History
The first ethnic Estonians settled in the forests of the Baltic shore around 5000 years ago, but there was little interaction between the region and the rest of Europe until medieval times. Bordered by bigger nations, Estonia was frequently a battleground for the great powers of northern Europe, and history has seen the country occupied by Danes, Germans, Swedes and Russians before finally achieving independent nationhood in the 20 century.
Around 9000 to 7500 BC we can find the first signs of human settlement in the region of modern-day Estonia which shown by remains of stone tools and weapons.
About 4000 years later in 3000 BC The Finno-Ugric tribes, the ancestors of today' s Estonians migrate from the east and settle around the Gulf of Finland.
The next thing of note is another 4000 years on in AD 1202. Then over a 30 year period the Knights of the Sword, an order of Germanic crusaders, conquered most of Estonia and Latvia. They defeated the Estonian chieftain Lembitu in 1217, and forcibly converted the people to Christianity. Denmark then captures Reval, later known as Tallinn, and northern Estonia. However, it then cedes it to the Knights of the Sword in 1227. At that time and until complete independence, Estonia becomes part of a region which was known as Livonia; this included a part of what is present-day Latvia. Shortly after in 1242 Russian Prince Alexandr Nevsky defeated the Teutonic Knights at Lake Peipsi ending their rule.
Moving on a hundred years to 1343 we have the St George' s Night Rising against Danish rule in northern Estonia. Denmark then sells the region to the Livonian Order of Teutonic Knights, giving them control of most of Estonia. German barons are then set to dominate the country until the 20th century. Merchants of the Germanic Hanseatic League control coastal commerce and towns including Reval and Parnu.
In the period from 1558-1629, The Baltic states are ravaged by the Livonian Wars involving Muscovy (Russia), Sweden and Poland/Lithuania. In 1582 Poland/Lithuania powers drive the Muscovites (Russians) from southern Estonia. Sweden drives Muscovites out of northern and western Estonia. Denmark seizes Saaremaa Island.
In the first 20 years of the 1700’s The Great Northern War between Russia and Sweden ended in defeat for Sweden. The Treaty of Nystad agreed in 1721 meant that now Russia controlled both Estonia and Latvia.
Continued in part 6
The first ethnic Estonians settled in the forests of the Baltic shore around 5000 years ago, but there was little interaction between the region and the rest of Europe until medieval times. Bordered by bigger nations, Estonia was frequently a battleground for the great powers of northern Europe, and history has seen the country occupied by Danes, Germans, Swedes and Russians before finally achieving independent nationhood in the 20 century.
Around 9000 to 7500 BC we can find the first signs of human settlement in the region of modern-day Estonia which shown by remains of stone tools and weapons.
About 4000 years later in 3000 BC The Finno-Ugric tribes, the ancestors of today' s Estonians migrate from the east and settle around the Gulf of Finland.
The next thing of note is another 4000 years on in AD 1202. Then over a 30 year period the Knights of the Sword, an order of Germanic crusaders, conquered most of Estonia and Latvia. They defeated the Estonian chieftain Lembitu in 1217, and forcibly converted the people to Christianity. Denmark then captures Reval, later known as Tallinn, and northern Estonia. However, it then cedes it to the Knights of the Sword in 1227. At that time and until complete independence, Estonia becomes part of a region which was known as Livonia; this included a part of what is present-day Latvia. Shortly after in 1242 Russian Prince Alexandr Nevsky defeated the Teutonic Knights at Lake Peipsi ending their rule.
Moving on a hundred years to 1343 we have the St George' s Night Rising against Danish rule in northern Estonia. Denmark then sells the region to the Livonian Order of Teutonic Knights, giving them control of most of Estonia. German barons are then set to dominate the country until the 20th century. Merchants of the Germanic Hanseatic League control coastal commerce and towns including Reval and Parnu.
In the period from 1558-1629, The Baltic states are ravaged by the Livonian Wars involving Muscovy (Russia), Sweden and Poland/Lithuania. In 1582 Poland/Lithuania powers drive the Muscovites (Russians) from southern Estonia. Sweden drives Muscovites out of northern and western Estonia. Denmark seizes Saaremaa Island.
In the first 20 years of the 1700’s The Great Northern War between Russia and Sweden ended in defeat for Sweden. The Treaty of Nystad agreed in 1721 meant that now Russia controlled both Estonia and Latvia.
Continued in part 6