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Swiss Civil War (1746) | |
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The Swiss Civil War was the final and largest of the Rebellions during Switzerland's Industrial Age. It however, was short-lived and only lasted eight days. It began just after the Genoese-Swiss War of 1746 was ended by British intervention. Blau Wolfe XIII, the new Prime Minister at the time, grew disillusioned with King William, seeing him as a leader who bent to British interests. He quickly used his influence, and his personal command over the Swiss military forces, to rally finance an army to oust King William. The Rebellion was ended when the Federalist leadership was captured and its forces dispersed.
History[]
William II of Switzerland had taken the throne in 1738, eight years before the Civil War began. He was recognized as the most adept King that the Swiss had thus far, expanding the borders, establishing a notable military, and centralizing the government. Lord Jozef Kohleschmied, the Duke of Zurich, served as Prime Minister for most of this time, being one of the most respected and effective officials in the government. The government William and Kohleschmied led was fantastic, and led to the Swiss growing into one of the foremost powers in Europe. However, William was known for his hot-headed antics, and Kohleschmied was silently recognized as the only person who could control the Kings temper.
In early 1746, Kohleschmied returned to Zurich and took an extended leave of absence. Meanwhile, in the South, a minor conflict had erupted because of a dispute between the House of Kroshbon over the throne of the newly founded Kingdom of Genoa. King William II claimed that after the abdication of the Doge that the throne was to be handed to a member of his family, however the people of Genoa could not stand for a German King on the throne, a new clamiant emerged, and hostilities ensued. There was however no actual fighting as within a few weeks the British intervened.
Under the threat of war, William agreed to meet British demands that he relinquish any and all claims over Genoa, Hesse, and Tuscany. The new Swiss Prime Minister, Sir Blau Wolfe, who had longtime been the Minister of Finance, and thus controlled the influential Swiss Trading Company, was appalled by this. Having already been opposed to William's dispute with Genoa, he felt that William bending to British demands shamed the Swiss, and that his King was unworthy to sit on the throne. He thus orchestrated the entirety of the Swiss Treasury to be brought to the Kanton of Graubunden, where, at his invitation, the UIC Organization, a mercenary group under command of Jack Daggerstealer, had already taken control of vast swaths of land.
Early Rebel Success[]
The Swiss military was caught heavily off guard. When William learned of the UIC taking over Graubunden, he ordered Wolfe to raise an army to take it back at once. Wolfe reported false statistcs back to the King, who believed him. On the 22 of May, Daggerstealer was instructed to invade Jura, which he did in a few hours. Upon learning that his Kingdom was split in half, William sent word to Lord Kohleschmied in Zurich, requesting his aid in putting down the rebellion. Unknowest to him, Lord Kohleschmied and his army had been trapped in a siege led by Mathieu O'malley, the second-in-command of the Rebellion.
Wolfe, at last, revealed himself as the true orchestrator of the entire ordeal, and declared himself Prassident of the "Federal Republic of Switzerland" and O'malley as Kanzler, the leader of its legislature.
Royalist Push[]
Holding of Bern[]
William managed to rally his own forces in Bern, 40,000 regulars, and 50,000 militia. His Captain of the Guard, Raghetti, took command of these forces alongside Prince Alexander. Meanwhile, Daggerstealer, O'malley, and Wolfe met in Graubunden, in the ancient city of Chur, where they finalized plans for their new state. Daggerstealer was ordered to attack Bern with the full force of the Rebellion, and did so, meeting Raghetti on the field, and subsequently losing an embarassing defeat. The Rebels realized that Bern had been rallied already, and they would not be able to take it without foreign assistance. O'malley was dispatched overseas to plead for support for their cause.
Daggerstealer attempted once more to attack Bern, in the battle that would determine the fate of the Rebels.
Torch of Jura[]
On May 26, Benjamin Kroshbon, the former Crown Prince of Switzerland, entered the Swiss border with a small, but elite, regiment of British cavalry. He obliterated the Rebel forces stationed there, under command of Kommandant Johnny Hexhayes, and subsequently put Hexhayes to death.
Most of the UIC forces were now depleted following the two battles for Bern and the sacking of Jura.
Crushing the Rebellion[]
Daggerstealer was subsequently captured during the second battle for Bern. Swiss Royalist forces under the command of Robert Lockbutler moved North to route the remaining UIC forces besieging Lord Kohleschmied. Under the direct command of the King, the Royalist forces moved into Graubunden, where they captured Blau Wolfe, to await trial. Matthew O'malley was captured attempting to flee the country three days later.
The King held trial of the three conspirators, placing his once protege Blau Wolfe under house arrest in Sion, while he exiled O'malley and executed Daggerstealer. The Royal forces were able to quickly resume command over the nation, following this.
Lord Jozef Kohleschmied was asked to return as Prime Minister, which he did, until King William's death three months later.