The subjugation and baptism of the Selonians started in 1208, when Albert of Buxhoeveden captured Sēlpils hillfort (Latin: castrum Selonum). The term "Selonians" is most probably the German adaptation of the Livonian name "Highlanders", which leads to the hypothesis that the Selonians and Aukštaitians belonged to the same ethnos. The Livonian Chronicle of Henry describes the Selonians as allies of the Lithuanians. In 1218 the region formed a Selonian diocese,[2] but in 1226 part of that diocese was joined to the Riga archbishopric and the Bishopric of Semigalia was formed. During the Lithuanian wars with the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and from 1237 the Livonian Order, Selonia became partially deserted. From the 14th to the mid-16th centuries, the southern part of the former Selonia belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, while the northern part was ruled by the Livonian Order; after the latter collapsed in 1561, it fell to the Duchy of Courland, a vassal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.[3]
Among historical documents, the Mindaugas's Donation Act of 1261 is the one that best describes the transfer of the Selonian lands to the Knights of the Sword.[4] Their boundary went from the Daugava at Naujene, near Daugavpils castle, running along Kopkelis to Luodis lake and northwards along the Duseta river to lake Sartai and towards the source of the Šventoji. It stretched further to the Latuva, Vašuoka and Viešinta rivers, along the Lėvuo river northwards to the Mūša (Mūsa) and downstream, to the mouth of the Babīte (Būga, 1961, p.273–274).
Thus, the historical sources describing the Selonian boundaries in the second half of the 13th century are rather precise. The linguist Kazimieras Būga, basing himself on linguistic data alone, specifies the southern boundary of the Selonian territory as running approximately by the towns of Salakas, Tauragnai, Utena, Svėdasai, Subačius, Palėvenė, Pasvalys, and Saločiai. Regional history museum of the Selonia region of Lithuania, founded in 1928 in Biržai Castle.
↑M. Jučas; Istorijos institutas (Lietuvos TSR Mokslų akademija); R. Rimantienė; Regina Volkaitė-Kulikauskienė (2005). Lietuvos archeologija. Mokslas. p.48. ISBN978-9986-23-126-4.
Arveds Švābe, ed.: Latvju enciklopēdija. Stockholm: Trīs Zvaigznes, 1952-1953.
Edgars Andersons, ed.: Latvju enciklopēdija 1962-1982. Lincoln: American Latvian Association , 1983-1990. Entry "Sēlija" available at historia.lv. Retrieved 25. II. 2006.
.jpg)
