History of Latvia

The history of the territory and people of Latvia, from prehistoric settlement through the formation and development of the Latvian state.

Baltic peoples: Indo-European peoples of northeastern Europe whose languages include Lithuanian and Latvian. Latvians emerged from Baltic-speaking groups inhabiting the region before written records.
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth: A federal state of Poland and Lithuania that existed from 1569 to 1795. Its rule over Latgale and the Duchy of Courland shaped distinct regional histories.
Krišjānis Barons: A Latvian folklorist who organized and published the country's traditional folk songs. His work preserved dainas as a foundation of Latvian cultural identity.
Latvian War of Independence: The 1918–1920 conflict in which Latvia secured independence against several armed forces. Its victory established the first internationally recognized Latvian state.
Latvian National Awakening: A nineteenth-century movement that fostered Latvian national identity, language, and culture. It turned cultural activity into an organized claim to nationhood.
Livonians: A Finnic people native to the eastern Baltic coast, historically concentrated in present-day Latvia. Their language and coastal communities shaped early Latvia and its name.
Duchy of Courland and Semigallia: A Baltic duchy under the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1561 to 1795. Its autonomous rule and maritime ventures formed a distinct chapter in western Latvia.
Jānis Rainis: A Latvian poet, playwright, and politician whose writing became central to national culture. His literature and public life joined cultural revival with political independence.
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic: A Soviet republic that governed Latvia from 1940 to 1990, apart from the German occupation. Its institutions and policies transformed Latvian life under Soviet rule.
Latvian Declaration of Independence: The 1918 proclamation establishing the Republic of Latvia as an independent state. It gave legal expression to statehood amid the collapse of empires.

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