Editing Franeker (section)

===Saxon period===
[[File:Beleg van Franeker, 1500 Het belech van Franeker (titel op object), RP-P-1905-5709.jpg|left|thumb|The Siege of Franeker ([[Pieter Feddes van Harlingen]], {{circa|1620}})]]
At the end of the 15th century, [[Albert III, Duke of Saxony|Albert, Duke of Saxony]] established himself in Franeker, when he had taken over Friesland with the help of the [[Schieringers]] led by {{ill|Hessel van Martena|nl}}. On 12 May 1500, the city was besieged by an army of 16,000 dissatisfied Frisians during the {{ill|Siege of Franeker|nl|Beleg van Franeker}}, as a result of the high rents and taxes levied by Albert and his sons [[Henry IV, Duke of Saxony|Henry]] and [[George, Duke of Saxony|George of Saxony]]. Henry established his seat in the city of Franeker. The Frisians achieved nothing with the siege of the city because they were poorly trained and organised. Duke Albert of Saxony hastily assembled a large army to relieve Henry and the city of Franeker. Finally, the Frisians were defeated on 16 July 1500 and the city was relieved. On 26 March 1501, Henry IV of Saxony gave the city of Franeker a considerable (200 [[morgen]]) piece of [[salt marsh]]land outside the dike, called the Franekerlanden. Three years later, Henry handed over the government of Friesland to his brother George.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.tresoar.nl/vertellen/verhalen/60e305a646159169fdd39d1f |title=Friese vrijheid bij Franeker begraven |trans-title=Frisian freedom buried near Franeker |website=[[Tresoar]] |date=5 July 2021 |access-date=7 November 2024 |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |chapter-url=https://pure.knaw.nl/ws/files/482636/Hessel_van_Martena.pdf |title=Schieringer Fortuin – Hessel van Martena en het Martenahuis te Franeker |chapter=Hessel van Martena. Verrader van de Friese Vrijheid of voorvechter van een nieuwe orde? |trans-chapter=Hessel van Martena. Traitor to Frisian Freedom or champion of a new order? |last=Gerrits |first=Matthijs |year=2009 |publisher=Friese Pers Boekerij |location=Leeuwarden |language=nl |pages=21–23 |isbn=9789033008115}}</ref>

Franeker seemed to become the capital of Friesland at the end of the 15th century. In 1504, however, the Saxons fled to [[Leeuwarden]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://toenentoen.nl/friesland/worp/1504-3.html |title=Het jaar 1504 |trans-title=The year 1504 |website=Toen en Toen |access-date=7 November 2024 |language=nl}}</ref> After that, the city remained important to the [[Duchy of Saxony|Saxons]] for a long time, until Friesland was transferred as a possession to [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] in 1524.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.historischnieuwsblad.nl/vader-van-de-nederlanden/ |title=Viglius van Aytta: Vader van de Nederlanden |trans-title=Viglius van Aytta: Father of the Netherlands |work=Historisch Nieuwsblad |last=Dunk |first=Thomas von der |date=27 September 2022 |access-date=7 November 2024 |language=nl |url-access=subscription}}</ref>