Rothenthurm

Geschichte

Rothenthurm is a municipality in Schwyz District in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland.HistoryThe French invasion of Switzerland in 1798 brought about a swift end of the Ancien Régime. The French victories against the larger cities of the swiss plateau led to the creation of the French supported Helvetic Republic on 12 April 1798. Following the declaration of the Republic, the Cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden rejected it and raised an army to fight the French. Under Alois von Reding they were able to raise about 10,000 men. This army was deployed along the defensive line from Napf to Rapperswil. General Reding besieged French controlled Lucerne and marched across the Brünig pass into the Berner Oberland to support the armies of Berne. At the same time, the French General Balthazar Alexis Henri Schauenburg marched out of occupied Zürich to attack Zug, Lucerne and the Sattel pass. Even though the Reding's army won victories at Rothenthurm and Morgarten, Schauenburg's victory near Sattel allowed him to threaten the town of Schwyz. On 4 May 1798, the town council of Schwyz surrendered.