Albrecht Gessler
Encyclopedia
Albrecht Gessler (c. 14th century) was a probably legendary Habsburg bailiff at Altdorf
, whose brutal rule led to the William Tell
rebellion and the eventual independence of the Swiss Confederacy
.
The White Book of Sarnen
about 1470 mentioned one gesler who was vogt at Uri
and Schwyz
. According to the Chronicon Helveticum
by Aegidius Tschudi
(1505–1572), in 1307 Gessler raised a pole in the market square of Altdorf, placed his hat atop it, and ordered all the townsfolk to bow before it. When Tell refused, he was given the option of either being executed himself or shooting an apple
off his son's head. Tell succeeded in splitting the apple with his first arrow, but when asked why he had a second arrow ready, he replied that it was intended for Gessler in the event that he ended up harming his son. Gessler had Tell arrested and taken by boat across Lake Lucerne
to Küssnacht
. A fierce storm enabled Tell to escape and he later ambushed and killed Gessler with an arrow, launching the local rebellion against Austrian rule.
Indeed a Gessler family of ministeriales
is documented from the 13th century onwards; however at Wiggwil
in the Aargau
region, the original homeland of the Habsburgs and the basis for their rise after the extinction of the Swabian House of Hohenstaufen. The Gesslers profited from the election of Count Rudolph of Habsburg
as King of the Romans
in 1273 and his acquisition of the Austria
n and Styria
n duchies after the victory over King Ottokar II of Bohemia
at the 1278 Battle on the Marchfeld. In the late 14th century one Hermann Gessler was Landvogt of the Habsburg dukes at Grüningen
Castle in Zürich
. His stern measures against the peasant population made the name Gessler an epitome of tyranny.
Friedrich Schiller
perpetuated the figure in his 1804 drama Wilhelm Tell
. In the Tale Spinners For Children
recording of the story, Gessler is working under orders from the Emperor of Austria, who wishes to deliberately provoke the people of Switzerland into a rebellion which will serve as an excuse for Austria to invade Switzerland.
No sources refer to Gessler which predate the earliest references to the Tell legend of the late 15th century, and he is presumed not to have existed. Gessler's role in Tell's story is analogous to that of King Nidung in the story of Egil
in the Thidreks saga.
Altdorf, Switzerland
Altdorf is the capital of the Swiss canton of Uri. The municipality covers an area of and is located at a height of above sea-level, to the right of the river Reuss.-Location:...
, whose brutal rule led to the William Tell
William Tell
William Tell is a folk hero of Switzerland. His legend is recorded in a late 15th century Swiss chronicle....
rebellion and the eventual independence of the Swiss Confederacy
Old Swiss Confederacy
The Old Swiss Confederacy was the precursor of modern-day Switzerland....
.
The White Book of Sarnen
Sarnen
Sarnen is the capital of the canton of Obwalden situated on the shores of Lake Sarnen , Switzerland. It has a population of just under 10,000 and is surrounded by countryside and mountains. Sarnen is located 20 km south of Lucerne.- History :...
about 1470 mentioned one gesler who was vogt at Uri
Canton of Uri
Uri is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's territory covers the valley of the Reuss River between Lake Lucerne and the St. Gotthard Pass. German is the primary language spoken in Uri...
and Schwyz
Canton of Schwyz
Schwyz is a canton in central Switzerland between the Alps in the south, Lake Lucerne in the east and Lake Zurich in the north, centered around and named after the town of Schwyz....
. According to the Chronicon Helveticum
Chronicon Helveticum
The Chronicon Helveticum is one of the oldest accounts of the early history of the Swiss Confederation.The rough draft of the Chronicon Helveticum was written by the historian Aegidius Tschudi from Glarus in 1550...
by Aegidius Tschudi
Aegidius Tschudi
Aegidius Tschudi was an eminent member of the Tschudi family, of Glarus, Switzerland....
(1505–1572), in 1307 Gessler raised a pole in the market square of Altdorf, placed his hat atop it, and ordered all the townsfolk to bow before it. When Tell refused, he was given the option of either being executed himself or shooting an apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
off his son's head. Tell succeeded in splitting the apple with his first arrow, but when asked why he had a second arrow ready, he replied that it was intended for Gessler in the event that he ended up harming his son. Gessler had Tell arrested and taken by boat across Lake Lucerne
Lake Lucerne
Lake Lucerne is a lake in central Switzerland and the fourth largest in the country.The lake has a complicated shape, with bends and arms reaching from the city of Lucerne into the mountains. It has a total area of 114 km² , an elevation of 434 m , and a maximum depth of 214 m . Its volume is 11.8...
to Küssnacht
Küssnacht
Küssnacht am Rigi is a district and municipality in the canton of Schwyz in Switzerland, consisting of three villages: Küssnacht, Immensee and Merlischachen...
