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The Emden Revolution of 18 March 1595 marked the beginning of the status of Emden as a quasi-autonomous city-state. In 1595, after Count Edzard II had increased the tax burden several times and passed new laws, disregarding their effect on the citizens of Emden, the citizens revolted. They removed the city council, which Edzard II had appointed from office and occupied the count's castle. Edzard II was forced to move his residence to Aurich. Under the terms of the Treaty of Delfzijl of 15 July 1595, Edzard had to renounce most of his rights in Emden. == Background == In the late 16th century, Emden took in many Calvinist refugees from the Spanish Netherlands and developed into a major port city of European importance, mainly because the warring Dutch and Spanish forces blocked each other's ports. Emden developed into a major transshipment point for grain imports to Westphalia. At the same time, the integration of the Calvinist refugees marked East Frisian society economically and religiously. After the 1609 truce between Spain and the rebellious Netherlands, the port blockades were lifted and many refugees returned home. This led to an economic depression in Emden. At the same time, tensions arose between the East Frisian town of Emden and Count Edzard II. The real reason was the arbitrary taxation by the count. As so often in history, the tensions exploded in a veritable religious conflict. Edzard's mother Anna had abolished the primogeniture in 1558, and decreed that the government of the county should be run jointly by her three sons, Edzard, Christopher and John. The goal of this decree was probably to dam the influence of the House of Vasa on the county. This influence was founded on the marriage between her eldest son Edzard and Catherine Vasa, the eldest daughter of King Gustav I of Sweden. This led to a religious division in the county, as John, like his mother and the majority of the citizens of Emden, was a Calvinist whereas Edzard was Lutheran. Count John was very popular in the city, because he was a prominent advocate of the Reformed Church in the Countly family. Things changed after John died in 1591. Menso Alting, the reformed vicar in the Great Church in Emden, became a leading opponent of the power ambitions of count Edzard II. Menso Alting had a major influence on the enforcement of Calvinism in Emden. He tried to create a Protestant Union in the spirit of militant Calvinism as a defense against the Counter-Revolution. This got him involved in the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain, as well as the conflict between the East-Frisian Estates and the Lutheran Counts Edzard II and Enno III. Menso Alting cleverly used a tax increase by Edzard II to stir the population of Emden into action against Edzard II. Edzard II then asked the Emperor for assistance. On 21 January 1594, the Emperor issued a decree against the East Frisian Estates and against some citizens of Emden, in which they were asked: * to recognize the Count as their ruler * to pacify the city * to hand over city hall to the Count * to stop meeting * to dissolve the college of forty This appeal by the emperor encouraged the citizens of Emden to reject the authority of the Count. He had obviously lost his authority, and this triggered the revolution. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Emden Revolution」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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