NOBLEMEN from Latvia

Top 4

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Latvian Noblemen of all time. This list of famous Latvian Noblemen is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly (1761 - 1818)

With an HPI of 65.22, Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly is the most famous Latvian Nobleman.  His biography has been translated into 45 different languages on wikipedia.

Prince Michael Andreas Barclay de Tolly (baptised 27 December [O.S. 16 December] 1761 – 26 May [O.S. 14 May] 1818) was a Russian Field Marshal who figured prominently in the Napoleonic Wars. Barclay was born into a Baltic German family from Livland. His father was the first of his family to be accepted into the Russian nobility. Barclay joined the Imperial Russian Army at a young age in 1776. He served with distinction in the Russo-Turkish War (1787–92), the Russo-Swedish War (1788–90), and the Kościuszko Uprising (1794). In 1806, Barclay began commanding in the Napoleonic Wars, distinguishing himself at the Battle of Pułtusk that same year. He was wounded at the Battle of Eylau in 1807 while his troops were covering the retreat of the Russian army. Because of his wounds, he was forced to leave command. The following year, he carried out successful operations in the Finnish War against Sweden. Barclay led a large number of Russian troops approximately 100 km across the frozen Gulf of Bothnia in winter during a snowstorm. For his accomplishments, Barclay de Tolly was appointed Governor-General of the Grand Duchy of Finland. From 20 January 1810 to September 1812 he was the Minister of War of the Russian Empire. When the French invasion of Russia began in 1812, Barclay de Tolly was commander of the 1st Army of the West, the largest Army to face Napoleon. Barclay initiated a scorched earth policy from the beginning of the campaign, though this made him unpopular among Russians. After the Battle of Smolensk failed to halt the French and discontent among Russians continued to grow, Alexander I appointed Mikhail Kutuzov as Commander-in-Chief, though Barclay remained in charge of the 1st Army. However, Kutuzov continued the same scorched earth retreat up to Moscow where the Battle of Borodino took place nearby. Barclay commanded the right wing and center of the Russian army for the battle. After Napoleon's retreat, the eventual success of Barclay's tactics made him a hero among Russians. He became Commander-in-Chief in 1813 after the battle of Bautzen, replacing Wittgenstein (who had been appointed after Kutuzov's death early in 1813) and led the taking of Paris, for which he was made a Field Marshal. His health later declined and he died on a visit to Germany in 1818.

2. Friedrich Kettler (1569 - 1642)

With an HPI of 56.02, Friedrich Kettler is the 2nd most famous Latvian Nobleman.  His biography has been translated into 18 different languages.

Friedrich Kettler (Latvian: Frīdrihs Ketlers, 25 November 1569 in Mitau (now Jelgava) – 17 August 1642) was Duke of Courland and Semigallia (Latvian: Kurzemes un Zemgales hercogiste, now part of Latvia) from 1587 to 1642. He was the son of Gotthard Kettler, the first Duke of Courland. Until 1617, he ruled only the eastern Zemgale (Semigallia) portion of the duchy, while his younger brother, Wilhelm Kettler, ruled the western Courland portion. Friedrich ruled the entire duchy from 1617 onward, after his brother emigrated due to conflicts with the nobility.

3. Maria Amalia of Courland (1653 - 1711)

With an HPI of 54.32, Maria Amalia of Courland is the 3rd most famous Latvian Nobleman.  Her biography has been translated into 20 different languages.

Princess Maria Amalia of Courland (Maria Anna Amalia Kettler; 12 June 1653 – 16 June 1711) was a Landgravine of Hesse-Kassel by her marriage to Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel. She was a daughter of Jacob Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia and Margravine Louise Charlotte of Brandenburg. Her eldest son was King Frederick I of Sweden. One of her daughters was the most recent common ancestor of all the currently reigning monarchs of Europe from 1939 to 1941 and 1943 to 2022.

4. Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine of Württemberg (1802 - 1864)

With an HPI of 50.95, Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine of Württemberg is the 4th most famous Latvian Nobleman.  Her biography has been translated into 17 different languages.

Duchess Elisabeth Alexandrine Constance of Württemberg (27 February 1802 in Würzau, Courland Governorate – 5 December 1864, in Karlsruhe) was a daughter of Duke Louis of Württemberg and Princess Henriette of Nassau-Weilburg.