Livonia province

Approved on December 8, 1856 . Description: “In a scarlet field there is a silver neck with a golden sword, on the chest, under the Imperial crown, scarlet monogram: PV IV ( Peter the Second , Emperor of All Russia). The shield is crowned with the Imperial crown and surrounded by golden oak leaves connected by the St. Andrew ribbon . ”

Coordinates: between 56 ° 34'16 and 59 ° 4'28 s. w.

The figure of the province is a fairly regular rectangle with the largest length of 246 miles (262 km) and a width of 198 miles (211 km).

Borders: from the north - the Estland province , from the east - Lake Peipsi and the strait connecting it with the Pskov , Pskov and Vitebsk provinces , from the south - Kurland province , from the west - the Gulf of Riga . The length of the western border (seashore) is 280 miles (299 km). The space of the Livonia province ( Strelbitsky ) 41 325.4 square miles (47 030.87 km²)

In 1721, under the Nystadt Peace Treaty, the former Swedish Livonia was annexed to Russia and Riga Province was formed on its territory, which included, in addition to Livonia itself, the territory of the abolished Smolensk province. Initially, it was divided into 2 provinces: the first ( Livonia with the cities of Riga, Pernov, Venden and the island of Ezel) and the second (Smolensk with the cities of Smolensk, Dorogobuzh, Roslavl, Vyazma). In 1726, the Smolensk province was separated into an independent Smolensk province and 5 provinces were allocated as part of the Riga province: Riga, Venden, Derpt, Pernov and Ezels. In 1783, the province was transformed into Riga governorship, which included 9 counties: Riga, Venden, Wolmar, Valka, Derpt, Pernovsky, Fellinsky, Verrosky and Ezelsky. In 1796, governorship was transformed into the Livonia province. In 1893, the Derpt County was renamed Yuryevsky.

On March 30 ( April 12 ), 1917, the Provisional Government adopted the Regulation "On the Autonomy of Estonia", according to which the Verrosky , Pernovsky , Fellinsky , Ezelsky and Yuryevsky counties, as well as part of the Valksky district, were separated from the Livonia province and transferred to the Estland province . In December 1917, the Council of People's Commissars of the RSFSR allocated Dvinsky , Lyutsinsky and Rezhitsky counties from the Vitebsk province and transferred them to the Livonia province. In February 1918, during the First World War, the Livonia province was occupied and entered Ober Ost . After the Brest Peace, on April 12, 1918, the Baltic Duchy was created, which included Vidzeme and Kurzeme . After the Compiegne armistice in November 1918, the Latvian People's Council proclaimed the independence of the Republic of Latvia , recognized de jure under the 1920 Riga Treaty .

Livonia province was divided into 9 counties .

Note: After the February Revolution, on the basis of the provision of the Provisional Government of Russia dated March 30, 1917 “On the Autonomy of Estonia”, the Livonia province was divided: five northern counties with the Estonian population ( Yuryevsky (Derpt) , Pernovsky , Fellinsky , Verrosky and Ezelsky ), as well as Volks of the Valka county, inhabited by Estonians, became part of the neighboring Estland province . At the same time, the exact new border between the Estland and Livonia provinces was never established.

The counties were divided into sections (camps), which were under the jurisdiction of the assistant chiefs of the county. In each county there were 2 districts of Upper Peasant Courts, except for Ezel County, in which there was one such district.

There were 17 district commissars in the counties, subordinate to the Livonian Peasant Affairs Commission.

Judicially, the Livonia province was divided into 5 districts: Riga-Wolmar, Wenden-Valka, Yuryev-Verro, Pern-Fellinsky and Ezel. 42 world sites.

Representative bodies of volosts are volost gatherings ( gemeindeversammlung ), consisting of all taxpayers of volosts, or electoral gatherings elected by taxpayers of volosts, executive bodies of volosts are volost foremen ^[2] .

The province of Estonia was governed by a governor appointed by the emperor. The representative body of local self-government is the Landtag, the chairman of which was called the Land Marshal, the executive body is the Landrat collegium, which consisted of 12 Landrats who were elected for life.

Governor Generals

Governors

Rulers of Viceroyalty

Governors

Provincial leaders of the nobility

Vice Governors

The highest court is the Livland Court of Appeal ( Livländisches Hofgericht ), the courts of appeal - the Zemstvo courts ( Landgericht ), the courts of first instance for the nobility - Ordungsgericht , the courts of first instance for the peasantry - the lower court (kreis) peasantry - volost court ( Gemeindegericht ) and parish court ( Kirchspielgericht ) ^[3] .

