Of the first historically verifiable rulers of

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 ...

, whether they are called

duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

s or

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...

s, the last royal

dynasty A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

below is established by the chronicles of

Merovingian The Merovingian dynasty () was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. They first appear as "Kings of the Franks" in the Roman army of northern Gaul. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gauli ...

kings of the

Franks The Franks ( la, Franci or ) were a group of Germanic peoples whose name was first mentioned in 3rd-century Roman sources, and associated with tribes between the Lower Rhine and the Ems River, on the edge of the Roman Empire.H. Schutz: Tools, ...

, with whom they were contemporaries. In these contemporary chronicles, they were styled ''dux'', a

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

term for leader which is the origin of the title ''

'' and its cognates in other languages (''duc'', ''duce'', ''doge'', ''duque'', etc.). They were independent until the death of Radbod at the earliest. After coming under Frankish rule, Frisia was governed by counts the power of these counts was very limited due to the decentralized nature of the region specifically due to the terrain. Following the

Treaty of Verdun The Treaty of Verdun (), agreed in , divided the Francia, Frankish Empire into three kingdoms among the surviving sons of the emperor Louis the Pious, Louis I, the son and successor of Charlemagne. The treaty was concluded following almost three ...

and

Treaty of Meersen The Treaty of Mersen or Meerssen, concluded on 8 August 870, was a treaty to partition the realm of Lothair II, known as Lotharingia, by his uncles Louis the German of East Francia and Charles the Bald of West Francia, the two surviving sons of ...

the Frisians east of the

Vlie The Vlie or Vliestroom is the seaway between the Dutch islands of Vlieland, to its southwest, and Terschelling, to its northeast. The Vlie was the estuary of the river IJssel in medieval times. In 1666 the English Admiral Robert Holmes burnt a ...

came under the rule of the

Saxon The Saxons ( la, Saxones, german: Sachsen, ang, Seaxan, osx, Sahson, nds, Sassen, nl, Saksen) were a group of Germanic * * * * peoples whose name was given in the early Middle Ages to a large country (Old Saxony, la, Saxonia) near the Nor ...

kings of

East Francia East Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the East Franks () was a successor state of Charlemagne's Carolingian Empire, empire ruled by the Carolingian dynasty until 911. It was created through the Treaty of Verdun (843) which divided t ...

, The Saxon counts that formally owned parts of Frisia generally held little power in the region and relied on local nobles to exploit the territory in exchange for power and protection. The Frisians were ruled by Frana and Skelta, members of the local nobility that were sometimes elected but most times appointed by counts. about halfway into the 12th century, with the declining power of counts and the increasing autonomy the Frana and Skelta were replaced with the Grytmen in middle Frisia or Redjeva further east of the

Lauwers The Lauwers () is a river in the Netherlands. It forms part of the border between the provinces of Friesland and Groningen. From the 730s to Widukind's defeat in 785, it was part of the border of the Frankish Empire. The former Lauwerszee and ...

. The Grytmen were ultimately turned into

Mayors In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities ...

Thorbecke Johan Rudolph Thorbecke (14 January 1798 – 4 June 1872) was a Dutch liberal statesman, one of the most important Dutch politicians of the 19th century. Thorbecke is best known for heading the commission that drafted the revision of the Consti ...

in 1851. Finn, son of Folcwald, is a semi-legendary figure. He was killed by Hengest, who later migrated to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

and founded the

Kingdom of Kent la, Regnum Cantuariorum , conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the Kentish , common_name = Kent , era = Heptarchy , status = vassal , status_text = , government_type = Monarchy ...

. For rulers prior to Finn the later Frisians developed a rich store of legend and myth, and these too are listed here in chronological order.

Frisian Kingdom

House of Frisia

Note that the house and several members of the house of Frisia may be mythological, many people have claimed to be descendants of historical figures and many people have tried to create a continuous dynasty, rather than accepting that most likely a lot of historical figures were unrelated perhaps elected rather than inheriting titles. It has also been suggested that there were several smaller Frisian kingdoms, rather than one large kingdom. After the

Migration Period The Migration Period was a period in European history marked by large-scale migrations that saw the fall of the Western Roman Empire and subsequent settlement of its former territories by various tribes, and the establishment of the post-Roman ...

, the

Frisian Kingdom The Frisian Kingdom ( fy, Fryske Keninkryk), also known as Magna Frisia, is a modern name for the post-Roman Frisian realm in Western Europe in the period when it was at its largest (650–734). This dominion was ruled by kings and emerged in th ...

emerged around 600 AD, north of the Frankish Kingdom. The Frisians consisted of tribes with loose bonds, and were not the same Frisii from Roman times. Under

Redbad Radbod, Radbot, Ratbod, Ratpot, Redbod, Redbad, Radboud, Rapoto, or sometimes just Boddo, is a Germanic masculine given name that may refer to: *Redbad, King of the Frisians (died 719) *Radbod (prefect) (833–54), Frankish prefect *Ratbod (archbis ...

the Frisian kingship reached its maximum geographic development, covering most of the area of what is now the Netherlands and the coast in northern Germany. In 722 the Frisian land west of the

(what is now

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

Utrecht Utrecht ( , , ) is the List of cities in the Netherlands by province, fourth-largest city and a List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality of the Netherlands, capital and most populous city of the Provinces of the Netherlands, pro ...

and

Zeeland , nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge") , anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem") , image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg , map_alt = , m ...

came in Frankish hands. In 734, in the

Battle of the Boarn The Battle of the Boarn ( fry, Slach oan de Boarn nl, Slag aan de Boorne) was an eighth century battle between the Franks and the Frisians near the mouth of the river Boarn in what is now the Dutch province of Friesland. Battle In 734 a Fran ...

, the area west of the

(nowadays

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 ...

) resulted in a Frankisch victory and the end of the Frisian kingdom. Only the Frisians east of the Lauwers (

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

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 ...

) remained independent. In 772 they lost their independence as well. After Poppo's defeat all of Frisia is considered technically part of the Frankish Empire, however some sources continue the kingdom east of the

* 734–741,

Aldgisl II Aldegisel, Aldegisl, Aldgillis, Aldgisl, Aldgils or Eadgils (fl. c. 678) was the ruler of Frisia (as king or duke) in the late seventh century contemporarily with Dagobert II and a very obscure figure. All that is known of him is in relation to t ...

, loyal Christian vassal of the Franks, brother of Poppo * 741–748, Gundebold, son of Aldgisl II * 749-775?, Radbod II, grew up in the court of the King of Denmark, possibly

Harald Wartooth Harald Wartooth or ''Harold Hiltertooth'' (Old Norse: Haraldr hilditǫnn; Modern Swedish and Danish: Harald Hildetand; Modern Norwegian: ''Harald Hildetann''; flourished 8th century) was a legendary king of Denmark who is mentioned in several trad ...

