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Livonia

historical countryside between Latvia and Estonia

• Flag

• Meaning/Origin of the Flag

• Historical Coats of Arms

• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

• Map

• Numbers and Facts

• History

• Origin of the Country's Name

• Maps about the History of the Balticum

Flag

National flag of the Livs (Livonians),
ratio = 1:2,
Source, by: Flags of the World

The flag of Livonia, or better of the Livs, shows three horizontal stripes in green, white and blue in the ratio 2:1:2. The color blue represents the sea, white the beach and green the forests. Supposedly, the flag symbolizes the view from the sea towards the mainland: the water below, in the middle the white beach and in the background the green forest. The historic colors of Livonia, however, are white and red. The design of the flag with the narrow median stripe can discern a relationship to Latvia, and actually live the Livs in Latvia in the north-west of Courland, on the coast. They are a strongly Latvian influenced people and there are only about 250 members, of whom about 30 are still able to speak the Livonian language.

Source: Wikipedia (D)

Historical Coats of Arms

Wappenschild Wappen Coat of arms blazon Schwertbrüderorden Order of the Sword Brothers

1230–1237,
Coat of arms of the Order of the Sword Brothers,
Source: Wikipedia (EN)

Wappen coat of arms Deutscher Orden Teutonic Order Knights Deutscher Ritterorden Deutschherren Marienritter German Masters Maria's Knights

Wappen coat of arms Deutscher Orden Teutonic Order Knights Deutscher Ritterorden Deutschherren Marienritter German Masters Maria's Knights

1237–1561,
Coat of arms of the Teutonic Order,
Source: Wikipedia (DE)

Wappen coat of arms Livland Livonia

ca.1880–1918,
Coat of arms of Livonia,
Source: Wikipedia (DE)

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The historical coat of arms of the Governorate of Livonia shows a silvery griffin with a sword on a red shield.

Source: Volker Preuß

Map

Map of the Balticum:

Source: Volker Preuß

Numbers and Facts

Area: approximately 15.000 square miles

Inhabitants: approximately 2.500.000, thereof ca. 300 Livonians(!)

historical Capital: Riga (capital of Latvia), 627.487 inh. (2020)

official Language: in the Estonian part Estonian, in the Latvian part Latvian

other Languages: Russian, some Livonians still speak Livonian

Currency: Estonian or Latvian currency

Time Zone: GMT + 2 h

Source: Wikipedia (DE)

History

9th cent. · settlement by the Livonians

1202 · establishment of the "Order of the Sword Brothers" in Duenamuende

1230 · conquest of Courland, Livonia, Latgalia and Semigallia by the Order of the Sword Brothers

1236 · defeat of the Order of the Sword Brothers against the Lithuanians

1237 · unification of the Order of the Sword Brothers with the Teutonic Order, Courland, Livonia, Latgalia and Semigallia come as Livonian Federation with an own Master to the State of the Teutonic Order

1558–1595 · Livonian War, the Livonian Master of the Teutonic Order transforms Courland and Semigallia in a duchy as a Polish enfeoffment, Estonia was to cede to Sweden and partially to Denmark, Livonia and Latgalia came directly to Poland

1621 · Sweden conquers Livonia

1629 · Livonia comes officially to Sweden

1710 · Nordic War, Russia conquers Livonia

1721 · Peace of Nystad, Livonia and Estland come to Russia, Courland, Semigallia and Latgalia remain at Poland, Livonia becomes an own Russian gouvernement

1914–1918 · First World War: 1918 the German Empire conquers Livonia

7th of November 1917 · bolshevistic revolution in Russia, seizure of power by the Soviets

3rd of March 1918 · Soviet Russia capitulates towards the German Empire, Peace Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, development of the Baltic states, Livonia becomes separated between Estonia and Latvia

Source: Atlas zur Geschichte, Wikipedia (DE)

Origin of the Country's Name

The name "Livonia" has its roots in the once mighty Baltic tribe of the "Livonians". The Livonians are nowadays nearly extincted. Livonia is named by the Latvians "Vidzeme" and by the Estonians "Liivimaa".

Source: Die Völker der Erde

Maps about the History of the Balticum

1410–1561

1561–1621

1621–1721

1721–1772

1815–1918

since 1991

Landkarten: Volker Preuß