 Catherine asked for the assistance of her brother Charles IX, who on this occasion advised her to show religious tolerance and expressed his surprise that it was always Catherine who seemed to handle the negotiations of the affairs of state rather than Edzard.After the death of Edzard in 1599, Catherine lived at Berum Castle and took control over her dower lands Norden, Pewsum, Woquard Loquard, Campen and Neeuwarden.These lands were only given to her as her dower lands, but Catherine instead took control over them as an autonomous ruler