ABSTRACT

The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries period of German history emphasizing certain major events: the rise of the Hapsburgs, the reign of the Emperor Ludwig IV, the reign of Charles IV and the Golden Bull, the formation of Switzerland, the conquest of Prussia by the Teutonic knights, and the Hanseatic League. The Habsburgs presumably take their name from a castle Habsburg, Hawk's Castle in Aargau in German Switzerland. In the middle Ages it was part of southern Swabia. The Swiss cities, increased in wealth and population like the other towns of Europe, were anxious to escape from the domination of the Habsburgs. Lucerne, Zurich, Glarus, Zug and Berne entered the Confederation, now of eight cantons. In the late Middle Ages the countries east of Germany were occupied by various barbaric, semi-agricultural and warlike peoples. In 1258 other armies captured Baghdad and later Aleppo and Damascus. Within a century the Mongols had subjugated a great portion of Asia and of Eastern Europe.