Johannes Janssonius, Nova Helvetiae Tabula, 1640.
This timeline lists a selection of printed works from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries describing the Republics of Switzerland. The chronology is based on the date of the voyage or the first publication of the account.
1570
Petermann Etterlin
Petermann Etterlin: Kronica von der loblichen Eydtgnoschaft Jr harkom[m]en vnd sust seltzam strittenn und geschichten. Basel: Michael Furrter 1507.
Available online: here.
1532-1572
Aegidius Tschudi (1505 – 1572)
Aegidius Tschudi: Chronicon Helveticum. Published by Johann Rudolf Iselin. Basel: Hans Jacob Bischoff 1734–1736.
Available online: here.
1577
Josias Simler (1530-1576)
Josias Simler: Regiment gemeiner loblicher Eydgnoschafft. Beschriben und in zwey Bücher gestellet durch Josiam Simler von Zürych. Zürich: Froschouw 1577.
Available online: here.
1599
Heinrich Schickhardt
Heinrich Schickhardt: Beschreibung Einer Raiß. Welche der Durchleuchtig Hochgeborne Fürst und Herr/ Herr Friderich Hertzog zu Württemberg unnd Teckh … Im Jahr/ 1599. selbs Neundt/ auß dem Landt zu Württemberg in Italiam gethan : Darinnen vermeldet/ wie Ihre F. Gn. jeden Tag geraißt … / Auß Hochgedachter/ Ihrer Fürstl. Gn. gnädigem Bevelch/ mit sonderm fleiß/ jedeßmals verzeichnet/ unnd … an tag gegeben: Durch Heinrich Schickhart von Herrenberg … Bawmeister. Tübingen: Cellius 1603.
Available: online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 9r-12r
– Venice: p. 78l-88r
– Genoa: p. 18l-22l
1606
Giovanni Battista Padavino (1560-1639)
Giovanni Battista Padavino: Governo e Stato dei Signori Svizzeri. Relazione fatta l’anno 1606 adì Zugno. Published by Victor Cérésole (Ed.). Venice: Antonelli 1874.
Available online: here.
1607
Johann Heinrich Schweizer (1553-1612)
Johann Heinrich Schweizer: Chronologia Helvetica. Res gestas Helvetiorum ad nostra usque tempora indicans ordine,& breuissimè complectens. Hanau: Claudium Marnium 1607.
Available online: here.
1611
Thomas Coryate (1577-1617)
Thomas Coryate: Coryats Crudities. Reprinted from the Edition of 1611 with his Letters from India. London: William Stansby 1776.
Available online: Volume 1; Volume 2; Volume 3.
Furhter content information:
– Switzerland: Vol. 2: p. 181-293 (Graubünden: 162-181)
– Venice: Vol. 1: p. 196-304, vol. 2: p. 7-76
– Netherlands: Vol. 3: p. 1-91
1615
Jean François Le Petit (1545-1615)
Ian-François Le Petit: Nederlantsche Republycke […] geconfereert ende vergeleken met die van de Swytsersche cantoenen. Arnhem 1615.
Available online: here.
