Principality of Courland Курляндское княжество Kurlyandskoye knyazhestvo (Russian) Eesti Vürstiriik (Estonian) Fürstentum Kurland (German) |
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| Royal anthem: "Королевский гимн Курляндского княжества" "Korolevskiy gimn Kurlyandskogo knyazhestva" (Russian) "Königliche Hymne des Fürstentums Kurland" (German) "Eesti Vürstiriigi kuninglik hümn" (Estonian) ("Royal Anthem of the Principality of Courland") |
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| Capital | Riga | ||||
| Official languages | Russian, Estonian, German | ||||
| Demonym | Courlander | ||||
| Government | Local constitutional monarchy | ||||
| - | Crown Prince | Andrew I Eduardovich | |||
| - | Head Minister | Sergey Kariņš (DSP) | |||
| - | Governor-General | Nikolay von Baumann (NSP) | |||
| Population | |||||
| - | census | 1,330,068 | |||
OT equivalent: Estonia
The Principality of Courland (Russian: Курляндское княжество, Kurlyandskoye knyazhestvo; Estonian: Eesti Vürstiriik, German: Fürstentum Kurland) or Courland in short and in Estonian-language resources as Estonia is one of the principalities within the Grand Duchy of the Baltics in the Russian Empire. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by the Principality of Livonia, and to the east by Lake Peipus. The territory of Courland consists of the mainland, the larger islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, and over 2,200 other islands and islets on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea, covering a total area of 45,339 km2 (17,505 sq mi). The capital city Tallinn and Tartu are the two largest urban areas of the country. The Estonian language is the autochthonous and one of three official languages of Courland; it is the first language of the majority of its people, as well as the world's second most spoken Finnic language.
The land of what is now modern Courland has been inhabited by humans since at least 9,000 BC. Ancient Estonians were one of the last "pagan" civilisations in Europe to adopt Christianity following the Papal-sanctioned Livonian Crusade in the 13th century. After centuries of successive rule by the Teutonic Order, Denmark, Sweden, and the Russian Empire, a distinct Estonian national identity began to emerge in the mid-19th century. This culminated in the 24 February 1918 Estonian Declaration of Independence from the then warring Russian and German Empires, and, after the end of World War I, in the 1918–1920 War of Independence where Estonians were able to repel the Bolshevik Russian invasion and successfully defended their newborn freedom.
However, that freedom did not last long, and Russian forces later re-took the Courland. Paul von Rennenkampff, at the advise of Tsar Cyril I, was promoted from Edler, to Prince as the new future principality would need to be ruled by a Baltic German prince.
Courland is a developed principality, with a high-income advanced economy; ranking very high in the Human Development Index. The sovereign state is a democratic unitary parliamentary republic divided into fifteen counties. It has a population of 1.3 million.
History[]
After the Russian Civil War, thanks to Edler Paul von Rennenkampff staying in Russia, Tsar Cyril I gave him refuge in Tsarytsin, and bestowed upon him the title of Baron. The other Rennenkampffs had long-fled to Germany or staying in the new republic of Estonia, leaving Paul as the only remaining Rennenkampf in Russia. Just like Prince Anatol von Lieven in the neighboring Livonia, the remaning of Paul von Rennenkampf's children in Russia would have both Lutheran and Orthodox factions.
Therewould, in a ceramony, he was crowned as Baron Paul von Rennenkampfand his wife, Vera Nikolayevna Krassan, was crowned as Baroness Vera I Nikolayevna Rennenkampf. The manors that had been vacated by the other Rennenkampffs (who fled to Germany) were given to the rest of the Russian line of the Rennenkampffs, namely Vladimir Nikolayevich Rennenkampff, and his wife, Sinaida Ivanovna Rennenkampff (nee Yakovleva). They too, were crowned as Prince Vladimir and Princess Sinaida of Livonia.
As part of the Reichkommissariat Ostland[]
During the Second World War, Estonia joined the Nazi-led Axis as part of the Reichkommissariat Ostland. The region was used to stage the invasion of Russia for Operation Barbarossa, where an estimated 240,000 ethnic Estonians served in the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS.
Russian re-occupation and establishment of the Principality[]
In 1943, the Russians fully reversed the Axis invasion, and Courland and the Baltics became targets of Russian re-occupation. The Baltic German nobility living in exile in Tsarytsin took upon this oppurtunity to reclaim their properties that were confiscated by the republican governments. As the pro-Axis governments crumbled, the State of Courland was re-established with Generalissmo Vladimir Rennenkampf as its direct Head of State.
In 1945, the Republic of Estonia surrendered to the Russians, and its sovereign government was fully dissolved. However, Estonian resistance continued, independent of Nazi Germany triggering the round of cultural persecution to come.
