Diebold Schilling the Elder: Amtliche Berner Chronik, Bd. 3, The battle of Murten (1483)

(Burgerbibliothek, Bern, Switzerland)

A page made by the Swiss author Diebold Schilling the Elder (1445–1485). This page comes from the book "Berner Schilling" or "Amtliche Berner Chronik", a book about the history of the Old Swiss Confederacy from the founding of the city of Bern (1191) up to the Burgundian Wars (1474–1477). The book was commissioned by Adrian von Bubenberg (1434-1479), mayor of Bern, and the city council. This page shows the turning point in the Burgundian Wars: the battle of Morat/ Murten on 22 June 1476 - Adrian von Bubenberg played an important role during this battle. The Burgundian war was fought between the duchy of Burgundy and the Old Swiss Confederacy and its allies. In 1469 archduke Sigismund of Austria (1427 – 1496) sold several of his lands to duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy (with the option to buy them back). The reason for this is unclear: perhaps he had debts or he wanted to have them protected better against the Swiss. In 1472 Sigismund managed to make peace with the Swiss and Sigismund turned to Charles because he wanted to buy back his possession. Charles however refused and Sigismund declared war. Other anti-Burgundy powers (France and the Swiss confederacy) soon joined Sigismund. Charles soon launched an attack against the Swiss but was beaten back several times. Frustrated by these defeats, Charles gathered an large army of 20,000 men and marched against the city of Bern. On the road to Bern he besieged the city of Murten which was held by the Bernese general Adrian von Bubenberg. An initial assault by the Burgundians was repulsed and Charles started to besiege the city. A relieve army of about 25,000 Swiss soldiers arrived at Murten on 21 June 1476. Charles deployed his army for the battle but the Swiss refused because additional Swiss troops from Zurich were coming. The following day Charles expected further delay from the Swiss and made the fatal mistake to order his treasurer to pay his entire army. A small Burgundian force was left on the battlefield while rest retreated to the camp collecting their pay. The Swiss however did launch their assault with their entire army suddenly coming out of the forest and surprising the Burgundian forces. The small Burgundian force on the battlefield was quickly overrun and the Swiss attacked the Burgundian camp. Charles the Bold tried to muster a resistance but to no avail. The Swiss army routed the Burgundian army and took no quarter: the Burgundian army suffered about 10,000 of dead and wounded against only 410 Swiss. Charles the Bold became increasingly obsessed with defeating the Swiss and launched another attack 6 months later: his small army of 2000-8000 men was completely destroyed at the battle of Nancy with the Burgundian duke amongst the dead, leaving the duchy of Burgundy in chaos. The Swiss victories over the Burgundians established their reputation as the most dominant force on the European battlefields for the next 50 years. Page from 1483.