The story of emergence of Switzerland as a nation-state constitutes the most historic episode of European history. In the thirteenth century, the territory now named as Switzerland, formed part of the Duchy of Swabia, which was a part of the empire. It was divided among various feudal lords.
One of these powerful feudal lords known as Austrian Habsburgs, which controlled three districts of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden, took a lead in the formation of the Swiss nation in 1291 when it formed a league of mutual defence. The Habsburgs did not view the League with favour and tried to crush it. However, the Swiss foiled their attempt and won a victory at Morgarten in 1315.
Thereafter a number of other districts also joined the confederacy and by 1353 their number had increased to eight. The confederacy grew so powerful that in 1386 they were able to defeat the great army of nobles and mercenaries from Germany, Italy and France as Sempach.
By the close of the fifteenth century, the Sw.ss had secured complete independence from the empire, even though officially this independence was granted only in 1648. Thus we can say that the Swiss Confederation was the result of the weakness and disunity of the Holy Roman Empire. It successfully repulsed all the attempts of the emperors to exercise jurisdiction over it and asserted its independence.