. A fierce storm enabled Tell to escape and he later ambushed and killed Gessler with an arrow, launching the local rebellion against Austrian rule.
Indeed a Gessler family of ministeriales
Ministerialis
Ministerialis ; a post-classical Latin word, used in English, meaning originally servitor, agent, in a broad range of senses...
is documented from the 13th century onwards; however at Wiggwil
Beinwil (Freiamt)
Beinwil is a municipality in the district of Muri in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:The earliest evidence of human settlement are scattered Roman era items. The modern municipality of Beinwil is first mentioned in 1153 as Beinwilare. Until 1950 it was known as Beinwil bei Muri. ...
in the Aargau
Aargau
Aargau is one of the more northerly cantons of Switzerland. It comprises the lower course of the river Aare, which is why the canton is called Aar-gau .-History:...
region, the original homeland of the Habsburgs and the basis for their rise after the extinction of the Swabian House of Hohenstaufen. The Gesslers profited from the election of Count Rudolph of Habsburg
Rudolph I of Germany
Rudolph I was King of the Romans from 1273 until his death. He played a vital role in raising the Habsburg dynasty to a leading position among the Imperial feudal dynasties...
as King of the Romans
King of the Romans
King of the Romans was the title used by the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire following his election to the office by the princes of the Kingdom of Germany...
in 1273 and his acquisition of the Austria
Archduchy of Austria
The Archduchy of Austria , one of the most important states within the Holy Roman Empire, was the nucleus of the Habsburg Monarchy and the predecessor of the Austrian Empire...
n and Styria
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
n duchies after the victory over King Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II of Bohemia
Ottokar II , called The Iron and Golden King, was the King of Bohemia from 1253 until 1278. He was the Duke of Austria , Styria , Carinthia and Carniola also....
at the 1278 Battle on the Marchfeld. In the late 14th century one Hermann Gessler was Landvogt of the Habsburg dukes at Grüningen
Grüningen
Grüningen is a village in the district of Hinwil in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.In 1976, Grüningen received the Wakker Prize for the development and preservation of its architectural heritage.-History:...
Castle in Zürich
Canton of Zürich
The Canton of Zurich has a population of . The canton is located in the northeast of Switzerland and the city of Zurich is its capital. The official language is German, but people speak the local Swiss German dialect called Züritüütsch...
. His stern measures against the peasant population made the name Gessler an epitome of tyranny.
Friedrich Schiller
Friedrich Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller was a German poet, philosopher, historian, and playwright. During the last seventeen years of his life , Schiller struck up a productive, if complicated, friendship with already famous and influential Johann Wolfgang von Goethe...
perpetuated the figure in his 1804 drama Wilhelm Tell
Wilhelm Tell (play)
William Tell is a drama written by Friedrich Schiller in 1804. The story focuses on the legendary Swiss marksman William Tell as well as on the Swiss struggle for independence from the Habsburg Empire in the early 14th century...
. In the Tale Spinners For Children
Tale Spinners For Children
Tale Spinners For Children was a series of stories and novels adapted for young audiences on vinyl records in the early 1960s. They included a collection of old fairy tales, folklore, literary classics such as Don Quixote and Robinson Crusoe, and time-honored fables, with the title role sometimes...
recording of the story, Gessler is working under orders from the Emperor of Austria, who wishes to deliberately provoke the people of Switzerland into a rebellion which will serve as an excuse for Austria to invade Switzerland.
No sources refer to Gessler which predate the earliest references to the Tell legend of the late 15th century, and he is presumed not to have existed. Gessler's role in Tell's story is analogous to that of King Nidung in the story of Egil
Agilaz
Egil is a legendary hero of the Völundarkviða and the Thidreks saga. The name is from Proto-Germanic *Agilaz, and the same legend is reflected in Old English Ægil of the Franks Casket and Alamannic Aigil of the Pforzen buckle....
in the Thidreks saga.