EVERLASTING LEAGUE

also called League Of The Three Forest Cantons, German Ewige Bund, or Dreiwaldsttterbund (Aug. 1, 1291), the inaugural confederation from which, through a long series of accessions, Switzerland grew to statehood. The league was concluded by the representatives of three districts, Uri, Schwyz, and Nidwalden, for self-defense against all who might attack or trouble them. The league's formation was prompted by the death (July 15, 1291) of Rudolf I of Habsburg, who earlier in the year had used his position as German king to reinforce Habsburg rights over Schwyz and Unterwalden (Nidwalden and the adjacent Obwalden), which were the original parties to the league. These districts formed the league in order to check any further encroachments and to do whatever they could, by common action, to support anti-Habsburg candidates for the German crown.