# Friesland Through the Ages (12 BC – 2019)

> Interactive animated map on Moving Polygons by chrisjager, 12 BC – 2019: 57 keyframes, 29 layers, 53 events.

- Map: https://www.movingpolygons.com/map/chrisjager/friesland-through-the-ages-12-bc-2019
- Article: [Friesland Through the Ages: Two Thousand Years on the Frisian Coast](https://www.movingpolygons.com/blog/friesland-through-the-ages-12-bc-2019)
- Embed: `<iframe src="https://www.movingpolygons.com/embed/chrisjager/friesland-through-the-ages-12-bc-2019" width="800" height="600" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>`
- Last updated: 2026-10-21

## About this map

Two thousand years of Friesland and the Frisian coast: the Roman-era Frisii, the Frisian kingdom of Radbod and its defeat by the Franks, Viking rule, the 'Frisian Freedom' without a lord, the Saxon takeover of 1498, the Guelders wars of Grutte Pier and Charles of Egmond (1514–1524), the Habsburg lordship, the Republic, the French years and the modern province. The blue-grey wash shows sea and lakes of the time where there is land today: the Middelzee, the growing Zuiderzee, the Lauwerszee. Borders before 1500 are approximate (tribal areas, Frisia Magna, the three Frisian lands); the Guelders–Habsburg front of 1515–1523 is a reconstruction by grietenij and town from the chronicles; later borders follow the 30 grietenijen and 11 cities. Sources: paleogeographic maps of Vos et al. (RCE/Deltares, CC BY 4.0); HALC 1500 parish atlas; NLGIS municipal boundaries (Boonstra, CC0); BKG VG250; Wikipedia (Frisian Kingdom, Radbod, Lex Frisionum, Rorik, Battle of Warns, Pier Gerlofs Donia, Wijerd Jelckama, Gelderse Oorlogen, Lordship of Frisia, Frise department); Worp van Thabor via toenentoen.nl; De Langen & Mol, De Vrije Fries 100 (2020).

## Timeline

The map animates between these keyframes.

| Date | What the map shows |
| --- | --- |
| 12 BC | 12 BC · Drusus reaches the Frisii |
| 28 | AD 28 · The Frisii rise against Rome |
| 47 | AD 47 · Corbulo; then Rome stays behind the Rhine |
| 300 | c. 300 · The Frisii fade; terps lie empty |
| 650 | c. 650 · Frisians under King Aldgisl |
| 680 | c. 680 · Frisia Magna under King Radbod |
| 690 | 690 · Pepin wins at Dorestad; west lost |
| 716 | 716 · Radbod retakes Utrecht and Dorestad |
| 719 | 719 · Radbod dies; the Franks return |
| 734 | 734 · Battle of the Boarn: Franks to the Lauwers |
| 754 | 754 · Boniface killed near Dokkum |
| 785 | 785 · Charlemagne: the three Frisian lands |
| 850 | 850 · Rorik the Dane rules most of Frisia |
| 885 | 885 · Godfrid killed: Viking rule ends |
| 1018 | 1018 · Vlaardingen: the counts of Holland rise |
| 1089 | 1089 · Westergo and Oostergo to Utrecht's bishop |
| 1170 | 1170 · All Saints' Flood: the Frisian Freedom |
| 1256 | 1256 · West Frisians kill King William II |
| 1282 | 1282 · Floris V invades West Friesland |
| 14 Dec 1287 | Dec 1287 · St Lucia's Flood widens the Zuiderzee |
| 1289 | 1289 · West Friesland is Holland's |
| 26 Sep 1345 | Sep 1345 · Battle of Warns: Holland's count falls |
| 1413 | 1413 · Great Frisian War: Schieringers v Vetkopers |
| 1424 | 1424 · Ameland a free lordship (Cammingha) |
| 1433 | 1433 · Holland passes to Burgundy |
| 1464 | 1464 · East Frisia becomes a county |
| 21 Mar 1498 | Mar 1498 · Schieringers call in Saxony |
| 23 Oct 1498 | Oct 1498 · Leeuwarden falls: Frisian Freedom ends |
| 1505 | 1505 · Bildt diked; Stellingwerf joins Friesland |
| 1506 | 1506 · Groningen takes Edzard of East Frisia |
| 3 Nov 1514 | Nov 1514 · Groningen hails Charles of Guelders |
| 19 May 1515 | May 1515 · Saxony sells Friesland to Habsburg |
| 1 Jul 1516 | Jul 1516 · Guelders besieges Leeuwarden |
| 25 Jan 1517 | Jan 1517 · Habsburg siege of Sneek fails |
| 24 Jun 1517 | Jun 1517 · The Black Band sacks Medemblik |
| 18 Oct 1520 | Oct 1520 · Grutte Pier dies in Sneek |
| 1 Jun 1522 | 1522 · Guelders at its peak; Sneek changes sides |
| 7 Jul 1523 | Jul 1523 · Jelckama beheaded in Leeuwarden |
| 15 Nov 1523 | Nov 1523 · Sloten falls, last Guelders hold |
| 1524 | 1524 · Lordship of Frisia under Charles V |
| 1528 | 1528 · Utrecht and Overijssel to Charles V |
| 10 Dec 1536 | Dec 1536 · Treaty of Grave: Groningen to Habsburg |
| 1543 | 1543 · Treaty of Venlo: Guelders to Habsburg |
| 1580 | 1580 · Friesland in the Union of Utrecht |
| 1594 | 1594 · Groningen taken: Stad en Lande |
| 1600 | 1600 · Nieuw Bildt diked |
| 1704 | 1704 · Ameland to the Frisian Oranges |
| 1744 | 1744 · Prussia inherits East Frisia |
| 1795 | 1795 · Batavian Revolution; Ameland annexed |
| 1798 | 1798 · Friesland split into two departments |
| 1802 | 1802 · Department of Friesland restored |
| 1811 | 1811 · French Empire: département de la Frise |
| 1815 | 1815 · A province of the Kingdom |
| 28 May 1932 | May 1932 · Afsluitdijk closes the Zuiderzee |
| 1 Sep 1942 | Sep 1942 · Terschelling and Vlieland join |
| 23 May 1969 | May 1969 · Lauwerszee closed: Lauwersmeer |
| 2019 | 2019 · Friesland today |

