fwo_200816 - SWITZERLAND - CANTON OF BERN 1/2 Thaler Canton de Berne : écu à l’ours / soldat debout 1796

SWITZERLAND - CANTON OF BERN

Switzerland entered the French orbit in 1799 after Zürich's defeat against Souvarov. A "Sister" Republic system is imposed on the Cantons and Geneva is annexed to France. The Helvetic Confederation leaves the French alliance in 1813 and recovers its independence and the cantons their freedom. Bern, which had been a military post from 1191 before becoming an imperial city, received the right to mint coins in 1218 and joined the Confederation in 1353.