Several illustrated

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 ...

s were created in 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 ...

in the 15th and 16th centuries. They were luxurious

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 ...

s produced for the urban elite 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 ...

and

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 ...

, and their copious detailed illustrations allow a unique insight into the politics and daily life of late medieval

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 ...

on the eve of the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

. The most important of these chronicles are the works of the two Diebold Schillings, their luxurious execution, as well as their content reflecting the growing confidence and self-esteem of the leaders of the confederacy after their spectacular successes in the

Burgundian Wars The Burgundian Wars (1474–1477) were a conflict between the Burgundian State and the Old Swiss Confederacy and its allies. Open war broke out in 1474, and the Duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, was defeated three times on the battlefield in th ...

. * 1423

Konrad Justinger Conrad Justinger was a 14th-century chronicler who was probably born in Strasbourg.Bergier, p. 59. Justinger, who had learned the trade of a chronicler in his home town, appears to have moved to the city of Bern in the last quarter of the 14t ...

's chronicle (Bern) the original was lost, but a copy of the text survives in

Jena Jena () is a German city and the second largest city in Thuringia. Together with the nearby cities of Erfurt and Weimar, it forms the central metropolitan area of Thuringia with approximately 500,000 inhabitants, while the city itself has a popu ...

. * 1470 the " Tschachtlanchronik" by Bendict Tschachtlan und Heinrich Dittlinger (Bern, now kept in

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 ...

) *

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 ...

, Bern: **1483 the "

Berner Schilling The ''Berner Schilling'' (or ''Amtliche Chronik'', also ''Grosse Burgunderchronik'', ''Great Burgundy chronicle'') is a chronicle of Diebold Schilling the Elder of Berne (1480s), covering the history of the Old Swiss Confederacy up to the Burgundi ...

", three volumes, covering the time from the foundation of Bern up to and including the Burgundy Wars. **1480s "

Spiezer Schilling ''Spiezer Schilling'' or ''Spiezer Chronik'' is a chronicle by Diebold Schilling the Elder of Bern (1480s), created after the '' Berner Schilling'' by the same author. See also * Swiss illustrated chronicles Several illustrated chronicles we ...

", a shorter one-volume edition **1484 " Zürcher Schilling" (kept in Zürich; used by

Gerold Edlibach Gerold Edlibach (24 September 1454 – 28 August 1530) was a Swiss chronicler and official of Zurich, author of the ''Zürcher Chronik''. He was born to Ulrich Edlibach and Anna Landolt of Einsiedeln. His mother was from a wealthy family of ...

for his chronicle of 1486) *

Diebold Schilling the Younger Diebold Schilling the Younger (before 1460 - 3 November 1515(?)) was the author of the "Luzerner Schilling", one of the Swiss illustrated chronicles, which he presented to the city council of Lucerne on 15 January 1513 (but which remained incomple ...

, nephew of Diebold Schilling the Elder: **1515 "

Luzerner Schilling The ''Luzerner Schilling'' (or ''Luzernerchronik'', Lucerne chronicle) is an illuminated manuscript of 1513, containing the chronicle of the history of the Swiss Confederation written by Diebold Schilling the Younger of Lucerne. The chronicle is ...

" * 1515 Chronicle of

Wernher Schodeler Werner Schodoler (also Wernher Schodoler (1490 in Bremgarten, Aargau – 15 October 1541, in Bremgarten, Aargau) was a Swiss chronicler. He was the author of ''Swiss History'', the earliest of the Swiss illustrated chronicles. Literature *W ...

of Bremgarten. * 1529–1546 ''Berner Chronik'' of

Valerius Anshelm Valerius Anshelm (1475 – 1546/1547), born as Valerius Rüd (or Ryd), was a Swiss chronicler working in Bern. Anshelm was born in Rottweil, a city in Swabia that was allied with the Old Swiss Confederacy. His grandfather „Boley der ...

. * 1576

Christoph Silberysen Christoph is a male given name and surname. It is a German variant of Christopher. Notable people with the given name Christoph * Christoph Bach (1613–1661), German musician * Christoph Büchel (born 1966), Swiss artist * Christoph Dientzenho ...

's compendium. * 1587 "

Wickiana The Wickiana is recognized as one of the most significant collections of news reports and documents pertaining to current events dating from the 16th century in the form of single-leaf and illustrated broadsheets, pamphlets, prints, handwritten t ...

" by Johann Jakob Wick, a compilation of various manuscripts and

prints In molecular biology, the PRINTS database is a collection of so-called "fingerprints": it provides both a detailed annotation resource for protein families, and a diagnostic tool for newly determined sequences. A fingerprint is a group of conserve ...

. * 1626–1631 ''Schweitzer-Chronic'' by

Michael Stettler Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name "Michael" * Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian and ...

of Bern.

References

* Baumann, Carl G.: ''Über die Entstehung der ältesten Schweizer Bilderchroniken'', 1971. . {{Authority control 15th century in the Old Swiss Confederacy 16th century in the Old Swiss Confederacy Types of illuminated manuscript