1617
Fynes Moryson (1566-1630)
Fynes Moryson: An Itinerary written by Fynes Moryson Gent. First in the Latine Tongue, and then translated by him into English. Containing his ten yeeres Travell through the twelve domjnions of Germany, Bohmerland, Sweitzerland, Netherland, Denmarke, Poland, Italy, Turky, France, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Divided into III Parts. London: Johan Beale 1617.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 25-62, 373-423
– Venice: p. 158-223, 424-468
– Genoa: p. 314-373
– Netherlands: p. 89-111, 424-468
– Poland: p. 112-157
1621
Nicolas Bérnard
Nicolas Bénard: Le voyage de Hierusalem et autres lieux de la Terre ste, faict par le Sr Bénard,… ; ensemble son Retour par l’Italie, Suisse, Allemagne, Holande et Flandre, en la tres fleurissante et peuplée ville de Paris. Paris: Moreau 1621.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 601-612
– Venice: p. 561-570
– Netherlands: p. 617-660
– general discours on Italy: p. 589-595
– « Recapitulation generalle de ce que l’Autheur a veu depuis son entree au pays des Suisses » : p. 682-685
1669
Sigmund von Birken (1626-1681)
Sigmund von Birken: Hochfürstlicher Brandenburgischer Ulysses. Oder Verlauf der Länder Reise, welche der Durchleuchtigste Fürst und Herr Herr Christian Ernst, Marggraf zu Brandenburg, … Durch Teutschland, Frankreich, Italien und die Niderlande … hochlöblichst verrichtet ; Aus denen mit Fleiß gehaltenen Reis-Diariis zusammengetragen und beschrieben durch Sigmund von Birken. Bayreuth: Johann Gebhard 1669.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 40-45, 47-48
– Venice: p. 165-172
– Genoa: p. 105-106
– Netherlands: p. 185-201
1670
Richard Lassels (~1603-1668)
Richard Lassels: The Voyage of Italy, or A Compleat Journey through Italy. In Two Parts. With Intructions concerning Travel. Never Before Extant. Paris, London: John Starkey 1670.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: Part 1: p. 50-59
– Venice: Part 2: p. 363-426
– Genoa: Part 1: p. 82-102
– Netherlands: Part 1: (p. b2-b4)
1674
Charles Patin (1633-1693)
Charles Patin: Relations hitoriques et curieuses de voyage. En Allemagne, Angleterre, Hollande, Boheme, Suisse, &c. Lyon: Claude Muguet 1674.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 103-135, 247-273
– Netherlands: p. 150-166
1675
Nomen nescio
N.n.: L’affermissement des republiques de Hollande et de Suisse. 1675.
Available online: here.
1685-1686
Gilbert Burnet (1643-1715)
Gilbert Burnet: Burnet’s Travels: Or, a Collection of Letters to the Hon. Robert Boyle … Containing, an Account of what Seem’d Most Remarkable in Travelling Through Switzerland, Italy, Some Parts of Germany, &c. in the Years 1685, and 1686. To which is Added, an Appendix, Containing Some Remarks on Switzerland and Italy. Communicated to the Author by a Person of Quality. London: Ward and Chandler 1738.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
Letters written in Switzerland (Zurich): p. 1-51
(But there are also some letters from Italy that deal with Switzerland; The scan can be searched with the Google Books search function. There are many results for Venice and some for Genoa, Netherlands and Holland).
1690
Johann Heinrich Rahn (1646-1708)
Johann Heinrich Rahn: Eidtgnössische Geschicht-Beschreibung. Zürich: Simmlerische Truckerey.
Available online: here.
1700
Johann Keilhacker (1667-1708)
Johann Keilhacker: Des Curieusen Hoffmeisters Geographisch-Historisch-und Politischer Wissenschafften. Anderer Theil Worinnen die in dem Ersten manquierende herrschende Staaten und Republiquen als Pohlen/Moscau, Türcken/Schweitz/Italien, Asia, Africa und America […] nach voriger Methode vorgestellet werden. Leipzig: Martin Theodor Heybeyen 1700, vol. 2.
Available online: here.
– Switzerland: p. 743-819
– Venice: p. 572-579?/586?
– Genoa: p. 589-595
– Netherlands:
– Poland: p. 1-180
– Italy: 546-742
1708
Vendramino Bianchi (1667-1738)
Vendramino Bianchi: Relazione del paese de’Svizzeri, e loro Alleati. Venice: Presso Andrea Poletti 1708.
Availabe online: here.
1714
Abraham Stanyan (1669–1732)
Abraham Stanyan: An Account of Switzerland. Written in the Year 1714. London: Jacob Tonson 1714.
Available online: here.
