Saturday, June 27, 2015

Archaeologists find likely site of 1315 Swiss-Austrian battle

Seven hundred years ago, soldiers commanded by Leopold I, duke of Austria, I invaded what is now Switzerland. The Swiss forces, outnumbered, used terrain and tactics in defeating the Austrians. Now, archaeologists say the site of the battle has been found.

The number of soldiers is disputed, as is common from most battles, with the Austrian army somewhere between 2,000 and 20,000, and the Swiss between 1,500 and 4,000.

What is not disputed is the Austrians moved on a narrow front between a steep slope and a swamp. Swiss on the high ground dropped rocks and logs onto the attackers. When the Austrians retreated, the Swiss, not familiar with the customs of war, “brutally butchered retreating troops and everyone unable to flee.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Morgarten

“In what is being hailed as a significant discovery, the find includes coins, knives, arrows and a cavalier’s spur in the Morgarten plain on the border of the cantons of Schwyz and Zug, the SDA news agency reported on Thursday.

“Among the objects found are 12 silver coins — Pfennigs — dating from 1275 to the start of the 14th century, which would be consistent with the 1315 battle date.

“Various arms dating from the 14th century were also found, including two knives, a knife scabbard and two arrows from a crossbow or bow.”

Archaeologists say the findings do not prove that the site is where the battle occurred, “but they appear to support that possibility.”

http://www.thelocal.ch/20150619/artifacts-found-on-700-year-old-swiss-battle-site

Some weapons:

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=morgarten+battle+archaeological+images&view=detailv2&&&id=D301FF9382D2B2533BCF3D66A38AB7C120F4217E&selectedIndex=0&ccid=WmeVbiiU&simid=142823857210&thid=HS.142823857210&ajaxhist=0

Link at http://gatesofvienna.net/2015/06/gates-of-vienna-news-feed-6262015/#more-36665



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