Bandava (in Latvian and Lithuanian; ) - and old Curonian land which existed in the territory of the

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

during the late

Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...

until it was conquered and divided in 1253 by Bishopric of Courland and

Livonian Order The Livonian Order was an autonomous branch of the Teutonic Order, formed in 1237. From 1435 to 1561 it was a member of the Livonian Confederation. History The order was formed from the remnants of the Livonian Brothers of the Sword after thei ...

History

It is first mentioned in the biography of Bishop

Ansgar Ansgar (8 September 801 – 3 February 865), also known as Anskar, Saint Ansgar, Saint Anschar or Oscar, was Archbishopric of Bremen, Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen in the northern part of the Kingdom of the East Franks. Ansgar became known as the ...

("Vita Anskarii") written by Bishop

Rimbert Saint Rimbert (or Rembert) (''c.'' 830 - 11 June 888 in Bremen) was archbishop of Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen, Hamburg-Bremen, in the northern part of the East Francia, Kingdom of East Frankia from 865 until his death in 888. He most famously wr ...

of Bremen (lived before 888 AD). It is also mentioned in the January 17, 1231 treaty between the Baldwin von Alna and Curonians. In the April 4, 1253 treaty it was split between Bishop of Courland and Order of Livonia.

Geography

The country was located between

Ventava Ventspils () is a state city in northwestern Latvia in the historical Courland region of Latvia, and is the sixth largest city in the country. At the beginning of 2020, Ventspils had a population of 33,906. It is situated on the Venta River and ...

, , Piemare, and the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

on the present territory of Ventspils district and

Kuldīga district Kuldīga () () is a town in the Courland region of Latvia, in the western part of the country. It is the center of Kuldīga Municipality with a population of approximately 13,500. Kuldīga was first mentioned in 1242. It joined the Hanseatic L ...

with the administrative center near the modern-day

Kuldīga Kuldīga () () is a town in the Courland region of Latvia, in the western part of the country. It is the center of Kuldīga Municipality with a population of approximately 13,500. Kuldīga was first mentioned in 1242. It joined the Hanseatic L ...

. It included some of the following villages (''villae''): , , Vepele, Libiņi, Skrunda, Jērnieki, ,

Alsunga Alsunga (also Alšvanga, ) is a village in Alsunga Parish, Kuldīga Municipality in the Courland region of Latvia. Alsunga is the center of the Suiti, a small Catholic community in the Lutheran western part of Latvia. There are approximately 13 ...

, Arsene, Asene, Ursuļi, Urāle, Ardone, Pakare, Nikte, Šķēde, , , , , , Tigve, Karitanke, Velži and Manestute. Enciklopēdija Latvijas Vēsture In the treaty of April 4, 1253, concluded by the Bishop of Courland Heinrich and the Master of the Livonian Order, the land of Bandava was divided into two parts. The north-eastern part with Kuldīga Castle near Venta river was received by the

, but the south-western part with Aizpute and Embūte castles was further ruled by the Diocese of Kurzeme. The settlements of Bandava referred to in the Agreement in the part of the Livonian Order (two thirds of Bandava): * ''Walteten'' — ( Laidi Parish), * ''Sargamiten'' — Sermīte ( Laidi Parish), * ''Wepele'' — Vaipas (

Kazdanga Parish Kazdanga Parish () is an administrative unit of South Kurzeme Municipality in the Courland region of Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic st ...

), * ''Lippeten'' or ''Lippayten'' — Lipaiķi ( Turlava Parish), * ''Libben'' — Libiņi ( Turlava Parish), * ''Scrunden'' — Skrunda, * ''Irien'' or ''Yrien'' — Jērnieki vai Dziras ( Nīgrande Parish), * ''Turlowe'' — Turlava ( Turlava Parish), * ''Alswangen'' —

, * ''Asen'' — Āžu mājas (

), * ''Arsen'' — Ārzes or Ārdze ( Laidi Parish), * ''Iherusalem'' or ''Iursalen'' — Ursuļi (

), * ''Arolde'' or ''Aralden'' — Urāle ( Aizpute Parish), * ''Arden'' — Ardone (?) ( Aizpute Parish), * ''castellatura Dzerbithen'' — Raņķu (Irbes?) pilskalns ( Raņķi Parish), * ''Mesete'' or ''Masote'' — ? ( Raņķi Parish), * ''Packare'' — Pakare?, * ''Nicken'' or ''Nitthen'' — Nikte (

Vārme Parish Vārme Parish () is an administrative unit of Kuldīga Municipality in the Courland region of Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, alo ...

), * ''Scheden'' — Šķēde (

), * ''Pavelden'' or ''Paiulden'' — Snēpele (

Snēpele Parish Snēpele parish () is an administrative unit of Kuldīga Municipality in the Courland region of Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, ...

), * ''Villegale'' — Vilgale ( Kurmāle Parish), * ''Eze'' — Īvandes mācītājmuiža ( Īvande Parish), * ''Kewele'' or ''Kewalen'' — Ķimale ( Īvande Parish), * ''Kormale'' or ''Kormalen'' — Kurmāle ( Kurmāle Parish), * ''Kemalen'' — Ķimale ( Padure Parish), * ''Ywande'' — Īvande ( Īvande Parish), * ''Togowe'' or ''Tigwen'' — Tigas ( Padure Parish). The settlements of Bandava in the part of the bishop of Kurzeme mentioned in the agreement (one third of Bandava): * ''Amboten'' — Embūte, ( Embūte Parish), * ''Kalten'' — Kalši, ( Vaiņode Parish), * ''Baten'' — Bāte, ( Vaiņode Parish), * ''Waruwe'' — Vārve, ( Tadaiķi Parish), * ''Elkene'' — Elkuzeme, ( Vaiņode Parish), * ''Assiten'' — Asīte, ( Priekule Parish), * ''Rese'' — Rēzas, ( Embūte Parish), * ''Cepse'' — Sepene, ( Embūte Parish), * ''Padoren'' — Tāšu Padure, ( Kalvene Parish), * ''Selde'' or ''Celde'' — Cildi, (

), * ''Lene'' — Lēņi, ( Rudbārži Parish), * ''Nodingen'' or ''Nedingen'' — Nēdinga, ( Embūte Parish), * ''Parbonen'' — Pērbone, ( Kalvene Parish), * ''Kalnien'' or ''Kalven'' — , ( Kalvene Parish), * ''Apussen'' — Vecapūze, ( Rudbārži Parish), * ''Hasenpotten'' — Aizpute, * ''Iameten'' — Jamaiķi, ( Turlava Parish), * ''Scherenden'' or ''Zerenden'' — Cerenda or Cindari, ( Gudenieki Parish), * ''Adze'' — Adze, ( Gudenieki Parish), * ''Pewe'' — Pievika ( Gudenieki Parish).

References

Bibliography

* *{{citation, last=Bielenstein, first=August Johann Gottfried, year=1892, title=Die Grenzen des lettischen Volksstammes und der lettischen Sprache in der Gegenwart und im 13. Jahrhundert, place=St. Petersburg Historical geography of Latvia 1253 disestablishments in Europe Historical regions in Latvia Former principalities