[ON THE ANNEXATION OF COURLAND] CATHERINE II – Russian Empress (1762-1796)

1) Manifesto "On the Eternal Annexation to the Russian Empire of the Duchies of Courland and Semigallia, as well as the District of Pilten, and on Inviting Representatives to the Senate to Take an Oath of Allegiance." St. Petersburg, April 15, 1795. – [1] p.; size unknown. In German. 2) Manifesto "О prisoedinenii na vechnye vremena k Rossiiskoi imperii knyazhestv Kurlyandskogo i Semigalskogo, takzhe okruga Piltenskogo i o priglashenii upolnomochennykh v Senat dlya uchineniya prisyagi na vernost' poddanstva" ["On the Eternal Annexation to the Russian Empire of the Duchies of Courland and Semigallia, as well as the District of Pilten, and on Inviting Representatives to the Senate to Take an Oath of Allegiance."] [N.p.], April 15, 1795. – [3] p.; 26.5x18.5 cm. In Russian. 3) Act of renunciation of his highness Duke Peter of Courland and Semigallia from the rights that belonged to him by the title of Duke of Courland and Semigallia. St. Petersburg, 17 / 28 March 1795. - [3] p.; size cm. Text in parallel in Russian and German. Peter Biron (1724-1800) was the son and successor of Ernst Johann Biron, the last Duke of Courland from 1769 to 1795. On 28 March 1795 in St. Petersburg he signed the abdication of the dukedom, for which he received an annual pension of 100,000 thalers (50,000 chervonets); in addition, the Empress paid 500,000 chervonets for his estates in Courland. 4) Act of the noble knighthood and zemstvo assembly of the duchies of Courland and Semigallia, on their submission to Her Imperial Majesty. Given in Mitava in the Zemstvo assembly on 18 March 1795. [St. Petersburg, 1795]. - 7 p.; 36 x 22 cm. Text in parallel in Russian and German. 5) Manifesto of the Administration and the Entire Noble Knightage and Land Assembly of the Duchies of Courland and Semigallia on Renunciation of the Existing Union with Poland. Issued in Mitau at the Land Assembly on March 18, 1795. [N.p., 1795]. – [12] p.; 36x23 cm. Text in parallel Russian and German. The annexation of the Duchies of Courland and Semigallia in 1795 was part of the partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the duchy, which had been a vassal of the Commonwealth, changing its sovereignty and joining the Russian Empire along with the Pilten area. In the annexed territories, the Mitau Province was temporarily established with nine districts, soon transformed into the Courland Governorate. The annexation of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia in 1795 was part of the partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, as a result of which the vassal duchy of Courland and Semigallia changed its sovereignty and became part of the Russian Empire together with the Pilten area. In the annexed territories, the province of Mitava with nine counties was temporarily formed, which was soon transformed into the province of Courland.