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| | History of Latvia - Latvian history |
 | | Ancestors of Baltic Finn peoples lived in the area since approximately 3000 BC, but during the first half of the second millennium BC the first proto-Baltic tribes entered the area and the culture of the Baltic (Selonians, Semgallians, Couronians, Latgallians) and Finno-Ugric (Livian) tribes was formed. |
 | | In the 12th century, the independent evolution of the tribes and communities living along the Baltic Sea in the area of present day Latvia was curtailed by the arrival of western European (primarily German) crusaders travelling east to spread the Catholic faith and the expansion of feudalism. |
 | | By the 1270's, the crusaders had established the state of Livonia, a political union of territories belonging to the Livonian Order of Knights and to the Catholic church, covering the homelands of the Couronians, Semgallians, Latgallians, Selonians and Finno-Ugrians (Estonians and Livs) in the territory of present-day Latvia and Estonia. |
| www.randburg.com /lv/history.html (563 words) |
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