Editing Courland (section)

== History ==

=== Early history ===
In ancient times the [[Curonians]], a [[pagan]] tribe, inhabited Courland. The [[Livonian Brothers of the Sword|Brethren of the Sword]], a German [[military order (religious society)|Catholic military order]], subdued the Curonians and converted them to [[Christianity]] in the first quarter of the 13th century. Thus in 1230, the Curonian king {{ill|Lammekinus|lt|Lamekins}} (Latvian: Lamekins) made peace directly with the [[papal legate]]. He accepted [[baptism]], and became a [[vassal]] of the pope.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Courland|title=Courland - historical region, Europe|website=britannica.com|access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref> In 1237 the area passed into the rule of the [[Teutonic Order]] owing to the amalgamation of this order with that of the Brethren of the Sword.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

=== Livonian Confederation ===
{{main|Livonian Confederation }}
The Livonian Confederation was a loosely organized confederation formed by the German-led [[Livonian Order]] and various [[bishopric]]s that encompassed much of present-day [[Estonia]] and Latvia.  It existed from 1228 to the 1560s, when it was dismembered by the [[Tsardom of Russia]] during the [[Livonian War]].

=== Duchy of Courland and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, 1561–1795 ===
[[Image:Duchy of Courland & Semigallia 1740.svg|thumb|right|The [[Duchy of Courland and Semigallia]] and the [[District of Pilten]] as it appeared in 1740]]
{{main|Duchy of Courland and Semigallia|Couronian colonization}}
The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was a semi-independent [[duchy]] that existed from 1561 until 1795, encompassing the areas of Courland and Semigallia.  Although nominally a [[vassal]] state of the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]], the dukes operated autonomously. In the 18th century, Russia acquired great influence over the Duchy; the future Empress [[Anna of Russia]] served as regent there from 1711 until her accession to the Russian throne in 1730. After the last of the [[Ketteler|ducal line]] into which she had married died in 1737, she arranged for the Duchy to be given to her lover, [[Ernst Johann von Biron]] instead.

The Duchy was one of the smallest European nations to colonize overseas territories, establishing short-lived outposts on the [[Caribbean]] islands of [[Tobago]] and [[Trinidad]] and at the mouth of the [[Gambia River]] in [[Africa]] on what was then known as [[Kunta Kinteh Island|James Island]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://niniwa22.cba.pl/kolodziejczyk_kolonie_w_afryce.htm |last=Kołodziejczyk |first=Dariusz |author-link=Dariusz Kołodziejczyk |lang=pl |magazine=[[Mówią Wieki]] |year=1994 |volume=5 |pages=44–47 |title=Czy Rzeczpospolita miałakolonie w Afryce i Ameryce? – czyli czy kolonia mojego wasala jest moją kolonią? |trans-title=Did the [Polish-Lithuanian] Commonwealth have colonies in Africa and America? - or, is my vassal's colony my colony? |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210829171827/http://niniwa22.cba.pl/kolodziejczyk_kolonie_w_afryce.htm |archive-date=2021-08-29 |url-status=bot: unknown |via=www.niniwa22.cba.pl |access-date=2021-08-29 }}</ref>

In 1795, the last Duke, [[Peter von Biron]], ceded the Duchy to the [[Russian Empire]].

The former [[Bishopric of Courland]] was directly incorporated into the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as the [[District of Pilten]] of the [[Wenden Voivodeship|Wenden]] and later [[Inflanty Voivodeship]].

=== Courland as part of the Russian Empire ===
After annexation by the [[Russian Empire]], the territory of the former Duchy formed the [[Courland Governorate]].

