BERLICHINGEN, GOETZ or GorrFrom) vox, "of the iron hand," a German knight of the 16th c., may, with Ulrich von Hutten, be considered as the last worthy repre sentative of the chivalry of the middle ages, then expiring. He was b. at Jaxthausen, in Wfirtemberg, in the ancestral castle of his which may be traced back into the 10th century. his education was conducted by his uncle Kuno, with whom lie attended the diet of Worms in 1495. Ile gratified his passion for war at first by taking part in several of the quarrels between German princes, and at the siege of tandshut lost his right hand, which was replaced by one of iron, yet shown at Juxthausen. When the general peace of the country had been established under Maximilian I., Goetz retired to his castle. But a restless spirit, and the general turbulence of the time, involved him in continual feuds with the neighboring barons and free cities, in which he displayed a mixture of lawless daring and chivalrous magnanimity. Having joined duke Ulrich of Wurtemberg against the Swabian league, on the duke's expulsion, he was taken prisoner, and had to pay a ransom of 2000 florins. In the peasants' war of 1525, he took part with the insurgents,. and was chosen leader of a part of their forces. In his narrative, he
ascrilyes.this step to compulsion; more likely it was his own restless and turbulent spirit. and a desire for revenge on his old enemies of the Swabian league. On the unfortunate issue of the war, he at first made his escape, but was afterwards fallen upon unawares by a band of leaguers, who extorted an oath that lie would appear before the league when summoned. Accordingly, he had to appear at Augsburg,. where he was kept itt arrest for several. years, and at last sentenced to perpetual imprisonment in his own castle, and, in case of his breaking this condition, to a bee of 20.000 florins. He passed eleven years in this state, and was only pardoned on the dissolution el the league. He died July 23, 1562, after having still taken part in campaigns in Hungary and in France. He wrote an account of his own life, published by Pistorius (Num. 1731; Bresl. 1813). which furnishes an excellent picture of the social life and manners of the period, and on which Goethe grounded his drama of Goetz 'von B., translated by sir Walter Scott.