Each nation has its own hero, who personifies the nation’s desire for freedom and independence. Sometimes mythological characters act in his role, and more often the acts of a real person are embellished so much that it is already difficult to distinguish truth from fiction. One of these heroes is William Tell, about whom for several centuries the Swiss composed legends and songs.
A bit of history
Before proceeding to the story of William Tell, a brief excursion into the history of Switzerland, or rather the history of the canton of Uri, located in the Alps, should be made. The inhabitants of Uri have been known for centuries for their freedom-loving disposition, and although this region was considered German territory, their laws acted in the Alps.
In addition, until the last quarter of the 13th century, the canton of Uri, along with the cantons of Schwyz and Unterwalden, enjoyed certain privileges as a reward for the courage shown by their inhabitants in the service of the Austrian emperor. Moreover, Rudolph I, who greatly respected the brave highlanders, even granted them the right to independently elect their ruler - Landamman. However, then everything changed, and the Swiss had to defend their freedom. To this end, in 1291, three rebellious cantons entered into a military alliance, which marked the beginning of the creation of several centuries later the Swiss Confederation.
Who is William Tell?
But back to William Tell. What is known about him? Yes, quite a bit. It is believed that he was a native of the city of BĂĽrglen, located in the canton of Uri. Moreover, the record of Tell's birth was not preserved in the parish books. However, those who believe that Tell is a real character explain the lack of written evidence that the official archives of the Uri canton burned down in a fire in 1440. In addition, there is a version that Tell was the son-in-law of a real historical figure - Walter Furst, who, as documented, in 1307 publicly vowed together with Werner de Stauffacher and Arnold Melchtal to free his native country from the dominance of hated and cruel Austrians. If there are almost no real facts about the life of the national hero of Switzerland, then William Tell's exploit is known in great detail. And no one can say where the truth is, and where is the fiction.
William Tell: a legend and real facts. What is known about him?
It all began in 1291, when the successor of Rudolph the First Adolf Nassausky ascended the throne. The new emperor, nicknamed the Black Duke, was particularly cruel and oblivious to all previous peace accords. The first thing he did was to replace the Landamman with his governors, the so-called bali. These Austrian officials began to do lawlessness, which caused outrage among the inhabitants of the Swiss cantons. Gessler’s balls were especially cruel, who sat in a fortress in Altdorf and led his minions, sowing terror among local peasants. Here the real facts end, and the legend begins, which describes the feat of William Tell in bright colors and with all the details. Moreover, many researchers rightly point out that the legend of the proud shooter from the Alps is very similar to the legends about virtuoso archers (there are about a dozen of them known) that different peoples live in a vast space from Persia and India to the Scandinavian Peninsula.
The feat of the brave Swiss
According to legend, one day Gessler decided to find out if a riot among the inhabitants of Uri is ripening. To do this, he ordered a pillar to be installed in the square and a ducal hat was put on it. Then the heralds announced that passersby must bow to this headdress, symbolizing the power of the Austrians, and those who refuse will face death. Gritting their teeth, the residents obeyed the order, and only William Tell, who was walking in the square with his son, refused to bow to the hat. When he was brought in for questioning, he stated that he was a free man.
Bali Gessler was angry, but did not dare to immediately execute the rebel. Deciding to act more cunningly, he promised to pardon Tell if he could get to the target with a hundred steps, and suggested using an apple placed on the head of Wilhelm’s son as a target. Of course, Tell refused, but the insidious bali said that then he would order one of his archers to shoot an apple. According to legend, it was under such circumstances that William Tell worked out - a man, collecting all his courage, shot and hit an apple on the head of his six-year-old son Walter, and then fled with his child.
Life of a hero after accomplishing a feat
After the incident at Altdorf Square, very little is known about the life of William Tell. In particular, the legends say that he still shot Gessler with a crossbow when he was going to take his family hostage, and after that he did many glorious deeds. For example, he participated in the battle of Morgarten, which occurred in 1315. So that feat of William Tell was not the only one. When age no longer allowed him to fight with weapons in his hands, the man became the treasurer of the Bingen Church. It is also alleged that death overtook the hero in 1354, when William Tell, already a very old man, died trying to save a child who was drowning in a mountain river.
Opera Rossini - a masterpiece of classical music
Wilhelm Tell’s patriotic and parental feat was immortalized by Joaquino Rossini, who created his masterpiece in 1829 - the opera William Tell.
For almost 190 years, the overture to this large-scale work has been included in the program of concerts of symphonic music, and not a single classical opus can compete with its popularity. Rossini himself was so devastated after six long months of working on “William Tell” that, after living for another 40 years after its premiere, he no longer turned to the opera genre. Rossini's opera "William Tell" was highly praised by critics. However, until the end of the 19th century, censors mercilessly shredded her libretto and changed their name, as they saw in her calls for revolution and rebellion.