Radbod II participates in the

Saxon rebellion The Saxon Rebellion or Rebellion of the Saxons (german: Sachsenkrieg), also commonly called the Saxon Uprising (not to be confused with the Saxon Wars, also called the Saxon Uprising), refers to the struggle between the Salian dynasty ruling the H ...

but is defeated, he is thought to have fled back to Denmark, the Kingdom of Frisia was now dissolved

Frankish Frisia

Poppo's defeat generally marks the conquest of Frisia by the Franks, following the defeat Frisia is divided in three parts: *West Frisia, the region from the

Scheldt The Scheldt (french: Escaut ; nl, Schelde ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corr ...

to the

roughly the modern region of

conquered in 719 *Middle Frisia, the region from the

to the

roughly the modern territory of the province Fryslân conquered in 734 *East Frisia, the region from the

to the

Weser The Weser () is a river of Lower Saxony in north-west Germany. It begins at Hannoversch Münden through the confluence of the Werra and Fulda. It passes through the Hanseatic city of Bremen. Its mouth is further north against the ports of Bre ...

conquered in 775 It is further divided in

Gaue ''Gau'' (German , nl, gouw , fy, gea or ''goa'' ) is a Germanic term for a region within a country, often a former or current province. It was used in the Middle Ages, when it can be seen as roughly corresponding to an English shire. The adm ...

In 775 the

under

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...

took control of what remained of the Frisian territory (East Frisia) and incorporated it into their kingdom. Counts appointed by the Frankish rulers were:

West Frisia 719-1101

* 793–810, Nordalah, ruled

Wieringen Wieringen () is part of the municipality of Hollands Kroon, established in 2012 in the province of North Holland in the Netherlands. It is a former municipality in this province, with its name appearing in records of the late 9th and early 10th ...

* -837, Ekkehard(Eggihard), ruled

Walcheren Walcheren () is a region and former island in the Dutch province of Zeeland at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Eastern Scheldt in the north and the Western Scheldt in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus. The two ...

House of Jutland

* 841–844,

Harald the Younger Harald the Younger (from "Herioldus iunior", how he is named in the ''Annales Xantenses'') was a Viking leader and a member of the Danish royal family. He has sometimes been mistakenly identified with Harald Klak, who was in fact his uncle and prob ...

, in

* 855–873,

Rodulf Haraldsson Rodulf Haraldsson (died June 873), sometimes Rudolf, from Old Norse Hróðulfr, was a Viking leader who raided the British Isles, West Francia, Frisia, and Lotharingia in the 860s and 870s. He was a son of Harald the Younger and thus a nephew of R ...

, succeeded Harald the Younger, his region of

Zeeland , nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge") , anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem") , image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg , map_alt = , m ...

became part of

West Francia In medieval history, West Francia (Medieval Latin: ) or the Kingdom of the West Franks () refers to the western part of the Frankish Empire established by Charlemagne. It represents the earliest stage of the Kingdom of France, lasting from about ...

after the

* 839–875,

Rorik of Dorestad Rorik (''Roricus, Rorichus''; Old Norse ''HrœrekR'', c. 810 – c. 880) was a Danish Viking, who ruled over parts of Friesland between 841 and 873, conquering Dorestad and Utrecht in 850. Rorik swore allegiance to Louis the German in 873. He ...

, acquired all of West Frisia,

and

Dorestad Dorestad (''Dorestat, Duristat'') was an early medieval emporium, located in the southeast of the province of Utrecht in the Netherlands, close to the modern-day town of Wijk bij Duurstede. It flourished during the 8th to early 9th centuries, ...

, ruled from

House of Godfrid

* 882–885, Godfrid, reconquered Rorik's domain

House of West Frisia

Godfrid was ambushed and killed, count Gerolf is believed to have been one of the nobles involved in the attack as he is rewarded shortly after with most of Godfrid's domain: the coastline from

Meuse The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...

and upriver the

Nifterlake, Lek & IJssel and several properties in

Teisterbant Teisterbant was a pagus (province) of Lotharingia/Middle Francia. It was located in the present-day Netherlands, bordered by the rivers Lek and Waal. Modern-day West-Betuwe (the southern part of the province of Gelderland) shares most of the sa ...

* 883–916, Gerulf the younger, plausible son of Deodred (Diederik) * 916–939, Dirk I, Dirk inherited most of the coastline of Gerulf's domain. Waldger, Dirk's brother inherited the eastern inland territories. * 939–988, Dirk II, Ruled West Frisia now roughly the

Maasland Maasland (population: 6,844) is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. It lies in the municipality (''gemeente'') of Midden-Delfland and covers an area of 24.42 km2 (of which 0.64 km2 water). History From ap ...

Kennemerland Kennemerland is a coastal region in the northwestern Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It includes the sand dunes north of the North Sea Canal, as well as the dunes of Zuid-Kennemerland National Park. History Kennemerland gets its ...

and

Texel Texel (; Texels dialect: ) is a municipality and an island with a population of 13,643 in North Holland, Netherlands. It is the largest and most populated island of the West Frisian Islands in the Wadden Sea. The island is situated north of De ...

* 988–993, Arnulf I, killed by rebelling Frisians, for the Frisians of roughly the Gau Westflinge this marks the beginning of 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 ...

and approximately 300 years of

self-governance __NOTOC__ Self-governance, self-government, or self-rule is the ability of a person or group to exercise all necessary functions of regulation without intervention from an external authority. It may refer to personal conduct or to any form of ...

* 993–1039, Dirk III, moved his court south to

Vlaardingen Vlaardingen () is a city in South Holland in the Netherlands. It is located on the north bank of the Nieuwe Maas river at the confluence with the Oude Maas. The municipality administers an area of , of which is land, with residents in . Geogr ...

* 1039–1049, Dirk IV * 1049–1061,

Floris I Floris I (born c. 1017 in Vlaardingen – 28 June 1061) was count of Holland, then called Frisia west of the Vlie, from 1049 to 1061. Floris was born in Vlaardingen. He was a son of Dirk III, Count of Holland, Dirk III and Bernard, Margrave of th ...

, brother of Dirk IV * 1061–1091,

Dirk V Dirk V (1052 – June 17, 1091) was Count of Holland (called Frisia at that time) from 1061 to 1091. Dirk V succeeded his father, Floris I, under the guardianship of his mother, Gertrude of Saxony. William I, Bishop of Utrecht, took advantag ...

, fought a long war to claim his inheritence * 1091–1101, Floris II the Fat, the title "Count of Frisia west of the Vlie" was changed to "Count of Holland". Continues in

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 ...

