Fifteenth Century (Mundus Aquilae)

Appenzell Wars
By the beginning of the fifteenth century the region of Appenzell was under the personal control of the abbot of St. Gall, with the Prince-Abbot of St. Gall appointing agents or baliffs to rule over the region. The communities of Appenzell however favored councils appointed by the Landsgemeinde, a system allowing each citizen to vote. The success of the Swiss Confederation, which used similar systems, and which had defeated the powerful Habsburgs, encouraged the citizens of Appenzell to consider rebelling against St. Gall's control. During the late fourteenth century conflict between the abbot and Appenzell over grazing rights, taxes, and tithes had caused large disruptions. In 1376 a new Swabian League of Cities was founded, after being defeated by Count Eberhard II of Württemberg four years earlier, suffering the murder of the captain of the league, and the breach of the league's obligations by Emperor Charles IV. Under the leadership of Ulm, the cities of Biberach an der Riß, Buchhorn, Isny im Allgäu, Konstanz, Leutkirch im Allgäu, Lindau (Bodensee), Memmingen, Ravensburg, Reutlingen, Rottweil, St. Gallen, Überlingen, and Wangen im Allgäu, formed an alliance lasting the next four years. Additionally the city of Dinkelsbühl, an imperial city on the edge of Franconia, to the north-east of the Swabian region, joined the league, followed by cities from the Franconian heartland such as Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Windsheim.

The emperor Charles IV refused to recognize this league, and declared it a rebellion. Ulrich of Württemberg, son of Eberhard II, marched against the league in 1377, but was defeated at Reutlingen by an allied army. Later that year the emperor lifted his ban over the alliance, and established an arbitration court, which was rapidly extended over the Rhineland, Bavaria, and Franconia in response. That same year Appenzell joined the League, supported by St. Gallen, a city often at odds with the Abbey of St. Gall as well, and the city of Konstanz. Confident in its allies, Appenzell refused to pay a number of gifts and tithes to the Abbot Kuno von Stoffeln, and the loss revenue caused him to approached the Habsburgs for assistance. The Habsburgs came into an agreement with the abbot in 1392, and again in 1402. In response to this growing threat, Appenzell entered a formal alliance with the city of St. Gallen.