The Failed Attempt of Duke Magnus and the Livonians.
… In addition, it has also caused us great concern that we were distrusted by our neighbors because of such misfortunes suffered solely for Livonia (and through no fault of our own, and despite the fact that we treated them well, they brought trouble and misery upon themselves by the agreements they concluded to destroy [the enemies]), when we had to hold talks with the Grand Duke … and therefore … we also were in the greatest danger from all sides.
Duke Magnus had been in Livonia for ten years when he submitted himself to Tsar Ivan IV, becoming the head of the Grand Duke’s vassal state. The project to form a dependent territory in Livonia was necessary for Ivan primarily for reasons of foreign policy, but Magnus accepted the offer and hoped to build more, uniting the Livonian territories in his own person.
However, in a country torn by wars and political changes between the major players of Sweden, Denmark, Muscovy or Russia, and Poland-Lithuania, it was difficult to build a state, especially under a suzerain whose changeable mind often severely punished his subjects. Magnus nevertheless managed to unite the local elite, nobles, and small town burghers behind him on several separate occasions—though in the end, the duke failed to meet their expectations.
The political history of Magnus’ state is supplemented by maps illustrating it in different years. The situation in 1577 is also highlighted, when the “King of Livonia” managed to briefly unite a large part of modern-day Latvia. In addition to the history of the Kingdom of Livonia, the history of places associated with it during that period, e.g., Põltsamaa, Karksi, Salacgrīva, Limbaži, etc., is also summarized.
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