Middle Frisia 734-1222

* 734?-754-768, Alfbad (

Praefectus ''Praefectus'', often with a further qualification, was the formal title of many, fairly low to high-ranking, military or civil officials in the Roman Empire, whose authority was not embodied in their person (as it was with elected Magistrates) but ...

Abba), governed at least Oostergo * 768–793, Theoderic (Diederik), killed in the Uprising of 793, his domain is unknown but likely somewhere in between the

and

* 810-834 & 839-???, Gerulf the elder, plausible son of theoderic, Reeve of Frisians from

* c.820, Deodred (Diederik), plausible son of Gerulf the elder, held lands in the

Westerkwartier The Westerkwartier (; en, Western Quarter) is a historical region in the Dutch province of Groningen, at the border with the provinces of Drenthe and Friesland. In the past the area was part of the historical region of Frisia. The West Frisi ...

* 824?-834-855,

Gerhart Gerhart may refer to: As a given name * Gerhart Baum (born 1932), German politician and former Federal Minister of the Interior * Gerhart Eisler (1897-1968), German communist politician * Gerhart Friedlander (1916–2009), nuclear chemist who worke ...

, plausibly related to Deodred, ruled in Westergo * 855–870, Wiccing, also held lands in

* 870-873?, Albdag, defended Oostergo against

* -885-, Gardulf, mentioned together with Gerulf the younger and plausibly related * 921–945, Reginbert, Ruled in

Franeker Franeker (; fry, Frjentsjer) is one of the eleven historical cities of Friesland and capital of the municipality of Waadhoeke. It is located north of the Van Harinxmakanaal and about 20 km west of Leeuwarden. As of 1 January 2014, it had 12, ...

the traditional seat of government for Westergo and likely family of the Reginingen that held considerable property across Middle Frisia and the west

Frisian Islands The Frisian Islands, also known as the Wadden Islands or the Wadden Sea Islands, form an archipelago at the eastern edge of the North Sea in northwestern Europe, stretching from the northwest of the Netherlands through Germany to the west of Denma ...

* 945–966, Gerbert, son of Reginbert

House of Billung The House of Billung was a dynasty of Saxon noblemen in the 9th through 12th centuries. The first known member of the house was Count Wichmann, mentioned as a Billung in 811. Oda, the wife of Count Liudolf, oldest known member of the Liudol ...

* 955–994, Ekbert the one eyed, inherits frisian lands likely through his maternal grandmother Reginhilde, possible sister of Reginbert and mother of

Matilda of Ringelheim Matilda of Ringelheim ( 892 – 14 March 968), also known as Saint Matilda, was a Saxon noblewoman. Due to her marriage to Henry I in 909, she became the first Ottonian queen. Her eldest son, Otto I, restored the Holy Roman Empire in 962. Matild ...

* 994-1024-1030?, Wichmann III & ekbert, sons of Egbert the one eyed

House of Brunswick The House of Hanover (german: Haus Hannover), whose members are known as Hanoverians, is a European royal house of German origin that ruled Hanover, Great Britain, and Ireland at various times during the 17th to 20th centuries. The house ori ...

* 1024?-1038, Liudolf, either through marriage with the daughter of Ekbert or conquest * 1038–1057,

Bruno Bruno may refer to: People and fictional characters *Bruno (name), including lists of people and fictional characters with either the given name or surname * Bruno, Duke of Saxony (died 880) * Bruno the Great (925–965), Archbishop of Cologne, ...

, son of Liudolf, expands middle frisia with the

ommelanden The Ommelanden (; ) are the parts of Groningen province that surround Groningen city. Usually mentioned as synonym for the province in the expression ("city and surrounding lands"). The area was Frisian-speaking, but under the influence of th ...

* 1057–1068, Egbert I, son of Bruno * 1068-1086?-1089, Egbert II, son of Egbert I, punished for his participation in the

Saxon Rebellion The Saxon Rebellion or Rebellion of the Saxons (german: Sachsenkrieg), also commonly called the Saxon Uprising (not to be confused with the Saxon Wars, also called the Saxon Uprising), refers to the struggle between the Salian dynasty ruling the H ...

* 1089–1099, Egbert's properties in Frisia are given to the

Bishopric of Utrecht The Bishopric of Utrecht ( nl, Sticht Utrecht) was an ecclesiastical principality of the Holy Roman Empire in the Low Countries, in the present-day Netherlands. From 1024 to 1528, as one of the prince-bishoprics of the Holy Roman Empire, it w ...

, Bishop Conrad

House of Nordheim

* 1099–1101, Henry I the Fat, through marriage with Gertrude, daughter of Egbert II, Murdered on arrival * 1101–1117, Otto III, son of Henry the fat * 1117-?,

Otto I, Count of Salm Otto I, Count of Salm ( – 1150) was a German nobleman. He was a ruling count of Salm and from 1125 to 1137, he was co-ruler of the County Palatine of the Rhine with his stepson William. Life His parents were the German anti-king Hermann ...

, through marriage with

Gertrude of Northeim Gertrude of Northeim (also Gertrude of Nordheim) ( – after 1154/before 1169), was a German noblewoman and regent. She was the daughter of Henry, Margrave of Frisia. Gertrude was heiress of Bentheim and Rheineck. She married first Siegfried I ...

, the daughter of Henry the fat Otto III fails to establish his rule in Frisia and the land reverts to the bishop of Utrecht, Utrecht and Holland fight over the rights to middle Frisia and from 1165 rule it in

condominium A condominium (or condo for short) is an ownership structure whereby a building is divided into several units that are each separately owned, surrounded by common areas that are jointly owned. The term can be applied to the building or complex ...

, failing to agree on a ruler the Frisians are left to rule themselves.

House of Holland

* 1203?-1222, William of Frisia, in 1178 William's brother Baldwin becomes bishop of Utrecht while his other brother

Dirk VII Dirk VII (died 4 November 1203, in Dordrecht) was the count of Holland from 1190 to 1203. He was the elder son of Floris III and Ada of Huntingdon. Life Due to a civil war in the Holy Roman Empire, Emperor Henry VI had to find ways to make fri ...

is Count of Holland so Holland and Utrecht agree to make William ruler of middle Frisia, his power in Frisia fades after his victory in the

Loon War The Loon War (Dutch: ''Loonse Oorlog'') was a war of succession over the County of Holland (and its dependency Zeeland) from 1203 until 1206, brought on by the death of count Dirk VII. The war was waged between Dirk's brother William of Frisi ...

and his descendants would not inherit it. Many Frisians followed William in the

Fifth crusade The Fifth Crusade (1217–1221) was a campaign in a series of Crusades by Western Europeans to reacquire Jerusalem and the rest of the Holy Land by first conquering Egypt, ruled by the powerful Ayyubid sultanate, led by al-Adil, brother of Sala ...

as documented in

De itinere Frisonum ''De itinere Frisonum'' ('Of the Frisian itinerary') is an eyewitness account written in Latin of the Frisian crusaders' journey from Friesland to Acre during the Fifth Crusade (1217–1218). The narrative was composed by an anonymous participant o ...