On average, in recent years until 1889, about 36,000 people were born annually in the province, about 26,000 people died.

Estates

For the year 1895.

The main mass of the population were former landlord peasants, who were mainly engaged in tillage and cattle breeding. Until 1804 they were completely dependent on the will of the landowner, from this year they received some personal rights, and in 1819 they were freed from serfdom; the right to use peasant land was granted to him in 1849 . From this time, the corvee begins to be replaced by a quitrent and a local peasant bank is established, through which the peasants acquire land ownership.

Noble birth

• Klebek
• Cruz
• Weisman von weisenstein

Religion

For 1895

Nationality 1897 ^[4]

Geological structure

In geological and geognostic terms, the Livonia province with islands belongs to the Silurian, Devonian, and the latest (diluvial) systems. Of these, the first is distributed in the northernmost part of the province and on the islands and consists of dolomites, marl, limestones and sandstones. The middle part of the North of the Livonia province belongs to the middle tier of the Silurian system. In the rest of the Livonia province, the Devonian system, consisting of limestones, dolomites, clay with gypsum, marl, sandstone and sand, is distributed under dilluvial sediments, with the latter rocks forming the lower tier of this system and occupying the largest middle part of the province. This sandstone layer is remarkable for its caves (the Sacrificial Cave - it. Germ. Opferhöhle , Devil's Cave - it. German. Teufelshöhle and Gutmanshole German. Guttmannshöhle near Cremona and others). In the southern part of the Livonia province, the middle tier of the Devonian system is widespread, consisting of dolomites , limestone and clay with gypsum and marl . Between the Zedde rivers ^[5] through the Abze and Ogerd rivers to the Western Dvina, sandstones and sands, and partly clay and marl, form the upper tier of the Devonian system with the predominance of fish remains in it. The coastal formations of the province and erratic boulders covering its surface belong to the newest, or diluvial, system: under the former there are calcareous tuffs, peat marls and marshy iron ores, crystalline rocks prevail between the latter (gneiss, granites and syenites, diorites and porphyries) ; Silurian fossils are rare.

Soil

The spongy soil generally consists of sand, clay, marl and chalk and should be called infertile, only in places black earth occurs; in the lowlands, the soil passes into meadow and moss bogs, in places in peat bogs.

Erratic masses reach 20 feet (6.1 m) in diameter, boulders mostly rounded in shape.

Relief

The continuation of the Estland highlands forms a wide plateau in the Livonia province up to 121 m in height, the middle of which is lost in the Wierz-Herva Lowland, at the edges it is divided into two branches: the Fellinskaya, which forms the western watershed of the Livonia province, and the eastern, which forms the watershed between Lake Wirts-Erv Peipsi ; the first, reaching a height of 133 m, stretches east to the Aa River, south to Lemzal . Here it is called the Lemzal Plateau; on it is the “Blue Mountain” ( German Blauberg ), once considered sacred and now still enjoyed special respect by the Latvians . The second branch is cut by the Embach River, to the south of which it is called the Odenpe Plateau. Near Arral, the terrace of the plateau of 100 feet (30 m) pushes out in the middle of the swamps with a blunt cone Mount Munna Megi (up to 800 feet (244 m)). The highest plateau of the Livonia province, Gangofskoe, stretches south from Mount Verro, descending to Lake Marienburg , its south-western spurs connect with the Pebalga, or Aa plateau, between pp. Aa, Eust and the Western Dvina. In the northern part of the Gangofsky plateau is one of the highest points of the East European plain, Mount Munna-Megi, covered with forests and having 323 m in height; near it is Vella-Megi, 228 m. Towards the south-east, the Gangof plateau through the Devil Mountain continues into the Pskov and Vitebsk provinces.

