List of counts of East Frisia

The counts and princes of East Frisia from the East Frisian noble House of Cirksena descended from a line of East Frisian chieftains from Greetsiel. The county came into existence when Emperor Frederick III raised Ulrich I the son of a local chieftain to the status of Imperial Count in 1464.

The most important ruler from the House of Cirksena was Edzard the Great (1462–1528), under whose leadership the Imperial County of East Frisia reached its greatest extent. During his reign the Reformation spread throughout East Frisia.

In 1654 the Cirksena were elevated to princes by the emperor. Charles Edzard, the last ruler from the House of Cirksena, died without issue during the night of 25/26 May 1744 (reportedly from a glass of buttermilk, which is said to have drunk after a hunt). Immediately thereafter, the county passed to King Frederick II of Prussia.

Medieval chieftains in East Frisia

Broke / Marienhafe Toma Brok family 1347-1376: Keno I tom Brok 1376-1389: Ocko I tom Brok 1389-1399: Widzeld tom Brok 1399-1417: Keno II tom Brok (under regency of his mother Foelke Kampana) 1417-1427: Ocko II tom Brok (under regency of his grandmother, Foelke); deposed, died 1435

Dornum / Nesse Attena family ?-1410: Hero Attena ?-1410: Lutet Attena (in Norderburg) ?: Eger Attena (in Westerburg) ?-1433: Sibet I Attena 1433-1473: Sibet II Attena

Emden Abdena family

Faldern Aildesna family

Greetsiel / Norden Cirksena family ?-1430: Liudward 1430-1450: Enno Edzardisna, son-in-law 1450-1466: Ulrich, son, in 1464 was raised to Count.

Innhausen / Östringen Tjarksena family

Langwarden / Innhausen / Knyphausen Onneken, later named Innhausen and Knyphausen family

Lütetsburg / Pewsum Manninga family

Neermoor / Leer Ukena family Benno Uko 1427-1436: Focko Ukena and his son Uko Fockena (1427-1432)

Osterhusen Osterhusen / Canhusen ?-1406: Allena family

Rüstringen / Bant Wiemken family (Papinga)

