Helvetic revolution and Invasion of the French troups 1798

From 1797 on, France pursued what were initially three barely discernible military-political objectives with regard to the Old Swiss Confederacy. The first was to gain access to Northern Italy via the passes in the Alps, the second was to replenish France’s war chest and the third was to exploit Swiss military potential for France’s own military objectives. Because of the tense social climate in the Confederacy at the time, Switzerland was unable to come to an arrangement with France, nor could it organise any type of resistance.

Napoleon Bonaparte’s plan for the medium term was to incite a revolution in the Old Confederacy and support reform movements throughout Switzerland. To this end, he also exploited the increasing resentment between the population of Switzerland’s cities and its countryside.

One of the first steps he took to topple the Old Confederacy was to force the secession of the territories under the overlordship of Grisons and their annexation to the Cisalpine Republic in 1797.

Events

At the end of 1797, French troops occupied the southern part of the Prince-Bishopric of Basel, which was part of the Swiss neutrality region; the northern portion had already been annexed in 1792.

At the beginning of 1798, revolutionary forces in Switzerland and the French jointly declared war on the Old Confederacy. French troops then launched an invasion after the Helvetic Revolution broke out in Vaud and a request for assistance was sent by the Lemanic Republic, which had been proclaimed on 24 January 1798. Troops from Bern retreated without a fight to the region around Murten and Fribourg. Bern’s refusal to allow the so-called Reform – or Peace – Party to take power was used as a justification for the main attack by French troops.

Hostilities began on 1 March 1798. In the days that followed, battles were fought near Lengnau (BE) and Grenchen, and in Ruhsel Forest between Alfermée and Twann. These battles ended with the so-called Surrender at Solothurn, and on 4 March 1798, the government in Bern stepped down. Bernese troops nevertheless continued to resist the French advance. On the northern axis, they were defeated at Fraubrunnen and suffered a clear reverse at Grauholz on 5 March. The French advance from the south had no effect on the ultimate outcome of the war. This advance had begun with the capture of Murten and Fribourg on 2 March and was halted by Bernese troops at Neuenegg on 5 March. On the same day, however, the City of Bern officially surrendered. To celebrate their victory, the French looted the Bern treasury and instituted a war tax. At the same time, a fundamental reorganisation of political and economic structures was initiated.

After the Helvetic Republic was proclaimed in Aarau on 12 April 1798, Uri, Schwyz, Nidwalden, Glarus and Zug decided to defend their statehood (and their subject territories) by force of arms. Troops from what were now the rebellious cantons launched their offensive on 21 April 1798. They attacked the forces of the reform movement, and the French occupiers who supported them, from three sides. While the rebel troops were initially able to recapture Obwalden, Rapperswil and the City of Lucerne, their advance towards Aarau, Zurich and Bern led the new government to call on the French troops stationed in Switzerland for assistance. The French launched a counter-offensive from occupied Zurich, advancing through Zug, Lucerne and Sattel in the direction of Schwyz. Zug and Lucerne then surrendered. After the capture of Rapperswil and skirmishes at Wollerau on 30 April, Glarus, which was allied with Schwyz, also surrendered. The Schwyz forces had to retreat after a clash at Schindellegi on 1 May. Although they did achieve a victory at Rothenthurm and Morgarten on 2 May, their situation was hopeless in view of the extensive losses they had suffered. On 4 May 1798, the Schwyz Assembly decided to stop fighting and surrender.

One of the final episodes in the French invasion was an initially successful uprising in Upper Valais, but this had collapsed by May 1798.