Müller, Johannes von

Müller, Johannes von (yōhä`nəs fən mül`ər), 1752–1809, Swiss historian. He spent much of his life in Germany, where he held political posts under the elector of Mainz, the king of Prussia, and King Jérôme Bonaparte of Westphalia. His patriotic history of Switzerland (5 vol., 1786–1808, in German), long since superseded, was hailed in its day with great enthusiasm. Evoking the past, Müller praised traditional institutions. He fully accepted the William Tell legend; from Müller's history Schiller drew the material for his drama.