Pact of Brunnen

The Pact of Brunnen, signed on December 9, 1315, was a renewal of an earlier treaty and a crucial step in the formation of the Swiss Confederation. This pact solidified the alliance between the forest cantons of Uri, Schwyz, and Unterwalden, who sought to maintain public peace and their autonomy from external interference, particularly from the Habsburgs.12

The pact followed the significant Swiss victory at the Battle of Morgarten in November 1315, where peasant soldiers defeated a Habsburg army. This victory ensured the survival of the nascent confederation and marked the beginning of the Swiss gaining a reputation for formidable combat. The pact established that consultation among members would be compulsory in matters of foreign relations, laying a foundation for future expansion and unity.21