The modern-day territories of Latvia and Estonia in the middle ages were called Livonia (in Latin Livonia, German – Livland), which is s Latinized or Germanized name in the ancient Livonian settlement with which the German merchants or missionaries came into contact. Following the Crusade traditions, the bishop Albert bequeathed the newly Christianized lands to the Virgin – Holy Mary, and this homage was accepted in 1215 in the 4th Lateran council by the pope Innocent III, calling it Terra Mariana – the land of Maria (in the first Crusade the conquered Palestine was called as the Christ or Son’s land, whereas, the German order controlled Prussian lands were bequeathed by the Church to the Apostle Saint Peter). In the consciousness of people the ancient religious believes had mixed with elements of Christianity and the name Mara’s land.
To briefly describe, in the Livonian country time, the main settlement in Latgale’s countryside was a village. Part of the inhabitants were landlords who owned lands, another part were servants – landless farmers. There were also unfree inhabitants – tickings. In the 14th century farmers, who at the time were free, were bound to lands. In the 15th century alongside the duties that had to be paid to the manor, increased the amount of corvees. In the 16th century the norms of serfdom were strengthened even more and they remained till the 19th century.
From Russia comes “samogon”
It is practically impossible to find data that would confirm a certain time when in the Latgale’s territory people had started to use strong drinks. But there are known facts that the word “samogon” was used in the time of the Livonian war. The first pub was opened during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Only nobleman and wealthy boyars could go to it. In 1559 Ivan the Terrible gave an order to grant the local inhabitants of Livonia a privilege for “САМие ГОНати”, that is, a tax-free “bread wine” production from their own grown crops, also a tax-free trade for it in the Russian Tsardom (5). Later, combining the two words together and using two vowels “o” the term “САМОГОН” was created. The term was used in the wine production industry, therefore labeling the first highest quality wine that is distilled without pressing. In the society a trustworthy and natural high quality product was labeled with the term “Samogon”. They do not say it for nothing: good old Samogon.