History of Latvia
"The Route from the Vikings to the Greeks"
Legendary History
The territory known today as Latvia has been inhabited since 9000 B.C. In the first half of 2000 B.C., the ancient Baltic tribes arrived. They are the forefathers of the Latvian people.
At the beginning of this era the territory known today as Latvia became famous as a trading crossroads. The famous "route from the Vikings to the Greeks" mentioned in ancient chronicles stretched from Scandinavia through Latvian territory along the Daugava river to the ancient Russia and Byzantine Empire.
The ancient Balts of this time actively participated in the trading network. Across the European continent, Latvia's coast was known as a place for obtaining amber. Up to and into the Middle Ages amber was more valuable than gold in many places. Latvian amber was known in places as far away as Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire.
In the 900's A.D., the ancient Balts started to form specific tribal realms. Gradually, four individual Baltic tribal cultures developed: Couronians, Latgallians, Selonians, Semgallians (in Latvian: kurši, latgaļi, sēļi and zemgaļi). The largest of them was the Latgallian tribe, which was the most advanced in its socio-political development. In the 1100s and 1200s, the Couronians maintained a lifestyle of intensive invasions that included looting and pillaging.
On the west coast of the Baltic Sea, they became known as the "Baltic Vikings". But the Selonians and Semgallians, during this time, were known as peace-loving and prosperous farmers.
Under German Rule
Because of its strategic geographic location, Latvian territory has always been invaded by other larger nations, and this situation has defined the fate of Latvia and its people.
At the end of the 1100s, Latvia was more often visited by traders from western Europe who set out on trading journeys along Latvia's longest river, the Daugava, to Russia. At the very end of the 12th century, German traders arrived and with them came preachers of the Christian faith who attempted to convert the pagan Baltic and Finno-Ugrian tribes to the Christian faith. The Balts did not willingly convert to the new and different beliefs and practices, and particularly opposed the ritual of christening. News of this reached the Pope in Rome and it was decided that Crusaders would be sent into Latvia to influence the situation.
The Germans founded Riga in 1201, and gradually it became the largest and most beautiful city in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. With the arrival of the German Crusaders, the development of seperate tribal realms of ancient Latvias came to an end.
In the 1200s, a confederation of feudal nations developed under German rule that was called Livonia. Livonia included today's Latvia and Estonia. In 1282, Rīga and later Cēsis, Limbaži, Koknese and Valmiera were included in the Northern German Trading Organisation, or the Hanseatic League (Hansa). From this time, Riga became an important point in west-east trading. Rīga, being the centre of the eastern Baltic region, formed close cultural contacts with Western Europe.
Under Polish and Swedish Rule
The 1500s were a time of great changes for the inhabitants of Latvia, notable for the reformation and the collapse of the Livonian nation. After the so-called "Livonian War" (1558-1583) today's Latvian territory came under Polish-Lithuanian rule. The Lutheran faith was accepted in Kurzeme, Zemgale and Vidzeme, but the Roman Catholic faith maintained its dominance in Latgale – it remains so to this day.
In the 1600s, the Dukedom of Kurzeme, once a part of Livonia, experienced a notable economic boom. It established two colonies – an island in the estuary of the Gambia River (in Africa) and Tobago Island (in the Caribbean Sea). Names from this period still survive today in these places.
However after the Polish-Swedish war (1600-1629) Rīga came under Swedish rule in 1621. It became the largest and most developed Swedish City. During this time Vidzeme was known as the "Swedish Bread Basket" because it supplied the larger part of the Swedish kingdom with wheat.
Consolidation of the Latvian nation occurred in the 1600s. With the merging of the Couronians, Latgallians, Selonians, Semgallians and Livians (Finno-Ugrians, in Latvian called: lībieši) a culturally unified nation that spoke a common language developed – the Latvians (in Latvian: latvieši).
Under Russian Rule
At the beginning of the 1700s, the Great Northern War broke out. The course of this war was directly linked with today's Latvian territory and the territorial claims of the Russian Empire. One of its goals was to secure the famous and rich town of Riga. In 1710, the Russian Tsar, Peter the 1st, managed to secure Vidzeme. Through Vidzeme to Riga, Russia obtained a clear passage to Europe. By the end of the 18th century, all of Latvia's territory was under Russian rule.
At the end of the 1700s, industry developed quickly and the number of the inhabitants grew. Latvia became Russia's most developed province.
At the beginning of the 1800's there was an awakening of strong national feeling amongst the Latvian nation, as there was in many other places in Europe at this time. The first newspapers in the Latvian language were printed, and active cultural development took place.
The latter half of the 1800s marked a period of national rebirth – the most active members of the Latvian social and cultural life so called "New-Latvians", (in Latvian: jaunlatvieši), demanded the same rights long enjoyed by other countries.
The Fight for Independence
The idea of an independent Latvia became a reality at the beginning of the 1900s. The course of WWI activated the idea of independence. WWI directly involved Latvians and Latvian territory. Courageous Latvian riflemen called the latviesu strelnieki fought on the Russian side during this war, and earned recognition for their bravery far into Europe.
The post-war confusion was a suitable opportunity for the development of an independent nation. Latvia proclaimed independence shortly after the end of WWI – on November 18, 1918. The first to recognise Latvia's independence was Soviet Russia, which relinquished authority and pretences to Latvian territory for all time. However, future actions proved that these had been empty promises.
