The valleys of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden (today Obwalden and Nidwalden) belonged to the Habsburgs. The imperial bailiffs they sent, Landenberg and Gessler, tyrannised the people in the most terrible way.
Walter Fürst of Uri, Werner Stauffacher of Schwyz and Arnold Melchthal from Unterwalden decided to fight back. They gathered friends on the Rütli and swore to reclaim freedom for their fatherland.
Gessler was not unaware of the discord. To emphasise his claim to power, he had a pole erected on the village square in Altdorf. A hat was pinned to the top of the pole. Everyone was to pay the same honour to this hat as Gessler himself.
Gessler then ordered him to shoot an apple off his son Walter's head with his crossbow - or die.
Gessler then ordered him to shoot an apple off his son Walter's head with his crossbow - or die.
Gessler noticed a second arrow in Tell's quiver and asked what it meant. Tell replied:
Gessler then had him tied up and taken to his ship. A terrible storm broke out on the lake. The oarsmen asked for Tell's help, who then steered the ship safely.
Close to the shore, Tell suddenly jumped out of the ship onto a protruding ledge. Tell's chapel in Sisikon stands on this spot today. Tell fled to Küssnacht, where he ambushed his enemy Gessler in the Hohle Gasse.
Tell's deeds quickly became widely known and strengthened the movement for freedom and independence in original Switzerland.