From the time of the [[Northern Crusades]] in the early 13th century, most land was owned by nobles descended from the German invaders. In 1863, the Russian authorities issued laws to enable Latvians, who formed the bulk of the population, to acquire the farms which they held, and special banks were founded to help them. By this means, some occupants bought their farms, but the great mass of the population remained landless, and lived as hired labourers, occupying a low position in the social scale.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911}}

[[Agriculture]] was the chief occupation, with the principal crops being [[rye]], [[barley]], [[oat]]s, [[wheat]], [[flax]], and [[potato]]es. The large estates conducted agriculture with skill and scientific knowledge. Fruit grew well. Excellent breeds of cattle, sheep and pigs were kept. [[Liepāja]] and [[Jelgava]] operated as the principal industrial centres, with [[ironwork]]s, agricultural machinery works, [[Tanning (leather)|tanneries]], glass and soap works. Flax [[spinning (textiles)|spinning]] took place mostly as a domestic industry.  Iron and [[limestone]] were the chief minerals; a little [[amber]] was found on the coast. The only seaports were Liepāja, [[Ventspils]] and [[Palanga]], there being none on the Courland coast of the Gulf of Riga.

==== Population ====
{{bar box
|width = 300px
|float = right
|title = Residents of Courland by ethnicity (2022)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://data.stat.gov.lv/pxweb/lv/OSP_PUB/START__POP__IR__IRE/IRE030 | title=Iedzīvotāju skaits un īpatsvars pēc tautības reģionos, republikas pilsētās, novados un 21 attīstības centrā gada sākumā 2011 - 2022 }}</ref>
|titlebar = #ddd
|bars =
{{bar percent|Latvians|black|77.5}}
{{bar percent|Russians|yellow|13.3}}
{{bar percent|Lithuanians|red|2.5}}
{{bar percent|Ukrainians|violet|2.3}}
{{bar percent|Belarusians|blue|1.9}}
{{bar percent|Poles|Orange|0.6}}
{{bar percent|Others|purple|1.9}}
}}
In 1870 the population was 619,154; in 1897 it was 674,437 (of whom 345,756 were women); in 1906 it was estimated at 714,200. Of the whole, 79% were [[Latvians]], 8.4% [[Baltic Germans]], about 8% [[Jews]],<ref name=jewsofcourland>Herman Rosenthal [http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=831&letter=C Courland] [[Jewish Encyclopedia]]</ref> 1.4% [[Russians]], 1% [[Lithuanians]], 1% [[Poland|Poles]], and some [[Livonians]].

The chief towns of the ten districts were [[Jelgava]] (Mitau), Courland's capital (pop. 35,011 in 1897); [[Liepāja]] (Libau) (pop. 64,500 in 1897); [[Bauska]] (6,543); [[Jaunjelgava]] (Friedrichstadt) (5,223); [[Kuldīga]] (Goldingen) (9,733); [[Grobiņa]] (1,489); [[Aizpute]] (Hasenpoth) (3,338); [[Ilūkste]] (Illuxt) (2,340); [[Talsi]] (Talsen) (6,215); [[Tukums]] (Tuckum) (7542); and [[Ventspils]] (Windau) (7,132).

75% of the population belonged to the prevailing denomination, [[Lutheranism]]; the rest belonged to the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Roman Catholic]] churches. There was a small but vigorous Jewish population.

=== Courland during and after World War I ===
[[File:OberOst.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Public notice of the German ''[[Ober Ost]]'' region including Courland ''(Kurland)'' district in 1917]]
{{see also|Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1918)}}
During [[World War I]], Courland formed part of the [[Eastern Front (World War I)|Eastern Front]] theatre of operations that saw fighting primarily between forces of the [[Russian Empire|Russian]] and [[German Empire]]s.  Following [[Great Retreat (Russian)|Russia's Great Retreat]] of 1915, Courland came under the control of the [[Imperial German Army]]'s [[Ober Ost]] commander in the person of [[Paul von Hindenburg]], a [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussian]] military hero.  (The Russian authorities of the [[Courland Governorate]] were exiled to [[Tartu]], never to return.)  With large territories coming under the Ober Ost's administration as a result of military successes on the Eastern Front, General [[Erich Ludendorff]] was charged with managing the large area now under its jurisdiction.  Courland district (which included parts of Semigallia) was made one of three districts of the region, which also came to be known as ''Ober Ost''.

As Russian rule in the rest of what is now Latvia began collapsing at the end of World War I, [[Baltic Germans]] began a process of forming provincial councils between September 1917 and March 1918, competing with [[Latvians|ethnic Latvians]]' moves toward independence.  With the [[Treaty of Brest-Litovsk]] of 3 March 1918, the new [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic]] formally relinquished control of Courland to Germany. The [[Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1918)|Duchy of Courland and Semigallia]] was proclaimed on 8 March 1918 by a Baltic German ''Landesrat'', who offered the crown of the duchy to German Kaiser Wilhelm II. Wilhelm recognised the duchy as a German [[vassal]] that same month. However, the duchy was absorbed on 22 September 1918 by the [[United Baltic Duchy]].

