Council of Two Hundred

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Council of the Two Hundred (German: Rat der Zweihundert; French: Conseil des Deux-Cents) were the main lawmaking bodies in four Swiss cities—Zurich, Bern, Fribourg, Basel—and in the independent Republic of Geneva before the French Revolution. They were originally called Grand Council (Grosser Rat or Grand Conseil). The Geneva council dates from 1526, but the idea goes back to medieval times. These councils typically had about 200 members, sometimes up to 300. They were later replaced by smaller legislatures that also used the name Grand Council.