History of Courland. How the Duchy of Courland became a Russian province

Throughout almost the entire history of the duchy, until 1791, the rulers of Courland from the Kettler (1561-1711) and Biron (1737-1795) dynasties recognized themselves as vassals of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that replaced it. The capital of the duchy was Mitava (now Jelgava in Latvia). During the third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (March 1795), Courland was annexed to the Russian Empire, where the Courland Governorate was formed on its territory. For the attempt to recreate the Duchy of Courland in 1918, see "Baltic Duchy".

Formation of the Duchy

Up until 1561, the history of Courland was closely connected with the history of the Livonian Order. In 1559, the order's Landmaster Gotthard Ketler recognized the protectorate of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund II Augustus over Livonia. Thanks to this, with the collapse of the order's lands, Gotthard Ketler retained Courland and took the title of duke. Secularized Courland found itself in fief dependence, first on the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and eight years later, after the Union of Lublin, on the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but it protected itself from the expansion of Ivan the Terrible.

At the time of its formation, the duchy had only three cities: Hasenpot, Goldingen and Vindava. In 1566, the Poles and Lithuanians expelled Ketler from Riga, after which he was forced to settle in the castles of Goldingen and Mitau, thereby spurring the development of both cities. Mitau received the status of capital; the Courland Landtag met there twice a year. Later Bausk and Libava become cities.

From now on Russian influence significantly intensifies in Courland. The Dowager Duchess Anna lived in Mitau before her accession to the Russian throne in 1730, but all the affairs of the duchy were actually run by the Russian resident Pyotr Mikhailovich Bestuzhev. Friedrich Wilhelm's uncle, Ferdinand (-), was declared Duke. last representative from the Kettler family in the male line. Fearing the opposition of the nobility, Ferdinand did not come to Courland, but remained in Danzig, as a result of which at the congress in Mitau in 1717 it was decided to deprive Ferdinand of power and transfer government functions to the hands of the highest advisers of the duchy.

Peter laid down the signs of ducal dignity and died five years later. His daughters - Wilhelmina and Dorothea - led an extravagant lifestyle at the best courts of Europe; the first of them was the mistress of Metternich, the second of Talleyrand.

Napoleon's invasion

In 1812, during Napoleon's invasion, the duchy, occupied French troops On August 1, it was restored under the name of the Duchy of Courland, Semigallia and Piltens, with Karl Johann Friedrich von Medem as its temporary head. However, in the same year, Napoleonic troops were forced to leave the territory of the duchy, and it was liquidated.

Dukes of Courland

• Gotthard (-)
• Friedrich (-) and Wilhelm (-)
• Jacob (-)
• Frederick (II) Casimir (-)
• Frederick (III) Wilhelm (-)
• (Anna Ioannovna (-) - regent)
• Ferdinand (-)

• Ernst Johann (-)
• (Council of the Duchy (-))
• Charles of Saxony (-)
• Ernst Johann (secondary) (-)
• Peter (-)

