The historic Escalade procession closed the weekend of celebrations in Geneva.
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Geneva celebrated “Escalade” this weekend, the battle that saw the Protestant city repel an invasion from the Catholic Duke of Savoy on the night of December 11-12, 1602.
The commemorations concluded on Sunday evening with a historic procession through the city. Organised by Compagnie 1602, Switzerland’s oldest historical society, the procession features over 800 people dressed in period costume. It is the largest historical parade in Europe.
The participants set off at dusk carrying flaming torches, much to the delight of the numerous spectators.
The procession follows a very precise protocol. The parade is opened by the Cadets drummers, followed by the authorities and members of the judiciary.
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Next come the ecclesiastics and the inhabitants of Geneva, including Mere Royaume, one of the heroines of the night of the Escalade, who threw a pot of boiling vegetable soup on the assailants.
Then came the inhabitants of the countryside, and finally the detachment of bourgeois militia with its impressive section of pikemen. The “Falco”, a replica of the cannon that is said to have fired on the troops of Duke Charles-Emmanuel I of Savoy, also featured prominently in this part of the procession.
A rude awakening
In 1602, on the night of December 11 to 12, Charles-Emmanuel I, Duke of Savoy, wanted to retake Geneva, which had been Protestant since 1536. He launched his army to take the city by surprise, in order to make Geneva the capital of his states north of the Alps and to fight against Calvinism.
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The 2,000 Savoyards were well equipped. Using ladders, the attackers attempted to breach the city walls. But the inhabitants took up arms, leading to fierce fighting. The Savoyards were finally repulsed. The battle claimed 18 victims on the Geneva side.
Translated from French by DeepL/sb
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