At the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries, the Baron of Raron rapidly rose to the highest ecclesiastical and secular offices in the Valais.

[3] The rebels besieged Witschard and his entourage at Seta Castle near Savièse and forced his resignation as episcopal bailiff along with the right to elect their own representatives in the government.

By 1417 Valais troops had destroyed Beauregard, Tourbillon and Montorge castles, all centers of the Raron power.

[5] Lucerne, Uri and Unterwalden were reluctant to directly oppose Bern, instead, they chose to invade the Ossola valley.

They were successful in reaching a temporary compromise, but after Valais troops attacked and besieged Raron castles, Bern invaded over the Sanetsch Pass and plundered Sion in 1418.

However, at the Second Battle of Ulrichen in September 1419 a force of 400[2] to 600[4] under the leadership of Thomas Brantschen ambushed and fought the Bernese army to a stand still.

[4] The Valais rebels were now isolated and had lost many of their homes while Bern had suffered heavy losses from a small force at Ulrichen.

With his authority damaged, his castles burned and a sullen population, the Baron abandoned Valais and died in Rome in 1431.