Subsequent Habsburg expansion into former Lenzburg territories were one of several factors that led to the formation of the Old Swiss Confederacy in the late 13th century.

[2] The Lenzburgs were related to several other noble houses including the Counts of Habsburg, Steffling in Regensburg and the Kyburgs.

His son, Arnold, was appointed a vogt in 976 over the two largest monasteries in Zurich, the Grossmünster and Fraumünster, and their lands in Uri.

When Ulrich II supported Emperor Henry IV during the Investiture Controversy he was granted the Zürichgau or lands around Zürich.

Rudolf, the son of Ulrich II, ruled over the County of Aargau and lands in Unterwalden, Uri and Schwyz.

Expanding from these formerly Lenzburg lands into central Switzerland brought the Habsburgs into conflict with the Forest Cantons in the 13th century and led to the Eternal Alliance of 1291 and the eventual creation of the Old Swiss Confederation.

The next time a member of the family is mentioned is in 1036 when the son of Arnold, Ulrich I (also known as the rich) had the authority over the collegiate church of Beromünster and a county in Aargau that crossed the Aare River and included lands in central Switzerland.

[2] In 1045, he became the religious vogt over Schänis Abbey and restored it to prosperity and a sound economic footing by numerous gifts of property.

In the same year he convinced Emperor Henry III to grant Schänis Abbey, Beromünster and his County imperial immediacy.

His sons Ulrich III, Rudolf I and Arnold II followed him as counts and also acquired the vogtei over Rheinau.

The Emperor gave some of the lands to Albert III of Habsburg in 1173 and the rest to his son Otto of Burgundy in 1188.