History of Geneva
The history of Geneva dates from before the Roman occupation in the second century BC. Now the principal French-speaking city of Switzerland, Geneva was an independent city state from the Middle Ages until the end of the 18th century. John Calvin was the Protestant leader of the city in the 16th century.
Antiquity and Early Middle Ages
Geneva first appears in history as an Allobrogian border town, fortified against the Celtic Helvetii tribe, which the Roman Republic took in 121 BC.In 58 BC, Caesar, Roman governor of Gaul, destroyed the Rhône bridge at Geneva and built a 19-mile earthwork from Lake Geneva to the Jura Mountains in order to block the migration of the Helvetii, who "attempted, sometimes by day, more often by night, to break through, either by joining boats together and making a number of rafts, or by fording the Rhône where the depth of the stream was least". Then he helped establish Geneva as a Roman city by setting up camp there and significantly increasing its size.
In 443, Geneva was taken by Burgundy, and with the latter fell to the Franks in 534. In 888 the town was part of the new Kingdom of Burgundy, and with it was taken over in 1033 by the German Emperor.
In 563, according to the writings of Gregory of Tours and Marius Aventicensis, a tsunami swept along Lake Geneva, destroying many settlements, and causing numerous deaths in Geneva. Simulations indicate that this Tauredunum event was most likely caused by a massive landslide near where the Rhone flows into the lake, which caused a wave eight meters high to reach Geneva within 70 minutes.
Early Christian ministry
Geneva became an episcopal seat in the 4th century.According to legendary accounts found in the works of Gregorio Leti and Besson, Geneva was Christianised by Dionysius Areopagita and Paracodus, two of the 72 disciples, in the time of Domitian. Dionysius went thence to Paris and Paracodus became the first Bishop of Geneva – but the legend is based on an error, as is that which makes St. Lazarus the first Bishop of Geneva, arising out of the similarity between the Latin names Genava and Genua. The so-called "Catalogue de St. Pierre", which names St. Diogenus as the first Bishop of Geneva, is unreliable.
A letter of St. Eucherius to Salvius makes it almost certain that the name of the first bishop was Isaac. In 440, Salonius appears as Bishop of Geneva; he was a son of Eucherius, to whom the latter dedicated his Instructiones'; he took part in the Council of Orange, Vaison and Arles, and is supposed to be the author of two small commentaries, In parabolas Salomonis and on Ecclesisastis. Little is known about the following bishops:
- Theoplastus, to whom Sidonius Apollinaris addressed a letter.
- Dormitianus, under whom the Burgundian Princess Sedeleuba, a sister of Queen Clotilde, had the remains of the martyr and St. Victor of Soleure transferred to Geneva, where she built a basilica in his honour.
- St. Maximus, a friend of Avitus, Archbishop of Vienne and Cyprian of Toulon, with whom he was in correspondence.
- Bishop Pappulus sent the priest Thoribiusas his substitute to the Synod of Orléans.
- Bishop Salonius II is only known from the signatures of the Synods of Lyon and Paris and Bishop Cariatto, installed by King Guntram in 584, was present at the two Synods of Valence and Macon in 585.
High and Late Middle Ages
In 1290, the latter obtained the right of installing the vice-dominus of the diocese, the title of "Vidame of Geneva" was granted by Amadeus V, Count of Savoy in the name of the Holy See to the counts of the House of Candia under count François de Candie of Chambéry-Le-Vieux a Chatellaine of the Savoy, this official exercised minor jurisdiction in the town in the bishop's absence.
In 1387, Bishop Adhémar Fabry granted the town its great charter, the basis of its communal self-government, which every bishop on his accession was expected to confirm. The line of the counts of Geneva ended in 1394, and the House of Savoy came into possession of their territory, assuming after 1416 the title of Duke. The new dynasty sought to bring the city of Geneva under their power, particularly by elevating members of their own family to the episcopal see. In 1447 Antipope Felix V, who was also Duke of Savoy, appointed himself as bishop of Geneva, and the Savoy dynasty ruled the episcopal see until 1490, when popular pressure compelled the dynasty to renounce the title of bishop.
In 1457 a major government organ was established in Geneva, known as the Grand Council, which first consisted of 50 deputies and later their number was raised to 200. The members of the Grand Council were elected every year in early February. The Grand Council represented the citizens of Geneva and decided on political matters and also elected the bishops of Geneva after that position was renounced by the Savoy dynasty in 1490. This same council gradually became estranged from the Duke of Savoy.
