East Frisia
East Frisia () or East Friesland (; ; ; ) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisia (peninsula), East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia and to the ...
n
chieftain
A tribal chief, chieftain, or headman is a leader of a tribe, tribal society or chiefdom.
Tribal societies
There is no definition for "tribe".
The concept of tribe is a broadly applied concept, based on tribal concepts of societies of weste ...
(''hovetling'') who played an important part in the struggle between the Vetkopers and Schieringers in the provinces of
Groningen
Groningen ( , ; ; or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of ...
and
Friesland
Friesland ( ; ; official ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia (), named after the Frisians, is a Provinces of the Netherlands, province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen (p ...
. Aside from this he was one of the leading figures in the resistance against the forts of stately authority in East-Frisia of the
tom Brok
The tom Brok family (, also: tom Broke, tom Brook, tom Broek, ten Brok, ten Broke; equivalent to Dutch , "at the marsh") were a powerful East Frisian chieftains, East Frisian line of chieftains, originally from the Norderland on the North Sea coas ...
family.
Frisian freedom
Medieval and early modern
Frisia
Frisia () is a Cross-border region, cross-border Cultural area, cultural region in Northwestern Europe. Stretching along the Wadden Sea, it encompasses the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. Wider definitions of "Frisia" ...
(roughly the modern Dutch provinces of Groningen and Friesland, and the
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany, the country of the Germans and German things
**Germania (Roman era)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
coastal region of
East Frisia
East Frisia () or East Friesland (; ; ; ) is a historic region in the northwest of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is primarily located on the western half of the East Frisia (peninsula), East Frisian peninsula, to the east of West Frisia and to the ...
) enjoyed what was known as the Frisian freedom, where virtually no state authority was exerted on the populace. This freedom was threatened from several sides.
In what is now East Frisia, the family of tom Brok was attempting to establish a dynasty. In what is now the province of Friesland, the counts of Holland were expanding their influence. The city of
Groningen
Groningen ( , ; ; or ) is the capital city and main municipality of Groningen (province), Groningen province in the Netherlands. Dubbed the "capital of the north", Groningen is the largest place as well as the economic and cultural centre of ...
was also trying to expand its power. Through all of this the rivalry of the Vetkopers and Schieringers played out.
Dokkum
Dokkum is a Dutch fortified city in the municipality of Noardeast-Fryslân in the province of Friesland. It has 12,669 inhabitants (February 8, 2020). The fortifications of Dokkum are well preserved and are known as the ''bolwerken'' (bulwarks) ...
in 1418. After the reconquest of Dokkum by the Schieringers, he disembarked at Hindeloopen and defeated the Schieringers at the Palesloot.
Ukena took
Stavoren
Stavoren (; ; previously Staveren) is a city in the province of Friesland, Netherlands, on the coast of the IJsselmeer, about 5 km (3.1 mi) south of Hindeloopen, in the municipality of Súdwest-Fryslân.
Stavoren had a population of 950 in ...
and besieged Sloten, but was forced to withdraw by the troops of
John III, Duke of Bavaria
John III the Pitiless (1374 – 6 January 1425), of the House of Wittelsbach, was first bishop of Liège 1389–1418 and then duke of Bavaria-Straubing and count of Holland and Hainaut 1418–1425.
Family
John was born in Le Quesnoy. He ...
, Count of Holland. Ukena was the first to sign the Peace of Groningen on 1 February 1422, which was aimed against all foreign lords. Next he battled with the Hansa against the Likedelers, and expelled them from Ezumazijl and Dokkum. Afterwards he turned against tom Brok and was primarily active in East Frisia.
Ukena was unable to sustain his resistance to tom Brok, and eventually retreated to the castle of Dijkhuizen at Appingedam, which was the property of his second wife, Hiddeke Ripperda. He died there in 1435. His resistance eventually prevented tom Brok from taking the much-wanted County of East Frisia.