[per loin]

How important were they in the founding of Switzerland?

[Katya]

Switzerland had already been founded before their persecutions began....however most of the monasteries, not all of them Templar, but certainly Templar friendly and already active money lenders were built on trade routes that looped around southern germany, austria, switzerland and italy. One of the mysteries that remained after the Templars were shut down, was the disappearance of all their apparent wealth...ie. "Show me the money". Switzerland seems like a good bet to me as well, particularly since they have always been independant.