## Layers

| Layer | First shown | Last keyframe |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Franks, later the Empire (other lands) | 650 | 2019 |
| Saxons | 650 | 785 |
| Roman Empire | 12 BC | 650 |
| Frisii | 12 BC | 300 |
| Chauci | 12 BC | 300 |
| Frisian Kingdom (Aldgisl, Radbod, Poppo) | 650 | 785 |
| West Frisia (Zwin–Vlie), under the Franks | 785 | 1018 |
| Middle Frisia (Vlie–Lauwers), under the Franks | 785 | 1170 |
| East Frisia (Lauwers–Weser), under the Franks | 785 | 1170 |
| Danish Viking rule (Rorik, Godfrid) | 850 | 885 |
| Prince-Bishopric of Utrecht | 1018 | 1528 |
| Guelders (Charles of Egmond) and its conquests | 1170 | 1543 |
| Holland → Burgundian/Habsburg Netherlands → Republic → Kingdom | 1018 | 23 May 1969 |
| Royalist (Spanish) side | 1580 | 1594 |
| West Frisians (free until 1289) | 1018 | 1289 |
| Westergo | 1170 | 21 Mar 1498 |
| Oostergo | 1170 | 23 Oct 1498 |
| Zevenwouden | 1170 | 23 Oct 1498 |
| Stellingwerven (free peasant republic) | 1170 | 1505 |
| Saxon rule (Albert and George of Saxony) | 21 Mar 1498 | 19 May 1515 |
| Lordship of Frisia → Province of Friesland | 1524 | 23 May 1969 |
| Department of the Ems (1798–1802) | 1798 | 1802 |
| Department of the Old IJssel (1798–1802) | 1798 | 1802 |
| Free Lordship of Ameland | 1424 | 1795 |
| Ommelanden (Frisian lands between Lauwers and Ems) | 1170 | 1506 |
| Groningen (city) → Stad en Lande → Province | 1170 | 23 May 1969 |
| East Frisia (Frisian lands, county from 1464) | 1170 | 28 May 1932 |
| Rüstringen, Östringen, Butjadingen (Frisian lands) | 1170 | 1580 |
| Sea and lakes of the time (land today) | 12 BC | 23 May 1969 |

