History of Bern

The city of Bern is one of the Zähringer foundations of the late 12th century, with its traditional founding date being 1191. It grew quickly and by the end of the 13th century, it had achieved a special status directly under the emperor. In 1353, Bern joined the Old Swiss Confederacy, becoming a full member.

During the 15th century, Bern expanded its power, especially by taking over Aargau in 1415. Later, in 1536, it acquired Vaud, which made Bern the most powerful city-republic north of the Alps and a key Protestant city in early modern Switzerland. Even after losing some areas, the canton of Bern remained the largest in Switzerland until Jura became separate in 1979.

Since 1848, Bern has served as the federal city, or capital, of Switzerland, playing an important role in the country's history and government.

Name

The name Bern has an uncertain origin. A local story says that Berchtold V, Duke of Zähringen, the founder of the city, promised to name the city after the first animal he found while hunting. That animal was a bear, which gave the city its name and its symbol. However, this link between Bern and the word bear is likely just a made-up story.

Some believe the city may have been named after the Italian city of Verona, which was called Bern in old German. An old item called the Bern zinc tablet, found in the 1980s, shows that an older name, possibly Brenodor, was still known when Rome ruled the area. This older name might be related to a word meaning "gap" or "chasm" from an ancient language.

In the past, the people of Bern often used the bear as a symbol of their strength and power in the Old Swiss Confederacy. They were sometimes called mötz or motzlin, old words for "bear," and later Mutz. The city was even playfully called Mutzopolis.

Early history

See also: Early history of Switzerland

The first signs of people living in the Aare valley go back to very old times, from the Neolithic period. The first known town near where Bern is today was built around 300 to 200 BCE on a place called Engehalbinsel. This town was one of the important places of the Helvetii, a group of people written about by Caesar. There were also other smaller towns close by.

After the Roman conquest, a small Roman town called a vicus was built in the same spot. It had a place for watching games, small temples, homes with workshops, and a bath. The town was left empty between 165 and 211 CE. Even after the Roman Empire ended, people still lived in small groups around the area that is now Bern.

Medieval foundation of Bern

The city of Bern began in the late 1100s when Berthold V, Duke of Zähringen, founded it in the year 1191. At that time, much of western Switzerland was under the control of the house of Zähringen. Though they did not have their own duchy, they were called dukes by the German king and had power in the area.

Berchtold V built a small castle at Nydegg to protect the area near the Aare River. The city grew from this castle, with streets laid out in a typical Zähringen style. After Berthold V died without children, Bern gained its town privileges and became an independent city-state by the late 1200s. In 1274, King Rudolph I of Germany confirmed Bern's rights, making it fully independent within the Holy Roman Empire.

Old Swiss Confederacy

See also: Old Swiss Confederacy and Early Modern Switzerland

In 1293, a king named Adolf of Germany confirmed all the rights Bern had gained during a special time called the interregnum from 1291 to 1293. Even though these rights were given by a king, after 1300, Bern acted like an independent city, expanding its power.

In 1323, Bern formed an alliance with three forest cantons: Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden. As Bern grew, it often clashed with nearby rulers and the city of Fribourg. In 1339, these groups tried to attack Bern, but Bern’s army, though smaller, won a big battle and became stronger.

In 1353, Bern joined the Old Swiss Confederacy permanently, becoming one of its eight members. This helped Bern grow even more powerful in the years to come.

Growth of the city-state

Bern took over areas like Aargau in 1415 and Vaud in 1536, becoming a large city-state north of the Alps. By the 18th century, it included most of what is now the canton of Bern and the canton of Vaud.

Development of the city

When Bern was first built, it had only about 400 to 600 people, but by 1300, the population grew to 3,000. The city expanded and built strong walls to protect itself. After a big fire in 1405, wooden buildings were replaced with stone houses, which still stand today.

Even though Bern wasn’t on major trade routes, farming became very important. Tanneries and leather goods were also major exports. In later years, wealthy families took over government roles, and trade grew slowly.

Society and politics

The traditional rules of Bern stayed mostly the same from 1294 until 1798. There was a Grand Council with 200 members and a Small Council with 27 members, including the mayor. Over time, power became concentrated in a few rich families, and by the 17th century, only certain families could hold office.

In 1528, after three weeks of discussion, Bern changed to Protestantism.

Modern history

In 1798, French troops took over Bern during the French Revolutionary Wars. They took away some of Bern’s land, creating a new area called the Canton of Oberland. People there didn’t really want this change. Later, in 1803, the two areas were joined back together again.

After the Congress of Vienna in 1814, Bern grew larger again by adding the Bernese Jura. In 1848, Bern became the Federal City, where the main government of Switzerland meets. During World War I, some important meetings about workers’ rights happened in Bern. The city’s population grew over the years, reaching its highest number in the 1960s.