County of East Frisia
Encyclopedia
The County of East-Frisia (Dutch
: Graafschap Oost-Friesland) was a county (though ruled by a prince since 1662) in the region of East Frisia
in the north-west of the present day German state
of Lower Saxony
.
n realm. The Frisians had practically no higher authority above them. There did exist, though, respected families of chieftains (Häuptling), who aspired to increase their, mostly local, power and influence. In the 15th century the Cirksena
dynasty managed to establish its authority in practically all of East Frisia. In 1464, Ulrich I of East Frisia was raised to the status of Count
by Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
, and East Frisia became a county
.
, a freedom-alliance was formed against the ruling Focko Ukena
. Together with his brother Ulrich, Edzard managed to remove the Ukena-faction from power. After the marriage in 1455 of Ulrich Cirksena
with Theda Ukena
, a granddaughter of his enemy, the majority of East Frisia was united. Only the Lordships of Jever
and Friedeburg
could maintain their independence. Sibet Attena
, a nephew and aid to Ulrich received the lordships Esens
, Stedesdorf
and Wittmund
, which together formed the Harlingerland
. The Harlingerland did remain under the higher authority of the Cirksena
family. Because Ocko I tom Brok
had given the territory to the count of Holland
in 1381, the status of the rulers of East Frisia was unclear. The ruler of East Frisia decided to improve his situation by turning directly to the Holy Roman Emperor
. As a result, Emperor Frederick III
raised Ulrich in 1464 to an imperial count
. The emperor gave to Ulrich I the Imperial County in Norden, Emden, Emisgonien in East Frisia.
to the county. Under her son Edzard I, there were quarrels with the chieftains of the Harlingerland and the Jeverland and with the prince-bishop of Münster
and the Hansa
-city of Hamburg
. Jeverland and Harlingerland remained independent, but Butjadingen became subject to East Frisian authority.
as imperial stadtholder
of Friesland
by Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
. This appointment was the last attempt to unify all of Frisia under one ruler. Count Edzard recognised George as his feudal lord. Rebellions broke out, however, in Friesland
and the Groninger Ommelanden
. In 1506 Edzard broke his allegiance to George, instead forming an alliance with Groningen. Edzard was now recognised by the Groninger Ommelanden
as its ruler. In 1512, primogeniture
was introduced to preserve the newly created unity. In 1515 the successors of George of Saxony relinquished their rights to Friesland to Duke Charles of Burgundy, the later emperor Charles V
. The conflict ended in 1517 in a treaty between Edzard and Charles, in which Charles recognised the possessions of Edzard as an imperial county.
made its way into East Frisia, initially with a very tolerant view towards Roman Catholicism. After Edzard I was succeeded by his son Enno II in 1528, the suppression of Catholicism began. Most East-Frisian monasteries and abbeys were secularised. Aside from this a wide rift emerged between the Lutherans and the Calvinists.
in 1529. In this marriage, Butjadingen was given to Oldenburg, and in return Oldenburg relinquished its claims to Jever. In response, Maria of Jever drove out the East-Frisian occupiers of Jever in 1531, and in 1532 recognised the Duke of Burgundy, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
as her feudal lord. The Harlingerland
was loaned to the Duchy of Guelders.
. The city of Emden
became a populair destination for Dutch Calvinists fleeing from religious persecution in the Netherlands. Count Edzard II, however, was lutheran. In 1595 the Dutch Republic
interfered in the quarrel between the city and the count with the Treaty of Delfzijl, where the lutheran count recognised the Dutch influence and the (Calvinistic) Reformed Church. Dutch troops were stationed in Emden
and Leer
.
In 1602, count Enno attempted to drive out the Dutch with support from the Emperor and the Spanish king, but he was rebuffed. In a new treaty in 1603 he was forced to accept the Dutch occupation and religious consequences for an undetermined amount of time. In the Thirty Years' War
, Imperial troops entered the county in 1628. While they did not clash with the Dutch troops present in the county, the Dutch States-General
did stop supplying the Eems valley.
in 1744, but in 1807 it was annexed by France
and added to the Kingdom of Holland
as department East-Frisia. After France directly annexed the kingdom in 1810, the territory became part of the French Ems-Oriental
department. In 1815 it was added to the Kingdom of Hannover. In present day it is part of the German state
of Lower Saxony
.
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
: Graafschap Oost-Friesland) was a county (though ruled by a prince since 1662) in the region of East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
in the north-west of the present day German state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
.
County
Originally East Frisia was part of the larger FrisiaFrisia
Frisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...
n realm. The Frisians had practically no higher authority above them. There did exist, though, respected families of chieftains (Häuptling), who aspired to increase their, mostly local, power and influence. In the 15th century the Cirksena
Cirksena
The Cirksena are noble East Frisian family descended from a line of East Frisian chieftains from Greetsiel.- The Cirksena in East Frisia :In 1439 in the wake of clashes between different lines of chieftains, the town of Emden was first placed by Hamburg under direct rule and then, in 1453, finally...
dynasty managed to establish its authority in practically all of East Frisia. In 1464, Ulrich I of East Frisia was raised to the status of Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
by Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
, and East Frisia became a county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
.
