6o6 Outlines of European History Switzerland In 1 499 they were finally freed from the jurisdiction of the separate Emperor and Switzerland became a practically independent mixed^' country. Although the original union had been made up of nationality Gcrman-spcaking people, considerable districts had been an- of its people nexed in which Italian or French was spoken.-^ The Swiss did The Swiss Coxfedekatiox ix the Sixteenth Cextury not, therefore, form a compact, well-defined nation, and conse- quently for some centuries their confederation was weak and ill-organized. In Switzerland the first leader of the revolt against the Church was a young priest named Zwingli, who was a year younger 1 This condition has not changed ; all Swiss laws are still proclaimed in three languages.
