Arnold von Melchtal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (April 2008)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject.
Please help improve the article with a good introductory style.

This article lacks information on the notability of the subject matter.
Please help improve this article by providing context for a general audience, especially in the lead section. (April 2008)

Arnold von Melchtal was one of the three Eidgenossen, the legendary founding fathers of Switzerland. He representet the Canton of Unterwalden at the Rütlischwur

Aegidius Tschudi in his Chronicon Helveticum tells Arnolds story as follows:

At the beginning of the 14th century, Landenberger was Vogt of Obwalden for Habsburg. He was know for his cruelty, and enjoyed to torment his subordinates with cruel jests. One day, the Vogt Landenberger decided, that Heinrich von Melchtal had forfeitet his yoke of oxen, since he did not pay his taxes on time. He send out armed mens to confiscate the oxen. When they arrived at the home of Heinrich von Melchtal, he and his son Arnold were right then plowing the meager fields they had. Heinrich tried to pleade with the minions of the Vogt, arguing that he would need the oxen to plow, and if the oxen were indeed to be confiscated, he surely could not pay the taxes and would probably starve.

To this the was answered: "If you need to plow, you can have your son pull the plow". Enraged by this, Arnold von Melchtal grabed the stick he used to guide the oxen and beat the minion over his hands, breaking him his fingers. After that, he had of course to flee the dominion of Vogt Landenberger and found refuge with Walter Fürst in Uri.The Vogt took cruel revenge on the poor old father of Arnold, having him torutured and blinded, and confiscating all his property.

This case, among other similar event, gave the people of Uri, Schwyz and Underwalden ample reasons to form a pact against their cruel overlords. This pact was the Rütlischwur which in the end led to the overthrow of the foreign magistrats, and the independence of the Switzerland.

Even tough there is no contemporary sources supporting this story, and altough Tschudi heavily relied on folklore when he wrote down this story more then 250 years later, this is still taught as historical fact in Swiss schools. ^[1]