Islam in Latvia
Encyclopedia
The presence of Muslims in Latvia was first recorded in the early 19th century. The Muslims had mainly Tatar and Turkic
backgrounds, and most had been brought to Latvia
against their will. These included Turkish
prisoners of war from the Crimean War
and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877. After the Russo-Turkish War almost one hundred Turkish prisoners were brought to the town of Cēsis
, where nearly 30 perished owing to harsh conditions of weather, under no suitable location for warmth and no protection for cold.
The total Muslim population in Latvia is estimated at about 2000 by Pew Forum, but at about 10,000 by local Muslims.
. After release from service, most would leave for Moscow
.
During the creation of the Soviet Union
and amid civil war, many refugees entered Latvia, including Muslims of various ethnicities. They were however known to Latvians
as Turks
. In 1928, Husnetdinov, a Turkic
priest, was elected leader of Riga Muslim community. He held that post until 1940.
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
backgrounds, and most had been brought to Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
against their will. These included Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
prisoners of war from the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877. After the Russo-Turkish War almost one hundred Turkish prisoners were brought to the town of Cēsis
Cesis
Cēsis , is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Central Vidzeme Upland. Cēsis is on the Gauja River valley, and is built on a series of ridges above the river overlooking the woods below...
, where nearly 30 perished owing to harsh conditions of weather, under no suitable location for warmth and no protection for cold.
The total Muslim population in Latvia is estimated at about 2000 by Pew Forum, but at about 10,000 by local Muslims.
20th century
In 1902, a Muslim congregation was officially established and recognized by the government. The community elected Ibrahim Davidof as its leader and a prayer hall was inaugurated. The majority of Muslims residing in Latvia in the early part of the 20th century were conscripted in the Russian armyImperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
. After release from service, most would leave for Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
During the creation of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and amid civil war, many refugees entered Latvia, including Muslims of various ethnicities. They were however known to Latvians
Latvians
Latvians or Letts are the indigenous Baltic people of Latvia.-History:Latvians occasionally refer to themselves by the ancient name of Latvji, which may have originated from the word Latve which is a name of the river that presumably flowed through what is now eastern Latvia...
as Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
. In 1928, Husnetdinov, a Turkic
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
priest, was elected leader of Riga Muslim community. He held that post until 1940.