| 1209 | the bishop of Riga (archbishop from 20 Jan 1255) takes the style of prince of Livonia (Fürst von Livland); Livonia is within the Holy Roman Empire | Leaders |
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| 1520 | rule is shared between the archbishop and the Livonian Land-Master of the Teutonic Order (Landmeister des Ordens der Brüder des Hospitals Sankt Marien des Deutschen Hauses zu Jerusalem in Livland) | Leaders |
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| 28 Nov 1561 | Gotthard Kettler, the Land-Master, having become Protestant, a massive reorganization takes place; Livonia (proper) and Lettgallia are taken over as an appendage to the Polish- Lithuanian Commonwealth (and collectively called Inflanty); Courland and Semigallia are erected into a Duchy under the Polish-Lithuanian crown, with Kettler as the first duke | Leaders |
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| 1561 - 1660 | constant conflict among Poland-Lithuania, Russia, and Sweden over Livonia; in 1570-80 Ivan IV installs a puppet as king of Livonia | Leaders |
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| 26 Feb 1621 | Sweden occupies Livonia, and annexes it de jure 3 May 1660 | Leaders |
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| 10 Sep 1721 | Livonia is annexed by the Russian Empire | Leaders |
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| 30 Sep 1773 | in the Second Partition of Poland-Lithuania, Lettgallia is annexed by the Russian Empire | Leaders |
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| 26 Apr 1795 | in the Third Partition of Poland, Courland-Semigallia is annexed by the Russian Empire | Leaders |
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| 21 Dec 1917 - 22 Feb 1918 | brief attempt at forming a national (Bolshevik) government | Leaders |
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| 3 Mar 1918 | in the Treaty of Brzecz-Litewski (Brest-Litovsk) Russia cedes the Baltic Provinces (Estonia, Livonia, Courland) to the German Empire | Leaders |
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| 12 Apr 1918 | the Joint Council of Livonia, Estonia, Riga, and Ösel set up by the local German elite, proclaims the independent Baltic State (Baltischer Staat), and resolves to make it into a duchy in personal union with the Kingdom of Prussia; the king (the German emperor Wilhelm II) expresses his gratitude to the delegation offering him the ducal title and defers an answer (which never comes) | Leaders |
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| 8 Nov 1918 | a regency council for the Baltic State is set up; by 17 Nov 1918 the state collapses on the eve of the Latvian declaration of independence | Leaders |
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| 18 Nov 1918 | independence (Republic of Latvia) | Leaders |
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| 22 Dec 1918 | Latvian Conciliar ("Soviet") Republic | Leaders |
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| 13 Jan 1919 - 22 May 1919 | Latvian Socialist Conciliar ("Soviet") Republic | Leaders |
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| 17 Jun 1940 | occupied by Soviet Union | Leaders |
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| 21 Jul 1940 | Latvian Conciliar ("Soviet") Socialist Republic | Leaders |
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| 5 Aug 1940 | incorporation into the Soviet Union (see Soviet republics) | Leaders |
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| 4 May 1990 | Republic of Latvia | Leaders |
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| 21 Aug 1991 | independence declared | Leaders |
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| 6 Sep 1991 | independence recognized by U.S.S.R. | Leaders |
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| 5 Mar 1562 - 17 May 1587 | Gotthard | Kettler dynasty |
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| 17 May 1587 - 16 Aug 1642 | Friedrich jointly with | Kettler dynasty |
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| 21 May 1596 - 4 May 1616 | Wilhelm | Kettler dynasty |
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| 16 Aug 1642 - 31 Dec 1681 | Jakob | Kettler dynasty |
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| 31 Dec 1681 - 22 Jan 1698 | Friedrich Kasimir | Kettler dynasty |
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| 22 Jan 1698 - 21 Jan 1711 | Friedrich Wilhelm | Kettler dynasty |
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| 21 Jan 1711 - 4 May 1737 | Ferdinand | Kettler dynasty |
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| 1726 - 1727 | Moritz Graf von Sachsen | Kettler dynasty |
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| 4 May 1737 - 13 Jul 1737 | Christoph Friedrich von Sacken- Appricken (1st time) Oberräte, regents) | Kettler dynasty |
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| 13 Jul 1737 - 20 Nov 1740 | Ernst Johann (1st time) | Biron (Bühren) dynasty |
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| 20 Nov 1740 - 16 Nov 1758 | Christoph Friedrich von Sacken- Appricken (2nd time) Oberräte, regents) | Biron (Bühren) dynasty |
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| 16 Nov 1758 - 23 Jan 1763 | Karl Christian Herzog von Sachsen | Wettin dynasty |
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| 23 Jan 1763 - 21 Feb 1763 | Heinrich Christian von Offenberg? Kollegium der Oberräte, regents) | Wettin dynasty |
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| 21 Feb 1763 - 25 Nov 1769 | Ernst Johann (2nd time) | Biron (Bühren) dynasty |
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| 25 Nov 1769 - 28 Mar 1795 | Peter | Biron (Bühren) dynasty |
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| 28 Mar 1795 - 26 Apr 1795 | Carl Ferdinand von Orgies gen. Rutenberg (b. 1741 - d. 1801) Kollegium der Oberräte, regents) | Biron (Bühren) dynasty |
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| 21 Dec 1917 - 22 Feb 1918 | Fricis Rozins ["Soviets"] of Latvia) | Presidents |
