The earliest recorded event of Fasnacht (Fast-Nacht = night of fasting) in Basel was the "Böse Fasnacht", a tournament arranged by the Duke of Austria on the day before Ash Wednesday in 1376.  During this event, a heated argument broke out between local citizens and the knights, culminating in a blood bath.  As a result, the Emperor Charles IV temporarily placed a ban on the City of Basel.

Although Basel Fasnacht has developed its own special customs over time, like with many other carnival traditions, its roots lie in heathen and presumably also in Celtic and Germanic rituals:  ancestor worship,  the exorcism of winter and fertility rites.  There are also connections with the military parades and weapons inspections conducted by the labor guilds, with the festivities prior to religious fasting, and with jousting tournaments.

Even though the Reformation placed heavy constraints on the boisterous celebrations, the guilds and societies continued to play an important role with their "emblems" well into the 19th century.  These emblems were allegorical figures, such as a bear, a crow, a donkey, the "three confederates" or the most well-known emblem of the Kleinbasel (Minor Basel):  the griffin, the lion, and the Wild Man.  In the 19th century Fasnacht gradually developed into the festival it is today.  For safety reasons, the original torches were replaced with handheld lanterns, SCHNITZELBANK singers made their first appearance, and the drums and piccolos established their dominance over the celebrations.