Origin of the county
In 1430, led by chieftain Edzard Cirksena of GreetsielEnno Edzardisna
Enno Edzardisna was a chieftain of Norden, Greetsiel, Berum and Pilsum in East Frisia. He was the son of the chieftain Edzard II of Appingen-Greetsiel and his wife Doda tom Brok...
, a freedom-alliance was formed against the ruling Focko Ukena
Focko Ukena
Focko Ukena was an East Frisian chieftain who played an important part in the struggle between the Vetkopers and Schieringers in the provinces of Groningen and Friesland...
. Together with his brother Ulrich, Edzard managed to remove the Ukena-faction from power. After the marriage in 1455 of Ulrich Cirksena
Ulrich I, Count of East Frisia
Ulrich I of East Frisia, first count of East Frisia, was a son of the chieftain Enno Edzardisna of Norden and Greetsiel, and Gela of Manslagt....
with Theda Ukena
Theda Ukena
Theda Ukena was from 1466 to about 1480 regent of the County of East Frisia.Theda was the granddaughter and heiress of the chief Focko Ukena and was born in 1432 in Oldersum as the daughter of Uko Fockena and Heba Attena of Dornum. She was probably named after her grandmother Theda of Reide, the...
, a granddaughter of his enemy, the majority of East Frisia was united. Only the Lordships of Jever
Jever
Jever is the capital of the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany. The name Jever is usually associated with a major brand of beer which is produced here, the city is also a popular holiday resort. Jever was granted city status in 1536. Unofficially Jever is sometimes referred to as...
and Friedeburg
Friedeburg
Friedeburg is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 14 km southeast of Wittmund, and 20 km west of Wilhelmshaven....
could maintain their independence. Sibet Attena
Sibet Attena
Sibet Attena was an East Frisian chieftain. He was a son of Sibet of Dornum and Frouwa of Manslagt, a daughter of Enno Cirksena....
, a nephew and aid to Ulrich received the lordships Esens
Esens
Esens is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the North Sea coast, approx. 14 km northwest of Wittmund, and 20 km northeast of Aurich....
, Stedesdorf
Stedesdorf
Stedesdorf is a municipality in the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany....
and Wittmund
Wittmund
Wittmund is a town and capital of the district of Wittmund, in Lower Saxony, Germany.-Geography:Wittmund is a town of 21,000 inhabitants located in Germany's historic coastal district of East Frisia, between the towns of Aurich and Jever...
, which together formed the Harlingerland
Harlingerland
The Harlingerland is a strip of land on the North Sea coast of East Frisia. Whilst, today, the whole of the district of district of Wittmund is usually described as Harlingerland, historically it is specifically used to refer to the northern part of the present district, which formed the old...
. The Harlingerland did remain under the higher authority of the Cirksena
Cirksena
The Cirksena are noble East Frisian family descended from a line of East Frisian chieftains from Greetsiel.- The Cirksena in East Frisia :In 1439 in the wake of clashes between different lines of chieftains, the town of Emden was first placed by Hamburg under direct rule and then, in 1453, finally...
family. Because Ocko I tom Brok
Ocko I tom Brok
Ocko I tom Brok followed his father Keno I tom Brok as chieftain of the Brokmerland and the Auricherland in East Frisia, a former territory on Germany's North Sea coast....
had given the territory to the count of Holland
County of Holland
The County of Holland was a county in the Holy Roman Empire and from 1482 part of the Habsburg Netherlands in what is now the Netherlands. It covered an area roughly corresponding to the current Dutch provinces of North-Holland and South-Holland, as well as the islands of Terschelling, Vlieland,...
in 1381, the status of the rulers of East Frisia was unclear. The ruler of East Frisia decided to improve his situation by turning directly to the Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
. As a result, Emperor Frederick III
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor
Frederick the Peaceful KG was Duke of Austria as Frederick V from 1424, the successor of Albert II as German King as Frederick IV from 1440, and Holy Roman Emperor as Frederick III from 1452...
raised Ulrich in 1464 to an imperial count
Imperial Count
Imperial Count was a title in the Holy Roman Empire. On the one hand, it was used to designate the holders of a imperial county, that is, a county that was a fief directly from the emperor, rather than from a duke; on the other hand, the owner of the title of "Count" could be elevated to...
. The emperor gave to Ulrich I the Imperial County in Norden, Emden, Emisgonien in East Frisia.
Consolidation of the County
After the death of Ulrich I, his widow Theda ruled in the name of their children, who were still minors. Theda managed to withstand the threats of Duke Charles the Bold of Burgundy and count Gerd of Oldenburg. In 1481 she added the lordship of FredeburgFredeburg
Fredeburg is a municipality in the district of Lauenburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany....
to the county. Under her son Edzard I, there were quarrels with the chieftains of the Harlingerland and the Jeverland and with the prince-bishop of Münster
Bishopric of Münster
The Bishopric of Münster was an ecclesiastical principality in the Holy Roman Empire, located in the northern part of today's North Rhine-Westphalia and western Lower Saxony...
and the Hansa
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
-city of Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Jeverland and Harlingerland remained independent, but Butjadingen became subject to East Frisian authority.
