Focko Ukena ( Neermoor, 1360Genealogie van de families Jäger, Rappard, Bauermann, Rietbergen e.a.: ''UKENA, FOCKE''
/ref> or 1370 – 1435) was an

East Frisia East Frisia or East Friesland (german: Ostfriesland; ; stq, Aastfräislound) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia ...

chieftain A tribal chief or chieftain is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribe The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of western Afroeurasia. Tribal societies are sometimes categorized a ...

(''hovetling'') who played an important part in the struggle between the

Vetkopers and Schieringers The Vetkopers and Schieringers ( fry, Fetkeapers en Skieringers) were two opposing Frisian factional parties from the medieval period. They were responsible for a civil war that lasted for over a century (1350–1498) and which eventually led to t ...

in the provinces of

Groningen Groningen (; gos, Grunn or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen province in the Netherlands. The ''capital of the north'', Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of the northern part of t ...

and

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

. Aside from this he was one of the leading figures in the resistance against the forts of stately authority in East-Frisia of the

tom Brok The tom Brok family (, also: tom Broke, tom Brook, tom Broek, ten Brok, ten Broke; equivalent to Dutch , "at the marsh") were a powerful East Frisian line of chieftains, originally from the Norderland on the North Sea coast of Germany. From the s ...

family.

Frisian freedom

Medieval and early modern

Frisia Frisia is a cross-border cultural region in Northwestern Europe. Stretching along the Wadden Sea, it encompasses the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. The region is traditionally inhabited by the Frisians, a West Ger ...

(roughly the modern

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

provinces of Groningen and Friesland, and the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

coastal region of

) enjoyed what was known as the

Frisian freedom Frisian freedom ( fy, Fryske frijheid; ; ) was the absence of feudalism and serfdom in Frisia, the area that was originally inhabited by the Frisians. Historical Frisia included the modern provinces of Friesland and Groningen, and the area of We ...

, where virtually no state authority was exerted on the populace. This freedom was threatened from several sides. In what is now East Frisia, the family of tom Brok was attempting to establish a dynasty. In what is now the province of Friesland, the

counts of Holland The counts of Holland ruled over the County of Holland in the Low Countries between the 10th and the 16th century. House of Holland The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in Frisia (Dijkstra suggests th ...

were expanding their influence. The city of

was also trying to expand its power. Through all of this the rivalry of the

played out.

Role of Ukena

Ukena was originally a military commander under Keno tom Brok. As such he defeated Sicka Sjaerda at Noordhorn in 1417, and conquered

Dokkum Dokkum is a Dutch fortified city in the municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland. It has 12,669 inhabitants (February 8, 2020). The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the ''bolwerken'' (bulwarks). ...

in 1418. After the reconquest of Dokkum by the Schieringers, he disembarked at

Hindeloopen Hindeloopen (; fry, Hylpen; Hindeloopen Frisian: ''Hielpen'' ) is an old city on the North of the Netherlands on the IJsselmeer. It lies within the municipality of Súdwest Fryslân. It is famous because of the Hindeloopen art and hindeloopen ...

and defeated the Schieringers at the Palesloot. Ukena took Stavoren and besieged Sloten, but was forced to withdraw by the troops of

John III, Duke of Bavaria John III the Pitiless (1374–1425), of the House of Wittelsbach, was first bishop of Liège 1389–1418 and then duke of Bavaria-Straubing and count of Holland and Hainaut 1418–1425. Family John was born in Le Quesnoy. He was the younge ...

, Count of Holland. Ukena was the first to sign the Peace of Groningen on 1 February 1422, which was aimed against all foreign lords. Next he battled with the Hansa against the Likedelers, and expelled them from Ezumazijl and Dokkum. Afterwards he turned against tom Brok and was primarily active in East Frisia. Ukena was unable to sustain his resistance to tom Brok, and eventually retreated to the castle of Dijkhuizen at

Appingedam Appingedam (; gos, n Daam) is a city and former municipality in the northeastern Netherlands. Although there is no certainty as to the exact age of Appingedam, historical research demonstrates that the place in which the city would eventually b ...

, which was the property of his second wife, Hiddeke Ripperda. He died there in 1435. His resistance eventually prevented tom Brok from taking the much-wanted County of East Frisia.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ukena, Focko 14th-century births 1435 deaths East Frisian chieftains History of Friesland History of Groningen (province) Year of birth uncertain People from Leer (district)