Socio-economic recovery and cultural genocide[]
Courland experienced successful post-war transformation and recovery, as former Waffen SS and Wehrmacht as well as former Estonian Independent Army officers and troops were used as prison slave labor. However, continued attacks by the Estonian Independent Army finally drew the Russian patience thin, and the Baltic Cultural Holocaust would ensue.
This resulted in large-scale deportations of ethnic Estonians to East Prussia. The remaining ethnic Estonians were sent to re-education camps, where they were to adopt Russian given names - however, they were not forced to convert to Orthodox Christianity resulting in the partial Russification of Estonian culture, but it was not as bad as the pogrom against Lithuanians as the Russian occupiers regarded Lutherans as allies of Orthodox.
THis eventually discouraged anymore Estonian uprisings, and for the remainder of the Cold War up to the 1990s, Estonian culture remained undisturbed.
Russian immigrants from elsehwere in the country poured into Courland, as the government embarked on a secretive campaign to outmatch the native Estonian population. Entire villages and communities that were formerly Estonians became almost entirely ethinc Russian.
Nonetheless, thanks to its coastal location, Courland became part of the "Wealth Baltic" phenomina.
Tumultuous 1990s[]
During the Tumultuous 1990s, Latvian separatists again, attempted to exploit the internal situation in Russia. Because of the Livensky's ties to the Romanovs, the Livenskys were able to successfully defend themselves against the separatists. Thanks to the ineffective leadership within the separatist camp, the Latvian Independence Movement failed. It didn't compare to the ferocity of the neighboring Estonian separatist movement, which laid claim an independent Republic of Estonia up until 1994.
Post-1994, the wealth of Courland suffered blows after the United States and Western powers issued sanctions against Russia. The United Nations accused the Russian government of violating basic Human Rights, the right of Courland to secede. However, Courland later began later renewed its wealth via high ties with the European Union, and soon - developed radically into one of the most progressive principalities within Russia.
Post-2008[]
After the collapse of the United States, and its associated entities, such as NATO and the European Union, disintegrated, Courland's wealth became fully restored.
Economy[]
The economy of Courland is very important to the Russian Empire's economy, and its economic relations with the west. The German Empire and Finland are Courland's largest foreign investor, with Courland often-not, considered the "gateway" between the Russian and German Empires. It is a very popular place of investment for German and Finnish businessmen.
In addition, the nobility of Courland is Baltic German, and a large wealthy German Overseas population lives in Courland. Courland is a very wealthy principality, and is currently considered one of the wealthiest principalities in the Russian Empire, and a very popular tech hub. Silatech contains many branches in Courland, as well as Balt-Tech.
The Finland-Russia Railway runs through Courland's capital city, Riga.
Demographics[]
Currently, Estonians form the majority of Courland's population, and the demographics of the Principality are as follows:
- 45% Estonians
- 41.5% Russians
- 10.5% Germans
- 3% Others (Finns, Swedes, Jews, other Europeans)
Ethnic Russians currently predominantly live in the big cities, however their main concentration is in eastern Courland, in the Ida-Viru Oblast (OTE: Idu-Viru County) where they constitute the majority. Narva is the main predominantly-ethnic Russian city, and is Courland's third-largest city.
Religion[]
Courland is 32% Lutheran, and is one of two of Russia's only predominantly Lutheran territories. The 15% are Russian Orthodox, and irreligious form the rest at 30%. Catholics and Jews form small communities. Courland, along with neighboring Livonia, form part of the "Lutheran Belt" (Лютеранский пояс) of Russia. Lutheranism and Russian Orthodoxy are both considered local national religions.
At the same time, Courland has also been progressive and irreligious, and has a double image as being part of both the "Lutheran Belt" and the newly-formed "Atheist Belt" (Пояс атеиста). The Rational, Atheist and Agnostic Society of Russia has HQs in Courland's capital city Talinn.
Politics[]
The House of Rennenkampf is currently the ruling local nobility of Courland. They were originally a family of German edlers, of Westphalian origin. After the Russian Civil War, and the emigration of almost all Rennenkampfs to Germany, the remaining edler, Paul von Rennenkampff was crowned as a prince by Cyril I for staying in Russia and fighting. He inherited all of the manors once-owned by the Rennenkampfs. Just like the House of Lieven in the neighboring Livonia, while the majority of Rennenkampfs based in the Baltics, and of Courland are Lutherans, there are also many Russian Orthodox, though the majority are based either in Rostov or Siberia.
Despite the domineering image of the ultra-conservative and ultra-Tsarist Baltic German nobility, Courland has been a hotbed of left-wing and progressive politics, with the Democratic Socialists having dominated the local politics of Courland for some time. The Democratic Nationalists form the second-largest party. Courland is home to Agrarian Unions. The idea of "Christian socialism" and "Christian democracy" is a very popular idea in Courland.
Courland is known to have one of the most socially progressive environments in the Russian Empire.
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