The struggle for the Frisian lands
A new situation was created with the appointment of George of SaxonyGeorge, Duke of Saxony
George the Bearded, Duke of Saxony , was duke of Saxony from 1500 to 1539.Duke George was a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece.-Early life:...
as imperial stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
of Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
by Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
. This appointment was the last attempt to unify all of Frisia under one ruler. Count Edzard recognised George as his feudal lord. Rebellions broke out, however, in Friesland
Friesland
Friesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
and the Groninger Ommelanden
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
. In 1506 Edzard broke his allegiance to George, instead forming an alliance with Groningen. Edzard was now recognised by the Groninger Ommelanden
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
as its ruler. In 1512, primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
was introduced to preserve the newly created unity. In 1515 the successors of George of Saxony relinquished their rights to Friesland to Duke Charles of Burgundy, the later emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
. The conflict ended in 1517 in a treaty between Edzard and Charles, in which Charles recognised the possessions of Edzard as an imperial county.
The Reformation
After 1519 the Protestant ReformationProtestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
made its way into East Frisia, initially with a very tolerant view towards Roman Catholicism. After Edzard I was succeeded by his son Enno II in 1528, the suppression of Catholicism began. Most East-Frisian monasteries and abbeys were secularised. Aside from this a wide rift emerged between the Lutherans and the Calvinists.
Marriage-politics and territorial size
In 1517 an agreement was signed in which the marriage between Enno II and Maria of Jever was planned. But Enno II broke the agreement and instead married Anna of OldenburgAnna of Oldenburg
Anna of Oldenburg was a Countess consort of East Frisia as the spouse of Count Enno II of East Frisia. She was the Regent of East Frisia in 1540/42-1561 as the guardian for her minor sons. Her reign lasted until 1561 and was generally supported by the Estates...
in 1529. In this marriage, Butjadingen was given to Oldenburg, and in return Oldenburg relinquished its claims to Jever. In response, Maria of Jever drove out the East-Frisian occupiers of Jever in 1531, and in 1532 recognised the Duke of Burgundy, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
as her feudal lord. The Harlingerland
Harlingerland
The Harlingerland is a strip of land on the North Sea coast of East Frisia. Whilst, today, the whole of the district of district of Wittmund is usually described as Harlingerland, historically it is specifically used to refer to the northern part of the present district, which formed the old...
was loaned to the Duchy of Guelders.
Dutch intervention
The power of the count was put under pressure in the 16th century, partially because of the Dutch RevoltDutch Revolt
The Dutch Revolt or the Revolt of the Netherlands This article adopts 1568 as the starting date of the war, as this was the year of the first battles between armies. However, since there is a long period of Protestant vs...
. The city of Emden
Emden
Emden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
became a populair destination for Dutch Calvinists fleeing from religious persecution in the Netherlands. Count Edzard II, however, was lutheran. In 1595 the Dutch Republic
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
interfered in the quarrel between the city and the count with the Treaty of Delfzijl, where the lutheran count recognised the Dutch influence and the (Calvinistic) Reformed Church. Dutch troops were stationed in Emden
Emden
Emden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
and Leer
Leer
Leer is a town in the district of Leer, the northwestern part of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the river Ems, near the border with the Netherlands....
.
In 1602, count Enno attempted to drive out the Dutch with support from the Emperor and the Spanish king, but he was rebuffed. In a new treaty in 1603 he was forced to accept the Dutch occupation and religious consequences for an undetermined amount of time. In the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, Imperial troops entered the county in 1628. While they did not clash with the Dutch troops present in the county, the Dutch States-General
States-General
The word States-General, or Estates-General, may refer to:Currently in use* States-General of the Netherlands is the bicameral government of present-day Netherlands...
did stop supplying the Eems valley.
Status after 1744
The territory fell to PrussiaPrussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
in 1744, but in 1807 it was annexed by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and added to the Kingdom of Holland
Kingdom of Holland
The Kingdom of Holland 1806–1810 was set up by Napoleon Bonaparte as a puppet kingdom for his third brother, Louis Bonaparte, in order to better control the Netherlands. The name of the leading province, Holland, was now taken for the whole country...
as department East-Frisia. After France directly annexed the kingdom in 1810, the territory became part of the French Ems-Oriental
Ems-Oriental
Ems-Oriental is the name of a département of the First French Empire in present Germany. It is named after the river Ems. It was formed in 1810, when the Kingdom of Holland was annexed by France. Its territory is part of the present German region East Frisia . Its capital was Aurich...
department. In 1815 it was added to the Kingdom of Hannover. In present day it is part of the German state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
.