Kaspar Stockalper was born in Brig in 1609 and went on to become one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Valais. A merchant, entrepreneur and politician, he recognised the importance of the Simplon Pass as a route between Switzerland and Italy and invested heavily in improving the mule track over the pass. The route became known as the Via Stockalper and helped establish the foundation of his trading empire.
Stockalper built a near-monopoly over the transport of goods across the Simplon, including salt, one of the most valuable commodities of the time. His business interests extended into mining, mercenary troops, transport and finance, while his political influence grew alongside his wealth. He lent money to farmers and other landowners, and during the economic crisis of the 1670s some indebted borrowers were forced to surrender their land, adding to Stockalper's already considerable property holdings.
His motto was:
Sospes lucra carpat
Roughly translated as 'God's favourite shall take the profits'. The phrase was more than a slogan. Stockalper saw wealth, business and divine favour as closely connected, and the motto appeared in his account books and elsewhere around Brig. It was also an anagram of his name, neatly combining his identity with his ambition.
His extraordinary rise eventually provoked an equally dramatic fall. In 1678 a group of political opponents moved against him, accusing him of abuses of power and misuse of his monopolies. He lost his offices and much of his political influence, and in 1679, facing further accusations and the threat of arrest, fled across the Simplon to Domodossola. He remained there in exile for around five years before returning to Brig in 1685, having agreed to stay out of politics.
His legacy is still visible in Brig at the Stockalper Palace. Built during the middle of the 17th century, with the main palace constructed between 1658 and 1678, the vast complex was intended as both a residence and a centre for his commercial empire. It became the largest private building project in Switzerland at the time and remains one of the most striking secular Baroque buildings in the country.
The original mule track over the Simplon is still walkable today as the Via Stockalper. The route runs from Brig over the pass and down to Gondo, where the Stockalper Tower marks the end of the Swiss section. From here, the historic route continues towards Domodossola in Italy.
Stockalper died in Brig in 1691, aged 82. His political power was gone, but the route, buildings and trading network he created left an enduring mark on the landscape of the Simplon.