Despite its position at the heart of Europe & its quintessentially European nature, Switzerland`s history is often overlooked within the English-speaking world. This comprehensive & engaging history of Switzerland traces the historical & cultural development of this fascinating but neglected European country from the end of the Dark Ages up to the present. The authors focus on the initial Confederacy of the Middle Ages; the religious divisions which threatened it after 1500 & its surprising survival amongst Europe`s monarchies; the turmoil following the French Revolution & conquest, which continued until the Federal Constitution of 1848; the testing of the Swiss nation through the late nineteenth century & then two World Wars & the Depression of the 1930s; & the unparalleled economic & social growth & political success of the post-war era. The book concludes with a discussion of the contemporary challenges, often shared with neighbours, that shape the country today.