Republic of the Seven Tithings

Republic of the Seven Tithings
Republik der Sieben Zenden (German)
République des Sept-Dizains (French)
1571–1798
1582 seal (S(igillum) REIP(ublice) PATRIE VALLESY) of Sieben Zenden
1582 seal (S(igillum) REIP(ublice) PATRIE VALLESY)
Map of the Valais, detail from a 1693 map of the Old Swiss Confederacy and its associates by Guillaume Sanson.
Map of the Valais, detail from a 1693 map of the Old Swiss Confederacy and its associates by Guillaume Sanson.
The Swiss Confederacy in the 18th century, showing the "Seven Zenden of Valais", along with subject Lower Valais, as an associate state of the Confederacy
The Swiss Confederacy in the 18th century, showing the "Seven Zenden of Valais", along with subject Lower Valais, as an associate state of the Confederacy
StatusAssociated to the Confederation
CapitalSion
Official languagesGerman
Regional languagesFrench
GovernmentFederal republic[1]
Landeshauptmann[2] 
• 1571–1573
Moriz Zum Brunnen[3] (first de facto)
• 1790–1798
Jakob Valentin Sigristen[3] (last)
LegislatureDiet
Historical eraEarly modern period
• Zehndenherrschaft (Republic)
1571
• declaration of independence
1613
• de jure independence
1634
• Incorporated into the Helvetic Republic
1798
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Prince-bishopric of Sion
Helvetic Republic
Today part ofSwitzerland

The Republic of the Seven Tithings[4] (German: Republik der Sieben Zenden, French: République des Sept-Dizains) was a state in what is now the Swiss canton of Valais during the early modern period, and an associate of the Old Swiss Confederacy.

The seven tithings (Zenden, dizains, Latin: decumae) of the Central and Upper Valais, listed orographically[clarification needed], were Goms, Brig, Visp, Raron, Leuk, Siders, and Sion. The six districts of the Lower Valais, known as "banners" (vexilla), were ruled as subject lands by the Republic. They only came to be referred to as dizains as they acceded to the Rhodanic Republic and the Swiss canton, during 1802–1815.

  1. ^ Himly, Auguste (1894). Histoire de la formation territoriale des états de l'Europe centrale (in French). Vol. 2. Hachette.
  2. ^ Landeshauptmann/Grand bailli in German, French and Italian in the online Historical Dictionary of Switzerland.
  3. ^ a b von Roten, Hans Anton (2008). Les Grands Baillis du Valais 1388 - 1798. Cahiers de Vallesia.
  4. ^ Stoddart, J. M., ed. (1889). "Valais". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 24 (9th ed.). Philadelphia. p. 37.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

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