On 18 November 1918, Latvia proclaimed its independence and on 7 December 1918, the German military handed over authority to the pro-German [[Latvian Provisional Government]] headed by [[Kārlis Ulmanis]]. By January 1919, much of Courland had been overrun by the Bolsheviks' [[Latvian Socialist Soviet Republic]], but the provisional government with the aid of German forces pushed back and took back Courland by April. Throughout the [[Latvian War of Independence]], much of Courland remained a German stronghold. Latvia eventually signed a cease-fire with Germany on 15 July 1920, and the [[Latvian–Soviet Peace Treaty]] of 11 August ended the war.

=== Courland as part of interbellum Latvia ===
After World War I, Courland became one of five provinces of the newly formed nation of [[Latvia]].  These provinces corresponded to Latvia's four traditional regions plus Riga.  In 1935, Courland had an area of {{convert|5099|sqmi|order=flip}} and a population of 292,659 making it the least populous of the provinces.<ref>1935 census figures cited at [http://www.statoids.com/ulv.html Municipalities of Latvia] at Statoids.com. retrieved 10 September 2015.</ref>

[[File:Kurland6pf20apr1945.jpg|thumb|upright|Postage stamp used in the [[Courland Pocket]] (1945)]]

=== Courland during and after World War II ===
{{See also|Courland pocket}}
{|class="infobox" style="width:300px; text-align:center; border-spacing:0"
|colspan="4" style="background-color:white;padding: 0.4em"|[[Image:Coat of arms of Kurzeme.svg|55px|left]]<br>'''Historical affiliations<br>of Courland'''
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#F2E6FF;vertical-align:middle"|[[Curonians|Curonian lands]]<br>until the 13th century
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#D0E7FF;vertical-align:middle"|'''[[Terra Mariana]]'''<br>13th century-1561
|-
|colspan="2" style="width:40%; background-color:red;vertical-align:middle"|{{flagicon image|Royal banner of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.svg}} '''[[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]]'''<br>1561-1569
|colspan="2" style="width:60%; background-color:salmon;vertical-align:middle"|
|-
|colspan="2" style="width:40%; background-color:red;vertical-align:middle"|{{flagicon image|Chorągiew królewska króla Zygmunta III Wazy.svg}} '''[[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]'''<br>1569-1656
|colspan="2" style="width:60%; background-color:salmon;vertical-align:middle"|{{flagicon image|Flag of Courland (state).svg}} '''[[Duchy of Courland and Semigallia]]''', [[vassal state]] of [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Poland and Lithuania]]<br>1561-1795
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:salmon;vertical-align:middle"|<br>
|-
|colspan="2" style="width:40%; background-color:red;vertical-align:middle"|{{flagicon image|Royal Banner of Stanisław II of Poland.svg}} '''[[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]]'''<br>1717-1795
|colspan="2" style="width:60%; background-color:salmon;vertical-align:middle"|
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#00966E;vertical-align:middle"|'''{{flag|Russian Empire}}'''<br>1795-1812
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#00aaff;vertical-align:middle"|'''[[Duchy of Courland, Semigallia and Pilten]]''',<br>[[client state]] of [[First French Empire|France]]<br>1812
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#00966E;vertical-align:middle"|'''{{flag|Russian Empire}}'''<br>1812-1915
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#D0E7FF;vertical-align:middle"|{{flagicon|German Empire}} '''[[German Empire|German Reich]]''' ''([[Ober Ost|occupation]])''<br>1915-1918
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#D0E7FF;vertical-align:middle"|{{flagicon image|Flag of Courland (state).svg}} '''[[Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1918)|Duchy of Courland and Semigallia]]''',<br>client state of [[German Empire|Germany]]<br>1918
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#D0E7FF;vertical-align:middle"|{{flagicon image|United Baltic Duchy flag.svg}} '''[[United Baltic Duchy]]''', client state of [[German Empire|Germany]]<br>1918
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:maroon;vertical-align:middle"|'''{{flag|Republic of Latvia}}'''<br>1918-1940
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:teal;vertical-align:middle"|'''{{flag|Latvian SSR|1940}}''', republic of [[Soviet Union]] 
([[Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940|''occupation'']]) <br>1940-1941
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:#D0E7FF;vertical-align:middle"|{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} '''[[Nazi Germany|German Reich]]''' ''([[German occupation of Latvia during World War II|occupation]])''<br>1941-1944
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:teal;vertical-align:middle"|'''{{flag|Latvian SSR}}''', republic of [[Soviet Union]] (''[[Soviet re-occupation of Latvia in 1944|occupation]]'') <br>1944-1990 
|-
|colspan="4" style="width:100%; background-color:maroon;vertical-align:middle"|'''{{flag|Republic of Latvia}}'''<br>1990–present
|}
The [[Soviet Army]] [[Occupation of the Baltic states|occupied]] Latvia in conformity with the terms of 1939 [[Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact]] on 17 June 1940.  On 5 August 1940, the [[Soviet Union]] annexed the region along with the rest of Latvia which was made a [[Republics of the Soviet Union|constituent republic of the USSR]], the [[Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic|Latvian SSR]].

