What is Robber baron?
{{unreferenced|date=December 2011}} [[File:Götz von Berlichingen.jpeg|thumb|220px|Goetz von Berlichingen, a German robber baron 1480-1563]] The term '''robber baron''' was first used in the [[12th century|12th]] and [[13th century|13th centuries]] to describe rich men who lived in large castles along major transportation rivers, like the [[Rhine]] in [[Europe]]. They would send ships out onto these rivers to stop anybody who was traveling through who did not know better and collect a tax from them on any money or goods on these ships. They were not officially allowed to collect these taxes. It was only the [[Holy Roman Emperor]] who could decide what taxes to be charged, how much and who could charge it. Second, it is a [[slang]] term used of certain rich and ruthless [[industrial]]ists and [[banker]]s, especially in the late 19th and early 20th century [[U.S.A.]] {{history-stub}} [[Category:History of Germany]] [[Category:People]] [[Category:Social classes]]