History

Switzerland was inhabited in antiquity by Celtic tribes were defeated by the Romans, who took over the entire territory, which they called Helvetia. The early settlement, which eventually gave way to large populations, were conducted in strategic locations in the Alps

The Romans were gradually losing ground in their dominance of the region to the Germanic tribes, around the V century, they dominated almost throughout Switzerland. Subsequently, the country became part of the Holy Roman Empire, however, the weakening of the central power caused some feudal dynasties, including the Habsburgs, the real owners of some regions.

During the sixteenth century, the religious reforms preached by Zwingli and Calvin found widespread support some cantons which caused a religious schism between them. Some of them remained faithful to Catholicism, but others embraced the Protestant Reformation. After many armed conflicts, the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 ended to the Thirty Years' War and thirteen cantons declare their independence from the Holy Empire.