View source for Canton of Baden

{{Short description|Canton of the Helvetic Republic}}
{{use mdy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox Former Subdivision
|native_name            = ''Kanton Baden''
|conventional_long_name = Canton of Baden
|common_name            = Baden, Canton
|image_coat             =  
|today                  = {{flag|Switzerland}}
|subdivision            = Canton
|nation                 = Helvetic Republic
|status_text            = [[Canton (administrative division)|Canton]] of the [[Helvetic Republic]]
|
|year_start             = {{start date and age|1798}}
|year_end               = {{end date and age|1803}}
|
|event_start            = Canton established
|date_start             = April 11,
|event1                 = [[Helvetic Republic|Helv. Rep.]] [[French Revolutionary Wars: Campaigns of 1798|proclaimed]]
|date_event1            = {{start date and age|1798|04|12}}
|event_end              = Helvetic Republic and <br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Canton [[Act of Mediation|disestablished]]
|date_end               = &nbsp;<br/>February 19, 1803
|
|p1                     = County of Baden
|image_p1               = [[Image:CHE Baden Flag.svg|20px|County of Baden]]
|p2                     = Freie Ämter
|image_p2               = [[Image:Freiamt blason.png|20px|Freie Ämter]]
|p3                     = :de:Kelleramt
|image_p3               = [[Image:Kelleramt.png|20px|Kelleramt]]
|s1                     = Aargau
|image_s1               = [[File:Flag of Canton of Aargau.svg|20px]]
|
|image_map              = Karte Helvetik 3.png
|image_map_caption      = The [[Helvetic Republic]], as at the constitution of 12 April 1798, showing the Canton of Baden in dark brown, top-centre.
|
|capital                = [[Baden, Switzerland|Baden]]
|
|footnotes              = '''Note:''' Small parts of the canton were added to [[Canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]] and [[Canton of Zürich|Zürich]]
}}
The '''Canton of Baden''' ({{langx|de|Kanton Baden}}) was a [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]] of the [[Helvetic Republic]] (a [[Napoleon]]ic-era precursor of modern-day [[Switzerland]]). Its capital was the town of [[Baden, Switzerland|Baden]].

==Formation==
The canton was created in 1798 from the merger of the [[County of Baden]] with the [[Freie Ämter]] (free bailiwicks) and [[Kelleramt]], all of which had until then been [[condominium (international law)|condominiums]] (''gemeine Herrschaften'') of the [[Old Swiss Confederation]].

The canton was divided into five districts — [[Baden District, Aargau|Baden]], [[Bremgarten District|Bremgarten]], [[Muri District|Muri]], [[Sarmenstorf]] and [[Zurzach District|Zurzach]]. The canton, like the others of the Helvetic Republic, was administered by a governor ({{langx|de|Statthalter}}) and an administrative chamber ({{langx|de|Verwaltungskammer}}), a vice-governor ({{langx|de|Unterstatthalter}}) in each district, as well as agents in the municipalities. In 1799, there were 45,982 residents, though the [[Jew]]ish population was not counted in the census.

==Dissolution==
[[File:Kanton Baden.png|thumb|left|The former canton and its districts (shaded green) shown with the canton of Aargau (1803 — ).]]
Since the majority of [[Roman Catholic]], conservative population were indifferent to the new state, officials and politicians had to be imported from neighboring cantons. The canton was divided and some municipalities sought affiliations with other cantons: the [[Lutheran]] congregations in the [[Limmat]]tal wanted to affiliate with [[canton of Zürich|Zürich]], the ''Amt'' of [[Hitzkirch]] with [[canton of Lucerne|Lucerne]], and the upper Freiamt with [[canton of Zug|Zug]] or [[canton of Schwyz|Schwyz]].

The canton was not politically viable, notably due to its lack of an economic base; in both 1801 ([[Constitution of Malmaison]]) and 1802 ([[Second Helvetic Constitution]]), it was decided to merge the canton into [[Aargau]], but the move was not completed. [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] signed the [[Act of Mediation]] on 19 February 1803 and, in the process, the canton of Baden was dissolved and united with the cantons of [[Aargau]] and [[canton of Fricktal|Fricktal]], forming the contemporary canton of Aargau.

Some parts of the canton of Baden at this point were transferred to other cantons: the ''Amt'' of Hitzkirch to Lucerne, whilst [[Hüttikon]], [[Oetwil an der Limmat]], [[Dietikon]] and [[Schlieren, Zürich|Schlieren]] went to Zürich. In return, Lucerne's ''Amt'' of [[Merenschwand]] was transferred to Aargau (district of Muri).

==Contemporary districts==
The former canton can still be identified with the contemporary Aargau [[Districts of Switzerland#Aargau|districts]] of [[Zurzach District|Zurzach]], [[Baden District, Aargau|Baden]], [[Bremgarten District|Bremgarten]] and [[Muri District|Muri]] (albeit with the gains and losses in 1803 as detailed above).

==References==
* {{HLS|8635}}

{{Cantons of Switzerland |state=collapsed}}
{{Portal bar|Switzerland}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|47|28|N|8|18|E|type:adm1st_region:CH|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baden, Canton}}
[[Category:Cantons of the Helvetic Republic]]
[[Category:Former cantons of Switzerland]]
[[Category:Aargau]]