Swiss Confederation Expansion in the 1460s

Timeline

1. 1460Thurgau · ThurgauDue to financial difficulties, Archduke Sigismund of Austria granted Thurgau to the Swiss Confederation for joint rule, allowing the Confederation to extend its power east to the upper Rhine and strengthen its influence over the Swabian frontier — a key step in 1460s territorial expansion.
2. 1461–1467Bern · BernCity-states such as Bern and Zurich continued in the 1460s to extend vassal and alliance relationships eastward and northward, while Confederation members coordinated more closely in foreign negotiations and defense, gradually transforming Switzerland from a mountain league into a regional great power.
3. 1465–1470Western Europe · Western EuropeIn the 1460s Swiss pikemen demonstrated formidable fighting power in mercenary service in France, Italy, and elsewhere, earning the Confederation financial returns and international prestige; rulers such as France's Louis XI hired Swiss infantry in large numbers, which in turn promoted the maturation of the Confederation's military organization and tactics.