Piebalga heights are dotted with hundreds of lakes and form a very picturesque area. The highest point is Mount Geising-Kalns, 312 m. The slopes to the Gaue river near Sigulda , Turaida , Krimulda and the banks of the Western Dvina near Selburg and even more Koknese are especially beautiful. This whole area is replete with many picturesque ruins of castles . On the Piebalga heights are the sources of the Gauja River and many of its tributaries and the Western Dvina . Wooded, covered with meadows, partly peat bogs and richly irrigated lowlands of the Livonia province are located: along the shore of Lake Peipsi, around Lake Virts-Erva and Pernovskoye - along the shores of the Gulf of Riga and along the basins of the rivers Pernava and Salis , as well as along the lower reaches of the Aa and Western Dvina rivers . This lowland goes north to Estland , and to the south to Courland province Dunes stretch along the coast of the Gulf of Riga, of which the largest, near Gutmansbach , reaches 129 m in height. Lowlands in the eastern part of the province abound in swamps. The Wirz-Erv Lowland, expanding, like Lake Wirtz-Erv , to the north, tapers to the south of the Livonia province, represents a vast plateau that rises above the coastal lowland and separates terrace-like hills from itself. The wavy hills in the east and southeast of the province have in their bowels sources of major rivers and streams. Once connected with the Estland province , as well as with each other, the main islands of the Livonia province Ezel and Moon are very similar in their area to the Estland province: a flat hill passes through both ( German Landrücken ), and on both northern coasts the coasts abruptly break off above the sea , forming the so-called glint . The island of Moon is surrounded, like the island of Ezel ( Saaremaa ), by many small islands; near the latter there are larger ones ( Abro , Filsand , etc.); in the Gulf of Riga island: Ruhnu .

Waters of the province

The Livonia province is very rich in waters: in the west it is washed by the Gulf of Riga, everywhere 325 rivers are abundantly irrigated; and there are up to 1000 lakes in it; of the latter, more than half are located in the Vendensky district, the vast Lake Peipsi in the east is washing the Livonia province for more than 110 miles (117 km); in the center of the province there is a large inner basin of the Wirts-Erva ; they are followed by the significant lakes Burtnek , Lubanskoe , Marienburgskoye , etc. - all these lakes are of little importance for the province in commercial and industrial terms (except for fishing), but they can be combined into a whole waterway system, the projects of which are no longer once arose. On the coastal strip of the Livonia province, the Gulf of Riga forms two harbors accessible for large vessels, although the entrance to them is hampered by bars and the meandering fairway. These harbors are Riga at the mouth of the Western Dvina River and Pernavskaya at the mouth of the river of the same name. The Baltic Sea on the shores of the Livonian islands forms many small harbors, however, inconvenient in shallow water and in many reefs and shallows , except for Arensburg, which is more convenient and has a good raid . The main islands lying in the Baltic Sea and belonging to the Livonia province ( Ezel , Moon ) are separated by a large strait, or Moon Zund , from the coast of the Estland province and Maly Zund from each other. The rivers of the Livonia province belong to the basins of the Gulf of Riga and Finland . The first includes shipping Pernava with its tributaries Navast , Hallist and Reio ; Salis river, the discharge of Lake Burtnek , into which the Ruyen and Zedde rivers flow; Svent-Uppe River , flowing directly into the Gulf of Riga and connected to the Salis by the Neubach canal . In addition, numerous lakes and coastal rivers with a length of 20-30 km flow directly into the Gulf of Riga. Alloy only for the forest and only in spring the Livonian Aa irrigates most of the southern half of the province. The Zapadnaya Dvina river only on the right bank belongs to the Livonia province for 138 miles (147 km), from the confluence of the Eusta river to the mouth, which forms the port of Riga and both banks of which are within the province, The rivers flowing into it belong to the Finnish basin Peipus ( Peipsi ), some of them (river Boo and Byumze ) poured out in the last directly, others through Lake Wirz-Erva , in which flows the river Small Embach , Emel et al. and from which flows the river Big Embach connecting Virts- pB with Peipus ; it is the only navigable river of this basin.

Swamps

A third of the entire area of ​​the Livonia province, which is occupied by the lowlands, a vast area covered by swamps; of these low-lying meadow bogs ( German Wiesenmoor , Est. Soo , lit. Purr ) are passable only in summer and stretch along Lake Peipsi and the Gulf of Riga, as well as along the rivers Pernava , Embachu , Dvina and others; swampy meadows ( German Sumpfwiesen ), mainly in the northern part of the province, accompany the flow of rivers; moss bogs ( German Hochmoor , Est. Rabba , lit. Tirrul ), in fact, peat bogs are found in depressions and hollows mainly in Riga and Pernovsky districts, also on the southwestern slopes of the Pebalga heights; most marshes are found in Pernovsky (Netzi-Rabba, Laismma-Soo and Mayamo-Soo) and Fellinsky (Pindrina-Soo and Pendara-Soo) counties, and least of all in Venden and Arensburg counties. On the island of Ezel, there are less swamps than in the rest of the Livonia province. Draining bogs annually significantly reduces the space occupied by them. In general, bogs, mostly bare and mossy, occupy about 360 thousand acres (3933 km²), or 1/10 of the entire surface of the province.

