On This Day
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Swedish troops occupy Riga

Riga ( REE-gə) is the capital, primate, and largest city of Latvia and the second largest in the Baltics.

Riga ( REE-gə) is the capital, primate, and largest city of Latvia and the second largest in the Baltics. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga metropolitan area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 847,162 (as of 2025). The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava river where it meets the Baltic Sea. Riga's territory covers 307.17 km2 (118.60 sq mi) and lies 1–10 m (3–33 ft) above sea level on a flat and sandy plain.

Riga was founded in 1201, and is a former Hanseatic League member. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture.

Historical Significance

Riga ( REE-gə) is the capital, primate, and largest city of Latvia and the second largest in the Baltics.

Events Before

  1. Pilgrim Fathers depart Leiden, Netherlands, for England on their way to America

    Pilgrim Fathers depart Leiden, Netherlands, for England on their way to America

  2. The Mayflower sets sail from Southampton, England, with 102 Pilgrims bound for the New World

    Mayflower was an English square-rigged merchant sailing ship, active from before 1609 until 1622. Her tonnage was 180+, and she was 110 feet long and 25 feet in the beam, with several decks.

  3. The Mayflower departs Plymouth, England, with 102 Pilgrims and about 30 crew for the New World [O.S. Sep 6]

    The Mayflower departs Plymouth, England, with 102 Pilgrims and about 30 crew for the New World [O.S. Sep 6]

  4. Great Patent granted to Plymouth Colony

    The Pilgrims, also known as the Pilgrim Fathers, were the English settlers who travelled to North America on the ship Mayflower and established the Plymouth Colony at what now is Plymouth,...

  5. Mayflower Compact is signed by Pilgrims at Cape Cod, establishing the first framework of government in the territory tha

    Mayflower Compact is signed by Pilgrims at Cape Cod, establishing the first framework of government in the territory that is now the USA [N.S. Nov 21]

Events After

  1. Papal Chancery adopts January 1 as the beginning of the year (previously March 25)

    Papal Chancery adopts January 1 as the beginning of the year (previously March 25)

  2. First American Indian (Powhatan) massacre of Europeans around Jamestown, Virginia, 347 killed

    First American Indian (Powhatan) massacre of Europeans around Jamestown, Virginia, 347 killed

  3. Pope Gregory XV forms Congregatio the Propagande Fide

    The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (CEP; Latin: Congregatio pro Gentium Evangelizatione) was a congregation of the Roman Curia of the Catholic Church in Rome, responsible for...

  4. Germany & Transylvania sign Peace of Nikolsburg

    Germany & Transylvania sign Peace of Nikolsburg

  5. English East India Company forces capture the Portuguese fort on the island of Hormus in the Persian Gulf, an important

    English East India Company forces capture the Portuguese fort on the island of Hormus in the Persian Gulf, an important trading center on the route to Mughal India

More from the 1620s

Papal Chancery adopts January 1 as the beginning of the year (previously March 25)

Papal Chancery adopts January 1 as the beginning of the year (previously March 25)

First American Indian (Powhatan) massacre of Europeans around Jamestown, Virginia, 347 killed

First American Indian (Powhatan) massacre of Europeans around Jamestown, Virginia, 347 killed

Charles I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland ascends the English throne

Charles I, King of England, Scotland and Ireland ascends the English throne

Viceroy Frederick Henry marries Amalia countess von Solms-Braunfels

Viceroy Frederick Henry marries Amalia countess von Solms-Braunfels

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on September 15, 1621?
Riga ( REE-gə) is the capital, primate, and largest city of Latvia and the second largest in the Baltics. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga metropolitan area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 847,162 (as of 2025).
Why is Swedish troops occupy Riga significant?
Riga ( REE-gə) is the capital, primate, and largest city of Latvia and the second largest in the Baltics.

Explore More

September 15 in HistoryYear 1621