George Christian, Prince of East Frisia
Encyclopedia
George Christian was a member of the Cirksena
family and succeeded his brother Enno Louis as ruler of East Frisia
. He ruled from 1660 to 1665. Under his reign, the Cirksena family acquired on 18 April 1662 the hereditary title of Imperial Prince
.
George Christian grew up with his brother at the court in Aurich
. After 1649, they received further education at the academies of Breda
and Tübingen
. In Tübingen he met his future wife, Christine Charlotte
, a daughter of Duke Eberhard III
of Württemberg from his first marriage to Anna Dorothea of Salm-Kyrburg. He could only marry her after had he received the hereditary title of Imperial Prince
on 18 April 1662. This gave him the proper rank to marry a Princess of Württemberg , and so the marriage was on 10 Closed in May 1662.
Immediately after his accession he was trying to establish his rule, which led to severe conflicts with the Estates
. This soon reached the threshold of a civil war and could be settled only by Dutch mediation. After lengthy negotiations with the Estates on 19 June 1662 and 4 October 1663, a compromise was reached. The Netherlands
became the guarantor power. In both treaties, the relationship between the prince and the Estates was regulated. The estates were given back their old privileges, in exchange for a substantial cash payment.
Under George Christian, the conflict with Münster escalated. This conflict was based on compensation East Frisia had to pay under the Treaty of Berum
, in exchange for the acquisition of the Harlingerland
. Under the pretext of enforcing the payments, the Bishop of Münster marched his troops into East Frisia in 1663. Colonel Elverfeld conquered Hampoel and the Sconce
at Diele on East Frisia's southern border. These were recaptured by Dutch troops in 1664. George Christian preferred to leave this kind of problem of his officials or the Estates.
Four months after his untimely death, George Christian's only child was born: a son named Christian Everhard. His widow, Christine Charlotte led a rather unfortunate regency for the next 25 years.
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 and succeeded his brother Enno Louis as ruler 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....
. He ruled from 1660 to 1665. Under his reign, the Cirksena family acquired on 18 April 1662 the hereditary title of Imperial Prince
Princes of the Holy Roman Empire
The term Prince of the Holy Roman Empire denoted a secular or ecclesiastical Imperial State, who ruled over an immediate fief directly assigned by the Holy Roman Emperor...
.
George Christian grew up with his brother at the court in Aurich
Aurich
Aurich is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Aurich.-History:The history of Aurich dates back to the 13th century, when the settlement of Aurechove was mentioned in a Frisian document called the Brokmerbrief in 1276. In 1517, Count Edzard from the house of...
. After 1649, they received further education at the academies of Breda
Breda
Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance...
and Tübingen
Tübingen
Tübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
. In Tübingen he met his future wife, Christine Charlotte
Christine Charlotte of Württemberg
Christine Charlotte of Württemberg was a princess of Württemberg by birth and a princess consort of East Frisia, married in 1662 to George Christian, Prince of East Frisia. She served as the regent of East Frisia during the minority of her son from 1665 until 1690...
, a daughter of Duke Eberhard III
Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg
Eberhard III, Duke of Württemberg ruled as Duke of Württemberg from 1628 until his death in 1674....
of Württemberg from his first marriage to Anna Dorothea of Salm-Kyrburg. He could only marry her after had he received the hereditary title of Imperial Prince
Princes of the Holy Roman Empire
The term Prince of the Holy Roman Empire denoted a secular or ecclesiastical Imperial State, who ruled over an immediate fief directly assigned by the Holy Roman Emperor...
on 18 April 1662. This gave him the proper rank to marry a Princess of Württemberg , and so the marriage was on 10 Closed in May 1662.
Immediately after his accession he was trying to establish his rule, which led to severe conflicts with the Estates
Estates of the realm
The Estates of the realm were the broad social orders of the hierarchically conceived society, recognized in the Middle Ages and Early Modern period in Christian Europe; they are sometimes distinguished as the three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and commoners, and are often referred to by...
. This soon reached the threshold of a civil war and could be settled only by Dutch mediation. After lengthy negotiations with the Estates on 19 June 1662 and 4 October 1663, a compromise was reached. The Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
became the guarantor power. In both treaties, the relationship between the prince and the Estates was regulated. The estates were given back their old privileges, in exchange for a substantial cash payment.
Under George Christian, the conflict with Münster escalated. This conflict was based on compensation East Frisia had to pay under the Treaty of Berum
Treaty of Berum
The Treaty of Berum was one a treaty concluded on 28 January 1600 at Berum Castle between the Count Enno III of East Frisia and the County of Rietberg, which regulated the sale of the Harlingerland to East Frisia.- Background :...
, in exchange for the acquisition of 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...
. Under the pretext of enforcing the payments, the Bishop of Münster marched his troops into East Frisia in 1663. Colonel Elverfeld conquered Hampoel and the Sconce
Sconce (fortification)
A Sconce is a small protective fortification, such as an earthwork often placed on a mound as a defensive work for artillery. It was used primarily in Northern Europe from the late Middle Ages until the 19th century. This type of fortification was common during the English Civil War, and the...
at Diele on East Frisia's southern border. These were recaptured by Dutch troops in 1664. George Christian preferred to leave this kind of problem of his officials or the Estates.
Four months after his untimely death, George Christian's only child was born: a son named Christian Everhard. His widow, Christine Charlotte led a rather unfortunate regency for the next 25 years.