military alliance with Bern in 1323), and other allies (
711:
523:
456:
346:
286:
247:
172:
483:
Fribourg entered a league with neighbouring feudal lords, including the
355:
290:
460:
337:
1113:
Conflictus Laupensis - contemporary account of the battle (in Latin)
527:
188:
719:
321:
277:
168:
620:
615:
596:
445:
437:
304:
281:
192:
158:
28:
1044:
706:, lasting for full two centuries, from the death of Habsburg king
198:
148:
600:
314:
309:
295:
162:
178:
1104:
Battle of Laupen video (University of North Carolina Asheville)
735:
723:
710:
in 1291 until the peace treaty of 1511 in the aftermath of the
672:
565:
550:
152:
58:
563:
fight. The formation of the Bernese consisted of one or more
841:
DelbrĂĽck (1923), Oman (1924), Carey (2006) all have multiple
592:
452:
tightened, resulting in Bern's permanent accession in 1353.
1045:
Carey, Brian Todd; Alfree, Joshua B.; Cairns, John (2006).
682:
The battle is also the first occasion for which use of the
580:
is shown with his coat of arms, kneeling next to the altar.
182:
727:
1028:
History of the Art of War Vol III : The Middle Ages
1030:. trans. W.J. Renfroe. University of Nebraska Press.
1006:
A History of the Art of War in the Middle Ages Vol.2
821:. Philological Society of London. 1822. p. 429.
506:This force set out to confront Bern by besieging
959:
675:" of the 12th and 13th centuries) in the face of
1120:
984:Infantry Warfare in the Early Fourteenth Century
953:
947:
639:Bern was drawn into closer association with the
986:. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. pp. 129–136.
1054:. Pen & Sword Military. pp. 184–8.
440:together with feudal landholders from the
1129:14th century in the Old Swiss Confederacy
1088:. Wargames Research Group. pp. 58–9.
730:and Bern to the confederacy, forming the
576:Prayer of the Bernese before the battle.
1022:
981:
823:; other sources give other dates in June
818:The European Magazine, and London Review
704:foundation and growth of the Confederacy
614:
571:
16:Battle in 1339 between Bern and Freiburg
1159:Battles involving the Holy Roman Empire
455:This is also the first battle that the
1121:
1083:
1008:. London: Greenhill. pp. 241–5.
714:. It was the continued conflict with
658:
1000:
966:Historical Dictionary of Switzerland
752:Battles of the Old Swiss Confederacy
619:Monument to the battle on Bramberg,
627:, with the coat of arms of Erlach,
13:
459:was documented as being used as a
14:
1175:
1092:
432:was fought in June 1339, between
436:and its allies on one side, and
403:6,000, including 1,000 from the
365:
354:
345:
336:
327:
320:
313:
303:
294:
285:
276:
267:
256:
240:
227:
214:
197:
187:
177:
167:
157:
147:
135:
121:
27:
1108:DelbrĂĽck's account (in German)
931:
920:
911:
902:
893:
884:
875:
866:
857:
718:that prompted the accession of
409:16,000 infantry, 1,000 cavalry
1134:1330s in the Holy Roman Empire
848:
835:
826:
809:
800:
791:
782:
773:
764:
679:during the following century.
1:
1149:Battles involving Switzerland
1048:Warfare in the Medieval World
757:
557:
466:
610:
7:
1099:Military History on the Web
745:
688:Diebold Schilling the Elder
669:high medieval heavy cavalry
35:Diebold Schilling the Elder
10:
1180:
1154:Battles involving Burgundy
976:
677:improving infantry tactics
629:Hic lapis positus est 1853
463:worn by Swiss combatants.
845:. De Vries (1996) has one
471:Prior to hostilities the
413:
397:
376:
113:
41:
26:
21:
982:De Vries, Kelly (1996).
939:Claudius Sieber-Lehmann
917:De Vries (1996), p. 135
908:De Vries (1996), p. 135
927:History of Switzerland
643:, becoming one of the
632:
581:
493:Prince-Bishop of Basel
377:Commanders and leaders
941:, Bettina Braun:
716:Albert II of Habsburg
665:Battle of Bannockburn
618:
575:
549:assembled a force in
414:Casualties and losses
351:Bishopric of Lausanne
207:Old Swiss Confederacy
388:Rudolf III von Nidau
202:Lords of Weissenburg
1084:Heath, Ian (1982).