## Events

- **12 BC, Drusus in the land of the Frisii**: Drusus' fleet sails from the Rhine through the Flevo lakes and the Vlie into the North Sea. The Frisii become allies of Rome and pay a tribute in ox hides.
- **28, Revolt of the Frisii**: The Frisii hang Rome's tax collectors and besiege the fort Flevum (Velsen). A Roman army is defeated at the Baduhenna Wood, whose location is unknown (perhaps North Holland).
- **47, Corbulo subdues the Frisii**: Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo brings the Frisii back under Roman control, but Emperor Claudius orders him back behind the Rhine. Corbulo has a canal dug between the Rhine and the Maas.
- **300, Terps abandoned**: Around 300 the old Frisii vanish from the sources. Many terps (dwelling mounds) are deserted, perhaps because the coast got wetter. The Frisians of the Middle Ages are partly newcomers.
- **690, Battle of Dorestad**: Pepin of Herstal defeats Radbod (689). Radbod must give up Frisia Citerior, the land south and west of the Vlie, with Utrecht and the trading town of Dorestad.
- **716, Radbod strikes back**: Allied with the Neustrians, Radbod retakes Utrecht and Dorestad, sails up the Rhine and defeats Charles Martel near Cologne (716).
- **719, Death of Radbod**: Radbod dies in 719. Legend places his seat at Medemblik, whose castle was later named after him. His successor Poppo cannot hold the west.
- **734, Battle of the Boarn**: Charles Martel's fleet sails into the Boarn (Middelzee) and defeats King Poppo, who falls. Frisia west of the Lauwers is Frankish; the Frisian kingdom ends.
- **754, Boniface killed**: 5 June 754: the missionary Boniface and his companions are killed near Dokkum.
- **785, Lex Frisionum**: After 785 Charlemagne rules Frisia to the Weser. The Frisian law (written down c. 785–802) names three lands: Sincfal–Vlie, Vlie–Lauwers and Lauwers–Weser.
- **850, Rorik takes Dorestad**: The Danish Viking Rorik and his kinsman Godfrid seize Dorestad and Utrecht; Emperor Lothar must accept Rorik as ruler of most of Frisia.
- **885, Godfrid the Norseman killed**: Godfrid, lord of Frisia since 882, is lured to Herispich near Lobith and killed. Scandinavian rule over Frisia ends.
- **1018, Battle of Vlaardingen**: Count Dirk III of (West-)Frisia beats an imperial army. His county grows into Holland and looks north at the free Frisians.
- **1170, All Saints' Flood**: The storm floods of 1163–1173 break through to Lake Almere: the Zuiderzee begins to form and the Frisian lands east and west of it drift apart.
- **1256, Battle of Hoogwoud**: 28 January 1256: King William II of Holland, Roman king, falls through the ice and is killed by West Frisians.
- **1282, Floris V invades**: Count Floris V of Holland attacks West Friesland, 1282–1289, and builds strongholds such as the castle of Medemblik (later 'Radboud').
- **14 Dec 1287, St Lucia's Flood**: 14 December 1287: one of the worst floods in history drowns tens of thousands and widens the Zuiderzee. It also breaks West Friesland's ring dike.
- **26 Sep 1345, Battle of Warns**: 26 September 1345: Count William IV of Holland lands near Stavoren to conquer Friesland. The Frisians defeat his army; the count falls.
- **1413, Holland’s Frisian wars**: 1396–1401: Albert of Bavaria briefly occupies parts of Westergo. Inside Friesland the Schieringers (strong in Westergo) and Vetkopers (Leeuwarden, Oostergo, with Groningen) fight the Great Frisian War, 1413–1422.
- **1424, Ameland under the Cammingha**: The Cammingha family rules Ameland as a 'free lordship' outside Friesland's quarters; Holland and Friesland dispute its status for centuries.
- **1464, County of East Frisia**: Emperor Frederick III makes Ulrich Cirksena count of East Frisia.
- **21 Mar 1498, Schieringers at Medemblik**: 21 March 1498: the Schieringers ask Duke Albert of Saxony, Maximilian's commander, for help. His army soon controls Westergo.
- **23 Oct 1498, Leeuwarden falls**: 23 October 1498: after a nine-week siege the Vetkoper town of Leeuwarden surrenders. Albert of Saxony rules Friesland as governor (potestaat); the Frisian Freedom is over.
- **1505, Oudebildtdijk**: George of Saxony has the salt marshes in the mouth of the old Middelzee diked: over 5,000 ha of new land, the Bildt. Stellingwerf is joined to Friesland.
- **1506, Groningen picks Edzard**: Groningen, which never accepted Saxony, chooses Count Edzard of East Frisia as its lord.
- **3 Nov 1514, Groningen hails Charles of Guelders**: 3 November 1514: Groningen accepts Charles of Egmond, Duke of Guelders, as its lord. Guelders troops pour into Friesland and by December hold everything but Leeuwarden, Franeker, Harlingen and the land around them.
