Potestaat of Friesland
Potestaat was the title of a supposed governor of medieval Friesland. According to the legendary Karelsprivilege, a 14th-century forgery, Charlemagne had first granted the title of potestaat to Magnus Forteman. He and most of his early successors were entirely fictional, invented later by pseudohistorians in order to argue in favour of the notion of Frisian freedom. The title potestaat does not appear in historical documents until 1470. It became popular after 1578, when the idea of the inherited office of potentate was linked to the new office of stadtholder, which was held by the House of Nassau-Dietz.
In 1851, compiled the following list in Beknopte Geschiedenis van Friesland. However, most of the list is fictitious, except for the last name, though constructed from names of leading 16th-century noblemen and their supposed ancestors.
- Magnus Forteman,
- Taco Ludigman,
- Adelbrik Adelen,
- Hessel Hermana, 869–876
- Igo Galema, 876–910
- Gosse Ludigman, 986–1000
- Saco Reinalda, 1150–1167
- Sicko Sjaerdema, 1237–1260
- Reinier Camminga, 1300–1306
- Hessel Martena, 1306–1313
- Juw Juwinga, 1396
- Sytse Dekama, 1397–?
- Gale Hania, reign unknown
- Odo Botnia, ?–1399
- Sjoerd Wiarda, 1399–1410
- Haring Harinxma, 1399–1404
- Juw Dekama, 1494–1498
- Albert, Duke of Saxony, 1498–1500
- Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, 1500–1505
- George, Duke of Saxony, 1505–1515