Muttenz History

The Middle Ages (800 - 1600)

The Medieval Period, often spoken of as the 'dark Middle Ages', due to the cruelties committed and the widely spread superstition, had one great advantage over our time: rush and haste were non-existent. The only clocks in operation at the beginning of that era were: the sandclock and the sundial. Therefore, no-one counted by seconds - not to speak of tenths or hundredths of seconds. Two sundials can still be admired in Muttenz, one at the parsonage, the other one at St. Arbogast belfry.

Patronage

At an unknown time, presumably before Charlemagne (742-814), Muttenz was appended by the Bishopric of Strasbourg (6). The Bishop of Strasbourg affiliated the church of Muttenz to the patronage of St. Arbogast, the Saint of Strasbourg, and in the l2th century, St. Arbogast church was entirely rebuilt. Around that time, the second and third citadels on top of the Wartenberg were constructed. Some time later, the Bishop of Strasbourg ceded his rights over Muttenz to the Counts of Homberg. They, from their side, passed them on to the Froburgers. In 1229, the Froburgers founded the convent Engental in Muttenz, and in 1306, they sold their rights over Muttenz to the Habsburg dynasty of Austria. The feudal tenants now were the 'Münche' who initiated the construction of the citadel Münchenstein in 1280. After the earth-quake of 1356, Konrad Münch had the partly destroyed St. Arbogast church restored and he reunited Muttenz with Münchenstein in 1378 for a joint control. The Münche (their names are derived from monk) now lived in Münchenstein. The citadels on top of the Wartenberg were deserted and gradually fell into ruins.

In 1470, the city of Basle acquired the rights over Muttenz. Muttenz and Münchenstein were jointly governed by a 'Vogt' -a Provincial Governor (or Prefect) - who resided in München-stein. For Muttenz he nominated an 'Untervogt' - an assistant. It was 'Vogt' Daniel Burckhardt, being the Godfather to Hans Spenhauer's and Elsbeth Reufftli's son Daniel, who brought the first-name 'Daniel' into our family (1662). This christian name became a family tradition up to our days.

In 1444, Muttenz was plundered by the 'Armagnaken', a French army that, thereafter, was beaten in the Battle of St. Jacob, a field between the City of Basle and Muttenz.

In 1501, Basle joined the Swiss Confederation, and thus, City and Province jointly became a Canton, the eleventh of the now 26 Cantons of Switzerland.

Landed Property and 'The Most Gracious Masters'

Politically, Muttenz now belonged to the City of Basle, but legally, a vast majority of both, farmland and private houses were owned by the numerous monasteries and churches of Basle and a small part by the Aristocracy of Basle, to whom the farmers had to pay ground-rent and tithe. The farmers of Muttenz worked as hereditary tenants. They did have the right to lease or sell their land, but the tithe and ground-rent remained and changed hands together with the land. The tithe was charged according to the revenue. Officers made estimates in the fields and vineyards on how much one tenth would amount to. The beneficiaries of the tithe were: the church, the Bishop, the Priest, and the poor likewise with 1/4th each. The ground-rent, on the other hand, was a private right of the landed proprietor. In 1528, the land properties (still not free properties) were anew divided among some three dozen names listed who, each year, had to deliver jointly 256 bushels of corn, 160 bushels of oats, 2 1/2 pounds in cash, 22 hens and 3 'Saum' (whatever that was!) of wine as revenue to their Masters, the St. Erasmus Monastery in Basle.

Both, the ground-rent and the tithe were a hard burden on the villagers. But their 'most Gracious Masters' who sat in the Council of Basle had acquired their rights in hard cash and would do anything to protect them. However, encouraged by the success of the peasants in Germany, the Tyrol and Upper Basel Country, after their uprising in 1525, also the people of Muttenz claimed casing of the tributes and disposal of the convent Engental and the monastery Rotes Haus. In the course of the Reformation, the peasants became acquainted with the contents of the Bible and now based their claims on the Holy Script. The Council of Basle, somewhat disconcerted, offered some concessions which were consequently confirmed in the so-called 'Freiheitsbriefen' (charters).

The crops of both years 1528 and 1529 were very meager. It was necessary for the Council to support their subjects in the Province. As a reward for their help, they claimed that the charters be handed back to them. The people of Muttenz were opposed to this and consequently were declared 'bad subjects'. There were two more uprisings between 1592 and 1594, and one more in 1653. The Council of Basle did not give in; they remained, steady and strong, the 'Most Gracious Masters ' up to the year 1798, the time of the French Revolution.

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