Upstalsboom Treaty

* 1156, The Frisian

diet Diet may refer to: Food * Diet (nutrition), the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group * Dieting, the deliberate selection of food to control body weight or nutrient intake ** Diet food, foods that aid in creating a diet for weight loss ...

ding Ding may refer to: Bronze and ceramics * Ding (vessel), a bronze or ceramic cauldron used in ancient and early imperial China * Ding ware, ceramics produced in Dingzhou in medieval China People * Ding (surname) (丁), a Chinese surname and lis ...

at the Upstalsboom. What starts out as a loose gathering becomes an increasingly formal alliance or Confederacy, in a response to increased aggression from the counts of Holland, continues in Potestates

East Frisia 775-1220

House of Frisia

* 734–741,

* 741–748, Gundebold * 749–775, Radbod II * 768–793,

Theoderic Theodoric is a Germanic given name. First attested as a Gothic name in the 5th century, it became widespread in the Germanic-speaking world, not least due to its most famous bearer, Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. Overview The name ...

(Diederik), killed in the Uprising of 793, his domain is unknown but likely somewhere in between the

and

* 810-834 & 839-???, Gerulf the elder After Radbod II east Frisia is firmly in the hands of the Frankish kings, they divide the region in at least two parts. how the region between the

and the

Eems In DOS memory management, expanded memory is a system of bank switching that provided additional memory to DOS programs beyond the limit of conventional memory (640 KiB). ''Expanded memory'' is an umbrella term for several incompatible techn ...

is defined remains unclear. the western part of East Frisia was centered around the mouth of the

roughly corresponding to Emsgau and Federgau. While the eastern part was centered around the mouth of the

Wezer The Weser () is a river of Lower Saxony in north-west Germany. It begins at Hann. Münden, Hannoversch Münden through the confluence of the Werra and Fulda (river), Fulda. It passes through the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic city of Bremen. Its m ...

encompassing Rustringen, Astergau, the Nordendi and the

Wangerland Wangerland is a municipality in the district of Friesland, Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea coast, approximately 20 km northwest of Wilhelmshaven, and 10 km north of Jever Jever () is the capital of the district o ...

, assumed to be the county of Riustringen that Harald Klak received. Frisian counties

Fivelingau

* c.820, Diederik, held lands in the

* 855–870, Wiccing, also held lands in

House of Meginhard

* 843–880, Wichman II * 892–932, Ekbert, also known as Egbert Billung

House of Billung The House of Billung was a dynasty of Saxon noblemen in the 9th through 12th centuries. The first known member of the house was Count Wichmann, mentioned as a Billung in 811. Oda, the wife of Count Liudolf, oldest known member of the Liudol ...

* 932–938, Wichman I, * 936?-973,

Herman I Herman I may refer to: * Herman I (Archbishop of Cologne) (died in 924) * Herman I, Duke of Swabia (died in 949) * Herman I, Count Palatine of Lotharingia (died in 996) * Herman I, Margrave of Meissen (died in 1038) * Herman I, Margrave of Baden (c ...

* ?-1044, Rudolf von Werl

House of Brunswick The House of Hanover (german: Haus Hannover), whose members are known as Hanoverians, is a European royal house of German origin that ruled Hanover, Great Britain, and Ireland at various times during the 17th to 20th centuries. The house ori ...

* 1047–1057,

, expands middle frisia with the

* 1057–1061, Egbert I * 1068–1089, Egbert II Not much is known about the region following the

Brunonen The Brunonids (or Brunonians, german: Brunonen, la, Brunones, i.e. "Brunos") were a Saxon noble family in the 10th and 11th centuries, who owned property in Eastphalia (around Brunswick) and Frisia. The Brunonids are assumed to be descendants ...

, it eventually joins into the Upstalboom treaty. The city of

, at the time in

Drenthe Drenthe () is a province of the Netherlands located in the northeastern part of the country. It is bordered by Overijssel to the south, Friesland to the west, Groningen to the north, and the German state of Lower Saxony to the east. As of Nov ...

becomes very powerful. It quickly becomes an important member of the free Frisian lands and towards the end of the 14th century comes to rule over the

Ommelanden The Ommelanden (; ) are the parts of Groningen province that surround Groningen city. Usually mentioned as synonym for the province in the expression ("city and surrounding lands"). The area was Frisian-speaking, but under the influence of th ...

. Groningen joined the other six provinces in Februari 1595 and formed the seventh province of the Seven Provinces

Emsgau

* 822–855, Cobbo the Elder, possible son of Ekbert duke of Saxony at the time

* -899- Adalbert * Herman * c.947-955, Hendrik * c.955-986, Herman I * 997–1024, Herman II * c.1031-1038-1070, Bernard & Adalbert, ruled Emsgau & Federgau respectively * c.1092-1096, Koenraad Given to the Bishop of Bremen

House of Calvelage

* c.1100-1134 Herman or Herman II * 1134–1175, Otto I * 1175-c.1220, Herman III The house of Calvelage likely never stepped foot in east Frisia and lost their belongings when the region entered into the Upstalboom treaty, continues in Potestates

Riustringen

* 772–793,

Unno Unno was a duke from the medieval Frisian shire of Rüstringen. In the Royal Frankish Annals, Frankish annals, Unno is described as a Frisian duke. He belonged to the Frisian elite who were willing to cooperate with the Franks after annexation of E ...

Eilrad Eilrad was a Frisian Duke from the medieval shire Rüstringen. In 793 carried Eilrad with Unno, another leader, the Frisians in their revolt against the Frankish Empire from Charlemagne. This rebellion resulted that the Frisians temporarily fell ...

House of Jutland

* 827-852?,

Harald Klak Harald 'Klak' Halfdansson (c. 785 – c. 852) was a king in Jutland (and possibly other parts of Denmark) around 812–814 and again from 819–827."Carolingian Chronicles: Royal Frankish Annals and Nithard's Histories" (1970), translation by Bernh ...

, was gifted Riustringen by

Louis the Pious Louis the Pious (german: Ludwig der Fromme; french: Louis le Pieux; 16 April 778 – 20 June 840), also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was King of the Franks and co-emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813. He was also King of Aqui ...

House of Stade

* 847?-880,

Lothar I Lothair I or Lothar I (Dutch language, Dutch and Medieval Latin: ''Lotharius''; German language, German: ''Lothar''; French language, French: ''Lothaire''; Italian language, Italian: ''Lotario'') (795 – 29 September 855) was Holy Roman Emper ...

