William Tell, the legendary Swiss marksman, is said to have defied tyranny in the 14th century by refusing to bow to a nobleman's hat. As punishment, he was forced to shoot an apple off his son’s head—and succeeded. He later killed the tyrant, Hermann Gessler, sparking a rebellion that led to Swiss independence.

But there’s no historical record of Tell’s existence. His tale first appeared over a century later and shares themes with other European legends.

Real or not, Tell became a national symbol of freedom and resistance—one that still resonates in Swiss identity today.