Lordship of Jever

(state of the Holy Roman Empire)

• East Frisian language (until the 20th century)
• Low Saxon (from the 17th century)
• German}} Catholicism (until the 16th century), Lutheranism (from the 16th century) Minor: Catholicism (from the 16th century), Judaism}}

The Lordship of Jever () was a historical state within the Holy Roman Empire located in what is now the district of Friesland in Lower Saxony, Germany.

The Lordship of Jever emerged in the late Middle Ages when Edo Wiemken the Elder, a chieftain of several Frisian districts, consolidated his power over the region. It officially became part of the Holy Roman Empire in 1548, joining the Burgundian Circle.

Jever was ruled independently until 1575, when the last independent ruler, Maria of Jever, died without an heir. Maria had inherited the lordship in 1517 after her brother's death and was known for her efforts to maintain Jever's autonomy amidst pressures from neighboring County of East Frisia.

After Maria's death, Jever came under a personal union with the County of Oldenburg. However, it was not until 1667 that the lordship passed to the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst, which held it until 1793. During this period, Jever was briefly occupied by East Frisia from 1517 to 1531 and saw the construction of the Jever Castle after the original was burned down in 1428.

Under Anhalt-Zerbst, Jever was involved in various conflicts, including providing soldiers for the American War of Independence. After the Anhalt-Zerbst line ended in 1793, Jever was inherited by Catherine the Great of Russia. However, during the Napoleonic Wars, Jever was reassigned to the Kingdom of Holland in 1807, and then to the French Ems-Oriental department in 1810.

The Lordship of Jever ceased to exist as a separate entity when it was fully annexed by Oldenburg in 1818. Today, the legacy of Jever can be seen in cultural and historical landmarks like Jever Castle, and it is remembered for its brief independence and the strong rule of Maria von Jever.