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| 12 Apr 1918 - 17 Nov 1918 | Adolph Konstantin Jakob Baron Pilar von Pilchau-Audern (b. 1851 - d. 1925) and Ösel; from 8 Nov 1918 chairman of the Baltic Council of Regency) | Presidents |
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| 18 Nov 1918 - 3 Nov 1925 | Janis Cakste (1st time) president of Constitutional Assembly to 18 Nov 1922) | Presidents |
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| 4 Dec 1918 - 22 May 1919 | Peteris Stucka to 13 Jan 1919, then chairman Central Executive Committee) | Presidents |
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| 3 Nov 1925 - 10 Nov 1925 | Pauls Kalnins (1st time) (acting) | Presidents |
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| 10 Nov 1925 - 14 Mar 1927 | Janis Cakste (2nd time) | Presidents |
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| 14 Mar 1927 - 8 Apr 1927 | Pauls Kalnins (2nd time) (acting) | Presidents |
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| 8 Apr 1927 - 8 Apr 1930 | Gustavs Zemgals | Presidents |
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| 8 Apr 1930 - 11 Apr 1930 | Pauls Kalnins (3rd time) (acting) | Presidents |
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| 11 Apr 1930 - 11 Apr 1936 | Alberts Kviesis | Presidents |
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| 11 Apr 1936 - 21 Jul 1940 | Karlis Ulmanis | Presidents |
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| 21 Jul 1940 - 25 Aug 1940 | Augusts Kirhensteins | Presidents |
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| 3 May 1990 - 8 Jul 1993 | Anatolijs Gorbunovs declared to be that of the head of state 15 Sep 1992], then acting president) | Presidents |
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| 8 Jul 1993 - 8 Jul 1999 | Guntis Ulmanis | Presidents |
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| 8 Jul 1999 - 8 Jul 2007 | Vaira Vike-Freiberga (f) | Presidents |
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| 8 Jul 2007 - | Valdis Zatlers | Presidents |
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| 17 Nov 1918 - 16 Apr 1919 | Karlis Ulmanis (1st time) | Prime ministers |
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| 13 Jan 1919 - 22 May 1919 | Peteris Stucka | Prime ministers |
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| 21 Apr 1919 - 26 Apr 1919 | Oskars Borkovskis (acting) | Prime ministers |
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| 26 Apr 1919 - 28 Jun 1919 | Andrievs Niedra | Prime ministers |
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| 14 Jul 1919 - 17 Jun 1921 | Karlis Ulmanis (2nd time) | Prime ministers |
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| 17 Jun 1921 - 25 Jan 1923 | Zigfrids Meierovics (1st time) | Prime ministers |
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| 25 Jan 1923 - 26 Jun 1923 | Janis Pauluks | Prime ministers |
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| 26 Jun 1923 - 25 Jan 1924 | Zigfrids Meierovics (2nd time) | Prime ministers |
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| 25 Jan 1924 - 16 Dec 1924 | Voldemars Zamuels (1st time) | Prime ministers |
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| 16 Dec 1924 - 23 Dec 1925 | Hugo Celmins (1st time) | Prime ministers |
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| 23 Dec 1925 - 4 May 1926 | Karlis Ulmanis (3rd time) | Prime ministers |
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| 4 May 1926 - 17 Dec 1926 | Artur Alberings | Prime ministers |
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| 17 Dec 1926 - 21 Jan 1928 | Margers Skujenieks (1st time) | Prime ministers |
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| 21 Jan 1928 - 1 Dec 1928 | Peteris Jurasevskis | Prime ministers |
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| 1 Dec 1928 - 24 Mar 1931 | Hugo Celmins (2nd time) | Prime ministers |
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| 24 Mar 1931 - 5 Dec 1931 | Karlis Ulmanis (4th time) | Prime ministers |
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| 5 Dec 1931 - 23 Mar 1933 | Margers Skujenieks (2nd time) | Prime ministers |
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| 23 Mar 1933 - 17 Mar 1934 | Adolfs Blodnieks | Prime ministers |
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| 17 Mar 1934 - 19 Jun 1940 | Karlis Ulmanis (5th time) | Prime ministers |
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| 20 Jun 1940 - 25 Aug 1940 | Augusts Kirhensteins | Prime ministers |
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| 7 May 1990 - 3 Aug 1993 | Ivars Godmanis (1st time) | Prime ministers |
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| 3 Aug 1993 - 15 Sep 1994 | Valdis Birkavs | Prime ministers |
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| 15 Sep 1994 - 21 Dec 1995 | Maris Gailis | Prime ministers |
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| 21 Dec 1995 - 7 Aug 1997 | Andris Skele (1st time) | Prime ministers |
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| 7 Aug 1997 - 26 Nov 1998 | Guntars Krasts | Prime ministers |
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| 26 Nov 1998 - 16 Jul 1999 | Vilis Kristopans | Prime ministers |
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| 16 Jul 1999 - 5 May 2000 | Andris Skele (2nd time) | Prime ministers |
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| 5 May 2000 - 7 Nov 2002 | Andris Berzins | Prime ministers |
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| 7 Nov 2002 - 9 Mar 2004 | Einars Repse | Prime ministers |
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| 9 Mar 2004 - 2 Dec 2004 | Indulis Emsis | Prime ministers |
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| 2 Dec 2004 - 20 Dec 2007 | Aigars Kalvitis | Prime ministers |
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| 20 Dec 2007 - | Ivars Godmanis (2nd time) | Prime ministers |
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