Savoyard Bishops
A new cause of friction between the Grand Council and the Duke of Savoy evolved in 1513, when Charles III decided to appoint his cousin John of Savoy as bishop and even secured Papal endorsement. Despite being bishop of Geneva, the new Savoy bishop resided most of the time in Pignerol in Piedmont, another factor enhancing the alienation between the people in Geneva and the Savoy dynasty.File:History of the great reformation in Europe in the times of Luther and Calvin.. .jpg|thumb|left|Jean Pécolat being tortured in 1517 under the order of Jean de Savoie, Bishop of Geneva
In 1519, the Grand Council of Geneva attempted to forge an alliance with Fribourg, but the Duke of Savoy responded with invasion of the republic, which led to the execution of Philibert Berthelier and suspension of the Grand Council's powers. However, after that date the power of Savoy over Geneva gradually declined. In 1521 Jean of Savoy died, and the Grand Council appealed to Pope Leo X to appoint the next bishop, who then appointed Pierre de la Baume. In addition, the Duke of Savoy also tried to reconcile his political ambitions with local Genevan patriotism, and in 1523 marched into Geneva in a ceremony designated to appease its population, and tried to gain the support of the Geneva merchants by promising them a share in the trade with the Kingdom of Portugal and its territories in Brazil. However, the independence faction in Geneva did not accept these gestures. Another political crisis occurred in 1524, when the treasurer of Geneva, Bernard Boulet, a supporter of Savoy rule, was accused by the Grand Council of embezzlement. He reacted to the accusations by appealing to Charles III to curtail the powers of the council once more, to which the Duke responded by confiscating assets held by council members in other territories under Savoy rule.
In January 1525 the council appealed to the Pope to excommunicate Charles III. The deputies' attempt to enlist the support of the bishop Pierre de la Baume for their cause failed, and the Pope rejected their request. However, Charles III feared another rebellion, and in September 1525 made another proposal of power-sharing to the Grand Council of Geneva, which the council endorsed by 53–42. However, Charles III was not satisfied with this and started a new invasion of Geneva in order to destroy the pro-independence faction. The pro-independence faction fled to Fribourg, and in December 1525 the Grand Council acknowledged Charles III as the true sovereign of Geneva. However, members of the pro-independence faction began their own clandestine campaign to enlist support for their cause, and in February 1526 gained the support of bishop Pierre de la Baume. Elections to the Grand Council took place the same month and led to a pro-independence majority that voted to break away from Savoy rule. Eventually the Grand Council succeeded in protecting the liberty of its citizens by establishing union with the Old Swiss Confederacy, by concluding on February 20, 1526 a treaty of alliance with Bern and Fribourg. On March 12, representatives of the other Swiss cantons appeared before the Grand Council in Geneva and swore to protect that republic as part of their confederation.
Reformation
became a major centre of the Protestant Reformation. The first French Protestant refugees arrived in 1523, and their theology quickly gained influence. The power of the Catholic Church weakened after the bishop fled in 1527, leaving the Grand Council free to push reforms. Although Duke Charles III of Savoy repeatedly tried to bring Geneva back under Catholic rule - most famously during the “day of the ladders” in 1529—Bern and Fribourg provided protection, and the city resisted these efforts.Conflicts between Catholic and Protestant factions remained fierce and the attempts at compromise, such as the 1533 statute allowing private choice of religion but banning open attacks on Catholic practices, failed to end tensions. Catholic influence waned after Bishop, Pierre de La Baume’s final flight from Geneva in July 1533, and by 1534 secular authorities had gained the right to try clergy. Growing agitation and pressure from Bern further strengthened the Protestant cause. By 1535, mass Catholic emigration and repeated Savoy invasions left Geneva’s Protestant faction dominant.
The Genevan Reformation was made official on May 21, 1536, all citizens swore allegiance to the Lutheran faith, proclaiming Geneva a Protestant republic. John Calvin soon emerged as the city’s spiritual leader, turning Geneva into a hub of Protestant thought and refuge for reformers, though he often clashed with civic leaders. The city also developed welfare and education systems under Calvin’s influence. Despite much of the surrounding diocese later returning to Catholicism under Francis de Sales, Geneva maintained its Protestant identity and, in 1584, strengthened ties with Bern and Zürich through an “eternal treaty.”