European Kingdoms

Russian Governors of Courland (Livonia / Baltic States)
AD 1795 - 1915

The European region which today is known as the Baltic States sits at the junction in Eastern Europe with Northern Europe. While the southern two states of Lithuania and Latvia are counted as Eastern European, Estonia is more typically grouped with its Northern European cousins.

The captured territories were divided by the Russian empire into three Baltic Provinces: the former duchy of Courland, plus Estonia and Livonia. In 1801-1809 and from 1819 onwards supreme authority was vested in a governor-general who was based in Riga, but at other times the provinces were governed independently. Pilten was a division of Courland created by the bishop of Riga in 1234. It changed hands several times, being exchanged between Denmark and Poland-Lithuania, before being unified with Courland in 1661. Despite Swedish and Russian occupations, it essentially remained united with Courland and was fully incorporated into Courland by Russia in 1796, its previous autonomy being abolished.

1795 - 1796

Governor-general of Courland and Pilten.

1796

Count Peter Ludwig von der Pahlen is a member of the noble Baltic-German von der Pahlen family which owns (and had built) Palmse Manor in northern Estonia (see feature link). As a general in the Russian imperial army he serves as the military governor of St Petersburg, as the first governor for Russia of the newly-acquired former duchy of Courland and as the governor-general of the Baltic Provinces (from 1800).

1796 - 1798

First governor of Courland.

1798 - 1800

1800

Overall authority in Courland is handed to the governor-general of the Baltic Provinces, reducing the authority of subsequent governors in Courland itself.

When the duchy of Courland was handed over to the Russian emperor in 1795, Rundāle Palace first became the property of Count Valerian Zubov, then passed into the hands of the Shuvalov family, and was effectively nationalised in 1920 (click or tap on image to view full sized)

1800 - 1808

1808

Acting governor, 18-21 May.

1808 - 1811

1811

Acting governor for the second time, Aug-Sep.

1811 - 1816

In exile in Riga 20 Jul-Dec.

1812

Napoleon invades the Russian empire with one of the largest armies Europe has ever seen, occupying the Baltic states for several months until he is forced to drag his French-led army back to Germany. Russian control of Courland is immediately restored. The French administrators of Courland are shown in red.

1812

French commander.

1812

French intendant, 1 Aug-8 Oct.

1812

French intendant, 1 Aug-8 Oct.

1812

French governor-general, 8 Oct-20 Dec.

1816 - 1824

Acting governor, Jan-Feb 1816. Full governor thereafter.

1824 - 1827

1827 - 1853

1853

Acting governor, 10 May-14 Jun.

1853 - 1858

1858

Acting governor, 10-21 May.

1858 - 1868

1863 - 1880

The January Uprising results in a policy of Russification. It spreads from Latgallia to the rest of what is now Latvia.

1868 - 1885

1885

1885 - 1888

1888 - 1891

1891 - 1905

1905 - 1906

Courland only at first but later also for Livonia.

1906 - 1910

1910

1910 - 1915

1914

The position of special plenipotentiary for the civil administration of the Baltic Provinces of Livonia, Estonia and Courland is created, but the following year the Russian governors are forced by defeats in the First World War to withdrawn to Tartu in Estonia.

Jelgava viewed shortly before the destruction visited on it in the Second World War, when bombing raids destroyed all but the palace in the foreground and a few churches

1915 - 1916

In exile in Tartu, Estonia.

1916

In exile in Tartu, Estonia.

1916 - 1917

In exile in Tartu, Estonia.

1915 - 1918

Thanks to Russian First World War defeats of 1916 and 1917, the Baltic provinces are conquered by Germany between 1915 (Courland) and 1918 (Estonia), much to the relief of the German-descended land-owning aristocracy. In 1918, the Baltic provinces are formally transferred to German authority by Russia following the Treaties of Brest-Litovsk and of Berlin, and Courland becomes part of the subsequent republic of Latvia.