The Early Writings of Ulrich Zwingli

In 1519, just two years after Martin Luther's publication of his 95 Theses, Ulrich Zwingli began to preach against indulgences in the city of Zurich in his native Switzerland. He quickly became the leader of the Reformation in Switzerland, breaking completely with the Catholic Church. By the end of the 1520's Zwingli was the ruler of Zurich, both religiously and politically. In 1531 he would be killed leading the defense of Zurich against an invading Roman Catholic army.

At the beginning of his priestly career, however, there was little to suggest Ulrich Zwingli would one day become a great enemy of the Roman Catholic Church and even die in battle against a Catholic army defending his Reformed faith. Until 1520, in fact, he was specially recognized as an important priest by the Holy See and received a papal pension of 50 gulden a year.

Zwingli was so recognized because of his early writings. The two most important of his early works were The Fable of the Ox and The Labyrinth. These were written while he served as pastor in Glarus, prior to his move to Zurich in 1516 where he would become such an important Reformer.

During this period of Ulrich Zwingli's life (1506-1516), Zwingli found himself more interested in politics than religious reformation. His most important cause was that of mercenary system which was so common in Switzerland in his day. The Swiss would often hire themselves out as soldiers in foreign armies, most commonly the French against whom Zwingli was particularly opposed. He was very much in favor of the independence of the Confederacy of Switzerland and disdained any foreign alliances, particularly those of mercenaries who sold out their services to foreign powers.

There was only one European power for whom Zwingli supported creating alliances and even serving in a mercenary capacity: the Papacy. In his early years Zwingli thought it was not only right but the moral duty of the Swiss to serve the Papacy in its military endeavors.

The early writings of Ulrich Zwingli: The Labyrinth and The Fable of the Ox are poems originally written in German used by Zwingli to advance his political ideals. The Fable of the Ox represents Switzerland as the titular Ox, becoming a beast of burden to foreign powers which will ultimately work the ox to death.

Zwingli's The Labyrinth tells the tale of Theseus and the Minotaur, recasting it as a political fable. He casts the Minotaur as the representation of the sins of the Swiss, most notably its mercenary service to foreign powers. If the Swiss do not change their ways, the Minotaur will devour them whole.

For his attacks on the mercenary system, his hatred of the French and his complete support for the power of the Papacy, Ulrich Zwingli won the friendship of Cardinal Matthew Schinner, one of the most influential cardinals of the day, as well as his papal pension. The impact of his writings and his continuing hatred of the French, however, would also lead him away from his home in Glarus when it was overtaken by pro-French sentiments, leading to his installment in Zurich where Zwingli would make his true name for himself as a Reformer.

Although Ulrich Zwingli would ultimately turn against the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church, his disdain and hatred of the mercenary system that was such an important part of his early writings remained with him. Zurich was the only part of Switzerland to not become allied with France in 1521, thanks mostly to Zwingli's efforts, and in 1522 he managed to get the mercenary system completely outlawed in Zurich.