Bandava (in Latvian and Lithuanian; ) - 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 Kuldëga district in Latvia with the administrative center near the modern-day Kuldëga.
It included some of the following villages (villae): , , Vepele, LibiÃ
Âi, Skrunda, JÃÂrnieki, , Alsunga, Arsene, Asene, Ursuüi, UrÃÂle, Ardone, Pakare, Nikte, Ã
 Ã·ÃÂde, , , , , , Tigve, Karitanke, VelÃ
¾i and Manestute.
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 Kuldëga Castle near Venta river was received by the Livonian Order, but the south-western part with Aizpute and EmbÃ
«te 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 â (Laidi Parish),
- Sargamiten â Sermëte (Laidi Parish),
- Wepele â Vaipas (Kazdanga Parish),
- Lippeten or Lippayten â Lipai÷i (Turlava Parish),
- Libben â LibiÃ
Âi (Turlava Parish),
- Scrunden â Skrunda,
- Irien or Yrien â JÃÂrnieki vai Dziras (Nëgrande Parish),
- Turlowe â Turlava (Turlava Parish),
- Alswangen â Alsunga,
- Asen â ÃÂÃ
¾u mÃÂjas (Kazdanga Parish),
- Arsen â ÃÂrzes or ÃÂrdze (Laidi Parish),
- Iherusalem or Iursalen â Ursuüi (Kazdanga Parish),
- Arolde or Aralden â UrÃÂle (Aizpute Parish),
- Arden â Ardone (?) (Aizpute Parish),
- castellatura Dzerbithen â RaÃ
Â÷u (Irbes?) pilskalns (RaÃ
Â÷i Parish),
- Mesete or Masote â ? (RaÃ
Â÷i Parish),
- Packare â Pakare?,
- Nicken or Nitthen â Nikte (VÃÂrme Parish),
- Scheden â Ã
 Ã·ÃÂde (VÃÂrme Parish),
- Pavelden or Paiulden â SnÃÂpele (SnÃÂpele Parish),
- Villegale â Vilgale (KurmÃÂle Parish),
- Eze â êvandes mÃÂcëtÃÂjmuiÃ
¾a (êvande Parish),
- Kewele or Kewalen â öimale (êvande Parish),
- Kormale or Kormalen â KurmÃÂle (KurmÃÂle Parish),
- Kemalen â öimale (Padure Parish),
- Ywande â êvande (êvande Parish),
- Togowe or Tigwen â Tigas (Padure Parish).
The settlements of Bandava in the part of the bishop of Kurzeme mentioned in the agreement (one third of Bandava):
- Amboten â EmbÃ
«te, (EmbÃ
«te Parish),
- Kalten â KalÃ
¡i, (VaiÃ
Âode Parish),
- Baten â BÃÂte, (VaiÃ
Âode Parish),
- Waruwe â VÃÂrve, (Tadai÷i Parish),
- Elkene â Elkuzeme, (VaiÃ
Âode Parish),
- Assiten â Asëte, (Priekule Parish),
- Rese â RÃÂzas, (EmbÃ
«te Parish),
- Cepse â Sepene, (EmbÃ
«te Parish),
- Padoren â TÃÂÃ
¡u Padure, (Kalvene Parish),
- Selde or Celde â Cildi, (Kazdanga Parish),
- Lene â LÃÂÃ
Âi, (RudbÃÂrÃ
¾i Parish),
- Nodingen or Nedingen â NÃÂdinga, (EmbÃ
«te Parish),
- Parbonen â PÃÂrbone, (Kalvene Parish),
- Kalnien or Kalven â , (Kalvene Parish),
- Apussen â VecapÃ
«ze, (RudbÃÂrÃ
¾i Parish),
- Hasenpotten â Aizpute,
- Iameten â Jamai÷i, (Turlava Parish),
- Scherenden or Zerenden â Cerenda or Cindari, (Gudenieki Parish),
- Adze â Adze, (Gudenieki Parish),
- Pewe â Pievika (Gudenieki Parish).
References
Bibliography