The Grand Duchy of Courland is a country located in the former Ostland Reichkommissarat regions that were once Latvia and Estonia. It was created by the Imperial State of Prussia after the weakening of the Reich. The Grand Duchy of Courland was able to easily stabilize as a nation with a Baltic German majority due to fact that the Estonian and Latvian peoples were extinct during the Reich's reign of terror.
History[]
Early History[]
In 1561, during the Livonian Wars, the Livonian Confederation was dismantled and the Livonian Order, an order of German knights, was disbanded. On the basis of the Treaty of Vilnius, the southern part of Estonia and the northern part of Latvia were ceded to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and formed into the Ducatus Ultradunensis (Pārdaugavas hercogiste). The part of Latvia between the west bank of the Daugava River and the Baltic Sea became the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. It was ruled by the dukes from the House of Kettler with the exception of Ernst Johann Biron and his son Peter von Biron
Gotthard Kettler, the last Master of the Livonian Order, became the first duke of Courland. Other members of the Order became the Couronian nobility, with the fiefdoms they had hitherto held becoming their estates. In all, Kettler received nearly one-third of the land in the new duchy. Mitau (Jelgava) was designated as the new capital and a Diet was to meet there twice a year.
Several parts of the Courish area did not belong to the Duchy. The Order of Livonia had already loaned the Grobiņa district (on the coast of Baltic Sea) to the Duke of Prussia. Another district, the Bishopric of Piltene, also called the "Bishopric of Courland" (on the Venta River in western Courland), belonged to Magnus, son of the king of Denmark. He promised to transfer it to the Duchy of Courland after his death, but this plan failed and only later did Wilhelm Kettler regain this district.
Like the other members of the Order, Kettler was German and set about establishing the Duchy along the lines of similar German states. In 1570, he issued the Privilegium Gotthardinum, which allowed the landholders to enserf the native peasantry on their lands.
When Gotthard Kettler died in 1587, his sons, Friedrich and Wilhelm, became the dukes of Courland. They divided the Duchy into two parts in 1596. Friedrich controlled the eastern part, Semigalia (Zemgale), with his residence in Mitau (Jelgava). Wilhelm owned the western part, Courland (Kurzeme), with his residence in Goldingen (Kuldīga). Wilhelm regained the Grobiņa district when he married the daughter of the Duke of Prussia. He also paid out and regained control over the Piltene district, but eventually, it fell to the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Here he developed metalworking and shipyards, and the new ships delivered the goods of Courland to other countries.
However, relations between the duke and the landowners were quite hostile. In addition, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, which was the overlord of the Duchy of Courland, supported the landowners. Wilhelm expressed his disappointment with the landowners, but this ended with his removal from the duke's seat in 1616. Finally, Wilhelm left Courland and spent the rest of his life abroad. Thus, Friedrich became the only duke of Courland after 1616.
From 1600 to 1629, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden conducted a war with its main battlefields around Riga. As a result, Sweden gained control of what is today central and northern Latvia, which became Swedish Livonia. The Commonwealth retained the eastern part of the Duchy of Livonia, thereafter called Inflanty Voivodeship in Polish. Courland was also involved in this war, but did not suffer severe damage.
Under the next duke, Jacob Kettler, the Duchy reached the peak of its prosperity. During his travels in Western Europe, Jacob became the eager proponent of mercantilist ideas. Metalworking and shipbuilding became much more developed, and powder mills began producing gunpowder. Trading relations developed not only with nearby countries but also with Britain, France, the Netherlands and Portugal. Jacob established the merchant fleet of the Duchy of Courland, with its main harbours in Ventspils and Libau.
When Jacob died in 1682, his son, Friedrich Casimir, became the next duke. During his reign production continued to decrease. The duke himself was more interested in glamorous celebrations and spent more money than he had. This forced him to sell Tobago to the British. During this period, the Commonwealth increased its influence in the political and economic life of the Duchy. Additionally, Russia showed an interest in this area.
Friedrich Casimir died in 1698. His successor, Friedrich Wilhelm Kettler, was only six years old and was under the regency of his uncle Ferdinand — a Polish general. During this time the Great Northern War (1700–21) began between Sweden and Russia with its allies — the Commonwealth, Saxony and Denmark. As a result of the war, Russia took control of Swedish Livonia starting in 1710. In Courland, Russia also had such a strong influence that its ambassador, Pyotr Bestuzhev, became the most powerful man in the duchy. The Tsar of Russia, Peter the Great, received a promise from Friedrich Wilhelm that he would marry one of the daughters of the tsar's brother. By having this promise, Peter the Great wished to increase the influence of Russia in Courland. In 1710, Friedrich Wilhelm married Anna Ioannovna (later Empress of Russia), but on his way back from St Petersburg, he took ill and died. Anne ruled as the duchess of Courland from 1711 to 1730.
