Principality of Jersika

The Principality of Jersika was a significant medieval Latgalian state located in present-day Latvia. It was a prominent power before the Northern Crusades, with its capital situated on a fortified hill fort in the region of Līvāni Municipality. The principality's territory extended through modern-day Latgale and Vidzeme, bordering several other principalities and regions. Its history is marked by its strategic position along a trade route from the Varangians to the Greeks, which attracted various political interests and conflicts. The principality existed from at least the 11th century and saw notable events such as its mention in the 13th-century Livonian Chronicle of Henry, its defeat by Bishop Albert of Riga in 1209, and subsequent division and sacking. The last known ruler, Visvaldis, who passed away in 1239, left behind a contested legacy over his fief, contributing to the region's complex medieval history.