Record

StorageSiteUCL Special Collections
LevelItem
Reference Number MS PHILL/46
TitleFribourg Documents
Date16th century-17th century
DescriptionManuscript volume containing letters and documents relating to Fribourg, 16th century-17th century.
Extent1 volume containing 42 leaves
AdminHistoryThe city of Fribourg (in German Freiburg) in western Switzerland, which lies on a loop in La Sarine (Saane) River, was founded by Berthold IV, duke of Zhringen, in 1157 to control a ford across the river. It passed to the sons of Rudolf of Habsburg in 1277 but was abandoned by the Habsburgs in 1452, when it accepted the suzerainty of the dukes of Savoy. Fribourg assisted the Swiss in defeating Charles the Bold of Burgundy at Grandson and Morat (Murten) in 1476 and was admitted to full membership in the Swiss Confederation in 1481. Occupied by the French in 1798, it became part of the Helvetic Republic and later a canton of the Swiss Confederation reconstituted by Napoleon's Act of Mediation in 1803. Fribourg is also the centre of Swiss Catholicism. Fribourg canton, made up of districts acquired by its capital city Fribourg, reached its present extent with the inclusion of Morat (Murten) in 1803.
CustodialHistoryThe 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 3410 and Engel MS.
AcquisitionThe Phillipps Manuscripts at University College London were given to the College by the German government in 1912.
AccessStatusOpen
AccessConditionsThe papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
FindingAidsDorothy K Coveney, 'A Descriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of University College London' (London, 1935); handlist at University College London Special Collections.
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