The ''Luzerner Schilling'' (or ''Luzernerchronik'', Lucerne chronicle) is an

illuminated manuscript An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared document where the text is often supplemented with flourishes such as borders and miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Church for prayers, liturgical services and psalms, the ...

of 1513, containing the

chronicle A chronicle ( la, chronica, from Greek ''chroniká'', from , ''chrónos'' – "time") is a historical account of events arranged in chronological order, as in a timeline. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and lo ...

of the history of the

Swiss Confederation ). 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 ...

written by Diebold Schilling the Younger of

Lucerne Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...

. The chronicle is an impressive volume containing 443 colourful full-page

miniature A miniature is a small-scale reproduction, or a small version. It may refer to: * Portrait miniature, a miniature portrait painting * Miniature art, miniature painting, engraving and sculpture * Miniature (chess), a masterful chess game or probl ...

illustrations and 237 text pages, which cover the whole history of the Confederation, but with more space given to events of the previous forty years. Diebold, through his father and his uncle

Diebold Schilling the Elder Diebold Schilling the Elder (c. 1445 – 1485) was the author of several of the Swiss illustrated chronicles, the ''Berner Schilling'' of 1483, the ''Spiezer Schilling'' (1480s), and the ''Zürcher Schilling'' of 1484. He worked in Lucerne as a c ...

, came into contact with the art of chronicle book illustration as it had evolved in

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

under the influence of

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The c ...

, in works like the

Froissart of Louis of Gruuthuse (BnF Fr 2643-6) The Froissart of Louis of Gruuthuse (BnF Fr 2643–6) is a heavily illustrated deluxe illuminated manuscript in four volumes, containing a French text of Froissart's ''Chronicles'', written and illuminated in the first half of the 1470s in Brug ...

. Both the illustrations and the accompanying narratives are remarkably lively and realistic. Two painters can be distinguished, one keeping in the more traditional gothic style of manuscript illumination - this is believed to be Schilling himself - while the other develops a new, specifically Swiss artistic style that culminates in the works of

Niklaus Manuel Deutsch Niklaus Manuel Deutsch (''Niklaus Manuel'', c. 1484 – 28 April 1530), of Bern, was a Swiss artist, writer, mercenary and Reformed politician. Biography Niklaus was most likely the son of Emanuel Aleman (or Alleman), a pharmacist whose own fat ...

and

Hans Holbein the Younger Hans Holbein the Younger ( , ; german: Hans Holbein der Jüngere; – between 7 October and 29 November 1543) was a Germans, German-Swiss people, Swiss painter and printmaker who worked in a Northern Renaissance style, and is considered o ...

in the mid-16th century. A reproduction was published in 1932 on the occasion of the 600th anniversary of the accession of Lucerne to the Swiss Confederacy, and a full colour facsimile by the Faksimile Verlag of Lucerne in 1981. Image:Luzerner Schilling 61v.jpg, fol. 61v; disasters in connection with two comets sighted in 1456 Image:Luzerner Schilling 206r.jpg, fol. 206r; Gian Maria Sforza of Milano, bishop of Genoa, travels to Zurich to hire mercenaries; Jörg Supersaxo, a traitor bribed by the Milanese, is arrested at the fish market of

. Image:Luzerner_Schilling_259r.jpg, fol. 259r; Carnival dance on the Landmatte of

Schwyz The town of Schwyz (; french: Schwytz; it, Svitto) is the capital of the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland. The Federal Charter of 1291 or ''Bundesbrief'', the charter that eventually led to the foundation of Switzerland, can be seen at the '' ...

Image:Reislaeufer Luzerner Schilling.jpg, fol. 327v;

Reisläufer The Swiss mercenaries (german: Reisläufer) were a powerful infantry force constituted by professional soldiers originating from the cantons of the Old Swiss Confederacy. They were notable for their service in foreign armies, especially among ...

crossing the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

File:Schilling mercenaries.jpg, Schilling mercenaries training. Image:Luzerner Schilling 330v.jpg, fol. 339v; the duchess of Monfort frees a condemned prisoner on his way to the gallows Image:Medieval_manuscript-Jews_identified_by_rouelle_are_being_burned_at_stake.jpg, Jews (identified by the mandatory

Jewish badge Yellow badges (or yellow patches), also referred to as Jewish badges (german: Judenstern, lit=Jew's star), are badges that Jews were ordered to wear at various times during the Middle Ages by some caliphates, at various times during the Medieva ...

and

Jewish hat The Jewish hat, also known as the Jewish cap, ''Judenhut'' ( German) or Latin ''pileus cornutus'' ("horned skullcap"), was a cone-shaped pointed hat, often white or yellow, worn by Jews in Medieval Europe. Initially worn by choice, its wearing wa ...

) being burned during the

Black Death The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...

in 1348 Image:Bundesschwur Zuerich.jpg,

Zürich Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...

joins the

Swiss Confederacy The Old Swiss Confederacy or Swiss Confederacy ( Modern German: ; historically , after the Reformation also , "Confederation of the Swiss") was a loose confederation of independent small states (, German or In the charters of the 14th century ...

in 1351 Image:Battle_of_Žalgiris.jpg,

Battle of Grunwald The Battle of Grunwald, Battle of Žalgiris or First Battle of Tannenberg was fought on 15 July 1410 during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. The alliance of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respec ...

(15 July 1410) Image:Battle of Hard.jpg,

Battle of Hard The Battle of Hard was the first large-scale battle in the Swabian War, waged between the Imperials under the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I and the Swiss Confederates. The battle was fought on 20 February 1499, a cold and foggy day, between 10 ...

(

Swabian War The Swabian War of 1499 ( gsw, Schwoobechrieg (spelling depending on dialect), called or ("Swiss War") in Germany and ("War of the Engadin") in Austria) was the last major armed conflict between the Old Swiss Confederacy and the House of Hab ...

) Image:Aftermath Battle of Triboltingen.jpg, After the Battle of Triboltingen (

) Image:Storm of Thayngen.jpg, Storm of Thayngen (

) Image:Giornico Schilling 1478.jpg,

Battle of Giornico In the Battle of Giornico (28 December 1478) a Swiss force of 600 defeated 10,000 Milanese troops. History The Battle of Giornico was part of an expansionist policy of the Old Swiss Confederation during the 15th century. The confederation attempt ...

(28 December 1478)

Literature

Paul Ganz, ''The Lucerne Chronicle of Diebold Schilling'', The Burlington Magazine (1933).

External links

e-codices - Virtual Manuscript Library of SwitzerlandFacsimile
Swiss illustrated chronicles {{manuscript-art-stub

See also

Literature

External links