Saxon feud
The Saxon feud (Dutch: Saksische Vete; Frisian: Saksyske Skeel; German: Säschische Fehde) was a military conflict in the years 1514–1517 between the East Frisian Count Edzard I, 'West Frisian' rebels, the city of Groningen, and Charles II, Duke of Guelders on the one hand and the Imperial Frisian hereditary governor George, Duke of Saxony – replaced by Charles V of Habsburg in 1515 – and 24 German princes. The war took place predominantly on East Frisian soil and destroyed large parts of the region.
| Saxon feud | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Guelders Wars | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
|
Imperial Frisia (Saxony) (1514–15) Habsburg Netherlands (1515–17) 24 German princes |
City of Groningen Duchy of Guelders | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
George of Saxony Charles V of Habsburg John V of Oldenburg |
Edzard I of East Frisia Jancko Douwama Grutte Pier Charles II of Guelders | ||||||||
The origins of the feud can be traced back to 1498, when George's father Albert III was appointed hereditary governor of 'the Frisian lands' by Charles V's grandfather Emperor Maximilian I. Though appointed governor of 'the Frisian lands', Albert and his sons and successors Henry and George first had to conquer these lands while facing resistance from the population, first the 'West Frisians' (living in modern Friesland) who were loosely organised into rebel groups. The conflict broadened when George crossed the river Lauwers in 1514, entering the Ommelanden and laying siege to the city of Groningen, which called in the help of Edzard of East Frisia and Charles of Guelders. George's overlord Maximilian was already busy fighting Guelders elsewhere, so instead of taking on East Frisia himself, he imposed the Imperial ban on Edzard, after which 24 German princes invaded East Frisia, most notably John V, Count of Oldenburg. In 1515, George gave up fighting and sold his rights to the Frisian lands to Charles V, who in 1517 reached a compromise peace with Edzard, who managed to stand his ground remarkably well against the two dozen invaders.