Appenzell Wars

The wars consisted of uprisings of cooperative groups, such as the farmers of Appenzell or the craftsmen of the city of St. Gallen, against the traditional medieval power structure represented by the House of Habsburg and the Prince-Abbot of the Abbey of St. Gall.

The success of the Swiss Confederation, with similar Landsgemeinden, against the aristocratic Habsburgs encouraged the Appenzell citizens to consider throwing off the Abbot's agents.

[2] Both the abbot and Appenzell wanted to protect their rights and interests by joining the new Swabian League of Cities.

[citation needed] Appenzell declared itself ready to stand against the abbot, and in 1403 formed an alliance with the Canton of Schwyz, a member of the Old Swiss Confederacy that had defeated the Austrians in the previous century.

A small force of about 80 Appenzellers started the attack from a hill over the valley, with about 300 soldiers from Schwyz and 200 from Glarus moving around the flanks of the army.

[2] Additionally, over the next two years, the city of St. Gallen and Appenzell drew closer, which led to an intervention by Frederick IV, Duke of Austria, in support of the abbot.

The city of St. Gallen and the canton of Schwyz each paid off the Austrians to avoid an attack, and the Bund was dissolved by King Rupert on 4 April 1408.

[2] In 1421, the Confederation supported the abbot over the matter of these taxes, and multiple imperial bans were imposed on Appenzell to try to force them to pay.

[2] When these were unsuccessful, in 1426 they were placed under an interdict,[2] Frederick VII, Count of Toggenburg, supported by the Order of St. George's Shield marched into Appenzell.

On 2 December 1428 they encountered and defeated the Appenzell army behind a heavy fortification (known as a letzi) on the field between Gossau and Herisau.

This treaty represented the end of Appenzell's last financial tie to the Abbey of St. Gall, and a movement towards closer relationship with the Swiss Confederation.