m Landhofmeister Mathias von der Recke to Duke Frederick. Neuenburg/Jaunpils, 13 December 1633. LVVA, Collection 554, Inventory 1, File 89.
Recke reports that he has handed over the manors of Tuckum/Tukums and the surrounding area to Melchior von Fölckersam, representative of Duke James. In late 1633 Friedrich turned over to James' charge several manors in the part of the duchy formerly ruled by William. In addition to Tuckum/Tukums, he was given the manors of Zabeln/Sabile, Kandau/Kandava, Schtunden/ Skrunda, Luttringen/Lutriņi, Durben/Durbe, Grobin/Grobiņa, Rutzau/ Rucava, Niederbartau/Nīca and Oberbartau/Bārta, along with their districts, as well as the Heiligenaa/Sventāja and Libau/Liepāja Coast bailiwicks.
10. Instruction from James to his servant Samuel Wagner. Mitau/Jelgava, 26 November 1640. LVVA, Collection 554, Inventory 3, File 1949.
Duke James instructs Wagner to take the ship St Jacob to the port of Santander in Spain. There he is to sell the duke's goods and purchase others. The ship may have been built at Windau/Ventspils, where James had established a shipyard in 1639, but there is no firm evidence of this. In February 1641, the St Jacob was wrecked off the coast of Denmark.
11. Assurance by Heinrich Lunauw, captain of the St Jacob, to Duke James. Riga, 10 December 1640. LVVA, Collection 554, Inventory 3, File 1949.
Lunauw confirms that he will sail the St Jacob from Riga to Amsterdam and Bordeaux, and will return to Libau/Liepāja or Windau/Ventspils. He also promises to sail the ship “as a good mariner should”. Since the captain himself was illiterate, the letter is signed on his behalf by Arend Samson, the duke’s factor (commercial agent) in Riga. The document shows that James had changed his earlier decision, and was sending the ship not to Spain, but to Holland and France.
12. Letter from James to Duke Frederick. Annenburg/Emburga, 8 July 1634. Excerpt. LVVA, Collection 1100, Inventory 13, File 719, Volume II.
On his return from the campaign to Russia, James decided to go on a tour abroad, because in his opinion it would be too expensive to maintain two courts. James asks Frederick for advice on where he might travel, how long he might stay, and how he should act in case the truce between Sweden and Poland-Lithuania were not extended and war should break out again.
13. Announcement by the delegates of the Sejm and senators of Poland-Lithuania. Warsaw, 16 July 1632. Copy. LVVA, Collection 554, Inventory 3, File 27.
Sigismund III of Poland, who had for many years been hostile towards Duke William, died in April 1632. The members of the Radziwiłł family, related to the Dukes of Courland, managed to convince the delegates of the Sejm, convened in order to elect the new king, to recognise William's right to the throne of Courland. The announcement states that, on the request of the kings of France and England and other rulers, and in recognition of the merits of the house of the Dukes of Courland, the Sejm and Senate is restoring the previous rights of William and his son James, and promises to achieve the agreement of the new king. Władysław IV, who came to the throne in November 1632, accepted this, with the proviso that William was never to return to Courland.
14. Act of agreement between Duke Frederick and James. Mitau/Jelgava, 19 July 1638. LVVA, Collection 554, Inventory 3, File 27.
In 1637 the brother of the King of Poland put forward a claim to Courland. Then Duke Frederick declared that he was transferring the duchy to James, and also obtained the agreement of the Sejm of Poland-Lithuania, which was opposed to any increase in the king's power. However, under the agreement between the two dukes, Frederick would continue to rule as long as he was able. Meanwhile, James also received possession of manors of Goldingen/Kuldīga, Sahten/Sāti, Irmlau/Irlava, Schwarden/Zvārde, Sessau/Sesava and the harbour of Windau/Ventspils.
15. Account of the investiture ceremony of Duke James. Vilnius, 16 February 1639. LVVA, Collection 554, Inventory 3, File 27.
In Vilnius in February 1639 James received his diploma o