Fact or fiction? The legend of William Tell
History has immortalised European folk hero William Tell and his ‘apple-shot’ moment — but what stories made his name across Switzerland and Austria?
Image: The monument dedicated to William Tell in Altdorf, Switzerland | stock.adobe.com
Who was William Tell? He is famed as a 14th-century huntsman who fired an arrow to shoot an apple from atop his son’s head. You might also recognise the name from the William Tell Overture, a globally iconic piece of classical music.
Tell is considered a national hero in Switzerland, where kids are taught about his brave defiance of tyrannical Austrians encroaching on Swiss territory. He has even been credited with helping to bring the modern Swiss state into being.
One lingering problem with all of this is that the William Tell story is of doubtful historical veracity. So, did Tell really split that apple with just one strike of an arrow from his crossbow? Did he exist at all? Does it even matter whether or not he did?
Sky HISTORY has introduced TV viewers to many stories of historical legends, from King Arthur’s round table to the lost city of Atlantis. Now here’s a fascinating look at another, one of the best-known figures (real or otherwise) in Swiss history…
Where did the William Tell story originate from?
Well, if we believe the traditional, long-established telling of the story, the Swiss settlement of Altdorf. Tell was reportedly visiting in 1307 when, in the market square, an Austrian bailiff erected a pole and insisted that the townsfolk bow to it.
Tell (with his young son in tow) saw the pole but declined to bow. The bailiff — Albrecht Gessler, acting on behalf of Austria’s Habsburg imperial house — was incensed, leading to Tell’s arrest.
However, curious about Tell’s reputation as a skilled marksman, Gessler made him an offer. Tell subsequently accomplished the famous ‘apple-shot’ feat to avoid execution, as per his deal with Gessler.
An early version of this story appears in the patriotic 1470s Swiss song Tellenlied. It mentions Tell also preparing a second arrow he intended to fire at Gessler if the first shot killed Tell’s son. The song also hails Tell as the 'first confederate' — a reference to his supposed role in the birth of the Swiss Confederacy.
How William Tell became imprinted in the public mind
The earliest known reference to Tell — in a manuscript collection compiled in the 1470s — does refer to him by a given name. However, he was named ‘Wilhelm’ (German for ‘William’) in a later account written by the Swiss historian Aegidius Tschudi roughly a century later.
Tschudi added that Tell was originally from the Swiss canton of Uri. Tschudi also claims that, after hearing Tell’s reason for preparing his second arrow, Gessler sentenced him to life imprisonment.
According to Tschudi, though Gessler carried Tell away in a boat on Lake Lucerne, a storm broke out. Due to Tell’s sailing experience, he was permitted to navigate the ship through the choppy waters. Tell cannily took this opportunity to flee from the vessel before finally killing the pursuing Gessler with the second crossbow bolt.
From accepted history to much-loved fable
In 1804, German playwright Friedrich Schiller wrote a play of the Tell story at a time when it was still widely classed as historical fact. This play inspired Gioachino Rossini to compose his 1829 opera William Tell (where the William Tell Overture originated).
Today, there are many good reasons to doubt that William Tell actually existed. It was once thought that Tell, after killing Gessler, swore an oath with representatives of three Swiss cantons. However, in 1758, a copy of the supposed oath resurfaced, revealing that Tell was not one of its signatories.
Furthermore, the date written on the document was 'the beginning of August 1291'. This is almost two decades before Tell was previously said to have sparked the war leading to Switzerland’s liberation.
Nonetheless, the Swiss were slow to accept scepticism of Tell’s historical existence. In the late 18th century, a copy of a book titled William Tell: A Fable was publicly set ablaze in Altdorf. Tell also continued to be revered as a symbol of resistance to oppression.
William Tell’s modern place in popular culture
The legendary huntsman is still regularly referenced — sometimes in quite surprising places.
In one episode of the comedy game show Taskmaster, comedian Jon Richardson performs an eccentric rendition of the William Tell Overture. Meanwhile, a new epic historical drama film titled William Tell gives the legend the Braveheart treatment.
There remain plenty of other fascinating historical figures Hollywood is yet to do proper justice. You can find out about them by subscribing to the Sky HISTORY Newsletter! It’s a great way to keep yourself in the loop about new shows, competitions, and more.
