Duchy of Courland, Semigallia and Pilten

Duchy of Courland, Semigallia and Pilten Duché de Courlande, Semigallia et Piltene (French) Herzogtum Kurland, Semgallen und Pilten (German) Kurzemes, Zemgales un Piltenes hercogiste (Latvian)
1812–1812
Coat of arms
Map of Courland from 1820.
Status	Short-lived unrecognized client state of the French Empire
Capital	Jelgava
Common languages	German, Latvian, French
Demonym(s)	Curonian
Governor-General
• 1812	Jacques David Martin de Campredon
Head of Government
• 1812	Karl Johann Friedrich von Medem
History
• Established	1 August 1812
• Disestablished	20 December 1812
Preceded by Succeeded by Russian Empire Russian Empire
Today part of	Latvia

The Duchy of Courland, Semigallia and Pilten was a short-lived unrecognized client state of the First French Empire in the Baltics, mostly comprising Courland and Semigallia in modern-day Latvia. It was founded on 1 August 1812, during the French invasion of Russia, from the territory of the Courland Governorate, and existed until 20 December 1812. Its capital was set in Jelgava.

History

On 19 June 1812, during the French invasion of Russia, on the territories of modern-day Belarus and Lithuania occupied by the French troops, was founded the client state of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. On 9 July 1812, emperor Napoleon Bonaparte declared in Vilnius hus intention of restoring historical Duchy of Courland and Semigallia and the Duchy of Livonia. On 18 July, the 10th Corps of the Great Army, commanded by marshal Étienne Macdonald, have occupied the town of Bauska, and the next day, it have deafted the Russian troops in the battle of Ekau. On 20 July, the administration of the Courland Governorate, including its governor Friedrich Wilhelm von Sivers, had fled the territory.

On 1 August 1812, was issued a decree annoucing the formation of the Duchy of Courland, Semigallia and Pilten, with the capital in Jelgava, and the boundaries of the former governorate. Karl Johann Friedrich von Medem was elected as the head of government, with Diedrich Ernst von Schöppingk and Wilhelm Rüdiger becoming his advisers, and Georg Benedict von Engelhardt being appointed the prosecutor. On 26 August, by the order of duke Hugues-Bernard Maret, in Jelgava and Liepāja were established French consulates. On 8 October, general Jacques David Martin de Campredon was appointed as the Governor-General of Courland.

On 28 November, marshal Macdonald received news of the retreat of Napoleon's main forces from Russia and ordered his troops to withdraw from Courland. He himself left on 5 December, while the French-appointed officials left on 7 December. The state ceased to exist on 20 December, with the departure of the French forces. Its territory was reincorporated into Russia as the Courland Governorate.