Vidzeme (; Old Latvian orthography: ''Widda-semme'', liv, Vidūmō) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands. The capital of

Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...

, Riga, is situated in the southwestern part of the region. Literally meaning "the Middle Land", it is situated in north-central Latvia north of the Daugava River. Sometimes in

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, it was also known as ''Livland'', the German form from Latin ''Livonia'', though it comprises only a small part of Medieval Livonia and about half (the Latvian part) of Swedish Livonia. Most of the region's inhabitants are

Latvians Latvians ( lv, latvieši) are a Baltic ethnic group and nation native to Latvia and the immediate geographical region, the Baltics. They are occasionally also referred to as Letts, especially in older bibliography. Latvians share a common L ...

(85%), thus Vidzeme is the most ethnically Latvian region in the country. The historic Governorate of Livonia is also larger than Vidzeme, since it corresponds roughly to Swedish Livonia.

History

In ancient times, the territory of Vidzeme was inhabited by Latgalians and

Livs The Livonians, or Livs ( Livonian: ''līvlizt''; Estonian: ''liivlased''; Latvian: ''līvi'', ''lībieši''), are a Balto-Finnic people indigenous to northern and northwestern Latvia. Livonians historically spoke Livonian, a Uralic language c ...

(near the coast of the Gulf of Riga and along the lower reaches of the Daugava and Gauja rivers). Until the German conquest in the 13th century the Daugava, which now forms the south-east border of Vidzeme, was the boundary between the lands of the Livs and Latgalians on the right bank and those of the Semigallians and

Selonians The Selonians ( lv, sēļi; lt, sėliai, from liv, sälli – "highlanders") were a tribe of Baltic peoples. They lived until the 15th century in Selonia, located in southeastern Latvia and northeastern Lithuania. They eventually merged wit ...

on the left bank of the river. The most notable Latgalian region in today's Vidzeme was Tālava. After the Livonian War, part of the Livonian Confederation on the right bank of the Daugava river and the

Patrimony of Riga Patrimony may refer to: Law * Patrimony, or property, the total of all personal and real entitlements, including movable and immovable property, belonging to a real person or a juristic person * Patrimony, or inheritance, a right or estate inhe ...

was ceded to the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formally known as the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and, after 1791, as the Commonwealth of Poland, was a bi-confederal state, sometimes called a federation, of Crown of the Kingdom of ...

, and the Duchy of Livonia (the left bank forming the

Duchy of Courland and Semigalia The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia ( la, Ducatus Curlandiæ et Semigalliæ; german: Herzogtum Kurland und Semgallen; lv, Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste; lt, Kuršo ir Žiemgalos kunigaikštystė; pl, Księstwo Kurlandii i Semigalii) was ...

). After the Polish-Swedish War concluded by the Truce of Altmark in 1629, Sweden acquired the western part of the Duchy of Livonia roughly as far as the Aiviekste River, since then forming Vidzeme's eastern border. During the course of the

Great Northern War The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swe ...

, Swedish Livonia was conquered by the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War ...

and ceded to Russia at the Treaty of Nystad in 1721. In place of Livonia the Russians created the Riga Governorate, but in 1796 the Riga Governorate was renamed the Governorate of Livonia, administered autonomously by the local German

Baltic nobility Baltic German nobility was a privileged social class in the territories of today's Estonia and Latvia. It existed continuously since the Northern Crusades and the medieval foundation of Terra Mariana. Most of the nobility were Baltic Germans, ...

through a feudal . After the end of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

it was split between the newly independent countries of Latvia and Estonia.

Subregions

The territory of the region of Vidzeme is defined by Latvian law as follows:
Latviešu vēsturisko zemju likums *

Ādaži Municipality Ādaži Municipality ( lv, Ādažu novads) is a municipality in the historical region of Vidzeme, and the Riga Planning Region in Latvia, which consists of Ādaži and Carnikava parishes plus the administrative centre, Ādaži. The municipality i ...

* Cēsis Municipality * Gulbene Municipality *

Limbaži Municipality Limbaži Municipality ( lv, Limbažu novads) is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Katvari Parish, Limbaži Parish, Pāle Parish, Skulte Parish, Umurga Parish, Vidriži Parish, Viļķene Pari ...

* Riga *

Ropaži Municipality Ropaži Municipality ( lv, Ropažu novads) is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2005 with the reorganization of Ropaži parish. The administrative centre is Ropaži. The population in 2020 was 6,835. On 1 July 202 ...

* Salaspils Municipality * Saulkrasti Municipality * Sigulda Municipality * Smiltene Municipality *

Valka Municipality Valka Municipality ( lv, Valkas novads; et, Valka piirkond) is a municipality in Vidzeme, Latvia. The municipality was formed in 2009 by merging Valka town, Ērģeme Parish, Kārķi Parish, Valka Parish, Vijciems Parish and Zvārtava Parish ...

