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The East Frisian chieftains used to provide shelter for pirates such as the famous [[Klaus Störtebeker]] and [[Goedeke Michel]], who were a threat to the ships of the powerful [[Hanseatic League]] which they attacked and robbed. In 1400 a [[punitive expedition]] of the Hanseatic League against East Frisia succeeded. The chieftains had to promise to discontinue their support for the pirates. In 1402 Störtebeker, who was not a Frisian by birth, was captured and executed in Hamburg.
The range of power and influence differed between the chieftains. Some clans achieved a predominant state. One of these was the [[Tom Broks]] from the [[Brokmerland]] (nowadays: [[Brookmerland]]) who ruled a large part of Eastern Friesland over several generations until a former follower, [[Focko Ukena]] from [[Leer, Lower Saxony|Leer]], defeated the last Tom Brok. But a party of opposing chieftains under the leadership of the [[Cirksena]]s from [[Greetsiel]] defeated and expelled Fokko, who later died near Groningen.
After 1465 one of the last chieftains from the house of Cirksena was made a [[County of East Frisia|count]] by [[Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Frederick III]] and accepted the sovereignty of the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. However, in 1514 the emperor ordered that a duke of [[Saxony]] should be the heir to the count of East Frisia. [[Edzard I of East Frisia|Count Edzard of East Frisia]] refused to accept this order and was outlawed. Twenty-four German dukes and princes invaded Frisia with their armies. Despite their numerical superiority they failed to defeat Edzard, and in 1517 the emperor had to accept Edzard and his descendants as [[Count of East Frisia|counts of East Frisia]].
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==Economy==
East Frisia is a rural area. However, there are some industrial sites such as the [[Volkswagen]] car factory in Emden and the [[Enercon]] (windturbine) company in [[Aurich]]. [[Leer, Lower Saxony|Leer]] is, after [[Hamburg]], the second most important location for [[shipping]] companies in Germany. Although just on the other side of the border to [[Emsland]], the [[Meyer Werft]] is an important employer for East Frisians as well. Main industrial sites are the harbours of [[Emden]] and [[Leer, Lower Saxony|Leer]], and [[Wilhelmshaven]] east of East Frisia.
Around 1900, many people left East Frisia due to lack of jobs and emigrated to the United States or elsewhere. Today the region is again suffering from the loss of young educated people, who go away to find better employment in, for example, southern Germany. Many communities face a rising number of aged people, creating structural problems in the future. There are few academic jobs in the area, and those are focused on engineering. The closest universities are the [[University of Oldenburg]] and [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]]. A [[Fachhochschule]] is located in Emden. The former nautical academy in Leer merged with Fachhochschule Emden in 2009.
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