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A ''
in 1770, in the uniform of an officer of the Bernese Huntsmen Corps with his Berner Laufhund, painted by Jean Preudhomme in 1785
There were two basic types of ''Vogteien'': ''Obervogteien'' (also ''Landgerichte'', ''innere Vogteien'') were administered by reeves (''Obervögte'', ''Venner'') residing in the city, usually elected from among the city parliament, who visited their territories on certain fixed days to act as judges or collect taxes. They were represented by local lieutenants (''Untervögte'').
A ''Vogt
During the Middle Ages, an (sometimes given as modern English: advocate; German: ; French: ) was an office-holder who was legally delegated to perform some of the secular responsibilities of a major feudal lord, or for an institution such as ...
'' (plural ''Vögte'') was a title and office in the Old 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 centur ...
, inherited from the feudal
Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of structur ...
system of the Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...
, corresponding to the English '' reeve''. The German term ''Vogtei'' is ultimately a loan from Latin '' docatia''.
''Vogtei''
left, Franz_Rudolf_Frisching,_bailiff_in_the_Vallemaggia_(district).html" "title="bailiff.html" ;"title="Franz Rudolf Frisching, bailiff">Franz Rudolf Frisching, bailiff in the Vallemaggia (district)">Vallemaggia The Vallemaggia District is a district of the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. It has a population of (as of ). The capital of the district is Cevio. Geography The Vallemaggia District has an area, , of . Of this area, or 1.7% is used for ...
''Reichsvogt''
'' Reichsvogt'' was the term for a ''Vogt'', that was nominated by the king as the representative of theHoly Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars.
From the accession of Otto I in 962 unt ...
, and was especially in today's Switzerland in the High Middle Ages
The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history that lasted from AD 1000 to 1300. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended ...
a very influential position.
''Landvogt''
The second type of ''Vogtei'' was a ''Landvogtei'' where the ''Landvogt'' ("sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
" or "bailiff
A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their o ...
") resided permanently, usually in a castle within the ''Landvogtei'' known as ''Landvogteischloss''. There are several buildings still so identified, e.g. in Baden
Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine.
History
The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden i ...
and in Willisau
Willisau is a municipality in the district of Willisau in the Lucerne canton of Switzerland. It was formed on 1 January 2006 from the municipalities of Willisau Land (W. Country) and Willisau Stadt (W. Town).Gemeine Herrschaft'') of several cantons, notably acting as a judge for capital crimes (
Blutgericht
High, middle and low justices are notions dating from Western feudalism to indicate descending degrees of judicial power to administer justice by the maximal punishment the holders could inflict upon their subjects and other dependents.
Low ju ...
). The title first appears in 1415. The cantons took turns in appointing a ''Landvogt'' for a period of two years.
In exceptional cases, the population of the ''Landvogtei'' was allowed to elect their own ''Landvogt''. This concerned Oberhasli in particular, which was nominally a subject territory of 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 ...
, but enjoyed a special status as a military ally.
The office of ''Landvogt'' was abolished in 1798, with the foundation of the Helvetic Republic
The Helvetic Republic (, , ) was a sister republic of France that existed between 1798 and 1803, during the French Revolutionary Wars. It was created following the French invasion and the consequent dissolution of the Old Swiss Confederacy, m ...
.
The notion of ''fremde Vögte'' ("foreign reeves") is central to Swiss national mythology, since the early Confederacy in the 14th century is commonly believed to have had the main purpose to expel imperial judges. One of the core points of the Federal Charter of 1291
The Federal Charter or Letter of Alliance (german: Bundesbrief) is one of the earliest constitutional documents of Switzerland. A treaty of alliance from 1291 between the cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, the Charter is one of a series ...
is that the '' Eidgenossen'' "will accept or receive no judge in the aforesaid valleys, who shall have obtained his office for any price, or for money in any way whatever, or one who shall not be a native or a resident with us." The "foreign ''Vögte''" were replaced by native '' Ammänner'' called into office by the Landsgemeinde
The ''Landsgemeinde'' ("cantonal assembly"; , plural ''Landsgemeinden'') is a public, non-secret ballot voting system operating by majority rule, which constitutes one of the oldest forms of direct democracy. Still at use – in a few places †...
.
The term ''fremde Vögte'' is still in use polemically in Swiss politics
Switzerland is a semi-direct democratic federal republic. The federal legislative power is vested in the two chambers of the Federal Assembly: the National Council and the Council of States. The Federal Council holds the executive po ...
, particularly by conservatives, in the context of Switzerland and the European Union.
See also
*Gemeine Herrschaften
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 centur ...
* Talschaft
* Reichsvogt
* Zwing und Bann
* Landammann
External links
*References
{{Authority control Feudalism in Switzerland Swiss noble titles