Riggenbach, Nikolaus. Swiss engineer of cog railways.

Rivas, Issac de. 1752-1828. Swiss inventor. Combustion engine, 1791. Automobile, 1802, carried 4 people and 1200 pounds of weight.

Rorschach, Hermann. 1884-1922. Swiss psychiatrist. Ink blot test 1921.

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques. 1712-78. Swiss Enlightenment philosopher and writer. Began Romantic Movement. Stimulated French and American Revolutions. On Equality 1753. Social Contract 1762 influenced French Revolution (offended authorities), Confessions 1782. Man is prevented from being free only by society and cold science. Goodness and bounty of nature. Goodness of man. Advocates direct democracy at City-State level and dictatorship above. Sovereignty rests with people. General will aims at best for all.

Rütli Oath. 3 Swiss cantons vow to rebel vs Austria.

Saussure, Ferdinand de. 1857-1913. Swiss linguist.

Schiner, Matthäus. c1465-1522. Led Swiss to defeat at Maignano. Established peace and neutrality of Switzerland.

Sempach Battle. 1386. Swiss confederates defeat Austrian Duke Leopold, ensuring independence.

Sonderbund. 1845-7. League of Catholic Swiss cantons defeated in civil war.

Spyri, Johanna. 1829-1901. Swiss writer. Heidi 1881.

Steiner, Jakob. 1796-1863. Swiss/German mathematician. Pioneered synthetic geometry.

Swiss Guards. 1505- Swiss Mercenaries protecting monarchs, Pope. 600 massacred at Tuileries 1791. 1825- Incorporated in Vatican forces. Julius II.

Tell, William. 13-14C/Legendary Swiss hero of Altdorf. Shot apple off son’s head on orders of Austrian governor, Gessler.

Tuileries, Storming of. 1792 Massacre of Swiss Guards. King’s authority suspended. French Revolution.

Vienna, Congress. 1814-15. Redrew map of Europe after Napoleon. Prussia gains Rhine, Westphalia. Swiss borders and neutrality confirmed. Netherlands created from Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg. Malta and Cape Colony ceded to Britain. Russia gets Poland. Austria trades Netherlands for north Italy. France reduced to 1792 borders. Metternich.

Westphalia, Peace of. 1648. Conclusion of the Thirty Years War between Germany, France, and Sweden and Spanish-Dutch 80 Years War. Formal recognition of Swiss independence. Dutch independence. HRE weakened. Religious toleration. Confirmed Augsburg.

Winkelried, Arnold von. -1386. Swiss hero of Sempach. Sacrificed himself to create a breach in the cavalry of Duke Leopold.

Yersin, Alexander. 1863-1943. Swiss/French. Developed serum for bubonic plague.

Zwingli, Huldrych. 1484-1531. Swiss humanist and religious reformer. Zurich Reformation 1522. Urged priests to marry. Attacked Roman mass and worship of images. Swiss Evangelical Church. Killed in Kappel Wars.

Abel, Frederick. 1827-1902. English inventor of military explosive cordite with Dewar, 1889.

Abyssinia-Italy War. 1894-6. Ended Italian colonialism.

Abyssinian War. 1935-6. Italy invades Ethiopia. League of Nations ineffective.

Achilles. Greek hero of Trojan Wars, invulnerable except for his heel, subject of Homer’s Iliad.

Achinese War. 1873-1904. Dutch defeat Moslems in Sumatra.

Adenauer, Konrad. 1876-1967. First chancellor of German Federal Republic., 1949-63. Stabilized postwar Germany.

848 more results ...