The legend Arnold von Winkelried

according legend, swiss not break close ranks of habsburg pikemen. winkelried cried: open passage line; protect, dear countrymen , confederates, wife , children... threw himself upon austrian pikes, taking of them down body. broke austrian front, , made opening through swiss attack.

as phrased in halbsuterlied printed in 1530s aegidius tschudi , wernher steiner:

two other verses describe order of battle of austrian side. according testimony, knights dismounted, presumably because forced fight lower ground, , cut off shoe-tips better mobility. though have had sufficient force of mercenaries engage outnumbered swiss, nobility wanted engage enemy on own, because concerned mercenaries make such short work of peasants not see action @ all, have been dishonour:

this given means of explanation how breaking of first rank of pikes winkelried lead immediate disaster austrian side, leaders of army fighting in van.

haller (schweizerschlachten, 1828) reports in 19th century, pierced mail shirt identified worn winkelried in battle preserved in stans. haller reports folk tradition according winkelried found still alive after battle, , died of wounds on way home in boat on lake sempach.