Shortly after its conquest of the Vaud Bern issued a newssheet giving an explanation
for and justification of its aggression. Bern described how Geneva had come
increasingly under the sway of the new religious doctrines preached by Guillaume
Farel, without placing its bishop or clergy under any duress. Nevertheless, the latter
had conspired to expunge the Word of God and to foment unrest within the city
to the point where the duke of Savoy and episcopal partisans had launched an
attack on the city. Through God’s grace the assault had been repulsed, with many
of the slain found to be suffering from smallpox! Then, out of mercy, Christian
faithfulness, and civic duty Bern had marched to relieve the city. Many subjects of
Savoy thereupon took an oath of allegiance to Bern or had ransoms imposed
upon them.
The account went on to describe the campaign through the Vaud, in the course
of which those who submitted voluntarily, be they towns or lords, were left unmol-
ested in their religious adherence. The imperial governor of Milan, Antonio de
Leyva, besought Bern to desist810 (its action only served to complicate the existing
rivalry between Emperor Charles V and King Francis I), but it had refused. Then
the Valais communes had undertaken their own campaign to annex the eastern
Chablais. The account descended into detail on the French king’s efforts to raise an
army from the Dauphiné, which deterred the Bernese army from attempting to
reach Rumilly or Chambéry. Instead, in mid-February the army stormed Fort
L’ Ecluse before heading northwards to raze castles in the Vaud, above all Yverdon,
which the baron of La Sarraz was defending with 3000 Italian mercenaries. With
the fall of Yverdon the conquest of the Vaud would be complete, with the Valais
communes left in control of the eastern Chablais. In conclusion, the account
expressed the apprehension that the French advance would strip the duke of Savoy
of all his cisalpine lands.811
While essentially accurate in detail (though the supposed 3000 Italian mercenaries
in Yverdon may raise some eyebrows), it is difficult to know what purpose this news-
letter served, apart from trumpeting Bern’s victory, or what audience was being
addressed. Despite the initial invocation of God’s providence, the narrative cannot be
810 See Gilliard, Eroberung, 113 [187].
811 Newe zeytung, was sich gar vor newlichen tagen zwischen dem Hertzog von Soffoy, denen von Bern,
vnd dem Koͤnig von Franckreich in kriegs hendlen hab zugetragen ([Bern], 1536). UBBS, EJ III, 33a;
Gilliard, Eroberung, 73 and 185 n 527 [121 n 2].
29
Conclusion to Part II
Motives and Outcomes