Edzard II, Count of East Frisia
Edzard II (* June 24, 1532 in Greetsiel, † March 1, 1599 in Aurich ) from the home Cirksenas was Count of East Frisia from 1560 to 1599.
On October 1, 1559, he married Catherine in Stockholm Wasa (* June 6, 1539 in Stockholm (lock); † December 21, 1610 at Castle Berum ). , The daughter of the Swedish king Gustav I. Edzard was the only East Friesian Lord, the ever married a king's daughter. The Swedish royal family wanted to secure through this connection influence on the North Sea coast. In vain hoped Edzard II, to become 1576 Empire Admiral.
Edzard II had to contend with his domineering mother, Anna, who had taken him the birthright to curb the influence of the Swedish royal family. So they decreed that the county of Edzard and his two siblings should be governed jointly. As Christoph died early, Edzard ran into a strong and almost hateful rivalry with his brother Johann. The power struggle between the two increasingly paralyzed their rule. After the death of John in 1591 Edzard II was sole ruler of the County of East Frisia, his authority had suffered greatly, however by the constant arguments. At the instigation of the stands Edzard II had in 1593 founded the royal court in Aurich.
1595 finally came to Emden Revolution, in which the Cirksenas were expelled from the Calvinist Emden and Edzard had to agree to the Treaty of Delfzijl on July 5, 1595 printing of the Dutch States-General, which robbed him of a large part of his ducal power.
Further falls in Edzards rule also caused by Enno II final loss of Jeverland for the East Frisian Count: Maria of Jever inherited the land after her death to the counts of Oldenburg.
After his death, refused to large church in Emden, to serve him as a burial place, because he was Lutheran. His family settled Edzard II buried on May 13, 1599 as the first Cirksenas in the Lamberti Church in Aurich, which then housed the family vault in 1744 until the extinction of the race.
Family
From the marriage Edzard II and Catherine Wasa ten children were born:
- Margaret, born November 22, 1560 † September 8, 1588,
- Anna, born June 26, 1562 Aurich, † April 21, 1621 in Neuhaus (Bohemia ) 1st marriage: Heidelberg, July 12, 1583 Elector Ludwig VI. of the Palatinate (* July 4, 1539 † October 22, 1583 );
- 2 Marriage: December 21, 1585 with Margrave Ernst Friedrich of Baden -Durlach (* 1560, † 1604);
- 3 Marriage: Grabow, March 7, 1617 with Julius Heinrich of Saxe- Lauenburg ( born April 9, 1586 † November 20, 1665 )
Edzard II, among other direct ancestor of the Dutch King Willem- Alexander and the British Crown Prince William.