The international community recognised Latvia's independence on January 26, 1921. In this year Latvia also became a member of the League of Nations and fully took part in the activities of democratic nations. During that time Latvia became known world-wide as a country that cared for and paid special attention to the rights of minorities. Latvia was often times mentioned as an example of other nations in the area of minority rights.
Because of the world economic crises there was a growing dissatisfaction among the population at the beginning of 1930s. Coup d'etat took place in Riga on May 15, 1934. The activities of the Parliament (the Saeima) and all the political parties were suspended.
Rapid economic growth took place in the second half of 1930s, due to which Latvia reached one of the highest living standards in Europe. Because of improving living standarts the Latvian society did not much oppose the authoritarian rule of the Prime Minister.
Loss of Independence
After the signing of the so-called "Molotov-Ribbentrop" pact on August 23, 1939, Latvia became a place of strategic interest to the USSR. In concordance with this unlawful secret agreement the Soviet army occupied Latvia on June 17, 1940. A few months later, against the wishes of the Latvian nation, Latvia was made a part of the Soviet Union. From the 13th to the 14th of June 1941, thousands of Latvian inhabitants were violently deported to Siberia, during the night. Thirty-five thousand people suffered Soviet repression in the first year of Soviet occupation.
With the beginning of WWII, Latvia was taken by German occupation forces. During this time 90 percent of Latvia's Jewish population were murdered in Nazi concentration camps. In 1944, heavy fighting took place in Latvia between German and Soviet troops, the USSR gained the upper hand. During the course of the war, both occupying forces conscripted Latvians into their armies, in this way increased the loss of the nation's "live resources". In 1944, part of the Latvian territory once more came under Soviet occupation. They immediately began to reinstate pre-war order.
The first post war years were noted by particularly dismal and sombre events in the fate of the Latvian nation. The post war Soviet occupation implemented repression and genocide against the Latvians. One hundred and twenty thousand Latvian inhabitants were imprisoned or deported to Soviet concentration (GULAG) camps. One hundred and thirty thousand took refuge from the Soviet army by fleeing to the West. On March 25, 1949, 43,000 rural residents were deported to Siberia in a sweeping repressive action.
An extensive Russification campaign began in Latvia, many administrative obstacles were implemented to hinder the use of the Latvian language.
In the post war period Latvia was forced to adopt Soviet farming methods and the economic infrastructure developed in the 1920s and 1930s was purposefully destroyed. Rural areas were forced into collectivisation.
Because Latvia had still maintained a well-developed infrastructure and educated specialists it was decided in Moscow that some of the Soviet Union's most advanced manufacturing factories were to be based in Latvia. Later, in order to run these factories, Russian workers were flooded into the country, their numbers noticeably decreasing the proportion of Latvian nationals. By the end of the 1980s, the Latvians comprised 50 percent of the population, however before WWII, they comprised 75 percent of the population. (At present the total population is 2.375.000).
Reinstating Independence
A liberalisation within the communist regime began in the mid 1980s in the USSR. In Latvia there immediately appeared a few mass socio-political organisations that made use of this opportunity – Tautas Fronte (The Popular Front of Latvia), Latvijas Nacionālās Neatkarības Kustība (The Movement for National Freedom), Pilsoņu Kongress (The Congress of Citizens of Latvia). These groups were for the reinstatement of National Independence.
In 1989, on the 23rd August, 50 years had passed since the signing of the unlawful Molotov-Ribentrop pact. In order to draw the world's attention to the fate of the Baltic nations, Latvians, Lithuanians an Estonians joined hands in a human chain that stretched 600 kilometres from Tallinn, to Rīga, to Vilnius. It symbolically represented the united wish of the Baltic States for independence.
A notable step towards renewal of independence was taken on May 4, 1990. The Latvian SSR Supreme Council adopted a declaration restoring independence that included a transition period. On the August 21, 1991 parliament voted for an end to the transition period, thus restoring Latvia's pre-war independence. In September 1991, Latvian independence was recognised by the USSR.
Soon after reinstating independence, Latvia became a member of the United Nations and swiftly returned to the flock of world democratic nations. In 1992, Latvia became eligible for the International Monetary Fund and in 1994, took part in the NATO "Partnership for Peace" program, as well as signed the free trade agreement with the European Union. Latvia became a member nation of the European Council as well as a candidate for the membership of the European Union and Western European Union. Latvia was the first of the Baltic nations to be accepted into the World Trade Organisation.
At the end of 1999 in Helsinki, the heads of the European Union countries and goverments invited Latvia to begin negotiations regarding accession to the european Union. In 2004 Latvia's most important foreign policy goals - membership in the European Union and NATO - were fulfilled. On April 2, Latvia became a member of NATO and on May 1, Latvia together with other two Baltic States (Estonia and Lithuania) became a full-fledged member of European Union.
© Text: Raimonds Ceruzis
Photo credits and illustrations: Latvian Academic Library, Latvian Museum of Photography, L.Pigozne, V.Ridzenieks, A.Tenass
© The Latvian Institute, 2004
This fact sheet can be freely printed from homepage of the Latvian Institute, distributed and cited, on condition that the Latvian Institute is acknowledged as the source. The Latvian Institute promotes knowledge about Latvia abroad. It produces publications, in several languages, on many aspects of Latvia.
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