Thomas Schöning

He was a member of a prominent Riga burgher family and son of Johann Schöning.

During his reign from 1528 to 1539, mark, shilling, and pfenning coins from Riga bore the family shield of Thomas Schöning.

Schöning moved his residency to the archbishop's palace at Kokenhusen in 1528 because of the conflict with the city of Riga and the Order of Livonia.

He found unusual support in Duke Albert of Prussia, who was part of the Protestant movement.

Eventually, the Archbishopric of Riga and the Livonian Order were dissolved in 1561 after the conversion of the territory from Catholicism to Lutheranism at the beginning of Swedish rule.

Coins minted in Riga between 1528 and 1539 bore this family coat of arms of Archbishop of Riga Thomas Schöning - two beams at angle with three Linden trees.