See also

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Soon after Christmas, Nikolai announced to his mother his love for Sonya and his firm decision to marry her. The Countess, who had long noticed what was happening between Sonya and Nikolai and was expecting this explanation, silently listened to his words and told her son that he could marry whomever he wanted; but that neither she nor his father would give him his blessing for such a marriage. For the first time, Nikolai felt that his mother was unhappy with him, that despite all her love for him, she would not give in to him. She, coldly and without looking at her son, sent for her husband; and when he arrived, the countess wanted to briefly and coldly tell him what was the matter in the presence of Nicholas, but she could not resist: she cried tears of frustration and left the room. The old count began to hesitantly admonish Nicholas and ask him to abandon his intention. Nikolai replied that he could not change his word, and the father, sighing and obviously embarrassed, very soon interrupted his speech and went to the countess. In all his clashes with his son, the count was never left with the consciousness of his guilt towards him for the breakdown of affairs, and therefore he could not be angry with his son for refusing to marry a rich bride and for choosing the dowryless Sonya - only in this case did he more vividly remember what, if things were not upset, it would be impossible for Nikolai to wish best wife than Sonya; and that only he and his Mitenka and his irresistible habits are to blame for the disorder of affairs.
The father and mother no longer spoke about this matter with their son; but a few days after this, the countess called Sonya to her and with cruelty that neither one nor the other expected, the countess reproached her niece for luring her son and for ingratitude. Sonya, silently with downcast eyes, listened to the countess’s cruel words and did not understand what was required of her. She was ready to sacrifice everything for her benefactors. The thought of self-sacrifice was her favorite thought; but in this case she could not understand to whom and what she needed to sacrifice. She could not help but love the Countess and the entire Rostov family, but she also could not help but love Nikolai and not know that his happiness depended on this love. She was silent and sad and did not answer. Nikolai, as it seemed to him, could not bear this situation any longer and went to explain himself to his mother. Nikolai either begged his mother to forgive him and Sonya and agree to their marriage, or threatened his mother that if Sonya was persecuted, he would immediately marry her secretly.
The countess, with a coldness that her son had never seen, answered him that he was of age, that Prince Andrei was marrying without his father’s consent, and that he could do the same, but that she would never recognize this intriguer as her daughter.
Exploded by the word intriguer, Nikolai, raising his voice, told his mother that he never thought that she would force him to sell his feelings, and that if this was so, then he last time says... But he did not have time to say that decisive word, which, judging by the expression of his face, his mother was waiting for with horror and which, perhaps, would forever remain a cruel memory between them. He did not have time to finish, because Natasha, with a pale and serious face, entered the room from the door where she had been eavesdropping.
- Nikolinka, you are talking nonsense, shut up, shut up! I’m telling you, shut up!.. – she almost shouted to drown out his voice.
“Mom, my dear, this is not at all because... my poor darling,” she turned to the mother, who, feeling on the verge of breaking, looked at her son with horror, but, due to stubbornness and enthusiasm for the struggle, did not want and could not give up.
“Nikolinka, I’ll explain it to you, you go away - listen, mother dear,” she said to her mother.
Her words were meaningless; but they achieved the result she was striving for.
The countess, sobbing heavily, hid her face in her daughter's chest, and Nikolai stood up, grabbed his head and left the room.
Natasha took up the matter of reconciliation and brought it to the point that Nikolai received a promise from his mother that Sonya would not be oppressed, and he himself made a promise that he would not do anything secretly from his parents.
With the firm intention, having settled his affairs in the regiment, to resign, come and marry Sonya, Nikolai, sad and serious, at odds with his family, but, as it seemed to him, passionately in love, left for the regiment in early January.
After Nikolai's departure, the Rostovs' house became sadder than ever. The Countess became ill from mental disorder.
Sonya was sad both from the separation from Nikolai and even more from the hostile tone with which the countess could not help but treat her. The Count was more than ever concerned about the bad state of affairs, which required some drastic measures. It was necessary to sell a Moscow house and a house near Moscow, and to sell the house it was necessary to go to Moscow. But the countess’s health forced her to postpone her departure from day to day.
Natasha, who had easily and even cheerfully endured the first time of separation from her fiancé, now became more excited and impatient every day. The thought that it is so, in vain, lost for no one best time, which she would have used to love him, tormented her relentlessly. His letters mostly made her angry. It was insulting to her to think that while she lived only in the thought of him, he lived real life, sees new places, new people who are interesting to him. The more entertaining his letters were, the more annoying she was. Her letters to him not only did not bring her any comfort, but seemed like a boring and false duty. She did not know how to write because she could not comprehend the possibility of truthfully expressing in writing even one thousandth part of what she was used to expressing with her voice, smile and gaze. She wrote him classically monotonous, dry letters, to which she herself did not attribute any meaning and in which, according to Brouillons, the countess corrected her spelling errors.
The Countess's health was not improving; but it was no longer possible to postpone the trip to Moscow. It was necessary to make a dowry, it was necessary to sell the house, and, moreover, Prince Andrei was first expected in Moscow, where Prince Nikolai Andreich lived that winter, and Natasha was sure that he had already arrived.
The Countess remained in the village, and the Count, taking Sonya and Natasha with him, went to Moscow at the end of January.

