Bandava

Bandava (in Latvian and Lithuanian; la, Bandowe) - and old Curonian land which existed in the territory of the Latvia during the late Iron Age until it was conquered and divided in 1253 by Bishopric of Courland and Livonian Order.

History

It is first mentioned in the biography of Bishop Ansgar ("Vita Anskarii") written by Bishop Rimbert of Bremen (lived before 888 AD). It is also mentioned in the January 17, 1231 treaty between the Baldwin von Alna and Curonians.

In the April 4, 1253 treaty it was split between Bishop of Courland and Order of Livonia.

Geography

The country was located between Ventava, , Piemare, and the Baltic Sea on the present territory of Ventspils district and Kuldīga district in Latvia with the administrative center near the modern-day Kuldīga.

It included some of the following villages (''villae''): , , Vepele, Libiņi, Skrunda, Jērnieki, , Alsunga, Arsene, Asene, Ursuļi, Urāle, Ardone, Pakare, Nikte, Šķēde, , , , , , Tigve, Karitanke, Velži and Manestute. Enciklopēdija Latvijas Vēsture

In the treaty of April 4, 1253, concluded by the Bishop of Courland Heinrich and the Master of the Livonian Order, the land of Bandava was divided into two parts. The north-eastern part with Kuldīga Castle near Venta river was received by the Livonian Order, but the south-western part with Aizpute and Embūte castles was further ruled by the Diocese of Kurzeme.

The settlements of Bandava referred to in the Agreement in the part of the Livonian Order (two thirds of Bandava):
* ''Walteten'' — (Laidi Parish),
* ''Sargamiten'' — Sermīte (Laidi Parish),
* ''Wepele'' — Vaipas (Kazdanga Parish),
* ''Lippeten'' or ''Lippayten'' — Lipaiķi ( Turlava Parish),
* ''Libben'' — Libiņi ( Turlava Parish),
* ''Scrunden'' — Skrunda,
* ''Irien'' or ''Yrien'' — Jērnieki vai Dziras ( Nīgrande Parish),
* ''Turlowe'' — Turlava ( Turlava Parish),
* ''Alswangen'' — Alsunga,
* ''Asen'' — Āžu mājas (Kazdanga Parish),
* ''Arsen'' — Ārzes or Ārdze (Laidi Parish),
* ''Iherusalem'' or ''Iursalen'' — Ursuļi (Kazdanga Parish),
* ''Arolde'' or ''Aralden'' — Urāle ( Aizpute Parish),
* ''Arden'' — Ardone (?) ( Aizpute Parish),
* ''castellatura Dzerbithen'' — Raņķu (Irbes?) pilskalns (Raņķi Parish),
* ''Mesete'' or ''Masote'' — ? (Raņķi Parish),
* ''Packare'' — Pakare?,
* ''Nicken'' or ''Nitthen'' — Nikte ( Vārme Parish),
* ''Scheden'' — Šķēde ( Vārme Parish),
* ''Pavelden'' or ''Paiulden'' — Snēpele (Snēpele Parish),
* ''Villegale'' — Vilgale ( Kurmāle Parish),
* ''Eze'' — Īvandes mācītājmuiža ( Īvande Parish),
* ''Kewele'' or ''Kewalen'' — Ķimale ( Īvande Parish),
* ''Kormale'' or ''Kormalen'' — Kurmāle ( Kurmāle Parish),
* ''Kemalen'' — Ķimale ( Padure Parish),
* ''Ywande'' — Īvande ( Īvande Parish),
* ''Togowe'' or ''Tigwen'' — Tigas ( Padure Parish).

The settlements of Bandava in the part of the bishop of Kurzeme mentioned in the agreement (one third of Bandava):
* ''Amboten'' — Embūte, (Embūte Parish),
* ''Kalten'' — Kalši, ( Vaiņode Parish),
* ''Baten'' — Bāte, ( Vaiņode Parish),
* ''Waruwe'' — Vārve, ( Tadaiķi Parish),
* ''Elkene'' — Elkuzeme, ( Vaiņode Parish),
* ''Assiten'' — Asīte, (Priekule Parish),
* ''Rese'' — Rēzas, (Embūte Parish),
* ''Cepse'' — Sepene, (Embūte Parish),
* ''Padoren'' — Tāšu Padure, ( Kalvene Parish),
* ''Selde'' or ''Celde'' — Cildi, (Kazdanga Parish),
* ''Lene'' — Lēņi, ( Rudbārži Parish),
* ''Nodingen'' or ''Nedingen'' — Nēdinga, (Embūte Parish),
* ''Parbonen'' — Pērbone, ( Kalvene Parish),
* ''Kalnien'' or ''Kalven'' — , ( Kalvene Parish),
* ''Apussen'' — Vecapūze, ( Rudbārži Parish),
* ''Hasenpotten'' — Aizpute,
* ''Iameten'' — Jamaiķi, ( Turlava Parish),
* ''Scherenden'' or ''Zerenden'' — Cerenda or Cindari, (Gudenieki Parish),
* ''Adze'' — Adze, (Gudenieki Parish),
* ''Pewe'' — Pievika (Gudenieki Parish).

References

Bibliography

*
*{{citation, last=Bielenstein, first=August Johann Gottfried, year=1892, title=Die Grenzen des lettischen Volksstammes und der lettischen Sprache in der Gegenwart und im 13. Jahrhundert, place=St. Petersburg

Geographic history of Latvia
1253 disestablishments in Europe
Historical regions in Latvia
Former principalities