Courland
or KURLAND, a former Russian government, and one of what, under the Empire, were called the Baltic COURT provinces. It was formerly an independent duchy-properly, indeed, consisting of two duchies, Courland and Semgallen-and belonged, along with Livonia, to the Teutonic Knights. The difficulty of resisting the Russians led to the acknowledgment in 1561 of the feudal sovereignty of Poland. The country was long distracted by the contentions of two parties, one Russian and the other Polish; and was finally united to Russia in 1795.
Biron was made Duke of Courland in 1737. It contains about 10,480 square miles; population about 812,000, mostly Protestants. It is generally a level country, with ranges of low hills, and contains many lakes, bogs, forests, and sanddunes, but some parts have a very fertile soil. Cattle-breeding is on the increase; game abounds; and bears, boars, elks, and wolves are met with occasionally.
The proprietors of land are mostly German; the peasantry, of Lettish extraction, are chiefly engaged in husbandry. There is little manufacturing industry.
The capital is Mitau (pop. 47,000), the most flourising town is Libau (pop. about 90,000). In the World War (1914-1918) the Germans occupied it as a base for their attacks on Riga. In November, 1918, Courland, together with certain parts of the former Russian provinces of Livonia and Vitebsk, was formed into an independent state under the name of LATVIA (q. v.).