The Fleet of Courland and Semigallia was the navy and merchant fleet of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. It has existed since the end of the 16th century, but the official date of its creation is considered to be the founding of the Vindava Admiralty in 1638. The main creator was Duke Jacob Kettler, the most prominent of all the rulers of the duchy. It was built at the Vindava (1638–1718), Goldingen (1638–1702), and Libava shipyards (1677–1702). During its heyday in the middle of the 17th century, it numbered up to 40 warships and 100 merchant ships. The fleet was used in international trade, the Couronian colonization of America and Africa, and the wars of European powers as a mercenary force. It suffered greatly in the wars with the Swedes: the Second Northern War (1655–1660) and the Great Northern War (1700–1721). In fact, it ceased to exist after the closure of the shipyard in Vindava. History Creation The founding date of the fleet of Courland and Semigallia is considered to be 1638, when Duke Friedrich Kettler, at the initiative of Crown Prince James, built the Vindava Admiralty. Shipyards were also built in Vindava and Goldingen: large ships, including military ones, were built at the former; at the latter, small ships were built. Until this time, from the end of the 16th century, Goldingen was the main area for ship-building. Merchant ships were primarily produced. Ship-building work lasted a long time due to the small number of experts. During the year, the people of Courland built one large ship and two small ships. As of 1640, the duchy's fleet remained insignificant, and its armament was worse than average. The heyday The heyday of the Courland fleet came during the reign of Duke Jacob Kettler. He hired specialists from the Netherlands to modernize the Vindava and Goldingen shipyards. The Dutch masters who built the ships, and local Germans and Latvians worked as apprentices and helpers. Thanks to the reforms, each shipyard produced five large ships a year. In 1677, Jacob opened a third shipyard in Libava, where many merchants were concentrated. The duke also created the infrastructure of the fleet: he built many piers, berths and warehouses. He widened Vindava Harbor and deepened its bottom, making Vindava the main external port of the duchy, one of the largest trading centers on the Baltic Sea. In parallel, the duke established manufactories for