Forests

Pernovskiy Uyezd is almost entirely covered by forests, passing into the adjacent part of Fellinskiy Uyezd. Forests stretch from the border of the Estland province in a wide strip to the south along the Pernava river basin, 400 versts (427 km) long, 70-90 versts wide, and in Wolmar county to the shores of the Gulf of Riga; they also cover part of Riga county and the southern part of Vendensky along the Eusta river basin in a space 250 versts (267 km) long and up to 60 versts (64 km) wide. The least forest rich island is Ezel .

The main forest species of the Livonia province: spruce and pine (reaching the size of a ship's forest ), birch , alder , ash , oak and willow . The surviving specimens of oaks of enormous size prove that in the old days this species of forest dominated the province; now, oak groves have survived only in some places (the best in the estate of Gohrazene). At present, forest inventory and forest conservation work has been undertaken everywhere in Livonia province, which, however, began at the end of the last century. Forest servitudes that have existed here for a long time are being eliminated energetically. Artificial forestation is also developing. Particularly rational forestry is carried out in state-owned forests, occupying a space of about 210 thousand acres (2294 km²)

The climate of Livonia province has a more continental character than might be expected from its position, which is explained by the fact that the Baltic Sea , going far to the north, freezes; In addition, vast swamps and forests greatly influence the climate. Spring temperature is subject to the greatest and sharp fluctuations; in general, the climate of the Livonia province is unstable and changeable - the main reason for this circumstance must be sought in the winds, rarely reaching large storms, but blowing almost continuously. However, southwest prevail in the direction of the winds. Rains in quantity, distribution and property are favorable; showers are rare; snow cover is usually deep, in the coastal strip and in marshy places and lowlands there are frequent thick fogs.

Average temperatures (° C):

Riga and Yuriev characterize the climates of the lower parts of the south and north of the Livonia province. In the northeast of the province on the plateau, the climate is colder, on the islands the winter is much warmer (e.g. Tserelsky lighthouse, at 58 ° N, January −2.1 ° C). Precipitation generally falls more than 500 mm per year, much more in the south and west of the province than in the north and east; July is the rainiest month, but the three months following it are quite rainy, and during these months there is often a prolonged bad weather. In general, the Livonia province is more likely to suffer from excess than from lack of rain.

A significant source of the population’s earnings is shipbuilding, shipping, and especially fishing. A part of the population is engaged in seal fishing (on the island of Runo and the Schwarbe Peninsula), hunting, poultry farming, trade and industry.

Природные богатства

Минеральные богатства — главным образом глины , гипс , торф , болотный железняк . Близ Риги серные источники.

Флора Лифляндской губернии богата особенно летом в окрестностях Феллина и Вендена и ещё более в лифляндской Швейцарии , где она достигает необычайного богатства по берегам р. Аа. Из островов Лифляндской губернии по роскоши флоры выделяется о-в Эзель.

Wildlife

Due to the drainage of swamps, the spread of agriculture and the reduction of forests, the number of wild animals in the Livonia province has decreased markedly, and some breeds have completely hatched, such as wild boars . The following animals are most common: bears , wolves , moose , foxes , martens , ferrets , hares .

Local birds include: small eagles , falcons , hawks , crows , magpies , eagle owls , sparrows , pigeons , hazel grouse , partridges , snipe and others. Storks on the island of Ezele .

Fisheries

The Livonia province is less rich in fish than the lakes and rivers of northern Russia. The main subject of fishing: sea breed herring , then perches , sturgeons ; in a smaller amount burbot and flounder . Along the coast of Estonia , near the Baltic port and near Riga, sprats are caught in large numbers. River and lake breeds: salmon , lampreys , trout , vendace , navaga , perches , whitefish and others. Crayfish are abundant everywhere.

A huge amount of herring and flounder are caught in the sea, in the lake of Peipsi, Wirz-Herve, Lubansky and Burtneksky - whitefish , smelt , vendace , ruffs , perches , perch , smelt and so on. On Lake Peipsi, more than 100,000 fish farmers, mainly Russian, are engaged in catching some smelt up to 150,000 barrels annually; in rivers salmon , lampreys (in the Dvina ). Salmon and smelt are exported in large quantities outside the province.

Agriculture

The Livonia province is very rich in bread products, of which the more common are rye , barley everywhere, and small amounts of buckwheat in the middle and southwestern parts. Root plants are bred in large numbers, of which the main thing is potatoes .

From fibrous and oily: flax and hemp . The first is one of the most important local plants.

Grasses in Livonia province are not abundant and unsatisfactory in quality. Due to the lack of grass in the region, almost universal grass sowing emerged, such as: clover , timothy grass , crane peas . Pasture grasses are good only on the island of Ezele.

