Uko of East Frisia

Uko
Count of East Frisia
Uko Cirksena during the joyful entry of his brother, Count Edzard I of East Frisia as 'lord of Groningen' in 1506.
Born	1 April 1464
Died	10 July 1507
House	Cirksena
Father	Ulrich I
Mother	Theda Ukena

Uko of East Frisia (1 April 1464 – 10 July 1507) was the third and youngest son of Count Ulrich I of East Frisia and his wife Theda Ukena.^[1]

Uko of East Frisia was enrolled at the University of Cologne as a student in 1481.^[2] Like his older brothers Enno I and Edzard I, Uko had a share in the government of the County of East Frisia. Together with his brother Edzard I, he requested confirmation in 1495 of their rule over East Frisia, which the Cirksena counts had had since 1464. However, Edzard and Uko used a forged document in which it was clearly stated that their county extended far to the east and also included areas such as Butjadingen, Stadland, Jeverland and Harlingerland; areas that were in fact not within the sphere of influence of the counts of East Frisia. The political agenda of Edzard and Uko was therefore clear: East Frisia should take over these areas in order to unite all Frisian areas between the rivers Ems and the Weser.^[3][4] Uko also played an important role west of the Ems, together with his brother. He played a role during the Saxon feud that ravaged Frisia between 1498 and 1517. Together with his brother Edzard I, he swore allegiance to the Duke of Saxony who had been appointed as hereditary governor of the entire Frisian area on the North Sea coast. Later he turned against the Saxon duke and, together with Edzard I, took the city of Groningen, formally on behalf of the Empire but in fact for the benefit of the Cirksena dynasty.^[5]

Uko of East Frisia had one illegitimate son with an unknown mistress:

• Rudolph Christian Cirksena (c. 1495 - 15 March 1533), married with Gebbeke Hinrichs.