Wilhelm Kettler

Wilhelm Kettler (20 June 1574 – 7 April 1640) was the Duke of Courland, a Baltic German region in today's Latvia. Wilhelm ruled the western Courland portion of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia, while his brother Friedrich ruled the eastern Semigallia portion.

Wilhelm Kettler
Duke of Courland and Semigallia
Duke of Courland
Reign	1587–1617
Predecessor	Gotthard Kettler
Successor	Friedrich Kettler
Born	20 June 1574 Mitau, Duchy of Courland and Semigallia
Died	7 April 1640(1640-04-07) (aged 65) Kucklow, Duchy of Pomerania
Burial	Ducal crypt in the Jelgava Palace
Spouse	Duchess Sophie of Prussia ​ ​ (m. 1609; died 1610)​
Issue	Jacob, Duke of Courland
House	Kettler
Father	Gotthard Kettler
Mother	Anna of Mecklenburg
Religion	Lutheranism

Life and family

Born in Mitau in 1574, Wilhelm Kettler was the youngest son of Gotthard Kettler and his wife, Anna of Mecklenburg. After their father's death in 1587, Friedrich inherited the title of Duke of Courland and Semigallia, but economic control was split between Wilhelm and Friedrich.^[1] The brothers divided the duchy between themselves, and Wilhelm ruled the Courland portion, with the seat in Kuldīga.^[2]

In 1609, William married Princess Sophia of Brandenburg-Prussia (1582–1610), daughter of Albert Frederick, Duke of Prussia, receiving as a dowry the territory of Grobiņa.

Due to conflicts with the local nobility, he lost control of the duchy in 1617 and emigrated.^[3] Thereafter, his brother Friedrich became the sole ruler of the duchy.

He died in the Kucklow abbey in Pomerania on 7 April 1640. His son, Jacob Kettler, succeeded Friedrich as Duke of Courland and Semigallia in 1642.^[3]

Wilhelm's remains were returned to Courland in 1642, and he was interred in the ducal tomb on 23 February 1643.

References

1. Plakans, Andrejs (1995). The Latvians: A Short History. Hoover Press. p. 50. ISBN 978-0-8179-9303-0. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
2. Berkis, Alexander Valdonis (1954). A history of the Duchy of Courland (Master of Arts thesis). University of Wisconson-Madison. p. 39. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
3. Freeman, J (2021). The Duchy of Courland's Colonial Networks and Encounters from the Baltic to the Atlantic: 1638-1698 (Doctor of Philosophy thesis). University of Cambridge. p. 2. Retrieved 1 February 2024.