Friedrich VII, count of Toggenburg (ca. 1370 – 30 April 1436), was the last of the Counts of Toggenburg who ruled in what would become

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

. His death without heirs or a will led to the Old Zürich War. Der letzte Toggenburger

Born at

Solavers Castle Solavers Castle is a castle in the Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality of Seewis im Prättigau of the Canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. History Solavers Castle was originally built as a fortified church probably during the Early Midd ...

near Grüsch in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

canton Canton may refer to: Administrative division terminology * Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland * Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French Arts and ent ...

of Graubünden, he was the son of Diethelm and Katharina von Werdenberg-Heiligenberg. After 1387 he was at the head of the line of succession for the family. In 1391 he married Elisabeth von Matsch. He was only loosely involved in the daily operations of his lands, but was very involved in military affairs. He was a member of a small group of very successful military leaders in the region. Until 1406 he was a ''

condottiero ''Condottieri'' (; singular ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other Europe ...

'' for the Austrians for which he received rights to the cities of Sargans, Windegg,

Freudenberg Freudenberg can refer to: Companies * Freudenberg Group, a German family-owned diversified group of companies * Freudenberg IT, a German company Places France * Freudenberg, Moselle, a village in the French département of Moselle Germany * S ...

and Nidberg. He then made peace with his enemies which protected his old and new estates. On 21 January 1407 ''Fridrich von Toggenburg, Herr zu Brettengow und Tafas'' donated to ''his own and the salvation of his ancestors who were buried'' (at the Rüti church) ''and where he also expects to be buried'', the church rights of ''Wangen in der March'' to the Rüti Abbey, sealed by Fridrich and the knights ''Herman von Landenberg'', ''Johans von Bonstetten'' from '' Ustra'' and ''Herman von der Hochenlandenberg''. In 1417 he acquired the rights over the city of

Feldkirch Feldkirch may refer to: Places * Feldkirch, Vorarlberg, a medieval city and capital of an administrative district in Austria ** Feldkirch (district), an administrative division of Vorarlberg, Austria * Feldkirch (Hartheim), a village in the municip ...

and in 1424 added

Rheineck Rheineck is a municipality in the ''Wahlkreis'' (constituency) of Rheintal in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. History Rheineck is first mentioned about 1163 as ''castellum Rinegge''. In 1218 it was mentioned as ''Rinegg''. An older ...

and Altstätten. Following his successful invasion of

Appenzell Appenzell is a historic canton in the northeast of Switzerland, and entirely surrounded by the canton of St. Gallen. Appenzell became independent of the Abbey of Saint Gall in 1403 and entered a league with the Old Swiss Confederacy in 1411, ...

, in 1428 at the end of the Appenzell Wars, he had acquired almost all the Austrian possessions from

to Montafon as well as the county of Werdenburg from Sargans to the upper regions of Lake Zurich. While he did have at least one illegitimate son, Johannes, he died without heirs or a will on 30 April 1436 and was buried in the Rüti Abbey respectively Rüti Church. The lords of Raron, Montfort-Tettnang, Sax-Misox, Brandis and Aarburg all had claims on the Toggenburg lands. When the

canton of Zürich The canton of Zürich (german: Kanton Zürich ; rm, Chantun Turitg; french: Canton de Zurich; it, Canton Zurigo) is a Swiss canton in the northeastern part of the country. With a population of (as of ), it is the most populous canton in the ...

claimed the Toggenburg lands followed by the cantons of Schwyz and Glarus, the Old Zürich War broke out.

References

1370s births 1436 deaths Rüti, Zürich 14th-century Swiss nobility 15th-century Swiss nobility Counts of Toggenburg House of Toggenburg {{Switzerland-bio-stub