Pierre after the matchmaking of Prince Andrei and Natasha, without any obvious reason, suddenly felt it was impossible to continue the same life. No matter how firmly he was convinced of the truths revealed to him by his benefactor, no matter how joyful he was during that first time of infatuation. internal work self-improvement, which he devoted himself to with such fervor, after Prince Andrei’s engagement to Natasha and after the death of Joseph Alekseevich, about which he received news almost at the same time, all the charm of this former life suddenly disappeared for him. Only one skeleton of life remained: his home with his brilliant wife, who now enjoyed the favors of one important person, acquaintance with all of St. Petersburg and service with boring formalities. And this one old life suddenly she introduced herself to Pierre with unexpected disgust. He stopped writing his diary, avoided the company of his brothers, began to go to the club again, began to drink a lot again, again became close to single companies and began to lead such a life that Countess Elena Vasilievna considered it necessary to give him a stern reprimand. Pierre, feeling that she was right, and in order not to compromise his wife, left for Moscow.
In Moscow, as soon as he entered his huge house with withered and withering princesses, with huge courtyards, as soon as he saw - driving through the city - this Iverskaya Chapel with countless candle lights in front of golden vestments, this Kremlin Square with untrodden snow, these cab drivers and the shacks of Sivtsev Vrazhka, saw old Moscow people who wanted nothing and were slowly living out their lives, saw old women, Moscow ladies, Moscow balls and the Moscow English Club - he felt at home, in a quiet refuge. In Moscow he felt calm, warm, familiar and dirty, like wearing an old robe.
Moscow society, everything from old women to children, accepted Pierre as their long-awaited guest, whose place was always ready and not occupied. For Moscow society, Pierre was the sweetest, kindest, smartest, cheerful, generous eccentric, absent-minded and sincere, Russian, old-fashioned gentleman. His wallet was always empty, because it was open to everyone.
Benefit performances, bad paintings, statues, charitable societies, gypsies, schools, subscription dinners, revelries, Freemasons, churches, books - no one and nothing was refused, and if not for his two friends, who borrowed a lot of money from him and took him under their custody, he would give everything away. There was no lunch or evening at the club without him. As soon as he slumped back in his place on the sofa after two bottles of Margot, he was surrounded, and talk, arguments, and jokes ensued. Where they quarreled, he made peace with one of his kind smiles and, by the way, a joke. Masonic lodges were boring and lethargic without him.
When, after a single dinner, he, with a kind and sweet smile, surrenders to requests fun company, got up to go with them, joyful, solemn cries were heard among the youth. At balls he danced if there was no gentleman available. Young ladies and young ladies loved him because, without courting anyone, he was equally kind to everyone, especially after dinner. “Il est charmant, il n"a pas de sehe,” [He is very cute, but has no gender], they said about him.
Pierre was that retired good-natured chamberlain living out his days in Moscow, of which there were hundreds.
How horrified he would have been if seven years ago, when he had just arrived from abroad, someone had told him that he didn’t need to look for or invent anything, that his path had long been broken, determined from eternity, and that, no matter how he turn around, he will be what everyone else in his position was. He couldn't believe it! Didn’t he want with all his soul to establish a republic in Russia, to be Napoleon himself, a philosopher, a tactician, the conqueror of Napoleon? Didn't he see the opportunity and passionately desire to regenerate the vicious human race and bring himself to highest degree perfection? Didn't he establish schools and hospitals and set his peasants free?
And instead of all this, here he is, the rich husband of an unfaithful wife, a retired chamberlain who loves to eat, drink and, unbuttoned, easily scold the government, a member of the Moscow English club and a beloved member of Moscow society. For a long time he could not come to terms with the idea that he was the same retired Moscow chamberlain whose type he so deeply despised seven years ago.
Sometimes he consoled himself with thoughts that this was the only way he was leading this life; but then he was horrified by another thought, that so far, how many people had already entered, like him, with all their teeth and hair, into this life and into this club, and left without one tooth and hair.
In moments of pride, when he thought about his position, it seemed to him that he was completely different, special from those retired chamberlains whom he had despised before, that they were vulgar and stupid, happy and reassured by their position, “and even now I am still dissatisfied “I still want to do something for humanity,” he said to himself in moments of pride. “Or maybe all those comrades of mine, just like me, struggled, were looking for some new, their own path in life, and just like me, by the force of the situation, society, breed, that elemental force against which there is no a powerful man, they were brought to the same place where I was,” he said to himself in moments of modesty, and after living in Moscow for some time, he no longer despised, but began to love, respect and pity, as well as himself, his comrades by fate .
Pierre was not, as before, in moments of despair, melancholy and disgust for life; but the same illness, which had previously expressed itself in sharp attacks, was driven inside and did not leave him for a moment. “Why? For what? What is going on in the world?” he asked himself in bewilderment several times a day, involuntarily beginning to ponder the meaning of the phenomena of life; but knowing from experience that there were no answers to these questions, he hastily tried to turn away from them, took up a book, or hurried to the club, or to Apollo Nikolaevich to chat about city gossip.

Throughout almost the entire history of the duchy, until 1791, the rulers of Courland from the Kettler (1561-1711) and Biron (1737-1795) dynasties recognized themselves as vassals of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth that replaced it. The capital of the duchy was Mitava (now Jelgava in Latvia). During the third partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (March 1795), Courland was annexed to the Russian Empire, where the Courland Governorate was formed on its territory. For the attempt to recreate the Duchy of Courland in 1918, see "Baltic Duchy".

