Zesterfleth (family)

{{Short description|German noble family}}

{{About|a German noble family|other uses|Zesterfleth (disambiguation){{!}}Zesterfleth}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Zesterfleth (family)}}

{{Infobox noble house|name=Zesterfleth|other_names=|coat_of_arms=Zesterfleth-Wappen_(GWBH).jpg|coat_of_arms_size=222px|coat_of_arms_caption=Coat of arms escutcheon depicts three leftwards facing, horizontally aligned silver knives with golden handles|type=Noble family of baronial rank|origin=Lower Saxony|country=Germany|motto="Panem et Aram"|titles=Junker, Freiherr, Baron}}

The Zesterfleth family is an ancient Northern German noble family with origins traceable to the early 14th century ministerial and lord Marquardt of Tzestersflete.{{Cite book|last=Borstelmann|first=Heinrich|title=Familienkunde des Alten Landes|year=1927|location=Hamburg|pages=258–259}}

Notable descendants include John (Johann, Johannes) II Gryse of Zesterfleth, then dean of the Bremian chapter, later bishop of Verden from 1381 until his death in 1388, who precipitated a local uproar by publicly accusing Albert (Albrecht) II of Brunswick-Wolffenbüttel of being "man and woman simultaneously", likely alleging hermaphroditism.{{Cite book|last=Mindermann|first=Arend|title=Johann von Zesterfleth (†1388), Ein Altländer Adeliger als Bremer Domdekan und Bischof von Verden- Teil 1: Der Bremer Domdekan|publisher=Stader Jahrbuch|year=2008|pages=13–34}}

Diedrich von Zesterfleth, a descendant of the Hanoverian Zesterfleths, was granted the French Baron title by Jérôme Bonaparte, King of Westphalia in 1813.{{Cite book|last=Trüper|first=Hans G.|title=Urkundenbuch der "Herren" von Zesterfleth|year=2017|isbn=9783835331426|location=Göttingen|pages=15}} Gregor von Zesterfleth of a Prussian family branch was created a Freiherr in Bavaria in the year 1833.{{Cite book|title=Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels|volume=Adelslexikon Band XVI, Band 137 der Gesamtreihe|publisher=C. A. Starke Verlag|year=2005|first=Walter von|last=Hueck|location=Limburg (Lahn)|pages=515}}