Osten belonged to the
Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, established in 1180. In 1648 the Prince-Archbishopric was transformed into the
Duchy of Bremen, which was first ruled in
personal union by the Swedish Crown - interrupted by a Danish occupation (1712–1715) - and from 1715 on by the
Hanoverian Crown. The
Kingdom of Hanover incorporated the Duchy in a
real union and the Ducal territory became part of the new
Stade Region, established in 1823. ==References==