The Battle of Kircholm at modern Salaspils, Latvia, in which the Poles defeated the more numerous invading Swedes in 1605, is considered one of the greatest victories in Polish military history.

After World War I, both Latvia and Poland regained independence, and the nations became allies against the invading Soviet Russians.

[4] Aleksandra Piłsudska, widow of pre-war Polish leader Józef Piłsudski, with daughters Wanda and Jadwiga fled through Latvia to Sweden.

Latvian conscripts from the Soviet Red Army alike Polish POWs and civilians were among the prisoners of the Stalag II-B German prisoner-of-war camp in Czarne.

[6] In 1942, Polish Prime Minister-in-Exile Władysław Sikorski's intervention to British and American authorities thwarted Soviet attempts to obtain Allied approval for the planned annexation of Latvia and eastern Poland.

April 12, 2010, was declared a day of national mourning in Latvia to commemorate the 96 victims of the Smolensk air disaster, including Polish President Lech Kaczyński and his wife Maria Kaczyńska.

Since 2017, a Polish military contingent has been stationed in Latvia as part of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence defense forces.