Bandava

Eldership of Bandava Bandava
c. 1000–1253   →
Capital	Kuldīga
Language(s)	Ancient Curonian
Government	Principality
Prince (rex)	Lamekins
History
- Established	c. 1000
- Disestablished	1253

Bandava (Latin: Bandowe) - the old Curonian land in the late iron age and in 13th century. For the first time was mentioned in the biography of Bishop Ansgar ("Vita Anskarii") written by Bishop Rimbert of Bremen (lived before 888 AD). The country was located between Ventava, Ceklis, Piemare, Duvzare and the Baltic Sea on the present territory of Ventspils district and Kuldīga district in Latvia. Division of Bandava country was mentioned in 1253. Consisted from the following settlements (villae): Valtaiķi, Sermīte, Vepele, Lipaiķi, Libiņi, Skrunda, Jērnieki, Turlava, Alsunga, Arsene, Asene, Ursuļi, Urāle, Ardone, Pakare, Nikte, Šķēde, Snēpele, Vilgale, Kormale, Ķimale, Īvande, Tigve, Karitanke, Velži and Manestute^[1]

References

1. ^ (Latvian) Enciklopēdija Latvijas Vēsture

Bibliography

• Švābe, Arveds (1938), Straumes un avoti, Rīga 
• Bielenstein, August Johann Gottfried (1892), Die Grenzen des lettischen Volksstammes und der lettischen Sprache in der Gegenwart und im 13. Jahrhundert, St. Petersburg