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Götz von Berlichingen
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<p>Gottfried "Götz" von Berlichingen zu Hornberg (pronounced [ˈgɔtfʁiːd fɔn ˈbɛʁlɪçɪŋən], [ˈgœts]; 15 November 1480 – 23 July 1562), also known as Götz of the Iron Hand (<a href="/facts/German_language/oWaQIDA8">German</a>: Eisenfaust), was a <a href="/facts/16th-century_Germany/lunFzkpz">German</a> (<a href="/facts/Franconia/1VSFAoUv">Franconian</a>) <a href="/facts/Imperial_Knight/rTwzlkxp">Imperial Knight</a> (<i>Reichsritter</i>), <a href="/facts/Mercenary/uQSfwcDR">mercenary</a> and poet. He was born around 1480 into the noble family of <a href="/facts/Berlichingen/tvhGjWlH">Berlichingen</a> in modern-day <a href="/facts/W%25C3%25BCrttemberg/8RLVCYHz">Baden-Württemberg</a>. Götz bought <a href="/facts/Hornberg_Castle_(Neckarzimmern)/fHkfvxeo">Hornberg Castle</a> (<a href="/facts/Neckarzimmern/y1CUFnbx">Neckarzimmern</a>) in 1517, and lived there until his death in 1562. </p><p>He was active in numerous military campaigns during a period of 47 years from 1498 to 1544, including the <a href="/facts/German_Peasants%2527_War/x10lpRrb">German Peasants' War</a>, besides numerous <a href="/facts/Feud/afA45JX4">feuds</a>; in his autobiography he estimates that he fought 15 feuds in his own name, besides many cases where he lent assistance to his friends, including feuds against the cities of <a href="/facts/Cologne/U2qmyGga">Cologne</a>, <a href="/facts/Ulm/HQFF1blv">Ulm</a>, <a href="/facts/Augsburg/5aceyku1">Augsburg</a> and the <a href="/facts/Swabian_League/qUk7PJF0">Swabian League</a>, as well as the <a href="/facts/Bishop_of_Bamberg/ITRwJ0vk">bishop of Bamberg</a>. </p><p>His name became famous as a <a href="/facts/Euphemism/S3j2eHnU">euphemism</a> for the vulgar expression (also known as the Swabian Salute): "<i><a href="/facts/Swabian_salute/uFosDowT">Er kann mich am Arsch lecken</a>" (</i>lit: <i>He can lick my ass</i>). This saying was attributed to him by writer and poet <a href="/facts/Johann_Wolfgang_von_Goethe/k5hW4Tw5">Johann Wolfgang von Goethe</a> (1749–1832), who wrote <a href="/facts/G%25C3%25B6tz_von_Berlichingen_(Goethe)/yXgXesWh">a play based on his life</a>. </p>