Editing Alps (section)

=== Christianity, feudalism, and Napoleonic wars ===
[[File:Vasily Surikov - Suvorov Crossing the Alps in 1799 - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|''[[Suvorov crossing the Alps]]'', by [[Vasily Surikov]]]]
[[File:Edouard Castres-Bonaparte au St-Bernard IMG 3221.jpg|thumb|right|Napoleon passing the Great St Bernard Pass, by [[Edouard Castres]]]]
Christianity was established in the Alps by the [[Roman people]]. Monasteries and churches were constructed, even at high Alpine altitudes. The [[Franks]] expanded their [[Carolingian Empire]], while the [[Baiuvarii]] introduced [[feudalism]] in the eastern Alps. The construction of castles in the Alps supported the growing number of dukedoms and kingdoms. Castello del Buonconsiglio in [[Trento]], still has intricate frescoes, and excellent examples of [[Gothic art]]. The [[Château de Chillon]] is preserved as an example of medieval architecture.<ref>Beattie, (2006), 32, 34, 37, 43</ref> There are several important alpine saints and one such one is [[Saint Maurice]].<ref>Mershman, Francis. "St. Maurice", The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 10. New York City: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 6 March 2013</ref> Much of the medieval period was a time of power struggles between competing dynasties such as the [[House of Savoy]], the [[Visconti of Milan]], and the [[House of Habsburg]].<ref>Beattie, (2006), 41, 46, 48</ref>

The [[Great St Bernard Hospice]], built in the 9th or 10th centuries, at the summit of the [[Great Saint Bernard Pass]] was a shelter for humans and destination for pilgrims.<ref>Beattie, (2006), 73, 75–76</ref> In 1291, to protect themselves from incursions by the House of Habsburg, four Alpine [[cantons]] drew up the [[Federal Charter of 1291]], which is considered to be a declaration of independence from neighboring kingdoms. After a series of battles fought in the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries, more cantons joined the confederacy and by the 16th century, [[Switzerland]] was established as a [[sovereign state]].<ref>Beattie, (2006), 56, 66</ref>

In the Alps, the [[War of the Spanish Succession]] fallout resulted in a 1713 [[treaty]], part of the [[Peace of Utrecht]], which relocated the Western Alps border along the watersheds. Historically, the Alps were used to determine the borders of political and administrative gangs, but the Peace of Utrecht was the first significant body of treaty that considered geographical conditions. The Alps were carved up and borders were agreed, so that [[enclave]]s in the Alps could be eliminated.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Alps: An Environmental History |author1=Jon Mathieu |publisher=Polity Press |year=2019 |isbn=9781509527748 |page=}}</ref>

During the [[Napoleonic Wars]] in the late 18th century and early 19th century, [[Napoleon]] annexed territory formerly controlled by the House of Habsburg, and the House of Savoy. In 1798, the [[Helvetic Republic]] was established, two years later an army across the [[Great St Bernard Pass]].<ref>Shoumatoff (2001), 182–183</ref> In 1799 the Russian imperial military engaged the revolutionary French army in the Alps, this episode has been recorded as significant achievement in [[mountain warfare]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=At War's Summit |author1=Alexander Statiev |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2018 |isbn=9781108684170 |page=12}}</ref> In October 1799 the troops commanded by [[Alexander Suvorov]] were surrounded in the Alps by much larger French troops. The Russian troops broke out, mauled the French troops, and retreated through the [[Panix Pass]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Battlefield Emotions 1500-1800: Practices, Experience, Imagination |editor1=Cornelis van der Haven |editor2=Erika Kuijpers |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan UK |year=2016 |isbn=9781137564900 |page=96}}</ref>

After the fall of Napoleon, many alpine countries developed heavy protections to prevent further invasion. Thus, [[Savoy]] built a series of fortifications to protect the major alpine passes, such as the [[col du Mont-Cenis]], which was crossed by [[Charlemagne]] to obliterate the [[Lombards]].

In the 19th century, the monasteries built in the Alps to shelter humans became tourist destinations. The [[Benedictine]]s had built monasteries in [[Lucerne]], and [[Oberammergau]]. The [[Cistercian]]s built their temple at [[Lake Constance]]. Meanwhile, the [[Augustinians]] maintained abbeys in [[Savoy]] and one in [[Interlaken]].<ref>Beattie, (2006), 69-70</ref>