* 880–929,

Lothar II Lothair II (835 – 8 August 869) was the king of Lotharingia from 855 until his death. He was the second son of Emperor Lothair I and Ermengarde of Tours. He was married to Teutberga (died 875), daughter of Boso the Elder. Reign For political ...

* -976, Henry the Bald

House of Billung The House of Billung was a dynasty of Saxon noblemen in the 9th through 12th centuries. The first known member of the house was Count Wichmann, mentioned as a Billung in 811. Oda, the wife of Count Liudolf, oldest known member of the Liudol ...

Directly ruled under the following dukes of Saxony * 976–1011,

Bernard Bernard (''Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern'' "bear" and ''hard'' "brav ...

, * 1011–1059, Bernard II * 1059–1072, Ordulf * 1072–1106,

Magnus Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...

House of Oldenburg The House of Oldenburg is a Germans, German dynasty with links to Denmark since the 15th century. It has branches that rule or have ruled in Denmark, Iceland, Greece, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Duchy of Schleswig, Schleswig, Duchy ...

Following the end of house Billung in 1106 the east of Riustringen is slowly being conquered by the

county of Oldenburg The County of Oldenburg was a county of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1448 Christian I of Denmark (of the House of Oldenburg), Count of Oldenburg became King of Denmark, and later King of Norway and King of Sweden. One of his grandsons, Adolf, D ...

, the remainder joined into the Frisian alliance, continues in Potestates

Dux & Margraves

Dux

Dux should not be confused with Duke, the Frisian Dux was a military commander responsible for the defence of the Frisian territory, particularly against the Norse raiders. * 783–793,

Theodoric Theodoric is a Germanic given name. First attested as a Gothic name in the 5th century, it became widespread in the Germanic-speaking world, not least due to its most famous bearer, Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths. Overview The name ...

, killed in the Uprising of 793 * 794-???, possibly Meginhard I * 812–834, Gerulf the Elder, was punished for failing to hold back the Norsemen * 834–837,

Hemming Halfdansson Hemming Halfdansson (died 837) was "of the Danish race, a most Christian leader". He was probably a son of Halfdan, a leading Dane who became a vassal of Charlemagne in 807. He was probably related to the Danish royal family, as "Hemming" was one of ...

* 839-c.860,

* 867–870,

Ubbe Ragnarsson Ubba (Old Norse: ''Ubbi''; died 878) was a 9th-century Viking and one of the commanders of the Great Heathen Army that invaded Anglo-Saxon England in the 860s. The Great Army appears to have been a coalition of warbands drawn from Scandinavia, ...

, sources mention him as Dux Frisonum, the timeframe corresponds roughly with

’s presence in Frisia which has led people to believe they are the same person * 870-875,

, returns * 882-885,

Godfrid, Duke of Frisia Godfrid, Godafrid, Gudfrid, or Gottfrid ( non, Guðfrið; murdered June 885) was a Danish Viking leader of the late ninth century. He had probably been with the Great Heathen Army, descended on the continent, and became a vassal of the emperor Cha ...

* 885-898,

Everhard Saxo Everhard is both a surname and a masculine given name, a variant of Eberhard. People with the name include: Surname: *Erik Everhard (1976), stage name of Mitchell Hartwell, a Canadian pornographic actor and director * Nancy Everhard (1957), America ...

, killed by Waldger of Teisterbant

Margraves

* 1024-1038, Liudolf * 1038-1057,

* 1057-1068, Egbert I * 1068-1089, Egbert II * 1099-1101, Henry I the Fat

Potestates

mythological

Most of the early potestaats are completely legendary. *

Magnus Forteman Magnus Forteman (809) was the legendary first potestaat (or magistrate governor) and commander of Frisia which is now part of Germany and the Netherlands. His existence is based on a sage's writings. According to one of these sagas, he was the f ...

, ''fl.'' 809 (first recipient of the

Karelsprivilege Karelsprivilege is a legendary privilege that Charlemagne allegedly paid to the Frisians led by Magnus Forteman to thank them for the support that was given to his attack on Rome. Since the 13th century, the Frisians regularly mentioned in legal an ...

) *

Taco Ludigman Taco Ludigman (elected about 819) was the legendary second potestaat (or magistrate governor) of Friesland. There are no contemporary sources for his true historicity, nor are there any coins or other archaeological evidence. Taco or Focko Ludig ...

, ''fl. c.'' 830 (Focko Ludigman) (protected the country against pirates) *

Adelbrik Adelen Adelbrik Adelen (Sexbierum, elected about 830) was the third potestaat (magistrate governor) of Friesland a province of the Netherlands. He was potestaat during the government of Lorraine, and defeated the Vikings. In Kollum he won a victory over ...

, ''fl. c.'' 830 (won a victory over a Swedish duke at

Kollum Kollum ( Low Saxon: ''Kölm'') is a village in Noardeast-Fryslân municipality in the province Friesland, the Netherlands. It had a population of around 5529 in January 2017. There is a restored windmill, ''Tochmaland'' in the village. History Th ...

) *

Hessel Hermana Hessel Hermana is the fourth potestaat (or elected governor) of Friesland in the list of rulers of Frisia. Supposedly from Sexbierum (chosen 869 - died c876), he does not appear in historical sources until the late 16th century. His name is then ...

, 869-876 (a diligent warrior against the Vikings) *

Igo Galema Igo Galama (876 to 910) was the legendary fifth potestaat (or elected governor) of Friesland, now a province of the Netherlands. There is no evidence that he existed. The history of Friesland says that Galama was elected in 876 as potestaat. He ...

(Ygo Galema), 876-910 *

Gosse Ludigman Gosse Ludigman (elected 989 died in 1000) was a legendary potestaat (or elected governor) of Friesland, now a province of the Netherlands. He does not appear in sources until hundreds of years after his supposed life. Gosse lived at Staveren, a ...

, 986-1000 *

Saco Reinalda Saco Reinalda (chosen from 1150 to 1167) was a legendary '' potestaat'' of Friesland, now a province of the Netherlands. Sometimes his name was written as Rengnalda, his son was called Wilco Reinalda. According to later and inaccurate sources, Sac ...

, 1150-1167 (many Frisians were recruited into the crusades to the

Holy Land The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...

)

generally accepted

From here the evidence for their existence is considerably better supported *

Sicko Sjaerdema Sikke Sjaardema (died 1260), alternatively spelled Sikko or Sicka, was the eighth potestaat of Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. The potestaat was the elected provincial ruler. Biography Sjaerdema came from Ylst or IJlst (Elostoe in Latin) ...

