"The Old Swiss Confederacy (Modern German: Alte Eidgenossenschaft; historically Eidgenossenschaft, after the Reformation R\u00E9publique des Suisses, Republica Helvetiorum \"Republic of the Swiss\") was the precursor of Switzerland.It was a loose confederation of independent small states (cantons) which formed during the 14th century. From a nucleus in what is now Central Switzerland, the confederacy expanded to include the cities of Zurich and Berne by the middle of the century."@en . . . "R\u00E9publique des Suisses"@en . . "Republica Helvetiorum"@en . "1291Z"^^ . "Republic of the Swiss"@en . "Confederation"@en . "1798-03-05Z"^^ . "Eidgenossenschaft"@en . "1798Z"^^ .