Gödeke Michels (

Low Saxon Low Saxon (), also known as West Low German () are a group of Low German dialects spoken in parts of the Netherlands, northwestern Germany and southern Denmark (in North Schleswig by parts of the German-speaking minority). It is one of two di ...

; died 1402), also known as Gottfried Michaelsen in

High German The High German languages (, i.e. ''High German dialects''), or simply High German ( ) – not to be confused with Standard High German which is commonly also called "High German" – comprise the varieties of German spoken south of the Ben ...

, was a German pirate and one of the leaders of the Likedeeler, a combination of former Vitalienbrüder.

Early life

Career

Together with

Klaus Störtebeker Klaus Störtebeker (also known as Klaas Störtebecker, Johann Störtebecker or Nikolaus Storzenbecher) (1360 – supposed 20 October 1401) was a German pirate. Reputed to be the leader of a group of privateers known as the Victual Brothe ...

, Hennig Wichmann and

Magister Wigbold Magister Wigbold (died 1401), (alternative spellings: Wygbold, Wycholt), also called “Master of the Seven Arts” was a German pirate who belonged to the famous Likedeeler pirates of Klaus Störtebeker who were active in the North and Baltic ...

, as well as other leaders of the Likedeeler, he raided shipping in the

North North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating Direction (geometry), direction or geography. Etymology T ...

and

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

near the end of the 14th century. They possessed fast ships, which easily outmaneuvered the ships of the

Hanse The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...

. Like many of the Likedeeler, Michels was primarily concerned with capturing valuable prizes. However, he disdained cowardice and those surviving crewmen who had not resisted were usually thrown overboard.

Death

Gottfried Michaelsen was eventually captured and executed in the year 1402, shortly after Klaus Störtebeker and crewmen were allegedly beheaded on the

Grasbrook Kleiner Grasbrook () is a quarter () of Hamburg, Germany within the borough () of Hamburg-Mitte. It is situated on the eponymous island between the Northern and Southern branches of the Elbe river ( and ), together with the other quarters of Stein ...

Hamburg Hamburg (, ; ), officially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg,. is the List of cities in Germany by population, second-largest city in Germany after Berlin and List of cities in the European Union by population within city limits, 7th-lar ...

References

* Jörgen Bracker, "Klaus Störtebeker – nur einer von ihnen. Die Geschichte der Vitalienbrüder", in: ''Störtebeker. 600 Jahre nach seinem Tod'', Wilfried Ehbrecht (ed.), Lübeck: Porta-Alba-Verlag, 2001, (=Hansische Studien; vol. 15), .

External links

Gottes Freund – Aller Welt Feind
{{DEFAULTSORT:Michels, Godeke 1402 deaths 14th-century births German pirates People executed in the Holy Roman Empire by decapitation Executed German people 15th-century executions Medieval pirates