, 1237-1260 (Count

William II of Holland William II (February 1227 – 28 January 1256) was the Count of Holland and Zeeland from 1234 until his death. He was elected anti-king of Germany in 1248 and ruled as sole king from 1254 onwards. Early life William was the eldest son and heir ...

offered him regional rule of Friesland) *

Reinier Camminga Reinier Camminga (chosen approximately 1300 to 1306) was the ninth potestaat or governor of Friesland now a province of the Netherlands. Reijner Haijes Camminga was captain when the Danes made an incursion into Oostergo in 1306 because of dispute ...

, 1300-1306 (killed in the fight against "Danes Noertmannen ende") *

Hessel Martena Hessel Martena (appointed approximately 1306 to 1312) was the tenth '' Potestaat'' (magistrate governor) of Frisia. He succeeded Reinier Camminga. Martena was particularly praised for his clever policy, calming the existing dispute between the S ...

, 1306-1313 (protected Friesland against the attacks of the counts of Holland) *

Juw Juwinga Juw Juwinga (alias Jongema) of Bolsward was a Frisian chieftain that earned great fame in the struggle against the (Dutch) ‘infidels’. When Albrecht of Bavaria, count of Holland, threatened Friesland in 1396, Juw was chosen as potestate of F ...

(Jonghema Ju), 1396 (killed in the Battle of Schoterzijl against

Albert I, Duke of Bavaria Albert I, Duke of Lower Bavaria (german: Albrecht; 25 July 1336 – 13 December 1404), was a feudal ruler of the counties of Holland, Hainaut, and Zeeland in the Low Countries. Additionally, he held a portion of the Bavarian province of Strau ...

) *

Sytse Dekama Sytse Dekama (as well as his successor Gale Hania from Weidum, chosen around 1397) was the twelfth potestaat (or magistrate ruler) of Friesland, which was in the time of the religious disputes between Schieringers and Vetkopers. There is little k ...

, 1397-? *

Gale Hania Gale Hania (died 1380) was the thirteenth potestaat (or ruler) of Friesland, a province of Netherlands. Biography His name is also known written as Hanja or Hanya. Gale was born on the Hanya farm northeast of Pingjum, in the shire of Wonseradee ...

Odo Botnia Odo Botnia (died 1399) was the fourteenth potestaat (or elected governor) of Friesland, now a province in the Netherlands. Biography Odo was the son of Feicko Botnia, a nobleman of Marrum, who lived on the Botnia stins (stronghold or nobles house) ...

, ?-1399 *

Sjoerd Wiarda Sjoerd Pijbes Wiarda (in office 1399–1410) was the fifteenth potestaat (or elected governor) of Friesland now a province of the Netherlands. Sjoerd Wiarda born in 1355 and died in 1410. He was the son of Pybe Wyarda and Claer van Eminga. He liv ...

, 1399-1410 (elected by the Schieringers for

Oostergo Eastergoa (also Ostergau, Ostergo, or Oostergo) was one of the seven areas and one of the three '' Gaue'' within what is today the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. Area On its west side Eastergoa was bordered by the Middelsee with ...

) *

Haring Haringsma Haring Harinxma (1323–1404) was a powerful Frisian chieftain and Schieringer who lived during the 13th and early 14th centuries. Haring also used the surname Donia, and is considered the patriarch of this well known Frisian family. Another titl ...

(Haring Harinxma, or Haring Thoe Heeg), 1399-1404 (elected by the Schieringers for

Westergo Westergoa was one of the seven sealands and one of the three that now lie within the borders of today's Dutch province of Friesland. Later it was one of the three goaen of Frisia. In the Middle Ages Westergoa most probably formed the political c ...

) In 1464,

Ulrich I of East Frisia Ulrich I of East Frisia, first count of East Frisia (1408 in Norden – 25 or 26 September 1466, in Emden) was a son of the chieftain Enno Edzardisna of Norden and Greetsiel, and Gela of Manslagt. Biography His father Enno had inherited Norde ...

was raised to the status of

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III (German: ''Friedrich III,'' 21 September 1415 – 19 August 1493) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1452 until his death. He was the fourth king and first emperor of the House of Habsburg. He was the penultimate emperor to be crown ...

, and East Frisia became a separate

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

. Continues in

List of counts of East Frisia The counts and princes of East Frisia from the noble East Frisian family 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 chief ...

Juw Dekama Juw Dekema (1449/50 – October 24, 1523) was a Frisian chieftain and Schieringer in Weidum and Baard, who was elected as potestate of Friesland in 1494 at the diet of Sneek Sneek (; fy, Snits) is a city southwest of Leeuwarden and t ...

, 1494-1498 (died 1523) (only governed Oostergo) With the victory of the Schieringers against the Vetkopers, the office passed to the dukes of Saxony: * Albert, Duke of Saxony, 1498-1500 (appointed by

Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I (22 March 1459 – 12 January 1519) was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 until his death. He was never crowned by the pope, as the journey to Rome was blocked by the Venetians. He proclaimed himself El ...

) *

Henry IV, Duke of Saxony Henry IV the Pious, Duke of Saxony (german: Heinrich der Fromme) (16 March 1473, in Dresden – 18 August 1541, in Dresden) was a Duke of Saxony from the House of Wettin. Succeeding his brother George, Duke of Saxony, a fervent Catholic who soug ...

, 1500-1505 (died 1541) *

George, Duke of Saxony George the Bearded ( Meissen, 27 August 1471 – Dresden, 17 April 1539) was Duke of Saxony from 1500 to 1539 known for his opposition to the Reformation. While the Ernestine line embraced Lutheranism, the Albertines (headed by George) were ...

, 1505-1515 (died 1539)

Stadtholders

In 1515, George of Saxony sold Friesland to the future

Emperor Charles V Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain ( Castile and Aragon) ...

. The Habsburgs appointed the following governors: *

Floris van Egmond Floris van Egmond (ca. 1470 – 25 October 1539) was count of Buren and Leerdam and Lord of IJsselstein and Sint Maartensdijk. He was stadtholder of Guelders (1507–1511) and Friesland (1515–1518) Floris was the son of Frederik van Egmond ...

, Count of

Buren Buren () is a town and municipality in the Betuwe region of the Netherlands. Buren has 27,168 inhabitants as of 1 January 2022. Geography Buren is located in Gelderland, a province of the Netherlands. It is part of the landscape of Betuwe, a ve ...

and

Leerdam Leerdam () is a city and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of Utrecht. The municipality was merged with the municipalities of Vianen and Zederik on 1 January 2019. The name of the new municipality is Vijfheerenlande ...

, 1515-1518 *

Wilhelm von Roggendorf Wilhelm Freiherr von Roggendorf (1481 – 25 August 1541) was an Austrian military commander and Hofmeister. He was a son of , and thus member of the ancient family from Styria, which ruled in Lower Austria since the middle of the 15th century. ...

