The Vends were a small tribe who in the 12th-16th century lived in the area around the town of Wenden (now Cēsis) in what is now north-central Latvia. The origin of the Vends and their language is disputed; sometimes they are associated with the Western Slavic Wends, while other researchers believe they spoke a Finnic language and were related to the neighboring Livonians and the Votians. (11th century - 12th century - 13th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century was that century which lasted from 1101 to 1200. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... The town of Cēsis, in Latvia, is located in the northern part of Vidzeme Central upland, on the river Gauja, on high hillocks with terraces, overlooking the blue woods of the Gauja ancient river valley. ... Wends (German: Wenden, Latin: Venedi) is the English name for some Slavic people from north-central Europe particularly the Sorbs living in modern-day Germany. ... Finnic (Fennic, sometimes Baltic-Finnic) may refer to languages similar to Finnish spoken close to the Gulf of Finland, i. ... The Livonians are the indigenous inhabitants of a large part of what is today the Republic of Latvia. ... For the process of ballot-casting, see Vote. ...

Prior to their arrival in the area of Wenden in the 12th century, the Vends are believed to have settled by the Venta River near the present city of Ventspils in western Latvia. Their proximity to more numerous Finnic and Baltic tribes inclined the Vends to ally with the German crusaders, who began building a stone castle near the older Vendian wooden fortress in 1207. The castle of Wenden later became the residence of the Master of the Livonian Order. This article is about the river. ... Ventspils is a city in northwestern Latvia, on the coast of the Baltic Sea. ... The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. ... The Teutonic knights in Pskov in 1240. ... Events Stephen Langton consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury June 17 by Pope Innocent III Births September 8 - King Sancho II of Portugal October 1 - King Henry III of England (d. ... The Livonian Brothers of the Sword (Latin Fratres militiae Christi, literally the brothers of the army of Christ), also known as the Christ Knights, Sword Brethren or The Militia of Christ of Livonia, was a military order started in 1202 by Albert von Buxhövden, bishop of Riga (or Prince-Bishop...

Vends may have a connection with the national flag of Latvia. The Rhyme Chronicle of Livonia (Livländische Reimchronik) states that in 1290 when the local militia was recruited to defend Riga, they came from Wenden with a red banner crossed by white, "in the manner of the Vends". Flag ratio: 1:2 The National Flag of Latvia was re-adopted on February 27, 1990. ... For broader historical context, see 1290s and 13th century. ... Riga (Latvian: RÄ«ga), the capital of Latvia, is situated on the Baltic Sea coast on the mouth of River Daugava, at 56°58′N 24°8′E. Riga is the largest city in the Baltic states and serves as a major cultural, educational, political, financial, commercial and industrial center...

The last known record of the Vends' existence as a distinct entity dates from the 16th century. (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ...