Duchy of Carniola
Its origins as a separate political entity can be traced back to the 17th century, when the Habsburg duchy of Carniola was divided into three administrative districts. This division was thoroughly described by the scholar Johann Weikhard von Valvasor in his 1689 work "The Glory of the Duchy of Carniola". The districts were known in German as "Kreise" ("kresija" in old Slovene). They were: "Upper Carniola" with its centre in Ljubljana, comprising the northern areas of the duchy; "Lower Carniola", comprising the east and south-east, with its centre in Novo Mesto; and "Inner Carniola" comprising the west and south-west of the duchy, with its centre in Postojna.