- **19 May 1515, Friesland sold to Habsburg**: 19 May 1515: George of Saxony sells his rights to Friesland to the future Charles V for 100,000 guilders. Guelders holds the rest of Friesland; Habsburg's stadtholder Floris of Egmond holds only Leeuwarden, Harlingen and Franeker and the grietenijen around them.
- **19 May 1515, Kimswerd burnt**: January 1515: Saxon landsknechts burn Kimswerd and the farm of Pier Gerlofs Donia, killing his family. Pier gathers the 'Arumer Zwarte Hoop', the Black Band of Arum.
- **1 Jul 1516, Siege of Leeuwarden**: 24 June – 15 August 1516: Guelders and the Black Band besiege Leeuwarden, which holds out. Habsburg keeps only Leeuwarden, Franeker and Harlingen with the grietenijen around them.
- **1 Oct 1516, Grutte Pier takes Workum**: Early October 1516: Pier's Black Band takes Workum; the Burgundians retake it on 11 October. A skirmish at Wijckel near Sloten (30 September) precedes it.
- **25 Jan 1517, Siege of Sneek**: 20–28 January 1517: Habsburg troops attack Sneek from Oppenhuizen and IJlst and are beaten off.
- **24 Jun 1517, Medemblik sacked**: 24 June 1517: some 4,000 men of the Black Band and Guelders land at Wervershoof, plunder and burn Medemblik; the castle holds.
- **18 Oct 1520, Grutte Pier dies**: October 1520 (18 or 28): Pier Gerlofs Donia dies in Sneek and is buried in the Martinikerk. Wijerd Jelckama leads the Black Band.
- **1 Jun 1522, Guelders rules from Coevorden**: 1522: Charles of Guelders is lord of the Ommelanden and occupies Drenthe and the Oversticht, ruled from Coevorden. The burghers of Sneek and Stavoren drive out his men.
- **7 Jul 1523, Jelckama beheaded**: 7 July 1523: Wijerd Jelckama and the last rebels of the Black Band are beheaded in Leeuwarden. Dokkum and Bolsward go over to Habsburg in 1523; Guelders keeps the south-west corner around Workum and Sloten.
- **15 Nov 1523, Lemmer and Sloten fall**: Georg Schenck van Toutenburg takes Lemmer, then in November Sloten, the last Guelders stronghold in Friesland.
- **1524, Lordship of Frisia**: All Friesland recognises Charles V as lord. He rules through a stadtholder and the Court of Friesland.
- **1528, Charles V in Utrecht**: The bishop of Utrecht cedes his temporal power: Utrecht and Overijssel become Habsburg lands.
- **10 Dec 1536, Treaty of Grave**: 10 December 1536: Charles of Guelders gives up Groningen, the Ommelanden and Drenthe to Charles V.
- **1543, Treaty of Venlo**: After Charles of Egmond's death (1538) Guelders passes to William of Cleves, who must cede it to Charles V in 1543. The Seventeen Provinces are complete.
- **1580, Union of Utrecht**: Friesland joins the Union of Utrecht after a difficult debate; the States take Schiermonnikoog. Stadtholder Rennenberg takes Groningen over to Spain (1580).
- **1594, Siege of Groningen**: Maurice and William Louis take Groningen; city and Ommelanden join the Republic as 'Stad en Lande'.
- **1600, Nieuw Bildt**: The New Bildt dike adds a second belt of land north of the Oudebildtdijk.
- **1704, Frisian Orange stadtholders**: The Frisian Nassaus (stadtholders since 1584) buy Ameland. In 1747 William IV, a Frisian Nassau, becomes stadtholder of all provinces.
- **1744, Prussian East Frisia**: The last Cirksena dies; Prussia takes East Frisia.
- **1795, Batavian Revolution**: French troops and Dutch Patriots end the Republic. Friesland treats Ameland as conquered land and makes it a grietenij.
- **1798, Departments of 1798**: The unitary Batavian constitution abolishes the provinces. Friesland is split: Westergo and Oostergo (with Groningen) form the department of the Ems, capital Leeuwarden; Zevenwouden joins Drenthe and Overijssel in the Old IJssel, capital Zwolle. Ameland formally joins Friesland in 1801.
- **1811, Département de la Frise**: Annexed to the French Empire: Frise, capital Leeuwarden, 175,400 people in 1812.
- **1815, Province of Friesland**: Province of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1851 the 30 grietenijen become municipalities.
- **28 May 1932, Afsluitdijk**: 28 May 1932: the 32 km dam closes the Zuiderzee. It becomes the IJsselmeer, and Friesland is linked by road to North Holland.
- **1 Sep 1942, Terschelling and Vlieland**: 1 September 1942: the German occupiers move Terschelling and Vlieland from North Holland to Friesland. The change is kept after the war.
- **23 May 1969, Lauwerszee closed**: May 1969: a dam at Lauwersoog closes the Lauwerszee. About 7,000 ha of new land; the border with Groningen is redrawn in 1972.
- **2019, Municipal mergers**: 2011–2019: Súdwest-Fryslân, De Fryske Marren, Waadhoeke and Noardeast-Fryslân merge the old grietenijen into larger municipalities.
- Plus 22 smaller events, shown as dots on the map.