- Rütlischwur
The Rütlischwur is a legendary
oath of theOld Swiss Confederacy . The oath is notably featured in the Wilhelm Tell drama of 1804 byFriedrich Schiller . This story about the oath on theRütli , a meadow aboveLake Lucerne nearSeelisberg , is first mentioned in the "White Book ofSarnen " (1470 ). Its canonical form is that of the 16th century "Chronicon Helveticum " ofAegidius Tschudi . According to Tschudi, the three oath-takers ("Eidgenossen ") wereWerner Stauffacher forSchwyz ,Walter Fürst forUri and Arnold of Melchtal forUnterwalden . Tschudi dates the event to 8 November,1307 . Its historicity is uncorrobated, but also not implausible, the 1307 date falling in a period of a series of similar treaties such as theFederal Charter of 1291 and theBund von Brunnen of 1315, the pact of Uri and Urseren of 1317, the pact withLucerne in 1332, the Zürich guild revolution of 1336, all part of a larger communal movement finally countered by the imperialGolden Bull of 1356 and culminating in theBattle of Sempach of 1386.Rütli-Oath in "Wilhelm Tell" of Friedrich Schiller
The most famous version of the oath is no doubt that found in the play "Wilhelm Tell" by
Friedrich Schiller , written in1804 :
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