Old Zürich War

The Old Zurich War, also known as the Toggenburg Succession, was a territorial dispute that occurred from 1436 to 1450. This conflict arose from the death of the last male count of Toggenburg, leaving his lands open to claims from neighboring Swiss cantons. Zurich, Schwyz, and Glarus were key members of the Swiss Confederation involved in the dispute.1

The war began when Schwyz invaded parts of the Toggenburg inheritance, which greatly angered Zurich. Despite Zurich's objections, Schwyz and Glarus were initially allowed to retain control of the occupied territories by the Swiss confederates. Zurich's rejection of this settlement led to the Old Zurich War, where Schwyz, and later other confederation members, successfully opposed Zurich. The conflict highlighted the internal tensions within the Swiss Confederation regarding territorial expansion and the balance of power among its members.12