Duchy of Courland and Semigallia

Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was a state in Scandinavia and the Baltic (Europe) that lasted from 1561 to 1795 CE, about 234 years. Its people spoke Germanic languages (Gothic, Frankish, English, German, Dutch, Norse).

A Polish-Lithuanian vassal carved from Livonia and ruled by Baltic German dukes. Duke Jacob briefly held colonies on Tobago and the Gambia River before Russia annexed the duchy in 1795.

See Duchy of Courland and Semigallia on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

1561 to 1795 CE

Duration

234 years

Type

State

Region

Scandinavia and the Baltic, Europe

Language family

Germanic

Capital

Mitau (Jelgava)

Came from

• Terra Mariana (Livonia) 1207 to 1561 CE

Events in Europe during its time

• 1648 Peace of Westphalia
• 1683 Siege of Vienna
• 1769 Watt's steam engine
• 1789 French Revolution

Neighbours in Europe

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE
• Habsburg Monarchy 1526 to 1804 CE
• Dutch Republic 1581 to 1795 CE
• Kingdom of France (Bourbon) 1589 to 1792 CE
• Russian Empire 1721 to 1917 CE
• Spanish Empire (Habsburg Spain) 1516 to 1700 CE
• Papal States 756 to 1870 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Middle East
• Kingdom of Kongo c. 1390 to 1914 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Mali Empire c. 1235 to 1670 CE, North and West Africa
• Ayutthaya Kingdom 1351 to 1767 CE, Southeast Asia
• Mughal Empire 1526 to 1857 CE, South Asia
• Portuguese Brazil 1500 to 1815 CE, South America
• New Spain 1521 to 1821 CE, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Viceroyalty of Peru 1542 to 1824 CE, South America

Questions