Edzard II, Count of East Frisia

Edzard II
Counts of East Frisia
Edzard II, count of East Frisia
Reign	1561–1599
Predecessor	Enno II
Successor	Enno III
Born	24 June 1532 Greetsiel
Died	1 March 1599(1599-03-01) (aged 66) Aurich
Spouse	Katarina of Sweden
House	Cirksena
Father	Enno II
Mother	Anna of Oldenburg

Edzard II, Count of East Frisia was count of East Frisia, (24 June 1532, in Greetsiel – 1 March 1599, in Aurich) and the son of Enno II of East Frisia and Anna of Oldenburg.

During his reign, he came into conflict with the city of Emden. Edzard was a staunch Lutheran while the city of Emden was mostly Calvinistic. In 1595 Emden revolted and, after an intercession by the Calvinistic Dutch Republic, Edzard was forced to accept a large degree of independence from Emden.

Edzard II had a dispute with his dominant mother, Anna. She had abolished his right of primogeniture, in an attempt to curb the influence of the Swedish royal family. She decreed that Edzard should rule East Frisia jointly with his younger brothers Johan and Christopher. When Christopher died early, Edzard ran into a strong and almost hateful rivalry with his brother Johan II. The power struggle between two increasingly hamstrung their government. After Johan died in 1591, Edzard became the sole ruler, but his authority had been severely hit by the ongoing conflict.

At the request of the Estates, Edzard founded the High Court in Aurich in 1593.

In 1595, the city of Emden revolted. In the course of this Emden Revolution, the Cirksena family were driven out of Emden. Under pressure from the Dutch States General, Edzard signed on 5 July 1595 the Treaty of Delfzijl, which gave Emden a large degree of independence.