Fribourg’s decision to remain Catholic—taken a year before Bern’s introduction
of the Reformation—placed it in a tricky position (the same applied to a lesser
degree to Solothurn). The Catholic cantons expected Fribourg to show solidarity
by opposing Bern’s military adventure. Fribourg had Burgrechte or alliances with
several Savoy officials or vassals—Michel Mangerod, Claude d’Alliez, count Jean II
de Gruyère—as well as a string of lordships and towns, as well convents in the
Vaud, including Romainmôtier and Payerne, and of course the bishop of Lausanne.
On the other hand, its Burgrecht with Bern had formed the cornerstone of its
foreign policy for well over a century. The latter must therefore have welcomed
Fribourg’s assurance that it would not protect or shelter Michel Mangerod.674 Ye t
devotion to Catholicism should not be equated with loyalty to the house of Savoy.
After all, it was Fribourg as a territorial subject which had emancipated itself from
Savoy amidst lingering resentments, and it was Fribourg, not Bern, whose overt
hostility towards Savoy may have diminished after 1534 but which had certainly
not vanished.
Moreover, Fribourg had long cherished hopes of extending its territory to the
shore of Lake Geneva, which could only be accomplished at Savoy’s expense. Such
an expansion would create a buffer against its voracious neighbour Bern, which
already held Aigle, thus securing the northern Chablais for Catholicism and
strengthening links to its co-religionists in the Valais communes. That goal might
more readily be achieved by cooperation with Bern than sullen defiance. Looking
back from mid-century, the famous Fribourg chronicler and magistrate, Franz
Rudella,675 recorded that opinion within the Fribourg council was divided: while
Geneva was no longer any concern of theirs, supporting Bern’s campaign offered
the best hope of territorial gain.676
Bern knew full well that, with Goethe, two souls dwelt in Fribourg’s breast.
In mid-February it offered to cede Romont and Rue to Fribourg, if the latter would
assist in capturing Yverdon.677 To the former Fribourg, reaffirming its Burgrecht
674 EA IV, 1c, 611 (no. 372: 10; 11) (Jan. 1536), with list of places.
675 On Rudella see HLS, s.v. Rudella, Franz.
676 Silvia Zehnder-Jörg (ed.), Die Grosse Freiburger Chronik des Franz Rudella. Edition nach dem
Exemplar des Staatsarchivs Freiburg (Freiburger Geschichtsblätter, 84 (2007) (Fribourg, 2007), 582–3,
§ 1034: unnd wiewol man in dem rhat zu Friburg zwyspaltig, dann die einen mitt denen von Bern ze
ziehen, die andern aber darwider rietend, angesehen die statt Genff dise statt Friburg nach vorgemelter
uffhebung des burgrechtens nut mer angieng, dennocht dahin kham, dz man nitt anderst vermeint,
dann mitt inen ze reysen.
677 EA IV, 1c, 637 (no. 388: to a 2) (Feb. 1536).