Fun Fact #303 Apple of Accuracy

 Fun Fact #303

Apple Of Accuracy

It is time for us to talk about my favorite one of the inspirations for Apple’s Logo: Wilhelm Tell.

The White Book of Sarnen tells the earliest written history of Tell explaining how a local Duke Altdorf decreed that all he passed must bow to him or die. Yet Tell was away at the time and thus upon his return failed to bow. After explaining this to the Duke he was given the chance to earn his life back if he could shoot an Apple off his son’s head in a single attempt. He managed this but carried a second arrow because if he had missed the duke would be the second person he’d shoot. This understandably upset the Duke who arrested him but ultimately ended with Tell stabbing Aldorf with the Arrow beginning a rebellion which would lead to the creation of the Old Swiss Confederacy. 

Though the tale has been brought into question for its accuracy we do know the outcome was real, and whether Tell was real or not his story also inspired the 1848 Hapsburg Rebellions toppling the Hapsburgs control over north-central Europe which had lasted centuries since Good King Wenceslas, and bringing about the start of a unified German State.