Church Association

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Coat of arms of the church association. The alpine ibex depicted was already exterminated on the territory of the Church of God in the middle of the 17th century.
Area of ​​the church association in red.

The League of Gods ( Lega Caddea in Italian , Lia da la Chadé ? / I in Romansh ) was founded on January 29, 1367 in what is now Switzerland in order to curb the growing influence of the Bishop of Chur and the House of Habsburg . The federation allied itself with the gray federation and the ten judges federation in 1471 to the three leagues . The church federation allied itself, together with the other two federations, with the old confederation in the 15th century. After the Napoleonic Wars , the Church of God became part of the Canton of Graubünden . Audio file / audio sample

Before the federal government

The region of the future church association has always been strongly influenced by the diocese of Chur . The diocese of Chur was first mentioned in 451 in connection with the Synod of Milan , but probably existed a century earlier. During the 5th and 6th centuries there are signs of strong Romanization and conversion to Christianity in the region around Chur. In 536 the region was by the Merovingian conquered, but gained by the isolation and remoteness de facto quickly regain their independence. During this time the region was known as Churrätien or Churwalchen and pretty much comprised the area of ​​the Diocese of Chur. In 773 political and spiritual power fell into the same family. But only until the year 806, when Charlemagne shared this again. The division and the resulting conflicts brought about the collapse of Churrätien and the creation of numerous independent areas with the power center in Chur . For centuries the bishops of Chur tried to expand their influence.

Foundation of the Federation

In the 14th century the core areas of the diocese were on the north-south line of the Septimer and Julier Passes . The bishop ruled the region around Chur and had the right of high jurisdiction in the five villages , Chur, Oberhalbstein, Upper Engadine, Bergell, Schams, Rheinwald, Lower Engadine and Vinschgau.

After 1363 the relationship between the Bishop of Chur and his subordinates deteriorated. Austrian dukes from the House of Habsburg acquired Tyrol , the Münstertal (Val Müstair) and Lower Engadine, and tried to expand into the Diocese of Chur. The foreign and often absent Bishop Peter Gelyto of Bohemia , who deeply indebted the diocese, was willing to sell the political leadership of the area for an annual salary. As a first step, he rented the Fürstenburg in Burgeis in Vinschgau in 1365 . In response to this development, delegates from the Cathedral of St. Lucius, the valley parishes and the city of Chur met in Zernez in 1366 . On January 29, 1367 they met again in Chur to plan a revolution.

The meeting represented the three powers of the region: first, the spiritual community, represented by the ambassadors of the cathedral; secondly, envoys from the large valley communities (six from Domleschg , Schams and Bergell and another four from Oberhalbstein and three from the Upper Engadine and two from the Lower Engadine ) and envoys from the Chur population. The group met without the bishop and decided to severely curtail his power and claim financial sovereignty.

The decision of 1367 was not a formal alliance or confederation, but it did show the need to stand together in a crisis. The decision also showed a will to hold future meetings and oversee the bishop's actions. These meetings laid the foundation for closer collaboration between the individual communities. In 1409 a permanent council was established and a bailiff was installed over the bishop. Between 1524 and 1526, the Ilanz Articles deprived the bishop of his remaining powers.

Extension of the federal government

During the 15th century the union continued to grow. The four villages joined the league along with Avers and the uppermost part of the Albula Valley. The Val Müstair and Val Poschiavo joined around 1498. In the middle of the 15th century, the House of Gods Union began a unified foreign policy with the other two groups ( Gray League and Ten Court League ). During the Swabian War in 1499, the Church of God, together with the other two groups, defeated a Habsburg army in the Battle of Calven and conquered the Vinschgau from the Diocese of Chur. Over time, the Bishop of Chur lost his power, but Chur became the center of the Church of God. After around 1700 the mayor of Chur automatically became the leader of the church association.

The house of worship finally consisted of eleven high courts :

Three frets

After about 1471 the three leagues joined together under the name Drei Bünde to form a state union. The federal letter of September 23, 1524 became the constitution of the three leagues, which lasted until the covenant was dissolved by Napoleon . Practically all matters were decided by referendum. The three leagues were unique in early modern Europe in that each league was founded, governed, and defended by collective decisions of those involved.

The three leagues were allied with the old Confederation . Originally this was a reaction to the expansion of the Habsburgs . The Müsserkrieg against the Duchy of Milan in 1520 tied the Confederation closer to the Confederation. The federal government remained allied with the Confederation until the Napoleonic Wars, after which it was integrated into the Helvetic Republic . After the mediation of 1803, the three leagues became the canton of Graubünden . The church federation remained an independent part of the canton's political organization until 1854.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Jon Mathieu (1987), Farmers and Bears . Octopus, Chur.
  2. ↑ Mansi, IV, 141; O. Jéron:  Chur . In: Catholic Encyclopedia , Volume 3, Robert Appleton Company, New York 1908.
  3. ↑ Lothar Deplazes, Pierre Surchat: Chur (Diocese, Principality). In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
  4. ^ Lothar Deplazes: Churrätien. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .
  5. ↑ a b Martin Bundi: Gotteshausbund. In: Historical Lexicon of Switzerland .