708:Rudolf I of Germany
700:Battle of Morgarten
485:County of Neuchâtel
273:County of Neuchâtel
80: /
899:Oman (1924), p.245
890:Oman (1924), p.245
881:Oman (1924), p.244
832:Oman (1924), p.243
806:Oman (1924), p.245
663:Comparable to the
659:Wider significance
633:
582:
501:GĂ©rard de Valengin
473:free imperial city
442:County of Burgundy
392:GĂ©rard de Valengin
333:Bishopric of Basel
291:County of Gruyères
1144:Conflicts in 1339
1061:978-1-84415-339-8
1037:978-0-8032-6585-1
863:Heath (1982) p.58
740:Battle of Sempach
653:Battle of Sempach
641:Swiss Confederacy
578:Rudolf von Erlach
478:House of Habsburg
450:Swiss Confederacy
426:
425:
383:Rudolf von Erlach
342:Bishopric of Sion
109:
108:
1171:
1089:
1080:
1078:
1076:
1070:
1064:. Archived from
1053:
1041:
1019:
997:
970:
961:
955:
949:
935:
929:
924:
918:
915:
909:
906:
900:
897:
891:
888:
882:
879:
873:
870:
864:
861:
855:
852:
846:
839:
833:
830:
824:
822:
813:
807:
804:
798:
795:
789:
786:
780:
777:
771:
768:
671:(the classical "
605:Louis II of Vaud
497:Rudolf von Nidau
430:Battle of Laupen
371:County of Kyburg
369:
360:Duchy of Austria
358:
349:
340:
331:
324:
317:
307:
298:
289:
280:
271:
262:
260:
259:
246:
244:
243:
233:
231:
230:
220:
218:
217:
201:
191:
181:
171:
161:
151:
141:
139:
138:
127:
125:
124:
95:
94:
92:
91:
90:
85:
84:46.917°N 7.283°E
81:
78:
77:
76:
73:
43:
42:
33:Illustration by
31:
22:Battle of Laupen
19:
18:
1179:
1178:
1174:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1169:
1168:
1119:
1118:
1095:
1074:
1072:
1071:on 22 June 2010
1068:
1062:
1051:
1038:
1016:
994:
979:
974:
973:
936:
932:
925:
921:
916:
912:
907:
903:
898:
894:
889:
885:
880:
876:
871:
867:
862:
858:
853:
849:
840:
836:
831:
827:
815:
814:
810:
805:
801:
797:DelbrĂĽck (1923)
796:
792:
788:DelbrĂĽck (1923)
787:
783:
778:
774:
770:DelbrĂĽck (1923)
769:
765:
760:
748:
661:
613:
603:and the son of
560:
547:Count of Kyburg
543:Duke of Austria
489:County of Savoy
469:
390:
363:
353:
344:
335:
326:
319:
318:County of Nidau
312:
302:
300:County of Savoy
293:
284:
275:
266:
257:
255:
241:
239:
228:
226:
215:
213:
203:
195:
185:
175:
165:
155:
145:
136:
134:
132:
122:
120:
97:
88:
86:
82:
79:
74:
71:
69:
67:
66:
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1177:
1167:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1139:1339 in Europe
1136:
1131:
1117:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1094:
1093:External links
1091:
1060:
1036:
1024:DelbrĂĽck, Hans
1014:
992:
978:
975:
972:
971:
963:in the online
943:Ewige Richtung
930:
919:
910:
901:
892:
883:
874:
865:
856:
847:
834:
825:
808:
799:
790:
781:
772:
762:
761:
759:
756:
755:
754:
747:
744:
660:
657:
612:
609:
559:
556:
512:Forest Cantons
468:
465:
424:
423:
420:
416:
415:
411:
410:
407:
405:Forest Cantons
400:
399:
395:
394:
385:
379:
378:
374:
373:
325:Belp-Montenach
252:
251:
250:
237:
224:
116:
115:
111:
110:
107:
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103:
99:
98:
57:
55:
51:
50:
47:
39:
38:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1176:
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1096:
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1063:
1057:
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1049:
1042:
1039:
1033:
1029:
1025:
1020:
1017:
1015:1-85367-105-3
1011:
1007:
1003:
1002:Oman, Charles
998:
995:
993:0-85115-567-7
989:
985:
968:
967:
962:
956:
950:
944:
940:
934:
928:
923:
914:
905:
896:
887:
878:
869:
860:
851:
844:
838:
829:
820:
819:
812:
803:
794:
785:
776:
767:
763:
753:
750:
749:
743:
741:
737:
733:
732:Eight Cantons
729:
725:
721:
717:
713:
709:
705:
701:
696:
694:
689:
685:
680:
678:
674:
670:
666:
656:
654:
648:
646:
645:Eight Cantons
642:
637:
630:
626:
622:
617:
608:
606:
602:
598:
594:
590:
589:
579:
574:
570:
568:
567:
555:
552:
548:
544:
541:The Habsburg
539:
537:
533:
529:
525:
521:
517:
513:
509:
508:Laupen Castle
504:
502:
498:
494:
490:
486:
481:
479:
474:
464:
462:
458:
453:
451:
447:
443:
439:
435:
431:
421:
418:
417:
412:
408:
406:
402:
401:
396:
393:
389:
386:
384:
381:
380:
375:
372:
368:
364:
362:(not engaged)
361:
357:
352:
348:
343:
339:
334:
330:
323:
316:
311:
306:
301:
297:
292:
288:
283:
279:
274:
270:
265:
253:
249:
238:
236:
225:
223:
212:
211:
210:
208:
204:
200:
194:
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184:
180:
174:
170:
164:
160:
154:
150:
144:
130:
118:
117:
112:
104:
101:
100:
93:
89:46.917; 7.283
64:
60:
56:
53:
52:
48:
45:
44:
40:
36:
30:
25:
20:
1085:
1082:
1073:. Retrieved
1066:the original
1047:
1043:
1027:
1021:
1005:
999:
983:
980:
964:
942:
933:
922:
913:
904:
895:
886:
877:
868:
859:
850:
842:
837:
828:
817:
811:
802:
793:
784:
775:
766:
697:
681:
662:
649:
638:
634:
628:
624:
586:
583:
564:
561:
540:
505:
482:
470:
454:
429:
427:
254:
205:
196:
186:
176:
166:
156:
146:
133:
131:and allies:
119:
114:Belligerents
49:21 June 1339
779:Oman (1924)
712:Swabian War
684:Swiss cross
532:Weissenburg
524:Unterwalden
457:white cross
248:Unterwalden
87: /
1123:Categories
1075:30 January
758:References
736:Gugler war
558:The battle
467:Background
461:field sign
308:County of
1026:(1990) .
1004:(1991) .
742:in 1386.
647:in 1353.
611:Aftermath
536:Oberhasli
528:Simmental
480:in 1277.
143:Solothurn
746:See also
693:Savoyard
621:Neuenegg
597:Valengin
545:and the
491:and the
446:Habsburg
438:Freiburg
398:Strength
282:Valangin
264:Fribourg
173:Burgdorf
54:Location
977:Sources
960:Italian
673:knights
601:Aarburg
422:1-1,500
419:unknown
310:Aarberg
163:Payerne
72:46°55′N
1164:Laupen
1058:
1034:
1012:
990:
954:French
948:German
843:haufen
724:Glarus
720:ZĂĽrich
566:haufen
551:Aargau
520:Schwyz
487:, the
261:
245:
235:Schwyz
232:
219:
153:Murten
140:
126:
102:Result
75:7°17′E
59:Laupen
1069:(PDF)
1052:(PDF)
937:
593:Nidau
193:Hasli
1077:2010
1056:ISBN
1032:ISBN
1010:ISBN
988:ISBN
957:and
945:in
599:and
588:Igel
522:and
499:and
444:and
434:Bern
428:The
183:Thun
129:Bern
63:Bern
46:Date
728:Zug
538:).
516:Uri
514:of
222:Uri
1125::
951:,
726:,
722:,
595:,
534:,
530:,
518:,
209::
61:,
1079:.
1040:.
1018:.
996:.
969:.
631:.
96:)
65:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