The most common fruits: various varieties of apples , cherries , pears , plums .

From berries strawberries , raspberries , currants and others; hops are rare.

The total land in 974 landowners and 120 church estates (pastors) was considered in the years 1881-1883 3 147 216 tithes. (3,438,000 ha ).

The agriculture of the province was highly developed. Everywhere a multi-field, fruit-bearing economy was introduced with enhanced fertilizer of all kinds and drainage of fields. Irrigation was carried out, among other things, with the help of artesian wells, of which there were more than 300 in the Livonia province. Grass sowing has long been widespread. Under the meadows with artificial grasses and pastures, including drained bogs, there were 41.5% of the entire surface of the province. The yield of bread is sometimes higher than in the best chernozem provinces. Dairy farming and cheese making were developing, while distilleries were closing. At the end of the 19th century , factories and plants processing the products of the animal kingdom developed more and more, in view of the spreading of correct cattle breeding; in 1890, cloth factories, dairy and cheese factories, leather and bone-mill plants increased their productivity the most.

In 1888 there were 216 870 horses in the province, 401,498 head of cattle, 1,020,800 sheep, 478,640 pigs. Field cultivation was carried out by horses and partly by oxen. Local horse breeding brings up the native breed of clappers and doppel clappers . Sheep breeding developed; pig breeding has reached high perfection. The poultry industry played a greater role between secondary branches of the economy, and beekeeping played a smaller role.

Cattle in Livonia province are small and unsatisfactory; occasionally there are good breeds of bulls and cows . Horses are very unsatisfactory; the well-known breed of kleppers was almost completely bred and survived only near Fellin , Aubert Palen and on the island of Ezel .

In 1890, 86.61% of the children of school age enjoyed the correct education. In the same year, of the recruits hired, 83 were illiterate , and 2,458 were literate and semi-literate. The educational institutions in 1890 were 1959 with 137,285 students; 74514 of them are men, or 54.23%, and 62771 women, or 45.77%. There were 48443 children studying at home under the supervision of the clergy; thus, the total number of students is 185,728.

1 university (in Yuriev) with 2095 students; 16 gymnasiums for men with 4,551 students and 11 for women with 2,345 students; 48 county and parish schools (2534 males and 2440 females), 40 shelters and orphanages (2075 males and 1952 females), 222 colleges, boarding schools and private schools, cities and prayer houses of foreign confessions (8220 males and 7426 females).

Public schools for both sexes:

• 1) at churches: 125 Orthodox (3930 males and 1175 females), 140 Lutheran (4235 females and 1630 females);
• 2) volost and rural schools of various denominations of Orthodox 242 (4200 males and 3245 females), Lutheran 1087 (39070 males and 42035 females), Riga Theological Seminary (with 145 pupils).

Riga Theological College (215), 2 teacher seminaries (18), St. George's Veterinary Institute (290) and with it a feldsher school (8), Riga Polytechnic School (1025), 2 Riga vocational schools (447), 3 nautical schools and classes ( 245), 6 Sunday schools (560 men, 154 women), 3 schools for the deaf-mute (55 males and 52 females), 6 Jewish schools (496 males and 317 females).

There are 24 newspapers and periodicals (12 in Riga, 10 in Yuryev, 2 in Pernov), including several in Estonian and Latvian.

In 1890, the province consisted of 262 doctors, of whom 218 were freelancers and 3 women; pharmacies 104 (rural 43); There are hospitals in all county towns, from 20 to 60 beds. In Riga, not counting the prison, 2 hospitals with 882 beds. There is a psychiatric clinic at the medical faculty of St. George's University; at the Rotenberg summer house near Riga there is a mental hospital for 362 beds. Almshouses are located in Riga (8, for 1,200 people) and in all county towns (total of those who are being mourned?).

Combined list of military topographic map of Livonia province Scale: 3 versts in an inch (1 cm-1260m).
(By clicking on the necessary sheet, the transition to the corresponding card will be carried out.)

• Map of Livonia in 1732 from the Atlas of the All-Russian Empire. Collection of maps of I. K. Kirilov ” (view on the Google engine on runivers.ru)
• Map of the Livonia province (1820). "Geographical Atlas of the Russian Empire, the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Finland"
• Map of the Livonia Province from Atlas by A. A. Ilyin of 1876 (viewed on the Google engine on runivers.ru)

• ESBE: Livonia Province
• Library Tsarskoye Selo, books on the history of the Livonia province (Memorial and Reference books), PDF
• History of the Baltic States and Livonia
• Province on a three-armed military topographic map of European Russia. (automated viewing with modern maps and satellite images)