Imperial County of East Frisia
| County of East-Frisia | ||||||||||
| Graafschap Oost-Friesland | ||||||||||
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 East Frisia around 1600, by Ubbo Emmius
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| Capital | Emden | |||||||||
| Languages | East Frisian Low Saxon, Dutch, German | |||||||||
| Religion | Lutheran in the east, Calvinism in the west | |||||||||
| Government | County | |||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | |||||||||
| • | Established | 1464 | ||||||||
| • | Disestablished | 1744 | ||||||||
| Area | ||||||||||
| • | c. 1800 | 1,800 km² (695 sq mi) | ||||||||
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Coat of arms
The County of East-Frisia (Dutch: Graafschap Oost-Friesland) was a county (though ruled by a prince after 1662) in the region of East Frisia in the northwest of the present-day German state of Lower Saxony.
Originally East Frisia was part of the larger Frisian 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.
In 1430, led by chieftain Edzard Cirksena of Greetsiel, 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.
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Wikipedia