Count Ferdinand Edzard of East Frisia
Encyclopedia
Count Ferdinand Edzard of East Frisia (12 July 1636, Aurich
– 1 January 1668, Norden
) was known as the "Count of Norden
".
ruling house of East Frisia. He was the youngest son of Count Ulrich II of East Frisia and Landgravine Juliana
of Hesse-Darmstadt. From the age of 14, he attended the academies of Breda and Tübingen. As part of his training, he undertook extensive travels to France, Switzerland, Italy and England. In 1658, he returned to the court of his brother Prince Enno Louis at Aurich. After Enno Louis's sudden death in March 1660, Edzard Ferdinand demanded that power be shared between himself and his brother George Christian
. He could not prevail. His request to have his share of the inheritance paid out, did not succeed either. On 18 January 1661 the borthers came to an agreement. Ferdinand Edzard dropped his request for a share of power in return for an annual sum of money and an apanage consisting the town of Norden
. Edzard Ferdinand took up residence in Norden with a small court, and was henceforth known as the "Count of Norden".
On 22 July 1665 he married Anna Dorothea of Criechingen and Püttingen, with whom he had two sons.
The sudden death of George Christian beginning in June 1665 revived the question of government power. Because George Christian's widow Christine Charlotte of Württemberg
was pregnant, Ferdinand Edzard took up the interim government until the birth of the future prince Christian Everhard
. Ferdinand Edzard and Christine Charlotte then jointly took responsibility for the regency and guardianship of the newborn Prince.
Aurich
Aurich is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Aurich.-History:The history of Aurich dates back to the 13th century, when the settlement of Aurechove was mentioned in a Frisian document called the Brokmerbrief in 1276. In 1517, Count Edzard from the house of...
– 1 January 1668, Norden
Norden, Lower Saxony
Norden is a town in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea shore, in East Frisia.-External links:* *...
) was known as the "Count of Norden
Norden, Lower Saxony
Norden is a town in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea shore, in East Frisia.-External links:* *...
".
Life
Ferdinand Edzard was a member of the CirksenaCirksena
The Cirksena are noble East Frisian family descended from a line of East Frisian chieftains from Greetsiel.- The Cirksena in East Frisia :In 1439 in the wake of clashes between different lines of chieftains, the town of Emden was first placed by Hamburg under direct rule and then, in 1453, finally...
ruling house of East Frisia. He was the youngest son of Count Ulrich II of East Frisia and Landgravine Juliana
Juliana of Hesse-Darmstadt
Juliana of Hesse-Darmstadt was the wife of Count Ulrich II of East Frisia and was regent for her minor son Enno Louis from 1648 to 1651...
of Hesse-Darmstadt. From the age of 14, he attended the academies of Breda and Tübingen. As part of his training, he undertook extensive travels to France, Switzerland, Italy and England. In 1658, he returned to the court of his brother Prince Enno Louis at Aurich. After Enno Louis's sudden death in March 1660, Edzard Ferdinand demanded that power be shared between himself and his brother George Christian
George Christian, Prince of East Frisia
George Christian was a member of the Cirksena family and succeeded his brother Enno Louis as ruler of East Frisia. He ruled from 1660 to 1665. Under his reign, the Cirksena family acquired on 18 April 1662 the hereditary title of Imperial Prince.George Christian grew up with his brother at the...
. He could not prevail. His request to have his share of the inheritance paid out, did not succeed either. On 18 January 1661 the borthers came to an agreement. Ferdinand Edzard dropped his request for a share of power in return for an annual sum of money and an apanage consisting the town of Norden
Norden, Lower Saxony
Norden is a town in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the North Sea shore, in East Frisia.-External links:* *...
. Edzard Ferdinand took up residence in Norden with a small court, and was henceforth known as the "Count of Norden".
On 22 July 1665 he married Anna Dorothea of Criechingen and Püttingen, with whom he had two sons.
The sudden death of George Christian beginning in June 1665 revived the question of government power. Because George Christian's widow Christine Charlotte of Württemberg
Christine Charlotte of Württemberg
Christine Charlotte of Württemberg was a princess of Württemberg by birth and a princess consort of East Frisia, married in 1662 to George Christian, Prince of East Frisia. She served as the regent of East Frisia during the minority of her son from 1665 until 1690...
was pregnant, Ferdinand Edzard took up the interim government until the birth of the future prince Christian Everhard
Christian Everhard, Prince of East Frisia
Prince Christian Everhard of East Frisia was a Prince of East Frisia from the House of Cirksena from the day he was born in 1665, but remained under guardianship until 1690.- Life :...
. Ferdinand Edzard and Christine Charlotte then jointly took responsibility for the regency and guardianship of the newborn Prince.