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.

Maria had inherited the lordship in 1517 after her brothers death and was known for her efforts to maintain Jever's autonomy amidst pressures from neighboring County of East Frisia.

Under Anhalt-Zerbst, Jever was involved in various conflicts, including providing soldiers for the American War of Independence.

[1] However, following the Napoleonic Wars, Jever was reassigned to the Kingdom of Holland in 1807, and then to France before finally returning to Oldenburg control in 1818.

The Lordship of Jever ceased to exist as a separate entity when it was fully annexed by Oldenburg in 1818.