1714
Alexander Doriack Chancel
Alexander Doriac Chancel: A New Journey Over Europe. From France thro› Savoy, Switzerland, Germany, Flanders, Holland, Denmark, Swedland, Muscovy, Poland, Hungary, Styria, Carinthia, the Venetian Territories, Italy, Naples, Sicily, Genoa, Spain, Portugal, France, Great Britain, and Ireland. With Several Observations on the Laws, Religion, and Government, &c. of each. Together With an Account of the Births and Marriages of all the Kings and Princes of Europe from the Year 1650. By a late traveller A. D. Chancel, M.A. London: John Harding 1714.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 4-13
– Venice: p. 100-105
– Netherlands: p. 27-31 and p. 43-51
– Poland: p. 58-62
1722-1723
J. de Blainville (–1743)
J. de Blainville: Reisebeschreibung durch Holland, Oberdeutschland und die Schweiz besonders aber durch Italien: enthaltend eine Beschreibung von Venedig, dem Wege nach Rom und von Rom selbst mit der umliegenden Gegend. Aus des Verfassers eigener Handschrift in englischer Sprache herausgegeben von Georg Turnbull der Rechte Doktor und Wilhelm Guthrie Ritter, nunmehr in das Deutsche übersetzet und hin und wieder mit Anmerkungen versehen von Johann Tobias Köhler, Professor zu Göttingen und Mitglied der Maynzischen Academie der nützlichen Wissenschaften. Lemgo: Meyer 1764-1766.
Available online:
List of different scans; Volume 1, part 1 and 2 (Lemgo, 1764); Volume 2, part 1 and 2 (Lemgo, 1765); Volume 3, part 1 and 2 (Lemgo 1766).
Further content information:
– Switzerland: Vol. 1.2, p. 351-417
Schaffhausen: 351-355; Zürich: 355-366; Baden: 366-368; Mellingen: 368-369; Aarau: 370; Bern: 371-376; Murten: 378-383; Einsiedeln: 385-387; Fribourg: 387-388; Lausanne: 390-392; Genfersee: 392-394; Solothurn: 397-399; Basel: 399-417
– Venice: Vol. 1.2, p. 519-590; Vol. 2.1, p. 1-150
– Netherlands: Vol. 1.1, p.4-61
1726
John Duran Breval (~1680 – 1738)
John Durant Breval: Remarks on Several Parts of Europe. Relating Chiefly to the History, Antiquities and Geography of Those Countries Through which the Author Has Travel’d; as France, the Low Countries, Lorrain, Alsatia, Germany, Savoy, Tyrol, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. Vol. 1 and 2, London: Bernard Lintot 1726.
Available online: Volume 1; Volume 2.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: vol. 2, p. 9-88 (Geneva, Nion, Lausanne, etc.: 9-38; Avanches, Morat, Berne, etc.: 39-88)
– Venice: p. 100-105
– Netherlands: vol. 1, p. 1-121
– Poland: p. 58-62
1730
Johann Georg Altmann (1695-1758),
Abraham Ruchat (1680-1750) &
Abraham Stanyan (1669-1732)
Johann Georg Altmann / Abraham Ruchat / Abraham Stanyan: L’état et les délices de la Suisse, en forme de relation critique, par plusieurs auteurs célèbres. Amsterdam: Wetsteins et Smith 1730.
Available online: here.
1776
Christian Cay Lorenz Hirschfeld (1742-1792/95)
Christian Cay Lorenz Hirschfeld: Briefe die Schweiz betreffend. Neue und vermehrte Ausgabe. Leipzig: Crusius 1776.
Available online: here.
1779
William Coxe (1747 – 1828)
William Coxe: Sketches of the Natural, Civil, and Political State of Swisserland. In a series of letters to William Melmoth. From William Coxe. Dublin: John Dodsley 1779.
Available online: here.
1784-1790
Christoph Meiners (1747-1810)
Christoph Meiners: Briefe über die Schweiz. Berlin: C. S. Spener 1784-1790.
Available online: here.
