Canton of

Uri

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The arms of Uri date from the early 13^th century. The oldest known seal dates from 1249, but is probably older. It shows already a bull's head with a ring.

The bull was probably a canting symbol. The oldest Germanic tribes to settle in the area named the area Ur (wilderness). The land was inhabited by a kind of bulls, known as Urochs (Bos primigenus), the ancestor of our present cows.

The arms of the canton thus have basically not changed since.

Uri was first mentioned in 732 as belonging to the abbot of Reichenau. In 853 it was given to the nunnery at Zürich by Louis the German.

It is thought that the name Uri derives from the old German word Aurochs meaning wild ox. This is backed up by the fact that the region's traditional coat of arms bears a bull's head.

In 1243 the region had a common seal. By 1274 the powerful Rudolf of Habsburg recognized these privileges. Uri was one of the three original Swiss cantons, having signed the Letter of Alliance (Bundesbrief) in 1291. In 1386 Uri participated in the victory over the Austrians at Sempach. As a result Uri annexed the lands of Urseren in 1410.

The region resisted the reformation and remained Roman Catholic. During the Helvetic Republic Uri was part of the canton of Waldstätten. After this, in 1803, Uri re-gained its independence. All attempts to religious or constitutional reform were resisted. In 1815 Uri joined the League of Sarnen for this reason. Later on Uri was one of the members of the Sonderbund. The Sonderbund was a separatist Catholic league, but overthrown by the Swiss Confederation.