![Crossbowmen at the Battle of Crécy (1346), illustration from the “chroniques” of Jean Froissart (1337–1405).](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/armbrustschutzen-in-der-schlacht-bei-crecy-300x225.jpg)
The crossbow: A weapon for assassins and freedom fighters
Wilhelm Tell’s crossbow is, so to speak, the national weapon of Switzerland. In actual fact the weapon has its origins in ancient China, and although superior to the bow the crossbow didn’t have the best reputation.
![Wall decoration depicting Tell shooting the apple off his son’s head, c. 1523.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/tells-apfelschuss-als-wandschmuck-um-1523-dig-2169-dep-2448-300x160.jpg)
![Crossbow trigger from the Sino-Vietnamese Dong Son culture, around 500 BC.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/armbrustschloss-china-300x225.jpg)
![Crossbow with horn bow and iron foot stirrup, made by Ulrich Bock, c. 1460. Beside it is an incendiary bolt from the same period.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/armbrust-und-bolzen-300x198.jpg)
![Winch crossbow with steel bow, weighing around 3.5 kg, c. 1550–1600.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/windenarmbrust-mit-stahlbogen-dig-50058-dep-520-300x200.jpg)
![William II is fatally shot by an arrow from a crossbow.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/william-ii-wird-von-einem-pfeil-aus-einer-armbrust-todlich-getroffen-300x216.jpg)
![Design drawing of a “Gastraphetes” from a copy of the work “Belopoeica” by Heron of Alexandria.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/konstruktionszeichnung-einer-sogenannten-gastraphetes-300x225.jpg)
![Design drawing of a giant crossbow with tensioned double cord by Leonardo da Vinci, c. 1500.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/konstruktionszeichnung-einer-riesenarmbrust-mit-gespannter-doppelsehne-von-leonardo-da-vinci-300x224.jpg)
![Modern Winzeler 313 crossbow, 2005.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/moderne-armbrust-vom-typ-winzeler-313-2005-dig-2735-lm-95770-300x248.jpg)
![Wilhelm Tell by Ferdinand Hodler, 1897.](https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/app/uploads/wilhelm-tell-von-ferdinand-hodler-1897-229x300.jpg)