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Riga's History
The small Riga River wound like a
narrow ribon along marshes and sands
and flowed into the Daugava River.
Near the river's bend a settlement of
Liv merchants and craftsmen was
located (in the area of present day
Audeju and Kaleju streets in Old Town
of Riga).  They used to build low houses
made of pine or fir logs with straw or
reed roofs and basements made of
boulders os oak-wood wells. They
worked in smithies, built vessels,
traded at the Market Square. Foreign
merchants who travelled by the
Daugava River were frequent visitors
there.
A little bit further, close to the
Daugava, the second Liv settlement
appeared - the fishermen's one (in the
area of Marstalu and Brivibas streets).
These two settlements were
connected with castles of Livs and
Latgals and settlements of craftsmen
situeted at the second most important
river - the Gauja - by the only ground
road - the Sand Road. It followed the
path of present-day Brivibas street and
turned to Liv settlement near the
Powder Tower.
In spring 1200 Pope in his bull declared
crusade against Livonia peoples. From
that time more and more often foreign
ships arrived to the harbour on the
Riga River - not with goods but with
armoured knights. At last bishop Albert
arrived - with knights and squadron of
23 ships. for the whole summer they
negotiated with local elders and
examined the harbour.
And on one autumn day guets arrived
to bishop Albert. They were chiefs of
Livs from castles upon the Daugava
River and Turaida region who had been
christened. When the feast was at its
peak the bishop secretly ordered to
close all the outer doors and windows.
After that he declared to the invited
that they were his captives and unless
they yielded to his will they would be
shackled and sent to exile.
And bishop Albert demanded the land
near Riga settlements to be given to
him and his people. Having received
the promise bishop set chiefs of Livs
free. But he took thirty sons of the
chiefs as hostages and brought them to
Germany.
That was how the building of Riga
had been started.
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