Formation of the Duchy

Duke Wilhelm

At the time of its formation, only three cities existed in the duchy: Hasenpot, Goldingen and Vindava. In 1566, the Poles and Lithuanians expelled Ketler from Riga, after which he was forced to settle in the castles of Goldingen and Mitau, thereby spurring the development of both cities. Mitau received the status of capital; the Courland Landtag met there twice a year. Later Bausk and Libava become cities.

Since then, Russian influence has increased significantly in Courland. The Dowager Duchess Anna lived in Mitau before her accession to the Russian throne in 1730, but all the affairs of the duchy were actually run by the Russian resident Pyotr Mikhailovich Bestuzhev. Friedrich Wilhelm's uncle, Ferdinand (-), the last representative of the Kettler family in the male line, was declared Duke. Fearing the opposition of the nobility, Ferdinand did not come to Courland, but remained in Danzig, as a result of which at the congress in Mitau in 1717 it was decided to deprive Ferdinand of power and transfer government functions to the highest advisers of the duchy.

Peter laid down the signs of ducal dignity and died five years later. His daughters - Wilhelmina and Dorothea - led an extravagant lifestyle at the best courts of Europe; the first of them was the mistress of Metternich, the second of Talleyrand.

Napoleon's invasion

In 1812, during Napoleon's invasion, the duchy, occupied by French troops, was restored on August 1 under the name of the Duchy of Courland, Semigallia and Piltens, with Karl Johann Friedrich von Medem as its temporary head. However, in the same year, Napoleonic troops were forced to leave the territory of the duchy, and it was liquidated.

Dukes of Courland and Semigallia

№	Name	Portrait (years of life)	Years of reign	Ruler	Notes
Kettlers
1	Gotthard		( -)		In 1559-1561 - Landmaster of the Teutonic Order in Livonia. First Duke of Courland and Semigallia.
2	Frederick (I)		( - )		Gotthard's son. In 1595 the duchy was divided into Courland ( western part) and Semigallia ( eastern part). In 1595-1616 - Duke of Courland. In 1616 - the unification of the duchy.
3	William		( -)		Gotthard's son. Co-ruler with his brother until 1595. In 1595-1616 - Duke of Semigalsky.
4	Jacob		( -)		Son of Wilhelm.
5	Frederick (II) Casimir	(1650-1698)