, 1518-1521 *

Georg Schenck van Toutenburg Georg Schenck van Toutenburg (German - ''Georg Schenk von Tautenburg'') (1480 – 2 February 1540) was Stadhouder of Friesland (1521-1540). Later he was also Stadholder of Overijssel, Drenthe and Groningen. His son Frederick was the first ...

, 1521-1540 *

Jancko Douwama Jancko Douwama was a Frisian nobleman who fought to free Friesland from foreign rule during the Vetkopers and Schieringers conflict, the Saxon feud and the Guelders Wars. Biography He was born around 1482 into a Vetkoper 'hoofdelingen' or 'unt ...

, 1522 In 1523, Jancko Douwama is imprisoned, this and the end of The Frisian Peasant Rebellion generally marks the end to the

Maximiliaan van Egmond Maximiliaan of Egmont (1509–1548) was Count of Buren and Leerdam, and Stadtholder of Friesland (succeeding George Schenck) from 1540 until 1548. He was the son of Floris van Egmont whom he succeeded as count after his father's death in 1539. B ...

, Count of

, 1540-1548 *

Jean de Ligne Jean may refer to: People * Jean (female given name) * Jean (male given name) * Jean (surname) Fictional characters * Jean Grey, a Marvel Comics character * Jean Valjean, fictional character in novel ''Les Misérables'' and its adaptations * Jean ...

, Count of Arenberg, 1549-1568 (in 1556 sovereignty of Friesland passed to King

Philip II of Spain Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from ...

, son of Charles V) *

Karel van Brimeu Charles de Brimeu (1524 or 1525 – 1572 in Zwolle), was the last count of Megen, Meghem, lord of Humbercourt, of Houdain and Éperlecques. He was grandson of Guy of Brimeu, who was beheaded in Ghent. He became the last ceremonial Hereditary Marsh ...

, Count of

Megen Megen or Meghem is a small city in the southern part of the Netherlands, in the province North Brabant, close to the river Maas. It is part of the Oss municipality. The number of inhabitants is approximately 1700. History Megen used to be the ...

, 1568-1572 *

Gillis van Berlaymont Gilles van Berlaymont (c. 1545 – 18 June 1579 in Maastricht) was stadtholder for the Spanish Crown of Drenthe, Friesland, Groningen and Overijssel (1572-1573), stadtholder of Guelders (1572–1577), substitute stadtholder of Holland, Zeelan ...

, of

Hierges Hierges () is a commune in the Ardennes department in the Grand Est region in northern France. Hierges is located in the Meuse valley along the Belgian border. Population Sights and monuments * Château de Hierges, a castle whose origins ...

, 1572-1574 *

Caspar de Robles Caspar de Robles or Gaspard di Robles (1527, Madrid, Spain – 1585, Antwerp), also known as ''Billy'' in Artois, was Stadholder of Friesland and Groningen at the beginning of the Eighty Years' War (reign: 1568 to 1576). Family Robles was the s ...

, Master of

Billy Billy may refer to: * Billy (name), a name (and list of people with the name) Animals * Billy (dog), a dog breed * Billy (pigeon), awarded the Dickin Medal in 1945 * Billy (pygmy hippo), a pet of U.S. President Calvin Coolidge * Billy, a youn ...

, 1574-1576 (or 1572–1576) *

George de Lalaing, Count of Rennenberg George de Lalaing count Rennenberg (c. 1550 – 23 July 1581), was stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe and Overijssel in the service of Philip II of Spain from 1577 to 1581. The Lalaing family came from Hainaut and had a tradition of gov ...

, de ''Stadhouder-verrader'', 1576-1581 (after 1580 in the service of Phillip II) *

Francisco Verdugo Francisco Verdugo, Spanish military commander in the Dutch Revolt, (born in 1537 in Talavera de la Reina, province of Toledo, died in Luxembourg, 1595), became ''Maestre de Campo General,'' in the Spanish Netherlands. He was also the last Spanish ...

, 1581-1594 (in the service of Phillip II) * Willem I van Oranje-Nassau, 1580-1584 In 1581, Friesland and six other provinces revolted and formed the

Dutch Republic The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...

. The office of stadholder became hereditary in the House of Oranje: * Willem Lodewijk van Nassau, 1584-1620 *

Ernst Casimir Ernest Casimir I (22 December 1573 – 2 June 1632) was a Count of Nassau-Dietz and Stadtholder of Friesland, Groningen and Drenthe. Biography He was the 11th child of John VI, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg, and Countess Elisabeth of Le ...

, 1620-1632 * Hendrik Casimir I, 1632-1640 * Willem Frederik, 1640-1664 *

Hendrik Casimir II Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz (18 January 1657 – 25 March 1696) was Stadtholder of Friesland and Groningen from 1664 till 1696. Life Henry Casimir II of Nassau-Dietz was born in The Hague, the eldest son of Willem Frederik of Nassau-Dietz an ...

, 1664-1696 * Johan Willem Friso of Orange, 1696-1711 *

William IV of Orange William IV (Willem Karel Hendrik Friso; 1 September 1711 – 22 October 1751) was Prince of Orange from birth and the first hereditary stadtholder of all the United Provinces of the Netherlands from 1747 until his death in 1751. During his whole l ...

, 1711-1751 (the seven provincial stadtholders within the Dutch Republic merged in 1747) *

William V of Orange William V (Willem Batavus; 8 March 1748 – 9 April 1806) was a prince of Orange and the last stadtholder of the Dutch Republic. He went into exile to London in 1795. He was furthermore ruler of the Principality of Orange-Nassau until his death in ...

, 1751-1795 (died 1806) (Stadtholder-General of the Dutch Republic until it was destroyed by

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

)

Fictional rulers

A description of a course at the University of Amsterdam states ""One of the characteristics of Frisian historiography and literature from the Middle-Ages up to the nineteenth and twentieth century is the existence of a comprehensive corpus of fantastic, apocryphal and mystified historic works, which deal with the origins and identity of the Frisians. Well known examples are medieval myths of origin like the Gesta Frisiorum or the Tractatus Alvini, sixteenth-century humanistic scholarly books by e.g. Suffridus Petrus, Ocko van Scarl en

Martinus Hamconius Maarten Hamckema ( in Follega – 1620), sometimes anglicized as Marten Hamkes and mainly known by his pen name Martinus Hamconius, was a Frisian writer, poet and historian best known for his apocryphal history History (derived ) is the ...

and nineteenth-century forgeries like the Tescklaow and the infamous

Oera Linda Book The Oera Linda Book is a manuscript written in a form of Old Frisian, purporting to cover historical, mythological, and religious themes of remote antiquity, from 2194 BCE to 803 CE. Among academics in Germanic philology, the document is conside ...

