The Pfaffenbrief is a contract dated to October 7, 1370, between six states of the

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

, Zürich,

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 ...

, Zug,

Uri Uri may refer to: Places * Canton of Uri, a canton in Switzerland * Úri, a village and commune in Hungary * Uri, Iran, a village in East Azerbaijan Province * Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, a town in India * Uri (island), an island off Malakula Islan ...

, Schwyz and Unterwalden (with

Bern german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese , neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen , website ...

and Glarus missing). In the Pfaffenbrief they for the first time expressed themselves as a territorial unity, referring to themselves as ''unser Eydgnosschaft''. They assumed in this document authority over clericals (''Pfaffen''), subjecting them to their worldly legislation. Furthermore, the ''Pfaffenbrief'' forbade

feud A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...

s and the parties pledged to guarantee the peace on the road from Zürich to the St. Gotthard pass. The immediate cause of the contract was an attack of the provost of the cathedral ( Grossmünster) of Zürich, Bruno Brun, on Peter von Gundoldingen, mayor of Lucerne, on September 13, 1370. Brun held Gundoldingen imprisoned and refused to recognize the jurisdiction of a secular court, but was banned from Zürich and his prisoner released. The Pfaffenbrief was drawn up because the Confederacy was concerned that Brun, who was in

Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...

services, might still appeal to a court of the Holy Roman Empire, or to an ecclesiastical court, and to avoid similar disputes in the future.

References

External links

* *Schaff, Ph.:
Pfaffenbrief
', entry from ''New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge'', CCEL online edition. In English. {{Authority control Legal history of Switzerland 14th century in the Old Swiss Confederacy 1370s in the Holy Roman Empire 1370 in Europe 1370s treaties