Courland Courland is an area that was part of the possessions Livonian Order;its borders almost coincided with the borders of the present Courland Province. This region was inhabited by Livs - along the Gulf of Riga, chickens - in the west. parts, Semgalls - in middle Kazakhstan; Lithuanian tribes lived in the south. Livs and chickens are of the Finnish tribe, salmon, lettas and others are of the Lithuanian tribe. With the appearance in Baltic region German colonists, in the 12th century, the natives began to fight against them. At the end of the 12th century. The first missionaries came with the merchant colonists. The Order Bearers of K. was subordinated in 1230; V next year the inhabitants of K. accept Christianity and promise to fight against the pagans together with the Germans. Until 1562, the history of K. is closely connected with the history of the Livonian Order. In 1561, with the collapse of the order's lands, the former master of the order, Ketler, retained K., in fief dependence on Poland; he accepted the title of duke. Having refused stadtholdership in Livonia in 1568, Ketler focused all his attention on internal reforms in his duchy: he took care of the widespread dissemination of reformation teachings, established general church visits, raised education, and contributed to the restoration of trade relations with Livonia and Poland. After Ketler's death (1587), discord began between his sons, Friedrich and Wilhelm. Wilhelm turned the entire nobility against himself; In 1618, the Polish government insisted on his removal from K. Friedrich rule until his death in 1642, having adopted his father's peaceful policy. The last duke was William's son, James (1642 - 82). He received a good education, traveled a lot, was interested in the colonization policy of large European countries, made a number of attempts to establish himself on the Guinea coast, acquired the West Indian island of Tabago from England (after his death returned to England), designed the expansion of Mitava harbor by lowering the Aa River into the sea. Under Jacob, the Swedes invaded K., suspecting him of friendly relations with Tsar Alexei. The duke's son was captured and taken to Riga (1658). The appearance of Sapieha stopped the progress of the Swedes. According to the Peace of Oliva (1660), the Swedes renounced all claims to K.; At the same time, Jacob also returned from captivity. His son, Friedrich Casimir (1682 - 98), surrounded himself with luxury, spent a lot of money on court splendor; he had to mortgage several ducal estates. He received Peter the Great in Mitau. After his death, the throne passed to his young son, Frederick William, whose guardian was his uncle, Ferdinand. With the beginning of the great northern war K. again became a theater of military operations, passing from the hands of the Swedes into the hands of the Russians. The Swedes finally left K. after the Battle of Poltava; Sheremetev took it. In 1710, Friedrich Wilhelm returned to K. and married the niece of Peter the Great, Anna Ioannovna. From then on, Russian influence increased significantly in K. On the way from St. Petersburg to K., the Duke fell ill and died in January. 1711 His widow, before her accession to Russia, succeeded to the throne in Germany. Friedrich-Wilhelm's uncle, Ferdinand (1711-37), the last representative of the Kettler house in the male line, became Duke. Fearing the opposition of the nobility, Ferdinand did not come to K., but remained in Danzig. Internal unrest caused the participation of Poland. At the congress in Mitau in 1717, it was decided to deprive Ferdinand of power and transfer government functions to the hands of the highest advisers of the duchy. Count Moritz of Saxony, as the adopted son of August II of Poland, became a contender for the Courland throne in 1726; but Russia forced him the next year to renounce his claims. When in 1733 the question of replacing the vacant Polish crown arose, Russia supported the candidacy of Augustus III, who agreed to recognize the favorite of the Russian Empress, Biron, as the Duke of Courland. The latter was also recognized by the nobles of K. Biron was duke from 1737 to 1741. With Biron’s exile to Siberia, K. was left without a duke; This continued until 1758. Augustus III again allowed the country's highest advisers to manage affairs. In 1758, with the permission of Russia, K. was ceded to Charles of Saxony, son of Augustus III; he ruled it from 1758 to 1763. In 1761, Biron returned from exile. Catherine II, dissatisfied that Duke Charles did not allow Russian troops participating in seven years war, to return to Russia through Courland, insisted on his removal, and Biron, who ruled K. until 1769, was recognized as Duke for the second time. He pledged to allow Russian troops through K., not to enter into any relations with the enemies of Russia, to show religious tolerance to the Orthodox and to allow the construction of an Orthodox church in Mitau. In 1769, Biron abdicated the throne in favor of his son Peter, against whom a movement of dissatisfied nobility immediately began; he remained on the throne only thanks to Russia. Having married Countess Anna von Medem, Peter spent several years abroad; returning to K. in 1787, he again had to endure internal struggle with the dissatisfied nobility. With the third partition of Poland (1795), Kazakhstan's fief dependence on Poland ceased, and at the Landtag in Mitau, in the same 1795, Poland was annexed to Russia. Peter laid down the insignia of ducal dignity (d. 1800). For the history of K. cf. general works Richter, Rutenberg and others on the history of the Baltic provinces, as well as the study of Ernst und August Seraphim, “Aus Kurlands herzoglicher Zeit, Gestalten und Bilder” (Mitava, 1892); them, “Aus der Kurlandischen Vergangenheit” (1893); Theodor Schiemann, in Oncken’s collection, “Russland, Polen und Livland bisins XVII Jahrh.” (Part II). In 1895, the 1st volume was published. popular history Estland, Livonia and Courland by Ernst Seraphim, reaching 1561. T. Forsten.

Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron. - S.-Pb.: Brockhaus-Efron. 1890-1907 .

See what “Curland” is in other dictionaries:

Courland: Kurzeme (Kurland) historical region Latvia. Courland and Semigallia was a duchy that existed in the western part of modern Latvia, on the territory of the historical regions of Kurzeme (Courland) and Zemgale (Semigallia), from 1562 to ... Wikipedia

Kurland, official name Kurzeme until 1917... Modern encyclopedia

The official name of Kurzeme until 1917... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Kurzeme Geographical names world: Toponymic dictionary. M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001... Geographical encyclopedia

Courland- KURLANDIA, the official name of Kurzeme until 1917. ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

The official name of Kurzeme until 1917. * * * KURLANDIA CURLANDIA (Latvian Kurzeme), a historical region in the western part of Latvia. In ancient times, this territory was called Kursa (see KURSA) and was inhabited by the Baltic tribes of the Curonians (see KURSHI). At 13... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary

Polish Kurlandja from it. Kurland, similar to the names of countries in Yiya; Kurlyandets – neoplasm; old Kurlyanchik, from Peter I; see Smirnov 171; from Polish Kurlandczyk is a Kurlander. German name from ltsh. Kùrzeme from *Kurszeme; see M.–E. 2, 326.… … Etymological dictionary Russian language by Max Vasmer