After the death of Friedrich Wilhelm, the next candidate for the seat of duke was Ferdinand Kettler, who, at the time, lived in Danzig. Because the law required the duke to reside within the Duchy, the Diet did not recognize him. Because Ferdinand was the last representative of Kettler's family, a remarkable number of candidates tried to gain the dukedom during this period. One favorite was Maurice de Saxe, natural son of Frederick Augustus I the Strong, king of Poland. Saxe had managed to gain support and was even mentioned as marrying Anna Ioannovna, Duchess of Courland at that time. He was elected duke in 1726, but only managed to maintain himself by force of arms till the next year. Russia disliked him and sent an army to western Courland to destroy Maurice's base. When Catherine was Empress Peter Lacy was given responsibility for removing Maurice de Saxe from Courland. As the result Maurice de Saxe had to leave Courland, and Russia increased its influence. This was achieved in good measure due to service of Peter Lacy who was governor of Livonia from 1727 until his death in 1751. Russian influence increased further when Frederick August III, the Elector of Saxony, in his successful bid to succeed his father on the Polish throne in the 1730s, agreed to grant Anna of Russia her choice of successor to the Courish duchy in exchange for Russian support in the War of the Polish Succession. (Because of the duchy's position as a vassal of the Commonwealth and Ferdinand Kettler's lack of issue, the duchy would otherwise formally have devolved onto the Polish throne.) Anna appointed Ernst Johann von Biron duke of Courland in 1737.
Von Biron received remarkable financial support from Russia and invested it in construction - for example, the castle of Schloss Ruhenthal projected by the distinguished Italian architect Bartolomeo Rastrelli. Anna Ivanovna died in 1740, resulting in von Biron's exile to Siberia the following year. From there, through the Council of the Duke, he continued to control the Duchy, with the agreement of the king of Poland. However, the landowners of Courland disliked the agreement and even refused to follow the regulations of the Council of the Duke.
Duke Louis Ernest of Brunswick-Lüneburg was selected as Biron's successor on 27 June 1741 with the support of his cousin Maria Theresa of Austria, but while he was in St Petersburg to get this title ratified, Elizabeth of Russia carried out a coup on 6 December 1741 and he lost the title.
King Augustus III of Poland proclaimed his son, Carl Christian Joseph of Saxony, the next Duke. Thus, the Duchy of Courland had two dukes simultaneously thereafter. The situation became extremely tense — one part of the landowners accepted von Biron, the other, Carl of Saxony. The Empress Catherine II of Russia (reigned 1762–96) solved this situation by recalling Ernst von Biron from exile in 1763. By doing this, she avoided the possible increase of influence of the Commonwealth in Courland. However, political fighting had exhausted Ernst Biron, and he turned the seat of duke over to his son, Peter von Biron, in 1769. But political tumult continued in Courland. Some landowners supported the Commonwealth, some Russia. Ultimately, Russia determined the further fate of Courland when with its allies it began the third division of Poland (1795). Given a "nice recommendation" by Russia, Duke Peter von Biron gave up his rights to Russia in 1795. With the signing of the final document on March 28, 1795, the Duchy of Courland was incorporated into the Russian state and title of Duke of Courland was added to the title of Russian emperors.
There was also a short-lived wartime state existing from 8 March to 22 September 1918 with the same name. Plans for it to become part of the United Baltic Duchy, subject to the German Empire, were thwarted by Germany's surrender of the Baltic region at the end of the First World War. The area became a part of Latvia at the end of World War I.
After World War II[]
After the weakening of the Reich, the Imperial State of Prussia had annexed Reichkommissarat Ostland and turned it into a country known as the Grand Duchy of Courland. Courland successfully became a Baltic German dominated Nation without resistance due to the fact that the Latvians and Estonians were extinct, no thanks to the Holocaust that occurred due to the Reich's madness and German Racial Supremacy Rhetoric.