At the start of [[Operation Barbarossa]] in the summer of 1941, the German Wehrmacht's [[Army Group North]] headed by [[Field Marshal]] [[Wilhelm Ritter von Leeb]] overran Courland, along with the rest of the [[Baltic region|Baltic]] littoral. During the German occupation Courland was administered as Liepāja County area (''Kreisgebiet Libau'').

In 1944 the [[Red Army]] lifted the [[Battle of Leningrad|siege of Leningrad]] and re-conquered the [[Baltic countries]] along with much of [[Ukraine]] and [[Belarus]].  However, some 200,000 [[Germany|German]] troops held out in Courland. With their backs to the [[Baltic Sea]], they remained trapped in what became known as the [[Courland Pocket]], blockaded by the Red Army and by the Red Baltic Fleet. [[Colonel-General]] [[Heinz Guderian]], the Chief of the [[German General Staff]], pleaded with  [[Adolf Hitler]] to allow evacuation of the troops in Courland by sea for use in the defense of Germany. Hitler refused and ordered the Wehrmacht, Waffen-SS, Luftwaffe and Kriegsmarine forces in Courland to continue the defense of the area. Germany’s naval capacity to evacuate these forces was restricted as it needed the majority of its transport ships to evacuate troops from East Prussia and maintain vital trade with Sweden. On January 15, 1945, [[Army Group Courland]] (''Heeresgruppe Kurland'') formed under [[Colonel-General]] Dr. [[Lothar Rendulic]]. The blockade by elements of the [[Leningrad Front]] remained until May 8, 1945, when  Army Group Courland, then under its last commander, [[Colonel-General]] [[Carl Hilpert]], surrendered to Marshal [[Leonid Govorov]], the commander of the [[Leningrad Front]] (reinforced by elements of the [[2nd Baltic Front]]) on the Courland perimeter. At this time the group consisted of the remnants of some 31 divisions. After May 9, 1945, approximately 203,000 troops of Army Group Courland began to be moved to Soviet prison camps to the east. The majority of them never returned to Germany (Haupt, 1997).

Courland remained part of the Latvian SSR within the Soviet Union following World War II.  Courland was no longer an administrative unit under the Soviets. Liepājas apgabals (1952-1953), one of three [[oblasts of the Soviet Union|oblast]]s in Latvia, roughly corresponded to Courland.

With the [[dissolution of the Soviet Union]], Courland became part of independent Latvia once more and it remains so to this day.  Although Courland is not an administrative entity today, the [[Kurzeme Planning Region|Courland ''(Kurzeme)'' Planning Region]], with an area of {{convert|13596|km2}} and a population of 301,621 in 2008, includes much of the traditional region.  The remainder of Courland is part of the [[Planning regions of Latvia|planning region]]s of [[Riga Planning Region|Riga]] and [[Zemgale Planning Region|Semigallia ''(Zemgale)'']].