Duchy of Courland and Semigallia

The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (Latin: Ducatus Curlandiæ et Semigalliæ; German: Herzogtum Kurland und Semgallen; Latvian: Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste; Lithuanian: Kuršo ir Žiemgalos kunigaikštystė; Polish: Księstwo Kurlandii i Semigalii) was a duchy in the Baltic region, then known as Livonia, that existed from 1561 to 1569 as a nominally vassal state of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and subsequently made part of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom from 1569 to 1726 and incorporated into the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1726. On March 28, 1795, it was annexed by the Russian Empire in the Third Partition of Poland.

This article is about the early modern duchy. For the short-lived state founded during World War I, see Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1918).
Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
Ducatus Curlandiæ et Semigalliæ (Latin)
Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste (Latvian)
Księstwo Kurlandii i Semigalii (Polish)
Kuršo ir Žiemgalos kunigaikštystė (Lithuanian)
Herzogtum Kurland und Semgallen (German)
Hertigdömet Kurland och Semgallen (Swedish)
1561–1795
Duchy of Courland and Semigallia in 1714
  •   Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
  •   Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
StatusVassal state of Grand Duchy of Lithuania (1561–1569)
and Poland–Lithuania
(1569–1795)
CapitalMitau
Common languagesGerman, Latvian,
Livonian, Latgalian
Religion
Lutheran, Roman Catholic
Demonym(s)Courlander, Couronian, Courish, Courlandish
GovernmentMonarchy
Duke 
• 1561–1587
Gotthard Kettler (first)
• 1769–1795
Peter von Biron (last)
LegislatureLandtag
History 
• Treaty of Vilnius
28 November 1561
1637–1690
• Third Partition of Poland
28 March 1795
Area
• Total
27,290 km2 (10,540 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate
~200,000 (17th century)
CurrencyThaler
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Bishopric of Courland
Livonian Order
Courland Governorate
Today part ofLatvia

There was also a short-lived wartime state with the same name that existed from March 8 to September 22, 1918. 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.

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