The canton of Ticino is now firmly anchored in Switzerland, but that was not always the case. The history of Ticino is marked by battles and foreign powers.
Bellinzona was a subject area of the Confederation in the 18th century. In the picture: Bellinzona Castelgrande. – Switzerland Tourism / Jan Geerk
The most important thing in brief
- Ticino’s path to Switzerland was full of conflict.
- Ticino was once a subject area of the Old Confederation.
- The people of Ticino did not want to be subjects, but rather equal, free Swiss.
- In 1848 Ticino finally became part of the Swiss federal state.
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The canton of Ticino is now, of course, part of Switzerland. But the path there was full of conflicts and power struggles that go back to the 16th century. It was only in the 18th century – with the French Revolution and Napoleon’s influence in Europe – that the situation changed.
The population longed for freedom and self-determination. Instead of being subjects, the people of Ticino wanted to live as equals in the Confederation. They wanted to be recognized as free Swiss.
Do you know the history of the canton of Ticino?
These are the most important stations in Ticino on the way to becoming an equal canton in Switzerland.
Foreign rule by the Confederates
The region was a so-called subject area and was ruled by bailiffs who were appointed by the individual towns of the Confederation.
Today Ticino is of course part of Switzerland. Pictured: Monte Bre, Lugano. – Switzerland Tourism / Silvano Zeiter
These bailiffs often administered Ticino with a hard hand. As subjects of the Confederation, the people of Ticino had to perform military service and pay taxes. The population had little say and at the time saw the Confederates more as foreign rulers than as allies.
It was only towards the end of the 18th century that the situation began to change. With the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon, the political landscape of Europe changed fundamentally.
French Revolution
In 1797, after his Italian campaign, Napoleon founded the Cisalpine Republic in northern Italy, based on freedom, equality and fraternity. This understanding should also be extended to surrounding areas.
The Cisalpine Republic covered large parts of northern Italy, including Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and parts of the Veneto. The Federal Valtellina was also integrated into the Cisalpine Republic.
The Cisalpine Republic in 1799. – The Cambridge Modern History Atlas. Wikimedia Commons
The people of Ticino took these changes on the political map as an opportunity to stage a coup against the external administration by the Confederates. Did they want to get rid of the Confederates and also become part of Napoleon’s Republic?
Belonging to Switzerland – but not as a unified canton
No, the people of Ticino had other plans. Although they wanted to get rid of federal foreign rule, they did not want to submit to a new rule afterwards. They wanted to be part of Switzerland – but not as subjects, but as free Swiss.
As a sign of belonging to Switzerland, a freedom tree was erected in Lugano on February 15, 1798, crowned with a teller’s hat.
At that time, Ticino consisted of eight subject areas: Bellinzona, Blenio, Leventina, Locarno, Lugano, Mendrisio, Vallemaggia, Riviera. In the picture: Piazza Grande in Locarno. – Switzerland Tourism / Markus Buehler-Rasom
At that time, Ticino was not a single canton, but rather divided into eight different subject areas, so-called bailiwicks. After Lugano declared its membership of Switzerland, the other areas also joined this project.
The individual subject areas differed significantly from each other and did not want to merge. That is why there was still no unified canton of Ticino.
During the Helvetic Republic from 1798 to 1803, the area was first divided into two cantons: the cantons of Lugano and Bellinzona.
Merger of Ticino and new threats
In 1803 Napoleon re-established the Confederation as a federal confederation of states. The two areas of the canton of Ticino were also united.
Ticino is now a popular excursion destination. In the picture: Church of Madonna del Sasso with a view of Locarno and Lake Maggiore, Orselina. – Switzerland Tourism / Ivo Scholz
But as early as 1815, Ticino’s unity was threatened again: some federal cantons wanted their old territories back, including the canton of Uri. The Ticino government was barely able to fend off these claims. In 1848 Ticino finally became part of the newly founded Swiss federal state.
Decision: Belongs to Italy or Switzerland?
Nevertheless, Ticino’s membership of Switzerland was still controversial. In the 19th century, when the movement for national unity gained momentum in Italy, many Ticino residents also had sympathy for their neighboring country. The proximity to Italian culture and language meant that some Ticino residents felt a stronger connection to Italy.
Nevertheless, the majority of the Ticino population remained loyal to Switzerland. It was a conscious decision by the population, who felt committed to freedom and autonomy in the Confederation.
Nobody doubts that Ticino belongs to Switzerland anymore. In the picture: Church of Ronco sopra Ascona above Lake Maggiore. – Switzerland Tourism/Markus Buehler-Rasom
Today Ticino is an indispensable part of Switzerland. Hardly any Ticino people seriously want to belong to Italy. The rest of Switzerland doesn’t want to miss Ticino either. Today Ticino is a bridge between north and south – firmly anchored in the Swiss Confederation.
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