| AdminHistory | Bern (Berne), capital city of Switzerland and capital of Bern canton, lies along a narrow loop of the Aare River in west-central Switzerland. The existence of the ancient castle of Nydegg, guarding the river crossing, was probably behind the decision of Berthold V, Duke of Zhringen, to found Bern in 1191 as a military post on the frontier between the German-speaking Alemanni and French-speaking Burgundy. Following the extinction of the Zhringen dynasty in 1218, Bern became a free imperial city, gradually extending its power by acquiring surrounding territory, and becoming an independent state which in 1353 entered the Swiss Confederation, soon becoming its leader. Bern was rebuilt with sandstone following a devastating fire in the predominantly wood-built town in 1405. Much of the surrounding metropolis has since been modernized, but the centre, Old Bern, remains intact from this period. A dispute between Roman Catholics and Reformers in 1528 led to the city's acceptance and subsequent championship of Protestant doctrines. In the 18th century Bern governed 52 territories, and its leaders exercised considerable power. However, the system of Bernese patrician government was swept away by the French in 1798; a partial revival in 1815 ended in 1831. Bern became the political capital of the Swiss Confederation in 1848. |
| CustodialHistory | The manuscript belonged to Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), baronet, an antiquary and bibliophile whose collection included c60,000 manuscripts of various kinds, some relating to the administration of Swiss towns. Various manuscripts were sold after Sir Thomas's death, some to the German government, and were dispersed to several libraries. Formerly Phillipps MS 20654 and Engel MS. |