1515 Marignano

2015 – On the Battle of Marignano 500 years ago. On 13 and 14 September 1515, the Old Swiss Confederacy was defeated by the Royal French army. Taking the theme of the 'Battle of Giants', the exhibition focuses on Swiss mercenaries and European diplomacy. The bloody defeat at the Battle of Marignano served as a reminder to the Swiss Confederation of the horrors of war. However, it is not the military defeat that is embedded in the collective memory. Rather, the withdrawal from great power politics is remembered as the origin of Swiss neutrality. While not negating this historical-political amalgamation of Marignano with neutrality, the exhibition focuses on the historical context in the early 16th century. At the centre are the Swiss military campaigns in the battle for Milan, as well as the history of mercenaries.