."Historical Frisian Literature: Fakes and Forgeries, myths and mystifications in Frisian Literatur
Universiteit van Amsterdam
{{in lang, nl The 17th century chronicle ''Frisia seu de viris rebusque illustribus'', by

, purported to list the ancient kings of Frisia, beginning with

Friso Friso is a legendary king of the Frisians who is said to have ruled around 300 BC. According to Martinus Hamconius in his 17th-century chronicle ''Frisia seu de viris rebusque illustribus'', and also the 13th-century Oera Linda Book, Friso was a ...

who had allegedly migrated from

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

during the time of

Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...

. A 19th century work, the Oera Linda Book (authorship uncertain but considered to be a hoax), embellished these stories further by describing an ancient and glorious history for the Frisians extending back thousands of years, during which time they were supposedly ruled over by a line of matriarchs known as folk-mothers, founded by the eponymous goddess Frya, ancestress of the Frisians.

Goddess and Folk-mothers

''According to the ''Oera Linda Book. * Frya, ?-2194 BC (eponymous ancestress of the Frisians, who supposedly inhabited all of Northern and Western

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

) *

Fasta FASTA is a DNA and protein sequence alignment software package first described by David J. Lipman and William R. Pearson in 1985. Its legacy is the FASTA format which is now ubiquitous in bioinformatics. History The original FASTA program ...

, 2194-after 2145 BC (appointed by Frya when the latter ascended to the stars during a terrible flood) *

Medea In Greek mythology, Medea (; grc, Μήδεια, ''Mēdeia'', perhaps implying "planner / schemer") is the daughter of King Aeëtes of Colchis, a niece of Circe and the granddaughter of the sun god Helios. Medea figures in the myth of Jason an ...

Thiania ''Thiania'' is a genus of jumping spiders that was first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1846. Species it contains twenty-three species, found in Asia from Pakistan to the Philippines, with one species found on Hawaii: *''Thiania abdominalis' ...

*Hellenia *(unknown) *

Minna Minna is a city in Middle Belt Nigeria. It is the capital city of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states. It consists of two major ethnic groups: the Gbagyi and the Nupe. History Archaeological evidence suggests settlement in the ...

, ''fl.'' 2013 BC (faced an invasion of

Finns Finns or Finnish people ( fi, suomalaiset, ) are a Baltic Finnic ethnic group native to Finland. Finns are traditionally divided into smaller regional groups that span several countries adjacent to Finland, both those who are native to these ...

from the east, who settled in the Frisian lands in

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion#Europe, subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, ...

) *(unknown) *

Rosamond Rosamond is a feminine given name, which may refer to: People *Rosamond Carr (1912–2006), American humanitarian and author *Rosamund Clifford (before 1150 – c. 1176), English mistress of King Henry II * Rosamond Langbridge (1880–1964), Irish ...

, 1631-? BC (the Frisians in Western Europe revolted and became the

Celts The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancien ...

) *Hellicht, ''fl.'' 1621 BC *(unknown) *Frana, ?-590 BC (murdered by the Finns during an invasion) *

Adela Adela may refer to: * ''Adela'', a 1933 Romanian novel by Garabet Ibrăileanu * ''Adela'' (1985 film), a 1985 Romanian film directed by Mircea Veroiu * ''Adela'' (2000 film), a 2000 Argentine thriller film directed and written by Eduardo Mign ...

(''de facto''), 590-559 BC (supposedly ordered the compilation of what became the Oera Linda Book) *(vacant) *Gosa, 306-before 264 BC (elected after a long vacancy, Frisian rule confined to approximately the modern

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

) *(vacant) *Prontlik, ''fl. c.'' 60 BC (puppet folk-mother appointed by King Asinga Ascon)

Kings (Oera Linda Book & others)

''According to the ''Frisia seu de viris rebusque illustribus'' (and the ''Oera Linda Book''). *

, 313-245 BC (Adel I Friso (''de facto''), 304-264 BC) (established a militaristic hereditary monarchy) *Adel, 245-151 BC (Adel II Atharik, 264-? BC) *Ubbo, 151-71 BC (Adel III Ubbo) *Asinga Ascon, 71 BC-AD 11 (Adel IV Asega Askar, or Black Adel) (reviled for employing foreign troops and bringing plague) *Diocarus Segon, 11-46 *Dibbaldus Segon, 46-85 (? Verritus) (forced to accept

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

protection, and may have visited Rome in person) *Tabbo, 85-130 (? Malorix)

Dukes

''According to the ''Frisia seu de viris rebusque illustribus. *Asconius, 130-173 (title downgraded to duke as a Roman client) *

Adelbold Adelbold was the second Duke of Frisia (ruled 173–187), according to apocryphal works and pseudo-histories of Frisian historiography, which were common from the Middle Ages up to the nineteenth century. He is considered a List of rulers of Fris ...

us, 173-187 *Titus Boiocalus, 187-240 *Ubbo, 240-299 *Haron Ubbo, 299-335 *Odilbaldus, 335-360 *Udolphus Haron, 360-392

Kings (Merovingian chronicles & others)

''According to the ''Frisia seu de viris rebusque illustribus'' (and Merovingian chronicles).'' *Richardus, Uffo, 392-435 (? Finn Folcwalding) *Odilbaldus, 435-470 (? Sibbelt) *Richoldus, 470-533 (? Ritzard) *Beroaldus, 533-590 (? Audulf) *Adgillus I, 590-672 (Aldegisel, ?-680) *Radbodus I, 672-723 (Radbod I, 680-719) *(Poppo, 719-734) (not listed in the ''rebusque'') *Adgillus II, 723-737 (Aldegisel II) *Gondobaldus, 737-749 (Gundebold, or Aldegisel III) *Radbodus II, 749-775 (Radbod II)

Notes

References

Ancient Holland: The History of the Lowlands
* Petz, G.H. (ed). ''MGH Scriptures''. (

Hanover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...

, 1892). * Jaekel, H. (1895), ''Die Grafen von Mittelfriesland aus dem Geschlecht König Ratbods'' * van Blom, Ph. (1900), ''Geschiedenis van Oud-Friesland.'' * Fries Genootschap van Geschied-, Oudheid- en Taalkunde en de Fryske Akademy, (1970), ''De Vrije Fries'' (50th ed.), Leeuwarden * Henstra, D.J. (2012), ''Friese graafschappen tussen Zwin en Wezer'', Assen: van Gorcum, ISBN 9789023249788 * Lawætz, P. (2019), ''Danske vikingekonger - én slægt med mange grene'', https://vikingekonger.dk/ *

Lists of French nobility