Oldenburg

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

The Countie of Oldenburg.

SO much concerning the Countie of Embda: the Countie of Oldenburg followeth, which was so called from the chiefe Cittie Oldenburg. This Tract heretofore the lesser Caucians did inhabit, as also the County Embda, as we said before. But the county of Oldenburg which this Table here presents unto your view, from the East to the bank of the River Visurgis, contains the Provinces of Stegingia which is subject to the Castle of Delmenhorst, and Stadland, which is divided into five Parishes, and Butidia into seaven, and Ieveria which is subject to it, being a part of Friesland, which hath foure and twentie parishes: on the West it hath Amerlangia, which stretcheth toward the River Amisis, in the middle of the Morineans. On the North it is bounded with Friesland and the Ocean: on the South with the Diocese of Munster. Albertus Crantzius, Lib. 3. cap. 15. writeth, that this is the auncientest Country of them all. For he reckneth Lib. 2. cap. 30. Windekindus Duke of Saxonie (who lived in the time of Charles the Great) among the Earles of this Country. Ierenicus delivers that the Cittie of Oldenburg, was reëdified by Charles the Great, and that the Bishop Agalgargus, did there dedicate and consecrate a Church to Saint Iohn Baptist. But I thinke in this matter Ortelius and he are both in one errour, because he reckoneth this Cittie to be in Wandalia, and doth place it neere the Sea. For this is not the same Cittie, with that which is in the Countrie of Holsatia.

The Wandalians call it Stargard, the Danes Br•nnesia, as the same Crantzius doth witnesse. Lau•ent•us Michaelis doth thinke that the Ambronians had their originall from hence, who as Plutarch reporteth, did heretofore goe into Italy with the Cymbrians, and were slaine by Caius Marius; whose name doth yet continue in that Nation which they call Amerlander. And hee is of the same opinion, concerning the Ala•an Saxones, who (〈◊〉 suppose•) did in 〈◊〉 neere the Lake Alanum in this tract, and on either side• the 〈◊〉 Alania even to the Castell Ororia, and that they are now called L•gener, that is, the Alanians, and Avergenla•, that is to say, the •••tralanians. The Castle of Delmenhorst was built by the River 〈◊〉 in the yeare 1247, which belonged 65 yeares to the Bishop 〈◊〉 •ster; and Antonius Earle of Oldenburg, on Palme Sunday i• the yeare 1547. early in the morning scaled the walls with a b•nd of 〈◊〉, and so tooke it, and Hermann of Oer the governour of the Ca•ell, was kept in custodie. Concerning the Earles of this Countrie A•d••as Hoppenr•d•us, doth relate something; but David Ch•rcus, more excellently in his history of Saxonie. But now by way of conclusion we will adde something concerning the manners of the Chaucians. Tacitus a grave writer doth write thus of them: There is a Noble people among the Germaines, who are very just, not covetous but quiet and secret, and not apt to stirre uproares, neither doe they liv• by rapine or Robbery. And this is a chiefe argument of their vertu• that the great men doe not injure their inferiors; yet they •ne exp• in armes, so that armes of footemen and horsemen is presently •sed, before there be any rumor or report of it.