en_GB http://tobyinkster.co.uk/tag/switzerland/ http://tobyinkster.co.uk/blog/2007/11/18/william-tell-700/ <p>Today marks 700 years since the date traditionally regarded as the day when William Tell shot an apple off the top of his son&#8217;s head with a crossbow and kick-started a resolution against the Austrians which led to the founding of Switzerland.</p> <p>The legend goes that the Austrian Hermann Gessler was appointed <em>vogt</em> (sheriff) of Altdorf. The power went to his head, and he had erected in the town square a wooden pole; Gessler&#8217;s hat was placed atop the pole and the townspeople were expected to salute the pole whenever they passed it. Perhaps as an act of defiance, or perhaps because no-one had told him about the new rule, Tell happened to walk through the town square without saluting. Gessler ordered him to be arrested.</p> <p>Upon hearing of Tell&#8217;s reputation as an archer, Gessler decided on a very unusual punishment: for Tell to be ordered to perform a seemingly impossible task, and shoot an apple off his own son&#8217;s head from a great distance. If he refused, or failed in the task, both William Sr and William Jr would&#8230;</p>