On October 21, 1356 CE, a devastating earthquake struck the city of Basel in Switzerland, causing widespread destruction and killing hundreds of people. This event, known as the Basel earthquake, is one of the most significant seismic events in central European history. The earthquake caused fires and damaged many of the city's buildings, including its cathedral. The disaster had a lasting impact on the city and was documented in numerous contemporary sources.

The 1356 Basel earthquake was the subject of many chronicles and reports, becoming part of the literary and historical memory of Switzerland. The event was interpreted as a divine judgment in the religious literature of the time, and it influenced the moralistic and apocalyptic themes that were common in medieval European poetry. The earthquake is a key event in the history of Swiss literature, where it is often used as a symbol of the power of nature and the fragility of human life.