Seven Zealand
The name Seven Friesian lakeland (short only seven lakeland ) is a symbolic description for the members of the medieval Upstalsboom -Bundes the days of the Frisian freedom . The number seven does not represent the actual number of free Frisian lands, but symbolizes the entirety of the Friesland, also known as the whole of Friesland ("Tota Frisia"). In reality, depending on current political developments, up to three dozen independent Frisian communities between the Zuidersee and Weser were part of the federal government. The seven water lilies and the seven blue and white stripes in the flag of the Dutch province of Friesland still represent the seven Zealand countries.
If the number seven is actually to be assigned to specific regions, the following division is often made:
- West Friesland in what is now the province of Noord-Holland in the Netherlands
- Westergo, the western part of today's province of Friesland in the Netherlands
- Ostergo, the eastern part of today's province of Friesland in the Netherlands
- Zevenwouden, the southern part of today's province of Friesland in the Netherlands
- the Frisian areas between Lauwers and Ems in today's province of Groningen ("Klein-Friesland", " Ommelande ") in the Netherlands
- East Friesland in today's sense between Ems and Jade , today East Friesland, Saterland , northern Oldenburger Friesland and Wilhelmshaven in the German state of Lower Saxony
- Rüstringen also in Lower Saxony between Friesischer Wehde and Weser , today the area of the Jadebusen with the surrounding areas of Bovenjadingen (today southern district of Friesland ), Butjadingen and Stadland , plus the land of Wursten east of the Weser
Another interpretation, going well beyond the actual Frisian settlement area, also includes the northern North Sea coast as far as Jutland in the symbolic list. Then the following division applies:
- West Friesland in what is now the province of Noord-Holland in the Netherlands
- Friesland between Vlie and Lauwers , today's province of Friesland in the Netherlands
- the Frisian areas between Lauwers and Ems in today's province of Groningen ("Klein-Friesland", " Ommelande ") in the Netherlands
- the Frisian areas between Ems and Jade, today East Frisia , Saterland , Oldenburger Friesland , Wilhelmshaven in the German state of Lower Saxony
- the area between the Frisian Wehde and the Weser (former Rüstringen )
- the area between Weser and Elbe (including the land of Wursten )
- the area north of the Elbe ( Dithmarschen , North Friesland )
See also
literature
- Hajo van Lengen (ed.): The Frisian freedom of the Middle Ages - life and legend. Verlag Ostfriesische Landschaft, 2003, ISBN 3-932206-30-4 .
- Karl von Richthofen : Investigations on the Frisian legal history , volume 2, part volume 1. Wilhelm Hertz, Berlin 1882, in it chapter 4: The seven Frisian sea lands , pp. 1–145, with detailed quotations from the Frisian sources ( digitized version ).