Baden, City in Switzerland

1694. The great historical, geographical and poetical dictionary by Louis Moreri.

Bad•, or Baden, a Town in Swisserland, upon the River Limague, it is the Meeting-Place of the Cantons for their publick Concerns, and where foreign Ambassadors come. It's between Bale and Zurick, and is an ancient Town. It was called by the Romans Aquae Helveticae, in succeeding Ages it was called Castellum Thermarum, and Thermae Superiores; for its hot Baths, which are in great Repute. Tacitus says, that Cecinna, a Captain of Vitellius's Party, defeated near this Town an army of Swissers that adhered to Othon, An. C. 69. Bade is Capital of a County that bears the same Name, and is one of the Free Towns of Swisserland, which according to Simler, may be called Tributary, because they raise Soldiers at their proper Cost for the whole Republick. Though the Eight ancient Cantons are Soveraigns of it, nevertheless their Bailiff, who resides there, has no Power, because it governs it self by its own Laws, and chuses its Magistrates; the small Council consists of Twelve Persons, who manage the Town's Business, and examine all Civil and Criminal Processes and Suits. Their Great Council is of Forty, including the Twelve of the Little Council, and the Chief of these is called Avoyer. It was in this Town that the Cantons ordered the famous Conference to be held in 1526, upon the Difference of Religion between Faber, Eccius, Murnerus, and the Deputies of the Bishops of Constance, Basle, Coire and Lausanne on the one Side, and Oecolumpadius and his Companions on the other. This City is famous for the League the Cantons entred into in 1526, and for the General Diet of the Cantons held here in 1690; wherein they resolved on a Neutrality in reference to the War between the Confederates and France, and to secure the Passage against the Bishoprick of Basle, and the Four Forest Towns, in which the French did pretend to take Winter Quarters. This Town is Fourteen Miles N. W. of Zurick, and Forty S. E. of Basil. Simler. de Rep. Helvet.