Kurzeme, the old name of the region of Latvia to the west and southwest of the Gulf of Riga, has been inhabited by Curonian and Baltic Finnish tribes since ancient times. In the 13th century captured by the Livonian Order (See Livonian Order). B 1561 1795 most TO … Great Soviet Encyclopedia

The region that was part of the possessions of the Livonian Order; its borders almost coincided with the borders of the present Courland lips. This area was inhabited by livs along the Gulf of Riga, chickens in the west. parts, salmon in middle Kazakhstan; Lithuanian tribes lived in the south. Liv and... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

See Duchy of Courland... Soviet historical encyclopedia

Books

• Review of Russia's foreign relations (up to 1800). Part 3. (Courland, Livland, Estland, Finland, Poland and Portugal), D. N. Bantysh-Kamensky. Publication by the Commission for Printing State Charters and Treaties at the Moscow Main Archive of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Reproduced in the original author’s spelling.…

Kurland, one of historical territories Russian state. Borders of ancient Courland in the 11th century. coincided with the borders of the Courland lips. Russia n. XX century Southern part Courland was inhabited by Lithuanian-Latvian tribes, of which the Letts settled to the north of the others. Finnish tribes moved here from the north, and the Semgalls penetrated to the south. The appearance of German colonists in the Baltic region in the 12th century. caused resistance local population, which in 1290 led to the victory of the Livonian Order. Since that time, the history of Courland has been closely connected with the history of the Livonian Order. When in mid. XVI century The order collapsed, then its last master, G. Ketler, managed to retain Courland as duke. In 1562 it became fief dependent on Poland. In 1570, Ketler issued a church charter and in the same year granted the Courland nobility a statute that contained the basic laws of the Courland state law. In the war with Poland, started by King Charles X Gustav of Sweden, Courland could not remain neutral; the duchy was devastated by the Swedes, the Courland fleet was destroyed, and the colonies were taken by the Dutch. Only gradually was the Duke able to restore part of what was destroyed. His son, Friedrich Casimir (1683-98), due to excessive expenses, led the country's finances to final ruin. Upon the death of Friedrich Casimir in 1698, his son and successor was only 5 years old. In 1709 the young Duke was declared an adult. In 1710, the Duke married the Tsar’s niece, Anna Ivanovna, in St. Petersburg, but already on January 21. He died in 1711, but his widow, at the request of Peter I, remained in Courland. After the death of Peter I, a contender for Duchy of Courland spoke by gr. Moritz of Saxony, but Catherine I forced him to renounce his claims. In 1730 Anna Ivanovna ascended the Russian throne. The Empress's favorite, Count, became Duke in 1737. E.I. Biron. After the death of the empress and Biron's exile, Courland remained without a duke until 1758 and the highest advisers of the duchy ruled the country. In 1758 Courland was ceded to Charles of Saxony, son of Augustus III, who ruled it until 1763. After Biron's return from exile, he was again recognized as Duke of Courland and ruled the country for seven years. Biron's son was the last Duke of Courland. After pacification Polish uprising 1794 in St. Petersburg, negotiations took place between representatives of Russia, Austria and Prussia on the final division of Poland. On Sept. In the same year, O. G. von Gauwen, the head of the party hostile to the Duke in Courland, invited the Courlanders to join Russia. 23 Jan 1795 Austria and Russia entered into a secret agreement, according to which Courland went to Russia. On March 17, 1795, the Courland nobility decided to abandon the fief dependence of Courland on Poland; in the same year, Courland was annexed to Russia and became the Courland Province.

