biography
| name: |
Götz von Berlichingen
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| |
known as Götz of the Iron Hand
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pronunciation:
[goets fon berlikh
| sex:
| male
|
| lived:
| (1480–1562)
|
| biography:
| Mercenary knight, born in Jagsthausen, SW Germany. From 1497 onwards he was involved in continual feuds, in which he displayed both lawless daring and chivalrous magnanimity. He lost his hand in the siege of Landshut (1504) and replaced it with one of iron. He fought for different masters in various battles, including in Hungary against the Turks (1542), and for Charles V against the French (1544). He wrote an autobiography, published in 1731, on which Goethe based his drama Götz von Berlichingen. |
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