William Tell

William Tell, legendary Swiss patriot of the 14th century, who is said to have liberated Switzerland from Austrian despotism. According to tradition, Tell refused to salute the cap of Gessler, the despotic Austrian governor of his canton, Uri. Gessler then ordered Tell to shoot an arrow through an apple set upon the head of Tell's young son. He accomplished the feat, but stated that if he had killed his son, he would have proceeded to kill Gessler himself. Condemned to prison, Tell escaped on the way, set an ambush for the governor, and killed him. This was said to have sparked the uprising of the Swiss against their Austrian rulers, resulting in the unification and independence of the Swiss nation.

The legend, the first written version of which appears in a 15th-century ballad, later served as the basis for the famous drama Wilhelm Tell (1804) by Friedrich von Schiller and for the opera Guillaume Tell (1829) by Gioacchino Rossini. The legend has no basis in fact, however. Tales involving a master shot by an accomplished marksman are widespread in European myth and legend; the Norse legend of Toki is one such example.