Valmiera Municipality Valmiera Municipality ( lv, Valmieras novads) is one of the 35 municipalities established in Latvia in 2021, located approximately west of the national capital Riga. Its first elected municipal council took office on 1 July 2021. Its seat is the ...

* Part of Aiviekste Parish * Part of Aizkraukle Parish * The Part of Aizkraukle on the right bank of the Daugava *

Bebri Parish Bebri Parish ( lv, Bebru pagasts) is an administrative unit of Aizkraukle Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Repub ...

Irši Parish Irši Parish ( lv, Iršu pagasts) is an administrative unit of Aizkraukle Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republi ...

Klintaine Parish Klintaine Parish ( lv, Klintaines pagasts) is an administrative unit of Aizkraukle Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvij ...

Koknese Parish Koknese Parish ( lv, Kokneses pagasts) is an administrative unit of Aizkraukle Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. Towns, villages and settlements of Koknese Parish * Atradze * Auliciems * Bilstiņi * Birznieki * Bormaņi * Kaln ...

* Koknese * Part of Pļaviņas *

Skrīveri Parish Skrīveri Parish ( lv, Skrīveru pagasts) is an administrative unit of Aizkraukle Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. Towns, villages and settlements of Skrīveri Parish * Klidziņa * Līči * Skrīveri – parish administrative cent ...

Vietalva Parish Vietalva Parish ( lv, Vietalvas pagasts) is an administrative unit of Aizkraukle Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas R ...

* Alsviķi Parish * Alūksne * Anna Parish * Ilzene Parish * Jaunalūksne Parish * Jaunanna Parish * Jaunlaicene Parish * Kalncempji Parish *

Maliena Parish Maliena Parish ( lv, Malienas pagasts) is an administrative unit of Alūksne Municipality, Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, La ...

Mālupe Parish Mālupe Parish ( lv, Mālupes pagasts) is an administrative unit of Alūksne Municipality, Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, La ...

* Mārkalne Parish * Pededze Parish *

Veclaicene Parish Veclaicene Parish ( lv, Veclaicenes pagasts) is an administrative unit of Alūksne Municipality, Latvia Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, l ...

* Zeltiņi Parish * Ziemeri Parish * Part of Baldone Parish * Baldone * Baloži * Part of Ķekava Parish * Arona Parish * Part of Barkava Parish * Bērzaune Parish * Cesvaine Parish * Dzelzava Parish *

Ērgļi Parish Ērgļi Parish ( lv, Ērgļu pagasts) is an administrative unit of Madona Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. At the beginning of 2014, the population of the parish was 2421. The administrative center is Ērgļi Ērgļi is a small to ...

* Indrān Parish * Jumurda Parish * Kalsnava Parish * Lazdona Parish * Liezēre Parish * Lubāna * Ļaudona Parish *

Madona Madona (; german: Modohn) is a town with town rights in the Vidzeme region of Latvia and is the center of the Madona municipality. History The surrounding area of Madona had been populated in earlier times, which is confirmed by discoveries ...

* Mārciena Parish * Mētriena Parish * Part of Ošupe Parish * Prauliena Parish * Sarkaņi Parish * Sausnēja Parish * Vestiena Parish * Part of Babīte Parish *

Mārupe Parish Mārupe (german: Marienbach) is a town in and the centre of Mārupe Municipality, Latvia. Mārupe is in practice a suburb of the Latvian capital, Riga, and is the headquarters of the Latvian Bandy Federation. A small river Mārupīte flows ...

* Sala Parish *

Ikšķile Ikšķile (; german: Uexküll; liv, Ikškilā; et, Üksküla; also known as ''Üxküll'') is a town in Latvia, in Ogre Municipality. It was the first capital of the Roman Catholic Bishopric of Livonia, known by the German name of Üxkül ...

* Jumprava Parish * Krape Parish * The part of

Ķegums Ķegums (; german: Keggum)) is a town in Ogre Municipality situated mostly on the right bank of the Daugava River. Latvian law defines Ķegums town as divided between two regions, Vidzeme on the right bank of the Daugava and Semigallia on the left ...

city of the right bank of the Daugava * Ķeipene Parish * Laubere Parish * Lēdmane Parish * Lielvārde Parish * Madliena Parish * Mazozoli Parish * Meņģele Parish * Ogre * Ogresgals Parish * Rembate Parish * Suntaži Parish * Taurupe Parish * Tīnūži Parish * Part of Olaine Parish *

Olaine Olaine (; german: Olai) is a city in Olaine Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. Olaine gained town rights in 1967. The name comes from the Saint Olai Church, built by the Misa river under Swedish rule in the 17th century. An old cem ...

and Lapmežciems Parish.

References

External links

Vidzeme Tourism AssociationVidzeme University of Applied Sciences
{{authority control Historical regions in Latvia Livonia Subdivisions of Latvia

History

Subregions

See also

References

External links