Postcard of Courland. 1856

Livs and chickens are of the Finnish tribe, salmon, lettas and others are of Lithuanian tribe. With the appearance of German colonists in the Baltic region in the 12th century, the natives began to fight against them. At the end of the XII table. The first missionaries came with the merchant colonists. K. was subordinated to the Order of the Sword in 1230; next year, the residents of K. accept Christianity and promise to fight against the pagans together with the Germans. Until 1562, the history of K. was closely connected with the history of the Livonian Order. In 1561, with the collapse of the order's lands, the former master of the order, Ketler, retained K., in fief dependence on Poland; he took the title of Duke. Having abandoned stadtholdership in Livonia in 1568, Ketler focused all his attention on internal reforms in his duchy: he took care of the widespread dissemination of reformation teachings, established common church visits, raised education, and contributed to the restoration of trade relations with Livonia and Poland. After Ketler's death (1587), discord began between his sons, Friedrich and Wilhelm. Wilhelm turned the entire nobility against himself; in 1618, the Polish government insisted on his removal from K. Frederick ruled alone until his death in 1642, having adopted his father’s peaceful policy. After him, William's son, James (1642 - 82), was Duke. He received a good education, traveled a lot, was interested in the colonization policy of large European states, made a number of attempts to establish himself on the Guinea coast, acquired the West Indian island of Tabago from England (after his death, returned to England), and designed the expansion of the Mitau harbor by lowering the Aa River into the sea. Under Jacob, the Swedes invaded K., suspecting him of friendly relations with Tsar Alexei. The Duke was captured and taken to Riga (1658). The appearance of Sapieha stopped the progress of the Swedes. According to the Peace of Oliva (1660), the Swedes renounced all claims to K.; At the same time, Jacob also returned from captivity. His son, Friedrich Casimir (1682 - 98), surrounded himself with luxury, spent a lot of money on court splendor; he had to mortgage several ducal estates. He received Peter the Great in Mitau. After his death, the throne passed to his young son, Frederick William, whose guardian was his uncle, Ferdinand. With the outbreak of the Great Northern War, Canada again became a theater of military operations, passing from the hands of the Swedes to the hands of the Russians. The Swedes finally left K. after the Battle of Poltava; Sheremetev took it.

Rundāle Palace is the country residence of the Duke of Courland.

In 1710, Friedrich Wilhelm returned to K. and married the niece of Peter the Great, Anna Ioannovna. Since then, Russian influence has been significantly increasing in K. On the way from St. Petersburg to K., the Duke fell ill and died in January. 1711 His widow, before her accession to the Russian throne, lived in K. Frederick William's uncle, Ferdinand (1711 - 37), the last representative of the Kettler house in the male line, became Duke. Fearing the opposition of the nobility, Ferdinand did not come to K., but remained in Danzig. Internal unrest prompted Poland's participation. At the congress in Mitau in 1717, it was decided to deprive Ferdinand of power and transfer government functions to the hands of the highest advisers of the duchy. Count Moritz of Saxony, as the adopted son of Augustus II of Poland, became a contender for the Courland throne in 1726; but Russia forced him to renounce his claims the very next year. When in 1733 the question arose about replacing the vacant Polish crown, Russia supported the candidacy of Augustus III, who agreed to recognize the favorite of the Russian Empress, Biron, as the Duke of Courland. The latter was also recognized by the nobles. Biron was duke from 1737 to 1741. With Biron’s exile to Siberia, K. was left without a duke; This continued until 1758. Augustus III again allowed the country's highest advisers to manage affairs. In 1758, with the permission of Russia, K. was ceded to Charles of Saxony, son of Augustus III; he ruled it from 1758 to 1763. In 1761, Biron returned from exile. Catherine II, dissatisfied with that that Duke Charles did not allow the Russian troops who participated in the Seven Years' War to return to Russia through Courland, insisted on his removal, and Biron, who ruled K. until 1769, was recognized as Duke for the second time. He pledged to allow Russian troops through K., not to enter into any relations with the enemies of Russia, to show religious tolerance to the Orthodox and to allow the construction of an Orthodox church in Mitau. In 1769, Biron abdicated the throne in favor of his son Peter, against whom a movement of disgruntled nobility immediately began; he remained on the throne only thanks to Russia. Having married Countess Anna von Medem, Peter spent several years abroad; Having returned to K. in 1787, he again had to endure an internal struggle with the dissatisfied nobility. With the third partition of Poland (1795), Kazakhstan's fief dependence on Poland ceased, and at the Landtag in Mitau, in the same 1795, Poland was annexed to Russia. Peter laid down the insignia of ducal dignity (d. 1800).

