Krišjānis Berķis (April 26, 1884 in Īslīce parish, Bauska municipality, Courland, modern Latvia – July 29, 1942 in Perm, Russia) was a Latvian general. Rising to prominence as an officer of the Latvian Riflemen in World War I, he was later one of Prime Minister Kārlis Ulmanis' principal conspirators in the coup d'état of May 15, 1934. He served as Commander of the Army from 1934-40 and became Minister of War in 1940. He died in a prison hospital in Russia in 1942. He was married to a Finn, Hilma Lehtonen (1887-1961), whom he met while serving in the Czarist army in Finland. Their only child, Valentins, died in Russia, and their grandson went missing. Berķis is recipient of the Latvian military Order of Lāčplēsis, 1st and 2nd class.[1]