Courland

Courland, or KURLAND, a Russian government, and one of what are called the Baltic 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 after being for some time very completely under Russian influence, it was finally united to Russia in 1795. Biron (q.v.) was made Duke of Courland in 1737. It contains about 10,540 sq. m., with a population in 1895 of 713,800, mostly Protestants. It is generally a level country, with ranges of low hills, and contains many lakes, bogs, forests, and sand-dunes, 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, who constitute the bulk of the population, of Lettish extraction, are chiefly engaged in husbandry. The Russians do not amount to 2 per cent. of the population. There is little manufacturing industry, but trade is rather increasing. The capital is Mitau, but the most flourishing town is Libau.