Enno I (Earl of Ostfriesland)

Enno was born on June 1, 1460 in the county of Ostfriesland. He was the first son of the Ostfriesland Earl Ulrich I and his wife Teda Uken. After the death of his father in 1466, he inherited the title and became the second ruler of the county from the house of Kirksen. Until his adulthood, the feud as regent was ruled by his mother. In 1480, he officially took control, however, did not show much interest in government activities, and in fact the widowess countess continued to rule the county under him.

In 1489, Count Enno I, accompanied by Victor Frese, went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land , where he went through an accolade in Jerusalem and was admitted to the Order of the Holy Sepulcher . During Enno's absence, his sister Almut fell in love with the Westphalian nobleman Engelmann von Horstell, Drost Friedeburg. They planned to get married, but the mother of the bride spoke out against the marriage.

Then Almuta fled to her bridegroom in Friedeburg, taking with her family jewels as a dowry. She demanded that relatives recognize her right to be the wife of a beloved man.

When Enno returned to Ostfriesland, his mother convinced him that Almut was abducted by an insidious seducer. The outraged count began to pursue the fugitives. He proceeded to Friedeburg and demanded that the drop surrender and return of his sister. However, Engelmann von Horstell refused, stating that he loved Almut. Then Enno decided to storm the fortress. But when his equestrian detachment crossed the frozen moat, unable to bear the weight of the armor, the ice cracked, and the count drowned. It happened on February 19, 1491.

In memory of the deceased son, Ted Uken erected a plaque with a coat of arms on the wall above his grave in the .

• Walter Deeters. Enno I., Graf von Ostfriesland (neopr.) . Biographisches Lexikon für Ostfriesland. - The article “Enno I, Count of Ostfriesland” on the website of the Biographical Dictionary of East Frisia. Date of treatment September 20, 2015. (German)