Christopher of East Frisia

Christopher of East Frisia (1569–1636) was an East Frisian nobleman and knight of the Golden Fleece who served as governor of the Duchy of Luxembourg in the Habsburg Netherlands.

Early life

Born into the ruling House of Cirksena, Christopher was the third son of Edzard II, Count of East Frisia, and the Swedish princess Katarina Vasa.

Biography

Although raised a Lutheran, he later converted to Catholicism.[1] In 1619 he was awarded the Golden Fleece by Philip III of Spain, and acquired the barony of Willebroek in the Duchy of Brabant.[2] On 8 June 1619 he bought the lordship of Spontin in the County of Namur, the transfer of which was confirmed on 12 January 1621.[3]

He was appointed governor of Luxembourg in April 1627, and made his solemn entry into the City of Luxembourg on 8 September the same year.[4] He commanded the forces that carried out the pro-Habsburg coup in Trier on 26 March 1635.[5][6] He died on 19 March 1636 and was buried in the Lady chapel of the parish church of Spontin.[7] He had no heirs, and left everything to his widow.[8]

Personal life

In 1613 he married Princess Lambertine de Ligne (1593–1651), daughter of Lamoral, Prince of Ligne. They didn't have children.

References
  1. Mr de Saint-Allais (ed.), L'art de vérifier les dates des faits historiques, des chartes, des chroniques, et autres anciens monuments, vol. 4 (Paris, 1819), p. 341. On Google Books.
  2. Christophe Butkens, Supplement aux Trophées tant sacrées que profanes du Duché de Brabant, vol. 2 (The Hague, 1726), p. 108. On Google Books.
  3. Rose-Marie Allard, "Rapport de mission relatif aux archives de la famille de Beaufort-Spontin conservées aux Archives de Žlutiče en Tchécoslovaquie — (deuxième partie)", Bulletin de la Commission royale d'Histoire, 162 (1996), pp. 171-173.
  4. Biographie nationale du pays de Luxembourg, vol. 14 (Luxembourg, Imprimerie de la Cour Victor Buck, 1949), p. 527.
  5. Christian von Stramberg, Denkwürdiger und nützlicher Rheinischer Antiquarius: Mittelrhein, part 2, vol. 1 (Koblenz, 1845), p. 356. On Google Books.
  6. Relation de la surprinse de la ville de Treves, par la direction de Monsieur le Comte d'Emdem, gouverneur du Duché et Pays de Luxembourg, arrivé le 26. de Mars 1635 (Douai, Imprimerie de la vefue Marc Wyon, 1635). On Google Books.
  7. Corneille Stroobant, "Notice généalogique sur les Vicomtes de Leyde", Annales de l'Académie Royale d'Archéologie de Belgique, vol. 7 (1850), p. 216.
  8. Le Mausolée de la Toison d'or, ou Les tombeaux des chefs et des chevaliers du noble ordre de la Toison d'Or (Amsterdam and Brussels, 1689), pp. 238-239. On Google Books.
  • Bernd Warlich (6 February 2011). "Emden und Ostfriesland, Christoph Graf von". Der Dreißigjährige Krieg in Selbstzeugnissen, Chroniken und Berichten.
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