Treaty of Berum
Encyclopedia
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.
in 1540, the Attena line of East Frisian chieftains ruling Harlingerland died out and the Harlingerland fell to the Counts of Rietberg, who were related to the Attenas. From 1540, Harlingerland was ruled by Count John II
of Rietberg, the son of Balthasar's sister. After his death, the Harlingerland went to his second daughter, Walburgis
. She married in 1581 Count Enno III of East Frisia. They had two daughters, who, by the Treaty of Berum, waived their right to inherit Harlingerland, in favour of Enno's son Rudolf Christian
, from his first marriage.
and her sister Agnes sold the Lordships of Esens
, Stedesdorf
and Wittmund
and thus the entire Harlingerland, to their father, for . The payment was later increased to . Sabina Catherine, the elder sister, would inherit the county of Rietberg. The Treaty was confirmed on 19 September 1600 by Emperor Rudolph II and later also by Archduke Albert
, who was nominally Duke of Guelders
and thereby liege
lord of the Harlingerland.
stole the , packed in barrels, which Enno III had prepared as payment for Agnes and her husband Prince Gundakar
of Liechtenstein. So the payment could not be made then.
In 1663, demands for payment were renewed. Since East Frisia under Prince George Christian
still could not pay, the liege lord
of the County if Rietberg, the Prince-Bishop of Münster, try to collect the debt. He attacked East Frisia and occupied the sconce
at Diele. The States-General
and Duke Eberhard III
of Württemberg intervened. They drove out the Münster troops from Diele and mediated a compromise in which the payment was raised by another .
Berum Castle
Berum Castle is located in the Berum district the East Frisian town of Hage. It is one of the most important sites in East Frisian history.- History :...
between the Count Enno III 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....
and the County of Rietberg, which regulated the sale 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...
to East Frisia.
Background
With the death of Balthasar Oomkens von EsensBalthasar Oomkens von Esens
Balthasar Oomkens von Esens was an East Frisian nobleman who died during the siege of his castle in Esens by the Bremen army. He was described by his partisans as the last true Frisian freedom fighter, although some decried his seemingly insatiable appetite for violence.-Biography and...
in 1540, the Attena line of East Frisian chieftains ruling Harlingerland died out and the Harlingerland fell to the Counts of Rietberg, who were related to the Attenas. From 1540, Harlingerland was ruled by Count John II
John II, Count of Rietberg
Count John II "the Mad" of Rietberg , called "the Great," was the son of Count Otto III of Rietberg and his second wife, Onna Esens....
of Rietberg, the son of Balthasar's sister. After his death, the Harlingerland went to his second daughter, Walburgis
Walburgis, Countess of Rietberg
Countess Walburgis of Rietberg was 1565-1576 and 1584-1586 Countess of Rietberg.Walburgis was the second daughter of Count John II of Rietberg and Agnes of Bentheim-Steinfurt in Rietberg. After the birth of John Edzard, her youngest child and only son, Walburgis needed tot recover and moved from...
. She married in 1581 Count Enno III of East Frisia. They had two daughters, who, by the Treaty of Berum, waived their right to inherit Harlingerland, in favour of Enno's son Rudolf Christian
Rudolf Christian, Count of East Frisia
Rudolf Christian of Ostfriesland, Count of East Frisia, was count of East Frisia, and the second son of Enno III of East Frisia and Anna of Holstein-Gottorp. During his reign, foreign troops participating in the Thirty Years' War began retreating into and quartering in East Frisia...
, from his first marriage.
Contents
Sabine CatharineSabina Catherine of East Frisia
Sabina Catherine of East Frisia or Sabina Catherine Cirksena was a Countess of Rietberg.- Life :...
and her sister Agnes sold the Lordships of 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...
and thus the entire Harlingerland, to their father, for . The payment was later increased to . Sabina Catherine, the elder sister, would inherit the county of Rietberg. The Treaty was confirmed on 19 September 1600 by Emperor Rudolph II and later also by Archduke Albert
Albert VII, Archduke of Austria
Archduke Albert VII of Austria was, jointly with his wife, the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands between 1598 and 1621, ruling the Habsburg territories in the southern Low Countries and the north of modern France...
, who was nominally Duke of Guelders
Guelders
Guelders or Gueldres is the name of a historical county, later duchy of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the Low Countries.-Geography:...
and thereby liege
Liege
Liège is a municipality and a city of Belgium. The term Liège or Liege may also refer to:* Liege, a party to the oath of allegiance in feudalism .* Liège Island, in the Antarctic...
lord of the Harlingerland.
Aftermath
In 1622 Ernst von MansfeldErnst von Mansfeld
Ernst, Graf von Mansfeld , was a German military commander during the early years of the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:...
stole the , packed in barrels, which Enno III had prepared as payment for Agnes and her husband Prince Gundakar
Gundakar, Prince of Liechtenstein
Gundakar of Liechtenstein was a member of the House of Liechtenstein and as such the owner of a large estate. He also served the Habsburg dynasty.- Family :...
of Liechtenstein. So the payment could not be made then.
In 1663, demands for payment were renewed. Since East Frisia under Prince George Christian
George Christian, Prince of East Frisia
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...
still could not pay, the liege lord
Liege Lord
Liege Lord was an American speed/power metal band, active in the 1980s and considered to be a pioneer of the genre. It was formed by Matt Vinci, Anthony Truglio and Frank Cortese....
of the County if Rietberg, the Prince-Bishop of Münster, try to collect the debt. He attacked East Frisia and occupied the sconce
Sconce
Sconce may refer to any of the following:* Sconce , a military fortification* Sconce * Sconcing, imposing a penalty in the form of drink* SCoNCe, , University of California, Irvine...
at Diele. The 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...
and 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 intervened. They drove out the Münster troops from Diele and mediated a compromise in which the payment was raised by another .