It was organized into a city, a municipality and fifteen parishes, each with a local government authority.

In the 15th century, Bauska Castle was built as a stronghold of the Livonian Order and a settlement developed around the fortification, called Vairogmiests.

When Latvian independence was declared on 18 November 1918 the kreis was renamed, reorganized and included territory which is now part of Lithuania.

[3] During World War II Bauska was occupied by Soviet forces and heavy fighting destroyed many of the structures of the main town.

The Jewish Latvian population of the area were largely exterminated by Nazi forces and several thousand residents of the district were deported in 1941 and 1949 during political unrest.