Gotthard Kettler, Duke of Courland (also Godert, Ketteler; German: Gotthard Kettler, Herzog von Kurland; Latvian: Gothards Ketlers; Latin: Gothardus, etc.; 2 February 1517 – 17 May 1587) was the last Master of the Livonian Order from 1559 to 1561 and the first Duke of Courland and Semigallia from 1561 to 1587.
Biography
Kettler was born near Anröchte, Kreis Soest, of an old Westphalian noble family and the ninth child of the German knight Gotthard Kettler zu Melrich (mentioned 1527–1556) and his wife Sophie of Nesselrode. Gotthard's older brother Wilhelm Kettler was the bishop of Münster from 1553 to 1557.
Following the duke's proposal in 1567, the regional assembly (landtag) decided to build 70 new churches and 8 schools in the remote areas of Duchy where many peasants still lived and died unbaptized.
He died on 17 May 1587 in Mitau (Jelgava), aged 70. His heirs ruled in Courland until 1737.