Philibert Berthelier

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Statue of Philibert Berthelier at the foot of the Tour de l'Ile

Philibert Berthelier (* around 1465 in Virieu-le-Grand ; † August 23, 1519 in Geneva ) was a Geneva politician and a defender of the freedoms and privileges of Geneva citizens against the Geneva prince-bishop and against the duke of Savoy .

Life

He was the son of a wealthy owner of vineyards and a tannery in Valromey who became a citizen of Geneva in 1464. Philibert Berthelier studied law , probably in Chambéry . He bought two houses in Geneva in 1482 and 1485. But he also worked for the sovereign of Virieu-le-Grand: first he was in the service of Philip II of Savoy and then of René of Savoy , whom he took part in the Italian campaign of Louis XII. 1502–1503 accompanied.

Then he definitely settled in Geneva. In 1505 he became captain of the archery company and a member of the Council of Fifty. On February 10, 1512 he was elected to the Small Council. From 1513 to 1516 he was castellan of Peney , who was subordinate to the bishop. He married Amblarde Du Crest and had two sons: Philibert and François Daniel.

He was one of the leaders of the parliamentary group that sought to achieve greater independence for the city of Geneva from the prince-bishop, and in particular from the dukes of Savoy, and who for this purpose advocated an alliance with the Swiss cantons . The Dukes of Savoy attempted despite the existing Tangible incorporate the city into their territory. At the beginning of the 16th century, they owned most of the surrounding areas. They also had control of the Château de l'Ile , a castle in Geneva on the bridge-bearing island in the Rhone , and they were often able to place members of the House of Savoy on the prince-bishop's seat.

Philibert Berthelier fought in particular against the new bishop Jean-Louis of Savoy , appointed in 1513 , who was led by Duke Charles III. was supported by Savoy. After an arrest warrant was issued against him in 1517, he fled to Freiburg for a few months (he had been granted Freiburg citizenship in 1512). There he negotiated a castle right between the two cities together with the Geneva Bezanson Hugues . When he returned to Geneva in 1518, he was charged with lese majesty in the city court, but the Syndics acquitted him in early 1519.

The castle law between Geneva and Freiburg angered Duke Charles III, who marched into Geneva with an army in 1519 and, by pressure on the Confederates, forced Freiburg to dissolve the agreement. On August 20, 1519, the bishop returned to the city after a long absence and had Berthelier arrested on the 22nd. Since the latter refused to answer the episcopal provost Claude Du Bois and to recognize him as a judge (he invoked the trial before the vicarage or the Syndics), he was sentenced to death.

Philibert Berthelier was beheaded on August 23, 1519 in front of the Château de l'Ile.

Honors

Philibert Berthelier is seen as the martyr of Geneva independence and one of the fathers of the alliance between Geneva and the Swiss cantons. This was permanently concluded in 1526, 7 years after Berthelier's execution, by a castle law between Geneva, Friborg and Bern .

In the 19th century, at the place of his execution, a marble tablet was set into the wall of the Tour de l'Ile (the last existing part of the Chateau de l'Ile ) with the inscription: «  A la mémoire de Philibert Berthelier décapité pour avoir défendu les libertés et franchises de sa patrie (1519)  »( In memory of Philibert Berthelier, beheaded for defending the freedoms and the fiestas of his fatherland (1519) ).

A bronze statue of Ampellio Regazzoni on a column was erected as a memorial on May 30, 1909, at the foot of the tower . Behind it is the psalm text that Berthelier had engraved on the wall of his dungeon before his execution ( Ps 118.17  EU ): "  Non moriar sed vivam et narrabo opera domini  " ( I will not die, but live to proclaim the deeds of the Lord . )

Le Philibert Berthelier was a liberal- minded magazine published in Geneva from 1907 to 1913 .

His son Philibert

His son, also known as Philibert Berthelier, was excommunicated by the consistory in 1551 after the Reformation for violent behavior. In 1555 he was sentenced to death by the city court, after which he fled Geneva.

literature

  • James A. Galiffe: Matériaux pour l'histoire de Genève, tome second . Barbezat, Geneva 1830.
  • Gaston Valette: Philibert Berthelier . In: Journal de Genève , May 27, 1909, p. 1.
  • Anonymous: Historique des travaux du Comité du monument Philibert Berthelier, érigé le 30 may 1909 . Atar, Geneva 1914.
  • Théodore Aubert: Philibert Berthelier: publié à l'occasion du quatrième centenaire du martyre de Philibert Berthelier . Sonor, Geneva 1919.
  • Charles Borgeaud: Philibert Berthelier, Bezanson Hugues, pères de la combourgeoisie de Genève avec Friborg et Berne . In: Etrennes genevoises , 1927.
  • Victor van Berchem: La mort de Berthelier . In: Etrennes genevoises , 1928.
  • Max-Marc Thomas: Souvenir de Berthelier . In: Cahier de la République , Nyon, No. 1, 1978.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Christian Grosse: L'excommunication de Philibert Berthelier: histoire d'un conflit d'identité aux premiers temps de la Réforme genevoise (1547-1555). In: Les cahiers / Société d'histoire et d'archéologie de Genève . No. 3, Geneva 1995, ISBN 2884420061 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Berthelier, Philibert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Geneva politician and freedom fighter
DATE OF BIRTH around 1465
PLACE OF BIRTH Virieu-le-Grand
DATE OF DEATH August 23, 1519
Place of death Geneva