On July 9, 1386, the Swiss Confederation forces defeated the Habsburg army at the Battle of Sempach, a decisive victory that secured Swiss independence from Habsburg rule. The battle was fought near the town of Sempach in central Switzerland, and the Swiss victory was aided by the legendary heroism of Arnold von Winkelried, who, according to tradition, threw himself onto the Austrian pikes to break their formation. The victory at Sempach was a milestone in the establishment of the Swiss Confederation as an independent political entity.

The Battle of Sempach became a foundational myth of Swiss national identity, celebrated in ballads, chronicles, and patriotic poetry that extolled the virtues of the Swiss soldiers and the heroism of Arnold von Winkelried. The figure of Winkelried became a national symbol, appearing in countless works of Swiss literature and serving as an exemplar of self-sacrifice and courage. The battle's literary legacy also influenced the broader European tradition of patriotic poetry, as other nations looked to Switzerland as a model of republican virtue and resistance to tyranny.