Chronicon Helveticum

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Handwritten page from the first version, around 1555 ( Zurich Central Library , Ms. A 58, p. 347). On the lower half of the page there is a report on William Tell's apple shot . The indented text is an introduction and summary of the events. The figure at the bottom is sketched in the style of the handwriting of Aegidius Tschudi and is supposed to represent William Tell.

The Chronicon Helveticum is a chronicle of the Swiss Confederation for the years 1001 to 1470. It was written by the Swiss chronicler and historian Aegidius Tschudi (1505–1572) from 1532 to 1572 and was originally only available in handwritten form . The first print edition took place between 1734 and 1736.

Origin and content

Tschudi's Swiss Chronicle Chronicon Helveticum covers the years 1001 to 1470. For this purpose, he collected around 700 documents and traditions from various sources, including the White Book of Sarnen . These range from descriptions of battles to patriotic emphasis on the role of the state of Glarus , the depiction of the Council of Constance , which was influenced by the journalism of its time , to personal reports from confederates who were involved in the Old Zurich War .

An early version of the work comes from the years 1532 to 1533. The chronicle consists of two parts: The so-called original for the period 1200 to 1470 comes from the 1550s; 1534 to 1536 is often given. The second part of the period from 1000 to 1370 is the so-called fair copy . This was created from 1568 until Tschudi's death in 1572. His Swiss chronicle remained unfinished.

The chronicle remained unpublished during Tschudi's lifetime; it was only published by Johann Rudolf Iselin from 1734 to 1736 under the title Chronicon Helveticum . The supplementary, topographically structured part for the period before 1000 followed in 1758 under the title Gallia Comata .

meaning

Aegidius Tschudi

The Chronicon Helveticum is considered to be Tschudi's main work. It is comparable to the "Bavarian Chronicle" by Johannes Aventinus . Tschudi's historical work has a concept that is well-rounded in terms of content and chronology. It shaped the Swiss view of history for a long time. Tschudi put the first events of the liberation tradition in the years from 1301 to 1307, the Rütli oath on Wednesday before Martini (November 8th) 1307 and the storming of the castles (the castle break ) on New Year 1308. The meanwhile traditional first names of the main characters also go to Tschudi who were only named after their sex or their origin in the 15th century, Tell ( Thall and Tall in the White Book of Sarnen ) becomes Wilhelm Tell and the three confederates become Werner Stauffacher , from the "Stoupacher" "Prince from Uri" becomes Walter Fürst and "the one from Melchi" becomes Arnold von Melchtal . Through the temporal integration, Tschudi created a connection to the murder of the hated, greedy and tyrannical King Albrecht I. Tschudi's (incorrect) dates remained valid until the 19th century. Tschudi thus justified the federal formation of the state with the resistance against the tyranny, which was necessary to preserve the threatened peace and also to restore the old free Helvetia.

After Iselin's publications, Tschudi was referred to by Beat Fidel Zurlauben in 1760 as "père de l'histoire helvétique" (German: father of Swiss history). In addition to other texts, Tschudi also took over the story about Wilhelm Tell from the White Book of Sarnen . But it was only because of his chronicle that the saga became widespread. Friedrich von Schiller later used this collection of sources, among other things, for his drama of the same name from 1804.

Tschudi's estate with the manuscripts and collections remained in family ownership at Gräpplang Castle after his death and was sold partly to the City of Zurich and partly to the St. Gallen Monastery in 1767/1768 . The manuscripts of the Chronicon Helveticum are now in the Zurich Central Library (Ms. A 58).

expenditure

Title page of the edition by Johann Rudolf Iselin in the National Museum Zurich
  • first, handwritten version, Zurich Central Library , Ms. A 58.
  • In 1734 and 1736 the first printed edition by Johann Rudolf Iselin (1705–1779) appeared in two parts. The cover sheet of the first part is inscribed with: «Aegidii Tschudii / has been Land-Ammanns zu Glarus / Chronicon Helveticum. / Or / Thorough description / The / So well in the Heil. Roman Empire as particularly in a Lobl. Eydgenossenschaft and ingränßenden places preceded / strangest encounters. / Everything / From authentic letters and documents / also for the most part with attached copies of all documents and diplomats relevant to this history, with particular diligence from the most distinguished archives / Loblicher Eydgenossschektiven / collected. Well published for the first time from the original and with a preface and necessary comments / As well as a register / By / Johann Rudolf Iselin / JUD / Facult. Jurid. Basil. Assess. and the royal Prussian Society of Sciences members. / First part / From Anno M. bit A. MCCCCXV. / Printed in Basel / Published by Hanß Jacob Bischoff, Buchhändlers allda. / Anno M DCCXXXIV. »
    • Chronicon Helveticum. First part. From Anno 1000 to A. 1415. Basel 1734. Digitized from the Munich digitization center .
    • Chronicon Helveticum. Second part. From Anno 1415 to A. 1470. Basel 1736. Digitized from the Munich digitization center.
  • The General historian Research Society Switzerland (aggs) brought 1974-2001 in the series sources of Swiss history , edited by Peter Stadler (tape 1) and Bernhard Stettler, a historical-critical output into 22 volumes along with several assistants and index volumes, totally over 8000 pages, out:
    • Aegidius Tschudi: Chronicon Helveticum. Ed .: General History Research Society of Switzerland, 22 volumes, Volume 1–3: Self-published by the General History Research Society of Switzerland, City and University Library, Bern; from volume 4: Commission publisher Krebs, Basel, 1968–2001.
      Digitized on e-Helvetica : 23 PDF files with the 22 partial volumes and the Tschudi- Vademecum , approximations to Aegidius Tschudi and his “Chronicon Helveticum” .

literature

  • Christian Sieber: Tschudi, Aegidius. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
  • Bernhard Stettler: The relationship between the original and the fair copy in Aegidius Tschudi's presentation of Swiss history. In: Aegidius Tschudi, Chronicon Helveticum , edited by Bernhard Stettler, Erg. Vol. 1, 1970, pp. 13-55.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Guido Mühlemann: A forgotten "birthday" of the confederates. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , November 8, 2007
  2. ↑ a b Christian Sieber: Tschudi, Aegidius. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
  3. ↑ Erich Aschwanden: Switzerland's 600th birthday: August 1st is November 8th. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , November 7, 2016
  4. ↑ Peter Kaiser: Liberation tradition. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .