Neuchatel
is a beautiful little town in Switzerland situated on Lake Neuchatel, but it is a city. It
was an anachronistic holdover from the middle ages well into the 19th
century. It's feudal past almost brought newly founded Switzerland and the Kingdom of Prussia to declare war on
each other in the middle of the 19th century. Today, it has a university and is a center for tourists visiting
the beautiful lakeside countryside and the Jura Mountains.
The city
of Neuchatel (translates into Newcastle) was first mentioned in 1011 in a deed of gift by King Rudolf III of Burgundy to his wife Queen Irmengard. In all probability, it
wasn't much more than a moat guarded by a garrison. The new Royal connotation and the Queen's personal interest started the build up of a community around the fortifications. King Rudolf and Queen Irmengard died childless. By deed of will, the Kingdom of Burgundy passed to Conrad II, Emperor of the
Holy Roman Empire of German Nations in 1033.
The will had been drawn up to keep the kingdom out of a war of succession, as too many equally valid claims on the throne were held by too many powerful families scattered all over Europe. It stipulate the emperor as recipient, not the person or ruling family; and it was under the proviso that the kingdom would remain independent of the empire. Emperor Conrad duly traveled to Solothurn to be crowned as King of Burgundy; at about the same time, the Counts of Neuchatel were created. They would rule the city and surrounding countryside until the late 14th century.
The will had been drawn up to keep the kingdom out of a war of succession, as too many equally valid claims on the throne were held by too many powerful families scattered all over Europe. It stipulate the emperor as recipient, not the person or ruling family; and it was under the proviso that the kingdom would remain independent of the empire. Emperor Conrad duly traveled to Solothurn to be crowned as King of Burgundy; at about the same time, the Counts of Neuchatel were created. They would rule the city and surrounding countryside until the late 14th century.
The
counts must have been an extraordinary set of rulers, one after the other. They
are commemorated to this day by the prominent Cenotaph in the La Collégiale church in the city. In
every tract on history, legend, myth or story referring to the counts of Neuchatel, they are summarily called ‘the good counts of Neuchatel’. Ruling the county for 400 years, this must be a track record for goodness. The last countess died childless in 1395,
and left title and lands to her nephew in Freiburg. Over 600 years later, a service of remembrance is still held every year for the counts with the government and the people attending. Most days, you will find that someone left fresh flowers at the cenotaph.
What
started out with a deed of gift to a queen continued as a story of inheritances.
The county of Neuchatel passed from the Counts of Freiburg, to the
Margraves of Baden, the Royal House of Orleans, and finally to the
Prince-Electors of Brandenburg and Kings in Prussia. The county was made a
principality under the Orleans family. As the last transfer to the Prussians
was done under pressure from the Swiss Confederation against 14 other
contenders for the inheritance, Neuchatel was declared an independent
principality (i.e. not part of Prussia) on the insistence of Louis XIV of
France.
As the
Counts of Neuchatel had been gifted in administering the county, all families
following them into the administration shared one common policy; they just
confirmed the existing laws and administration and didn’t bother too much about
any details. The Counts of Chalon concluded a treaty with the Swiss
Confederation in 1306, leading to Neuchatel becoming a de facto part of the
Swiss Confederation without being a member of it. This finally led to the
curious situation of Neuchatel becoming a member of democratic Switzerland in
1848 while still being governed by the Prussian Kings as Princes.
To this
day, a Swiss citizen is not addressed as citizen, but as ‘Miteidgenosse’
(translates to ‘fellow oath taker’). After the Prussians took over, the King of
Prussia was forthwith addressed as ‘our fellow oath taker’ up to his formal abdication
as Prince in 1857. But it needed the good services of Emperor Napoleon III of
France to bring that about without Switzerland and Prussia going to war. Things
came to a head as Neuchatel’s citizens had passed a Republican constitution on
becoming part of Switzerland, but Royalist elements had tried to overthrow the
new government and declare Neuchatel independent.
The
Principality became part of France in 1795 for a short time as the Prussian
ceded their rights to it to Napoleon. But the Vienna Congress of 1815
compounded the anachronism (and made things worse) by designating it ‘a Canton of Switzerland and
Prussian Principality’. When the Swiss Republics subsequently joined into the
United States of Switzerland, the situation became nothing short of ridiculous.
Neuchatel
is a French speaking town. By general consent, it is The French Speaking City,
actually. Anybody who intends to learn properly spoken French in all its beauty
is sent to Neuchatel to do so, as they speak it without a hint of accent, as
opposed to French cities that all have their peculiarities and accents. Famous
people associated with Neuchatel are writer Friedrich Durrenmatt, Prussian
General Bernard de Gelieu, failed Hitler assassin Maurice Bavaud, and musician Robert Miles.
For
further information on the city of Neuchatel you may want to go to the official
homepage of the city government neuchatelville.ch.
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