Flag of Frisia, with seven lilies

This is a list of historically verifiable monarchs of Frisia, whether they were called chieftains, counts, dukes or kings. The earliest dynasty was established by the chronicles of Merovingian kings of the Franks, with whom they were contemporaries. In these contemporary chronicles, they were styled dux, a Latin term for leader which is the origin of the title duke 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 and Treaty of Meersen the Frisians east of the Vlie came under the rule of the Saxon kings of East Francia, 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 Grytmen were ultimately turned into Mayors by Thorbecke in 1851.

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 Frisian Kingdom 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 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 Vlie (what is now Holland, Utrecht and Zeeland came in Frankish hands. In 734, in the Battle of the Boarn, the area west of the Lauwers (nowadays Friesland) resulted in a Frankisch victory and the end of the Frisian kingdom. Only the Frisians east of the Lauwers (Groningen and East Frisia) remained independent. In 772 they lost their independence as well.

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Audulfc. 600c. 630disputed; attested only in a small number of Merovingian-style golden coins and sometimes considered merely a Frankish moneyer;[1] his connection to other members of this list is entirely conjectural
Aldgisl
  • Adalgis
  • Aldegisel
650/77679first Frisian monarch attested in historical sources
Redbad, King of the Frisians
  • Radbod
679719son of Aldgisl
Poppo
  • Bubo, Bobba
719734son of Redbad, King of the Frisians. Only rules east of the Vlie

After Poppo's defeat all of Frisia became part of the Frankish Empire. During the 15th century Frisian historians invented a series of monarchs, three of which stand out. The name Gondebald or Gondebuef is derived from the 12th-century Historia Caroli Magni. Here he is introduced as a Christian king, who fell at Roncevalles and was buried in a collective mound in Belin-Béliet. He plays a role in Hainaut-Bavarian historiography, because his name was linked to claims regarding the Kingdom of Friesland. Aldgisl II and Redbad II are doubles of Aldgisl I and Redbad I.

  • 734–741, Aldgisl II, loyal Christian vassal of the Franks, brother of Poppo
  • 741–748, Gondebald, son of Aldgisl II
  • 749-775?, Radbod II: according to some fictitious chronicles he grew up in the court of the King of Denmark, possibly Harald Wartooth

Radbod II participates in the Saxon rebellion but is defeated, he is thought to have fled back to Denmark, aftwer which the Kingdom of Frisia was dissolved

Frankish Frisia

Division of Frisia by the Lex Frisionum

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 to the Vlie roughly the modern region of Holland conquered in 719
  • Middle Frisia, the region from the Vlie to the Lauwers roughly the modern territory of the province Fryslân conquered in 734
  • East Frisia, the region from the Lauwers to the Weser conquered in 775

It is further divided in Gaue

In 775 the Franks under Charlemagne 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

House of Jutland

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 Vlie to Meuse and upriver the Gaue Nifterlake, Lek & IJssel and several properties in Teisterbant

Middle Frisia 734-1222

  • 734?-754-768, Alfbad (Praefectus 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 Vlie and Weser
  • 810-834 & 839-???, Gerulf the elder, plausible son of theoderic, Reeve of Frisians from Vlie to Weser
  • c.820, Deodred (Diederik), plausible son of Gerulf the elder, held lands in the Westerkwartier
  • 824?-834-855, Gerhart, plausibly related to Deodred, ruled in Westergo
  • 855–870, Wiccing, also held lands in Westerkwartier
  • 870-873?, Albdag, defended Oostergo against Rodulf Haraldsson
  • -885-, Gardulf, mentioned together with Gerulf the younger and plausibly related
  • 921–945, Reginbert, Ruled in Franeker 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
  • 945–966, Gerbert, son of Reginbert

In 775, Charles the Great made Frisia officially part of the Frankish Kingdom. The wars ended with the last uprising of the Frisians in 793 and the pacification of them. Counts were appointed by the Frankish monarchs. However, Danish Vikings raided Frisia in the end of the 9th century and established Viking rule. After the division of the Frankish Kingdom in West Francia and East Francia, they gained more autonomy.

NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Alfbad
  • Abba, Boppa
749775/786possibly son of RedbadFrisiaCoat of arms in use centuries later
Nordalah786?806?son of AlfbadFrisiaCoat of arms in use centuries later
Dirk806?810?FrisiaCoat of arms in use centuries later
Godfrey807/08839?invaderDanishCoat of arms in use centuries later
Rorikca. 841ca. 873cousin of Godfrey; invaderDanishCoat of arms in use centuries later
Gerulf I
  • Gerulf the Elder
  • Gerolf de Oude
before 839after 855son of Dirk or Nordalah?; reeve of the Frisians between Vlie and the river WeserFrisiaCoat of arms in use centuries later

House of Billung

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

House of Brunswick

House of Nordheim

Otto III failed to establish his rule in Frisia, and the land reverted to the bishop of Utrecht. Utrecht and Holland fought over the rights to Middle Frisia, and from 1165 administered it in condominium. With the Hollandic counts and Utrecht biships failing to agree under whose authority the Frisians would fall, they were 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 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 and his descendants would not inherit it. Many Frisians followed William in the Fifth crusade as documented in De itinere Frisonum.

Upstalsboom Treaty

East Frisia 775-1220

House of Frisia

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 Lauwers and the Eems is defined remains unclear. the western part of East Frisia was centered around the mouth of the Eems roughly corresponding to Emsgau and Federgau. While the eastern part was centered around the mouth of the Wezer encompassing Rustringen, Astergau, the Nordendi and the Wangerland, assumed to be the county of Riustringen that Harald Klak received.

Rough outline of the four counties of Frisia east of the Vlie

Fivelingau

House of Meginhard

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

House of Billung

House of Werl

  •  ?-1044, Rudolf von Werl

House of Brunswick

Not much is known about the region following the Brunonen, it eventually joins into the Upstalboom treaty. The city of Groningen, at the time in Drenthe 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. Groningen joined the other six provinces in Februari 1595 and formed the seventh province of the Seven Provinces

Emsgau

House of Ekbert

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

House of Werl

  • -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 Potestaat of Friesland

Riustringen

House of Jutland

House of Stade

House of Billung

Directly ruled under the following dukes of Saxony

House of Oldenburg

Following the end of house Billung in 1106 the east of Riustringen is slowly being conquered by the county of Oldenburg, the remainder joined into the Frisian alliance, continues in Potestaat of Friesland

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.

Margraves

Fictional monarchs

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 and nineteenth-century forgeries like the Tescklaow and the infamous Oera Linda Book."[2]

The 17th century chronicle Frisia seu de viris rebusque illustribus, by Martinus Hamconius, purported to list the ancient kings of Frisia, beginning with Friso who had allegedly migrated from India during the time of Alexander the Great. A 19th century work, the Oera Linda Book (authorship uncertain but considered to be a hoax by some, although others such as Dr. Diederik Johan Huizinga, and many contemporary scholars, recanted this accusation after studying the text carefully over the course of years), 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.

Goddesses and Folk-mothers

According to the Oera Linda Book.

  • Frya, ?–2194 BCE (eponymous ancestress of the Frisians, who supposedly inhabited all of Northern and Western Europe)
  • Fasta, 2194–after 2145 BCE (appointed by Frya when the latter ascended to the stars during a terrible flood)
  • Medea
  • Thiania
  • Hellenia
  • Minna, fl. 2013 BCE (faced an invasion of Finns from the east, who settled in the Frisian lands in Scandinavia)
  • Rosamond, 1631-? BCE (the Frisians in Western Europe revolted and became the Celts)
  • Hellicht, fl. 1621 BCE
  • Frana, ?–590 BCE (murdered by the Finns during an invasion)
  • Adela (de facto), 590–559 BCE (supposedly ordered the compilation of what became the Oera Linda Book)
  • Gosa, 306–before 264 BCE (elected after a long vacancy, Frisian rule confined to approximately the modern Netherlands)
  • Prontlik, fl. c. 60 BCE (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).

  • Friso, 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 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)
  • Adelboldus, 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).

  • Finn (Frisian) c. 400. Finn, son of Folcwald, is a legendary figure mentioned in the Beowulf. He was killed by Hengest, who later migrated to Britain and founded the Kingdom of Kent. For monarchs prior to Finn, the later Frisians developed a rich store of legend and myth.
  • 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)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Grierson, Philip (1973–1974), "Korte Bijdragen: A New Audulfus Frisia Triens", Jaarboek voor Munt- en Penningkunde (PDF), vol. 60/61, Amsterdam: Koninklijk Nederlands Genootschap voor Munt- en Penningkunde, pp. 153–156.
  2. ↑ Historical Frisian Literature: Fakes and Forgeries, myths and mystifications in Frisian Literature Universiteit van Amsterdam (in Dutch)

Bibliography

  • Ancient Holland: The History of the Lowlands
  • Petz, G.H. (ed). MGH Scriptures. (Hanover, 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/
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