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The Story of

Estonia

8000 BCE – 2020

Country in Northern Europe

  1. Ancient Estonia

    8th millennium BCE – 13th century

    Ancient Estonia is the prehistoric period in the history of Estonia that concerns the emergence of human settlement in the area of what is now modern-day Estonia. It follows the period in the history of Estonia from the middle of the 8th millennium BC (around 8000 BC) until the conquest and subjugation of the local Finnic tribes in the first quarter of the until the 13th century during the Teutonic and Danish Northern Crusades during the Middle Ages.

  2. Battle of Viljandi

    March 1211

    The Battle of Viljandi was a battle during the Livonian Crusade in 1211 in Viljandi, Estonia. The battle ended with no decisive victory for the invaders as they were unable to take the stronghold.

  3. Battle of Lehola

    1215

    The Battle of Lehola was fought in 1215 between the Livonian Brothers of the Sword, a crusading military order, and the Estonians.

  4. Battle of Otepää

    February 1217

    The Battle of Otepää (Russian: Битва при Оденпе) was a battle during the Livonian Crusade in February 1217. The battle ended in a compromise, with the Russians allowing the Germans to leave the fortress.

  5. Battle of St. Matthew's Day

    21 September 1217

    The Battle of Matthew's Day (Estonian: Madisepäeva lahing) was fought near Viljandi (probably in Vanamõisa) on 21 September 1217 during the Livonian Crusade. The adversaries were the Sword Brethren (a German Crusading order) with their recently converted Livonian and Latgalian allies versus an army of 6,000 Estonian men from different counties, led by Lembitu, who had attempted to unify the Estonians.

  6. Battle of Lyndanisse

    15 June 1219

    The Battle of Lyndanisse or Lindanise was fought on 15 June 1219 during the North Crusades, between the forces of the invading Kingdom of Denmark and the local non-Christian Estonians. The Danish victory in the battle, at the site of the later Hanseatic city of Reval (now Tallinn, Estonia) helped King Valdemar II of Denmark to subsequently claim the territory of northern Estonia as his participation in the crusade into Estonia had been undertaken in response to calls from the Pope.

  7. Battle of Lihula

    8 August 1220

    The Battle of Lihula or Battle of Leal was fought between invading Swedes and Estonians for the control of a castle in Lihula, Estonia in 1220. The exact date remains uncertain, though some historians suggest that the battle took place on August 8.

  8. Siege of Tartu

    15 August 1224

    The siege of Tartu, or Dorpat, took place in 1224 and resulted in the fall of the last major center of Estonian resistance in the mainland provinces to the Christian conquest of Estonia.

  9. Battle of Muhu

    1 January 1227

    The Battle of Muhu was a military engagement fought between a force of Baltic and Germanic crusaders and pagan Oeselians. The battle, fought in Muhu, Estonia, resulted in the crusaders storming and capturing a fortress held by the Oeselians.

  10. Battle of Wesenberg

    28 February 1268

    The Battle of Wesenberg, Rakvere, or Rakovor, was fought on 18 February 1268 between the combined forces of Danish Estonia, the Bishopric of Dorpat, the Livonian Order, and local Estonian militias on one side, and the combined Russian forces of Novgorod and Pskov, led by Dmitry of Pereslavl, on the other. Medieval accounts of the battle vary, with both sides claiming victory.

  11. Siege of Narva

    1558

    The siege of Narva (Estonian: Narva piiramine; Russian: Осада Нарвы) was a Russian siege of the Livonian city of Narva (in modern-day eastern Estonia) from April through May 1558, during the Livonian War. After capturing the city in July 1558, the Russians used Narva as a trading center and port to move goods from Pskov and Novgorod.

  12. Estonia under Swedish rule

    1561–1710

    Estonia under Swedish rule signifies the period of time between 1561 and 1710, when present-day Estonia was under the rule of the Swedish Empire. In the wake of the breakup of the State of the Teutonic Order, the Baltic German local nobility in the areas of Harrien (Harjumaa) and Wierland (Virumaa), as well as the city of Reval (Tallinn) in June 1561 and somewhat later Jerwen (Järvamaa), asked for and were granted protection by the Swedish king Eric XIV, leading to Swedish involvement in the Livonian War.

  13. Battle of Lode

    23 January 1573

    The Battle of Lode was fought during the Livonian War, between a Swedish and Russian army on 23 January 1573, near the town of Lode (now Koluvere). The battle was won by the Swedes.

  14. Siege of Wesenberg

    January 1574 – March 1574

    The siege of Wesenberg, Rakvere, or Rakovor, was an abortive Swedish siege of the Russian-held town of Wesenberg in Estonia from January through March 1574, during the Livonian War. The siege is infamous for a brawl and subsequent combat between German and Scottish mercenaries within the besieging army, which claimed the lives of about 1,500 Scots.

  15. Polish–Swedish War of 1600–11

    1600–1611

    The Polish–Swedish War (1600–1611) was a continuation of struggle between Sweden and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth over control of Livonia and Estonia, as well as the dispute over the Swedish throne between Charles IX of Sweden and Sigismund III of Poland. After skirmishes, sieges and battles often aborted by Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, a truce was signed until the later invasion by the Russians.

  16. Battle of Karksi

    29 October 1600

    The Battle of Karksi (also known as Battle of Karkus) was fought during the Polish–Swedish War (1600–1611) between the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Kingdom of Sweden on 29 October 1600.

  17. Siege of Fellin

    25 March 1602 – 17 May 1602

    The siege of Fellin took place between 25 March and 17 May 1602 during the Polish–Swedish War (1600–1611). Polish and Lithuanian forces led by Grand Crown Hetman Jan Zamoyski besieged the Swedish-held town of Fellin (present-day Viljandi in Estonia).

  18. Siege of Weissenstein

    31 May 1602 – 30 September 1602

    The siege of Weissenstein took place between 31 May and 30 September 1602, during the Polish–Swedish War of 1600–1611. Two weeks after the capture of Fellin, Grand Crown Hetman Jan Zamoyski led the Polish-Lithuanian army of 2,000 troops to besiege Weissenstein (now known as Paide in Estonia).

  19. Battle of Reval

    30 June 1602

    The Battle of Reval took place on June 30, 1602, during the Polish–Swedish War (1600–1611) near present-day Tallinn in Estonia.

  20. Battle of Rakvere

    5 March 1603

    The Battle of Rakvere took place on 5 March 1603 during the Polish–Swedish War (1600–1611). In December, 1602, the siege of Dorpat commenced.