The History of Switzerland Author:Heinrich Zschokke General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1875 Original Publisher: A. Mason Subjects: Switzerland Fiction / Classics History / General Literary Collections / General Literary Criticism / General Travel / Europe / Switzerland Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrat... more »ions and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: 26 DUES OF THE SERFS. [l200- castle, tithes and taxes on their crops, with cheese, cloth, hens and eggs. Such was the origin of the cities and of numerous vil lages in Switzerland. CHAPTER IX. MORE ABOUT THE CITIES AND THE GREAT SIGNIORS IN THE COUNTRT. [A. D. 1SOO to 1290.] Thus, in proportion as the peasants gained in comforts, the greater revenue did the numerous imposts paid by them yield to the counts, nobles, abbots and other signiors. But especially did these latter become free and independent when the dukes of Zahringen died out; as, at their extinction, the dignity and office of imperial lieutenant,, or bailiff) ceased to be hereditary, and was conferred temporarily, sometimes on one count, sometimes on another. From this moment, the nobles had no reason to fear the overpowering force or authority of any one among their peers. Each endeavored to be first, or hoped to become so. At that time flourished many noble families which are now extinct. The counts of Savoy had extensive domains, fiefs and rights, in Valais and in Vaud, where the bishop of Lausanne also reigned as sovereign on a small scale. The counts of Neuchatel, who granted great franchises to the city of that name, reigned over French and German districts on the lake of Bienne (Biel), as well as on the Aar and Zihl. The counts of Kyburg, who were masters of all the country between Zurich and the lake of Constance, and who built upon their own terr...« less