Balthasar of Esens, called Junker Balthasar, was from 1522 to its death in the year 1540 chieftain of the ostfriesischen glories Esens, Wittmund and Stedesdorf and thus rulers of the Harlingerlandes. He was the son of chieftain Hero Omken and Armgard of Oldenburg, its grandfather was Sibet Attena. Balthasar was the last chieftain from the sex of the Attena.

The opinions over its role in history go far apart. For its Bewunderer and many Friesen from the Harlingerland he was a freedom fighter, that against the counts of East Frisia and the Hanse revolted himself and thus the thought of the friesischen liberty anhing. In Esens it is honoured until today with the annual Junker Balthasar days, since it lent allegedly in the year 1527 municipal rights to the place, which is historically not occupied however. Also one takes into account to him highly that he, which could retain independence of the Harlingerlandes on long time.

For his critic was Balthasar against it a pirate and a rogue, who used each opportunity, in order to enrich itself at its neighbours, to no agreement adhered and to Querulanz and Renitenz its-same searched. The general German biography (1875 - 1912) calls Balthasar one the "wildest associates in those wildest times the friesischen country".

Life

Like its father the disputatious Balthasar, after it had begun its inheritance, scherte itself not around the desires of the counts of East Frisia and recognized their sovereignty also not on over his rule. But it robbed all dealers out, whom it got to country and to water into the fingers. It placed would cape-hereditarycall out and let with preference the trading vessels of the city Bremen apply. In these times of the reformation he achieved so also support of the bishop of Bremen and the duke of funds. Not that Balthasar would have been a fanatischer or exemplary catholic, but the bishop and funds was first all right, which could cause damage to Protestant Bremen.

Count Edzard of East Frisia from the house Cirksena tried meanwhile after landup landab according to becoming complaints over Balthasar to bring the Harlingerland to the After its first campaign against the Junker in the year 1524 the piracy was forbidden to this and imposed upon to it the Gefolgschaft to the ostfriesischen count house. Since Balthasar, as soon as the troops had taken off, ignored this agreement regularly, Edzard had to draw a further mark in the year 1525 after Esens. It became subsequently, first somewhat more calmly around Balthasar of Esens.

When Enno II. had transferred the rule as a new count to East Frisia, in the year 1529 between the parties a new agreement was made, in which the mutual requirements were specified. The Balthasar however again looked for controversy with its neighbours and the buyers. Thus Enno pulled in the year 1530 with a professional army again in the Harlingerland, around Balthasar after own stating "one on the muzzle to strike".

After a long FE storage the Junker had to finally hand over to Esens and lost the largest part of its rule area. Reflecting upon revenge it set off to its sister Onna to into the county guessing mountain, which was married with there gentlemen. From there it arrived to a avowed enemy of the Protestant Cirksena, which granted it its support during the recuperation of its rule at the catholic duke Karl von Geldern.

Thus Balthasar broke the Geldri feud in such a way specified of the fence. With Gelderns assistance it broke in in East Frisia and arranged generally speaking country heavy devastations and large wrong on (see also: Battle of Jemgum). Count Enno was forced to return to Balthasar its old rule and make further concessions. The Harlingerland stood however from now on under official leaning sovereignty Gelderns and lost so its independence. With this strong power in the back chicaned Balthasar however further its neighbours, robbed and plundered in their With it it brought even spider-dislikes itself Maria von Jever and count Enno to it, against it to groups.

After the death of Karl von Geldern in the year 1538 count Enno wanted to settle the conflict and offered to Balthasar a marriage with its sister. Since Balthasar made however the return of some it years ago removed cannons the condition, before he wanted to let the bride come to his yard, also this Einigungsversuch in the sand ran.

Junker Balthasar felt inviolable in these years and left starting from 1537 again strengthens hunt for Bremi trading vessels to make. Since the of Bremen resisted, this led to a conflict between Balthasars leaning power, catholic funds, and the Protestant Schmalkaldi federation, to which Bremen belonged.

Because the Junker adhered without loss in addition, further to of Bremen ships and to no amicable agreement to be induced was, 1538 the realm eight over Balthasar one imposed. The of Bremen finally took that to the cause to put to the pirate once and for all the handicraft. In the year 1540 those attacked of Bremen Esens and received thereby energetic support from Maria von Jever. Noble Ms had become the continuous assaults wrong. Still during the FE storage of Esens Balthasar at an illness deceased. After its death Bremen was rapidly ready to close peace. Since Balthasar did not have children, the Harlingerland fell after its dying to the Rietberger.

Literature and sources

• Franz Kurowski: The people at the sea - the dramatic history of the Friesen, piling up he publishing house 1984, ISBN 3-87828-082-9.
• Ubbo Emmius: Rerum Frisicarum Historia, suffering 1616.
• Heinrich Friedrich William Perizonius: History of East Frisia, Weener 1868.
• Gerhard Anton of Halem: History of the duchy Oldenburg, Bremen 1794.
• General one/new one German biography
• Biographic encyclopedia for East Frisia
• Chronika van the Groten Daden of the Graven van Oldenborch, around 1537, publishes publishing house, Oldenburg from the Isensee 1993.

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