Known Members[]
Grand Duke[]
- Ernst-Johann Biron, Prince of Courland (b. 1940)
Line of Succession[]
Karl von Bühren ∞ Catharina Hedwig von Raab genannt Thülen (1660-1740)
- Ernst Johann von Biron (1690–1772), duke of Courland and Semigallia, lord of Sycow ∞ Benigna Gottliebe von Trotta genannt Treyden (1703-1782)
- Peter von Biron (1724–1800), duke of Courland and Semigallia, duke of Sagan, lord of Sycow ∞ Princess Caroline of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1748-1782) ∞ Princess Eudoxia Yusupova (1743-1780) ∞ Countess Dorothea Anna Charlotte von Medem (1761-1821)
- Wilhelmine von Biron (1781–1839), princess of Courland, duchess of Sagan ∞ Prince Louis de Rohan-Guémenée (1768-1836) ∞ Prince Vasily Troubetskoy (1776-1841) ∞ Count Karl Rudolf von der Schulenburg (1788-1856)
- Marie Luisa Paulina von Biron (1782–1845), princess of Courland, duchess of Sagan ∞ Friedrich Hermann Otto, Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen (1776-1838)
- Johanna Katharina von Biron (1783–1876), princess of Courland ∞ Prince Francesco Pignatelli, Duke of Acerenza (1766-1840)
- Karl Ernst von Biron (1728–1801), prince of Courland ∞ Apollonia Lodzia-Poninska (1760-1800)
- Gustav Kalixt von Biron (1780–1821) ∞ Countess Franziska von Maltzahn (1790-1849)
- Karl Prinz Biron von Curland (1811–1848) ∞ Countess Agnes zur Lippe-Biesterfeld (1810-1884)
- Kalixt von Biron (1817–1882) ∞ Princess Elena Meshchersky (1820-1905)
- Gustav von Biron (1859–1941) ∞ Princess Adele zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg (1866-1890) ∞ Francoise Levisse de Montigny de Jaucourt (1874-1957)
- Karl von Biron (1907–1982) ∞ Princess Herzeleide of Prussia (1918–1989)
- Victoria Benigna von Biron (*1939) ∞ Baron Johann von Twickel (b. 1940)
- Ernst-Johann Biron, Grand Duke of Courland (*1940), current head ∞ Countess Elisabeth of Isenburg-Philippseich (b. 1941)
- (1) Archduke Michael von Biron (*1944) ∞ Kristin von Oertzen (b. 1944)
- Princess Veronika von Biron (*1970) ∞ Christoph Carl
- (2) Prince Alexander von Biron (*1972) ∞ Countess Michaela Strachwitz von Groß-Zauche und Camminetz (b. 1979)
- (3) Prince Michael von Biron (*1991) ∞ Princess Lena von Biron (nee Lena Meyer-Landrut) (*1991)
- (4) Prince Michael von Biron Jr. (*2016)
- Princess Louise von Biron (*2017)
- (5) Prince Alexander von Biron (*2020)
- Princess Victoria von Biron (*1994)
- (6) Prince Peter von Biron (*1997) ∞ Niamh Wilson (*1997)
- Princess Chelsea von Biron (*1998)
- (3) Prince Michael von Biron (*1991) ∞ Princess Lena von Biron (nee Lena Meyer-Landrut) (*1991)
- Stefanie von Biron (*1975) ∞ Georg Güber
- Friedrich Franz von Biron (1910–1997) ∞ Countess Maria-Irmgard von Ballestrem (1908-1993)
- (7) Prince Franz Kalixt von Biron (*1934) ∞ Baroness Gustava von Brockdorff (b. 1939)
- (8) Prince Marcus von Biron (*1967) ∞ Vendela Maria Kirsebom (*1967)
- (9) Marcus von Biron Jr. (*1991) ∞ Raquel Calderón (*1991)
- (10) Marcus von Biron III (*2012)
- (11) Charles von Biron (*2001)
- Victoria von Biron (*2002)
- Maria von Biron (*2003)
- (12) Peter von Biron (*2003)
- (9) Marcus von Biron Jr. (*1991) ∞ Raquel Calderón (*1991)
- Kalixta (*1975) ∞ Christian Georg Fuchs
- (8) Prince Marcus von Biron (*1967) ∞ Vendela Maria Kirsebom (*1967)
- (13) Gustav von Biron (*1941) ∞ Adelheid Greite (b. 1943)
- Alexandra (*1970)
- Franziska (*1975)
- (7) Prince Franz Kalixt von Biron (*1934) ∞ Baroness Gustava von Brockdorff (b. 1939)
- Karl von Biron (1907–1982) ∞ Princess Herzeleide of Prussia (1918–1989)
- Gustav von Biron (1859–1941) ∞ Princess Adele zu Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg (1866-1890) ∞ Francoise Levisse de Montigny de Jaucourt (1874-1957)
- Gustav Kalixt von Biron (1780–1821) ∞ Countess Franziska von Maltzahn (1790-1849)
- Peter von Biron (1724–1800), duke of Courland and Semigallia, duke of Sagan, lord of Sycow ∞ Princess Caroline of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1748-1782) ∞ Princess Eudoxia Yusupova (1743-1780) ∞ Countess Dorothea Anna Charlotte von Medem (1761-1821)
Prime Minister[]
- Andreas Meyer-Landrut (1980-2005)
- Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut (2005-present)
Military Officers[]
- Wessel Freytag von Loringhoven
- Adrian Freiherr von Fölkersam