Wirdum Beninga family

Counts of East Frisia House of Cirksena Table of rulers

RulerBornReignRuling part/CountyConsortDeathNotes Ulrich I 1408NordenSon of Enno Edzardisna and Gela of Manslagt1464 – 26 September 1466County of East FrisiaA first wifeno childrenTheda Ukena1455six children26 September 1466Emdenaged 57-58First Count of East Frisia. Emperor Frederick III raised Ulrich to the status of Imperial Count in 1464. Regency of Theda Ukena (1466-1480) Had no descendants. The county went to his brother. Enno I 1 June 1460First son of Ulrich I and Theda Ukena26 September 1466 – 19 February 1491County of East FrisiaUnmarried19 February 1491Friedeburgaged 30 Edzard I the Great 15 January 1462GreetsielSecond son of Ulrich I and Theda Ukena19 February 1491 – 14 February 1528County of East Frisia1498three children14 February 1528Emdenaged 62 Enno II 1505Son of Edzard I and 14 February 1528 – 24 September 1540County of East FrisiaAnna of Oldenburg1530six children24 September 1540Emdenaged 34-35Eldest son of the previous. He had a brother: Johan I of East Frisia: their father, Edzard I had introduced primogeniture in the county of East Frisia, so that Enno II inherited the county alone. Johan had to hold back. Despite his ambitions, he always acknowledged his brother's rights and did not dispute the inheritance. Despite this, Johan is counted as I. Regency of Anna of Oldenburg (1540-1561) Sons of Enno II, ruled together, until 1561 under regency of their mother. This coregency implies that the primogenture law issued by their grandfather, Edzard the Great, may have been revoked. Edzard II 24 June 1532GreetsielFirst son of Enno II and Anna of Oldenburg24 September 1540 – 1 March 1599County of East Frisia Catherine of Sweden1 October 1559Stockholmten children1 March 1599Aurichaged 66 Johan IICounted II after his uncle Johan I, who didn't reign. 29 September 1538AurichSecond son of Enno II and Anna of Oldenburg24 September 1540 – 29 September 1591Unmarried29 September 1591Stickhausen Castleaged 53 Catherine of Sweden 6 June 1539StockholmDaughter of Gustav I of Sweden and Margaret Leijonhufvud1 March 1599 – 21 December 1610County of East Frisia(at Berum and Norden) Edzard II1 October 1559Stockholmten children21 December 1610Berumaged 71 Inherited from her husband some towns in East Frisia, which she ruled autonomously. After her death, her domains were reabsorbed in the county. Enno III 30 September 1563AurichFirst son of Edzard II and Catherine of Sweden26 May 1586 – 28 January 1600County of Rietberg Walburgis, Countess of Rietberg28 January 1581three children Anna of Holstein-Gottorp28 January 1598three children19 August 1625Leerortaged 61 Probably inherited Rietberg from his first wife, or ruled it in name of his daughter. The Treaty of Berum (1600) formally divided the inheritance of Walburga between her daughters, and Sabina Catharina got the County of Rietberg.1 March 1599 – 19 August 1625County of East Frisia Sabina Catharina 11 August 1582EsensDaughter of Enno III and Walburgis, Countess of Rietberg28 January 1600 – 31 May 1618Nominally ruling since the death of her mother in 1586.County of Rietberg 3 March 1601eleven children31 May 1618aged 35 Inherited Rietberg from her mother, and ruled it apparently in name only (she was a minor by the time of her mother's death) until 1600. The county was only awarded to her by the Treaty of Berum (1600). John III 1566AurichSecond son of Edzard II and Catherine of Sweden31 May 1618 – 23 January 1625County of Rietberg23 January 1625Rietbergaged 58-59 Brother of Enno III, ruled Rietberg after the death of his wife and niece. Ernest Christopher 1 April 1606First son of John III and Sabina Catharina23 January 1625 – 31 December 1640County of Rietberg Albertine Marie of St. Martin10 November 1626no children31 December 1640Cologneaged 34 Left no descendants. The county passed to his brother. Rudolph Christian 2 June 1602HageFirst son of Enno III and Anna of Holstein-Gottorp19 August 1625 – 17 April 1628County of East Frisia Unmarried17 April 1628Hageaged 25 Half-brother of Sabina Catharina, inherited the main county of East Frisia. Left no descendants. The county passed to his brother. Ulrich II 6 July 1605AurichSecond son of Enno III and Anna of Holstein-Gottorp17 April 1628 – 1 November 1648County of East Frisia Juliana of Hesse-Darmstadt5 March 1631three children1 November 1648Aurichaged 43 31 May 1618RietbergSecond son of John III and Sabina Catharina31 December 1640 – 7 August 1660County of Rietberg 3 March 1647five children7 August 1660Rietbergaged 42 Regency of Juliana of Hesse-Darmstadt (1648-1651) In 1654, the county was raised to a principality. Had no male descendants, and the principality passed to his brother. Enno Louis 29 October 1632AurichFirst son of Ulrich II and Juliana of Hesse-Darmstadt1 November 1648 – 4 April 1660County of East Frisia(until 1654)Principality of East Frisia(from 1654)7 November 1656two children4 April 1660Aurichaged 27 George Christian 6 February 1634AurichSecond son of Ulrich II and Juliana of Hesse-Darmstadt4 April 1660 – 6 June 1665Principality of East FrisiaChristine Charlotte of Württemberg14 May 1662three children6 June 1665Aurichaged 31 Brother of Enno Louis. Regency of (1660-1666) Left no descendants. The county passed to his brother. 16 September 1650RietbergFirst son of and 7 August 1660 – 7 October 1677County of Rietberg Unmarried7 October 1677near Strasbourgaged 27 Regency of Christine Charlotte of Württemberg (1665-1690) Christian Everhard the Peaceable 1 October 1665EsensSon of George Christian and Christine Charlotte of Württemberg6 June 1665 – 30 June 1708Principality of East Frisia7 November 1656ten children1701(morganatic)one child30 June 1708Aurichaged 42 13 November 1651RietbergSecond son of and 7 October 1677 – 15 March 1680County of Rietberg Unmarried15 March 1690Strasbourgaged 38 Brother of Frederick William, abdicated to become a canon, but remained regent for his younger brother (despite he was already an adult), and would return for the regency if his niece. Regency of Canon (1680-1685) 8 May 1653RietbergThird son of and 15 March 1680 – 10 June 1687County of Rietberg Johannetta Elizabeth Franziska of Manderscheid-Blankenheim(26 September 1663-29 April 1704)4 October 1685Blankenheimone child10 June 1687aged 34 Regency of Canon (1687-1690)Regency of Friedrich Christian von Plettenberg and Hermann Werner von Wolff-Metternich (1690-1702, imperial appointment) Ascended as a minor. After her death the county was inherited by the . 1 August 1686RietbergDaughter of and Johannetta Elizabeth Franziska of Manderscheid-Blankenheim10 June 1687 – 1 January 1758County of Rietberg Maximilian Ulrich von Kaunitz6 August 1699sixteen children1 January 1758Viennaaged 71Rietberg inherited by the George Albert 13 June 1690AurichSon of Christian Everhard and 30 June 1708 – 12 June 1734Principality of East Frisia24 September 1709Idsteinfive childrenSophie Caroline of Brandenburg-Kulmbach8 December 1723Berumno children12 June 1734aged 43 Charles Edzard 18 June 1716AurichSon of George Albert and 12 June 1734 – 25 May 1744Principality of East Frisia25 June 1734one child25 May 1744Aurichaged 27Last Prince of East Frisia of the House of Cirksena. He died without issue. After his death, the state was conquered by King Frederick II of Prussia. East Frisia annexed to Prussia

List of counts of East Frisia

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