Albrecht Gessler

Albrecht (also known as Hermann) Gessler (c. 14th century) was the legendary Austrian bailiff of Altdorf, whose brutal rule led to the William Tell rebellion and the eventual independence of Switzerland.

According to Aegidius Tschudi, in 1307 Gessler raised a pole in the central square of the village, 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.

There are no sources referring to Gessler predating the earliest references to the Tell legend of the late 15th century. Gessler's role in Tell's story is analogous to that of king Nidung in the story of Egil in the Thidreks saga.