Settlement of Semigallia in the 14th- the early 16th centuries

Straipsnyje nagrinėjama Žiemgalos regiono apgyvendinimo raida XIV a. - XVI a. pradžioje. Geografiškai išskirti du regiono apgyvendinimo modeliai - šiaurinis ir pietinis. Šiaurinis pateko į Livonijos, kartu ir į Vakarų Europos, o pietinis - į LDK, kartu ir į Vidurio Europos kultūros įtaką. Abiems modeliams būdinga tam tikra specifika. Ordino valdoms charakteringa tai, kad apgyvendinimas buvo tiek priverstinis, tiek ir klostėsi natūraliai, o LDK Žiemgalos teritorijoje - daugiau vyko natūraliai. Vidinės kolonizacijos procesai Žiemgalos regione artėjo į pabaigą XVI a. pirmojoje pusėje.The discussion continues whether Semigallia region, after the end of the Crusaders' Wars in the 13th century, was a waste land or an inhabited territory. Geographically, two settlement models of this region could be distinguished, i. e. the northern and the southern ones. The northern model of settlement was influenced by the Livonian and West European culture, while the southern one - by the culture of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and that of mid-Europe. Both models have their own specific features. The settlement of the territories under the Order rule was both compulsory and natural, while the settlement of Semigallia territory, which was under the rule of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, was a more natural process. Archaeological and linguistic data allows to claim the continuation of Semigallia's settlement in the 14th century, as part of its inhabitants stayed here. However, in the 15th-16th centuries new settlers comprised the majority of inhabitants; the northern Semigallia was mainly settled by Lettigallians, Lyves and Curonians. Curonians comprised the minority of the population. The southern Semigallia was mainly settled by Upper Lithuanians (Aukštaitians), Samogitians, and Curonians. The Curonians compromised the minority of the population. The process of inner colonization came to an end in the first half of the 16th century