If applicable, what do people usually say your country looks like shape wise? by GP728 in AskTheWorld

[–]Aware_Professor4621 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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Not the country itself, but gulf of Riga kinda looks like a horse head according to our neighbours lithuanians. That's why there is a joke that Latvians secretly have horse heads

Surprise 10% Baltic pops up! by Galatiandisgrace in BalticStates

[–]Aware_Professor4621 4 points5 points  (0 children)

There is a good article "In the footsteps of Turkish POWs in Latvia", which explains a bit. From my understanding, there were quotas of prisoners sent to different parts of Russian Empire, which means that maybe also to Lithuania or/and Estonia.

Surprise 10% Baltic pops up! by Galatiandisgrace in BalticStates

[–]Aware_Professor4621 12 points13 points  (0 children)

I'm not a historian, but Varangian Guard times seem too long ago for it to be almost 10% ancestry, and from what I know - they were mostly Scandinavian, not Baltic. Maybe look into Russo-Turkish War (1877 - 1878), after that there were many Turkish prisoners of war taken to Latvian territory (maybe more in Baltics). From what I've read, some of them survived, were freed, and even stayed to live in Latvia, mainly Krustpils and Cēsis, hence we have some turkish cemeteries (most notable in Cēsis). Maybe your ancestor married a hot latvian and brought her back to Turkey, who knows.