Editing Obwalden (section)

===Early middle ages===
[[File:Engelberg Kloster 085.jpg|thumb|Engelberg Abbey was a major power and controlled the parishes in Obwalden]]
During the [[Early Middle Ages]], much of the land in Obwalden was controlled by monasteries (especially Murbach-Lucerne and Beromünster Abbey). The monasteries began to spread their authority and [[parish]]es into Obwalden during this time. St. Peter's Church in Sarnen was first mentioned in 1036, but was built on top of an 8th-century church. St. Mary's Church of Alpnach was probably built in the 8th or 9th century. The churches in Kerns, Sachseln, and Giswil all became [[parish church]]es by the 12th century and a church was mentioned in Lungern in 1275. During the 14th century, [[Engelberg Abbey]] began to acquire rights over the parishes in Obwalden. By 1415 the Abbey had [[de facto]] control over the appointment of parish priests in the entire valley. In 1460, this became [[de jure]] authority over all the parishes in the valley.<ref name=HDS/>

In the early 12th century the Counts of Lenzburg granted a large part of their lands in Obwalden to their monastery at Beromünster. In 1210 the Lenzburg castle at Landenberg was abandoned. However, in the 13th century, several small castles were built for the minor nobles. The Kellner of Sarnen ([[Obedientiaries]] of the main family) lived in the Lower Castle in Sarnen. In Giswil the Lords of Hunwil lived in Hunwil Castle while the Meier of Giswil, a [[Ministerialis]] (unfree knights in the service of a [[feudal]] overlord) family, lived in Rosenberg Castle. In Lungern, the Lords of Vittringen had a castle.

The political community of Sarnen (de Sarnon locorum homines) were first mentioned in a [[Papal bull]] in 1247, when they and the citizens of Schwyz were [[excommunicated]] for supporting [[Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor|Frederick II]] against their ruler, Rudolf of Habsburg-Laufenburg. In 1257, the Habsburgs had to grant their landlord rights in Obwalden to several of their [[vassal]]s, all minor nobles. During the 13th century, Obwalden was home to a unified local political organization with enough autonomy to act against the best interests of their nominal rulers. The nobility in the canton were all minor nobles with limited power. This changed on 16 April 1291 when [[Rudolph I of Germany|Rudolph I of Habsburg]] bought the Unterwalden (containing both Obwalden and Nidwalden) from [[Murbach Abbey]]. This made him the chief landowner, the count, and the emperor over the valley. Fearing a loss of their freedoms, on the 1 August 1291 Nidwalden (Obwalden is not named in the text of the document, though it is named on the seal appended to it) formed the [[Eternal Alliance]] with Uri and Schwyz.<ref name=EB>{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Unterwalden|first=Rev. William Augustus Brevoort|last= Coolidge|volume=27|pages=780–81}}</ref> This alliance is considered the beginning of the [[Old Swiss Confederacy|Swiss Confederation]] and modern Switzerland.