Courland- an area that was part of the possessions of the Livonian Order; its borders almost coincided with the borders of the present Courland lips. This area was inhabited by Livs - along the Gulf of Riga, chickens - in the west. parts, salmon - in middle Kazakhstan; Lithuanian tribes lived in the south. Livs and chickens are of the Finnish tribe, salmon, lettas and others are of the Lithuanian tribe. With the appearance of German colonists in the Baltic region in the 12th century, the natives began to fight against them. At the end of the XII table. The first missionaries came with the merchant colonists. K. was subordinated to the Order of the Sword in 1230; next year, the residents of K. accept Christianity and promise to fight against the pagans together with the Germans. Until 1662, the history of K. was closely connected with the history of the Livonian Order (see). In 1561, with the collapse of the order's lands, the former master of the order, Ketler (see), retained K., in fief dependence on Poland; he took the title of Duke. Having abandoned stadtholdership in Livonia in 1568, Ketler focused all his attention on internal reforms in his duchy: he took care of the widespread dissemination of reformation teachings, established common church visits, raised education, and contributed to the restoration of trade relations with Livonia and Poland. After Ketler's death (1587), discord began between his sons, Friedrich and Wilhelm. Wilhelm turned the entire nobility against himself; in 1618, the Polish government insisted on his removal from K. Frederick ruled alone until his death in 1642, having adopted his father’s peaceful policy. After him Duke was William's son, James (1642-82). He received good education , traveled a lot, was interested in the colonization policy of large European states, made a number of attempts to establish himself on the Guinea coast, acquired the West Indian island of Tabago from England (after his death returned to England), designed the expansion of the Mitau harbor by lowering the Aa River into the sea. Under Jacob, the Swedes invaded K., suspecting him of friendly relations with Tsar Alexei. The Duke was captured and taken to Riga (1658). The appearance of Sapieha stopped the progress of the Swedes. According to the Peace of Oliva (1660), the Swedes renounced all claims to K.; At the same time, Jacob also returned from captivity. His son, Friedrich Casimir (1682-98), surrounded himself with luxury and spent a lot of money on court splendor; he had to mortgage several ducal estates. He received Peter the Great in Mitau. After his death, the throne passed to his young son, Frederick William, whose guardian was his uncle, Ferdinand. With the outbreak of the Great Northern War, Canada again became a theater of military operations, passing from the hands of the Swedes to the hands of the Russians. The Swedes finally left K. after the Battle of Poltava; Sheremetev took it. In 1710, Friedrich Wilhelm returned to K. and married the niece of Peter the Great, Anna Ioannovna. Since then, Russian influence has been significantly increasing in K. On the way from St. Petersburg to K., the Duke fell ill and died in January. 1711 His widow, before her accession to the Russian throne, lived in K. Frederick William's uncle, Ferdinand (1711-37), the last representative of the Kettler house in the male line, became Duke. Fearing the opposition of the nobility, Ferdinand did not come to K., but remained in Danzig. Internal unrest prompted Poland's participation. At the congress in Mitau in 1717, it was decided to deprive Ferdinand of power and transfer government functions to the hands of the highest advisers of the duchy. Count Moritz of Saxony, as the adopted son of Augustus II of Poland, became a contender for the Courland throne in 1726; but Russia forced him to renounce his claims the very next year. When in 1733 the question arose about replacing the vacant Polish crown, Russia supported the candidacy of Augustus III, who agreed to recognize the favorite of the Russian Empress Biron as Duke of Courland. The latter was also recognized by the nobles. Biron was duke from 1737 to 1741. With Biron's exile to Siberia, K. was left without a duke; This continued until 1758. Augustus III again allowed the country's highest advisers to manage affairs. In 1758, with the permission of Russia, K. was ceded to Charles of Saxony, son of Augustus III; he ruled it from 1758 to 1763. In 1761 Biron returned from exile. Catherine II, dissatisfied with the fact that Duke Charles did not allow the Russian troops who participated in the Seven Years' War to return to Russia through Courland, insisted on his removal, and Biron, who ruled K. until 1769, was recognized as duke for the second time. He pledged to allow Russian troops through K., not to enter into any relations with the enemies of Russia, to show religious tolerance to the Orthodox and to allow the construction of an Orthodox church in Mitau. In 1769, Biron abdicated the throne in favor of his son Peter, against whom a movement of disgruntled nobility immediately began; he remained on the throne only thanks to Russia. Having married Countess Anna von Medem, Peter spent several years abroad; Having returned to K. in 1787, he again had to endure an internal struggle with the dissatisfied nobility. With the third partition of Poland (1795), Kazakhstan's fief dependence on Poland ceased, and at the Landtag in Mitau, in the same 1795, Poland was annexed to Russia. Peter laid down the insignia of ducal dignity (d. 1800). For the history of K. cf. the general works of Richter, Rutenberg and others on the history of the Baltic provinces, as well as the study of Ernst und August Seraphim, “Aus Kurlands herzoglicher Zeit, Gestalten und Bilder” (Mitava, 1892); theirs, “Aus der Kurländischen Vergangenheit” (1893); Theodor Schiemann, in Oncken's collection, "Russland, Polen und Livland bis ins XVII Jahrh." (Part P). In 1895, the 1st volume of the popular history of Estonia, Livonia and Courland by Ernst Seraphim, reaching up to 1561, was published.