Timeline of Estonian history
This is a timeline of Estonian history, comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Estonia and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see History of Estonia. See also the list of rulers of Estonia.
- This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.
1st century
Year | Date | Event |
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98 | Roman historian Tacitus writes in the book Germania about aesti tribes. |
2nd century
Template:2nd century
6th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
600 | Vikings from Gotland sail to Hiiumaa (Dagö) island and build a fortification there. | |
King Ingvar of Sweden invades Estonia, but is killed. His son Anund avenges his father and raids the country. |
8th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
800 | Estonians participate in the Battle of Brávellir on the side of the Swedes and against the Danes. |
10th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
967 | Olav Tryggvason, the future King of Norway, is captured by Estonian pirates, and sold as a slave. | |
972 | A battle between Estonian and Icelandic Vikings in Saaremaa. |
11th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1008 | Olaf Haraldsson, the future King of Norway, wins a battle in Saaremaa. | |
1030 | Prince Yaroslav I the Wise of Kiev conquers the Tarbatu stronghold and builds the Yuryev castle, marking the foundation of Tartu. | |
1032 | A Novogorod fleet tries to reach Kolivan (modern Tallinn), but is defeated in a naval battle at the “iron gate” at Aegna island. | |
1061 | Estonians destroy the Yuryev castle and carry out raids in the Pskov region. |
12th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1113 | Prince Mstislav of Kiev wins a battle against the Chuds (Estonians or people related to Estonians). | |
1116 | Prince Mstislav of Kiev, aided by Pskov and Novgorod, makes a raid against the Chuds and conquers the Otepää stronghold. | |
1132 | Prince Vsevolod of Novgorod is defeated by Estonians of Vaiga county. | |
1134 | Prince Vsevold of Novgorod fights against the Chuds and briefly captures the fortification of Tartu (Yuryev). | |
1154 | Arab geographer Al Idrisi mentions Estonian places, also marking the foundation of Tallinn. | |
1165 | The Benedictine bishop Fulco is named Bishop of the Estonians by the Archbishop of Lund. | |
1170 | Valdemar I of Denmark fights with Curonian and Estonian pirates near Ă–land island. | |
1171 | Bishop Fulco makes a missionary journey to Estonia. | |
1177 | Estonians attack and burn Pskov during winter. | |
1187 | Estonians and Karelians ravage the Mälaren area in Sweden, burn down the town of Sigtuna, and kill the archbishop. | |
1191 | Cistercian monk Theoderich, future Bishop of Estonia, makes an unsuccessful missionary journey to Estonia. | |
1192 | Prince Yaroslav Vladimirovich of Novgorod makes two raids against Estonians, burning down the Tartu and Otepää strongholds. | |
1193 | Pope Celestine III calls for a crusade against pagans in Northern Europe. | |
1200 | Bishop Albert and his crusaders capture Riga in Latvia. |
13th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1202 | The crusader Livonian Brothers of the Sword are founded. | |
1203 | Saaremaa islanders ravage areas of Southern Sweden, then belonging to Denmark. The returning pirates skirmish with the German settlers of Riga near the town of Visby in Gotland. | |
1206 | Valdemar II of Denmark builds a fortress in Saaremaa, but burns it down after finding no volunteers to man it. | |
1207 | The Terra Mariana ("Land of St Mary) is established as the political unit of crusaders in Livonia. | |
1208 | Sword Brothers, Letts and Livs invade Sakala and Ugandi in Southern Estonia, starting the Estonian Ancient Fight for Freedom (1208-1227). | |
1210 | Estonians besiege the CÄ“sis stronghold in Latvia. | |
Estonians defeat the Sword Brothers and Livs in the Battle of Ăśmera in Latvia. | ||
Pskov and Novgorod troops besiege the Otepää stronghold. | ||
1211 | Pskov troops raid Western Estonia. | |
Summer | Estonians are defeated by Sword Brothers in the Battle of Turaida in Latvia. | |
Sword Brothers are defeated by Estonians in the Battle of Viljandi. | ||
Estonians raid crusader areas in Latvia. | ||
1212 | Russian troops besiege the Varbola Stronghold. | |
Troops from Sakala, led by Lembitu of Lehola, burn Pskov. | ||
1213 | Lithuanians raid the Sakala area. | |
1215 | Sword Brothers defeat Estonians in the Battle of Lehola. | |
Troops from Saaremaa besiege Riga. | ||
Troops from Sakala raid crusader areas in Latvia. | ||
1216 | Pskov troops capture the Otepää stronghold. | |
1217 | February | Sword Brothers are defeated by Estonians and Russians in the Battle of Otepää. |
21 September | Sword Brothers, Latgalians and Livs defeat Estonians in the Battle of St. Matthew's Day, where the Estonian leader Lembitu of Lehola is killed. | |
1219 | 15 June | Valdemar II of Denmark conquers Tallinn in the Battle of Lyndanisse and builds the Toompea Castle. |
1220 | 8 August | John I of Sweden invades Läänemaa, but is defeated by troops from Saaremaa in the Battle of Lihula. |
1221 | Estonians besiege Tallinn. | |
1222 | The invading Danish troops are defeated by Estonians in Saaremaa. | |
1223 | 29 January | Estonians defeat the Sword Brothers in the Battle of Viljandi and the entire Southern Estonia is liberated. |
Estonians are defeated by Sword Brothers in Ăśmera, Latvia. | ||
Pskov and Novgorod troops raid most of mainland Estonia. | ||
1224 | 15 August | Sword Brothers capture the Tartu stronghold from joint Estonian and Russian troops - mainland Estonia falls to the crusaders. |
The Bishopric of Dorpat is established in Southeastern Estonia. | ||
1227 | January | Sword Brothers conquer the last pagan stronghold in Saaremaa. |
1227 | Sword Brothers conquer Northern Estonia from Denmark. | |
1228 | 1 October | The Bishopric of Ösel–Wiek is established in Western Estonia. |
1234 | Pskov and Novgorod troops invade the Bishopric of Dorpat, that is forced to pay tribute for four years. | |
De Lode brothers in Kullamaa Parish refuse to recognize the new Bishop of Ă–sel-Wiek. | ||
1236 | 22 September | Sword Brothers are defeated by Samogitians in the Battle of Saule. Saaremaa islanders rebel against German rule. |
1237 | Livonian Brothers of the Sword merge into the Teutonic Order and become known as the Livonian Order, autonomous of the Teutonic Order State. | |
1238 | The Livonian Order helps restore the power of the Bishop of Ă–sel Wiek in Kullamaa Parish. | |
1242 | 5 April | The Livonian Order and Estonians are defeated by Novgorod in the Battle of the Ice. |
1268 | 18 February | Pskov and Novgorod defeat the Livonian Order in the Battle of Rakvere, ending the Order's attempts to invade Russia. |
1270 | 16 February | Lithuanians defeat the Livonian Order in the Battle of Karuse. |
1285 | Tallinn becomes a member of the Hanseatic League. | |
1298 | A border war between the Livonian Order and the Bishopric of Ă–sel-Wiek. |
14th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1343 | St.George's Night Uprising (1343–1345) in Northwestern Estonia and Saaremaa. | |
1346 | King Valdemar IV of Denmark sells Northern Estonia to the Teutonic Order.[1] | |
1347 | The Teutonic Order gives Northern Estonia to Livonian Order. |
15th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1419 | The Livonian Diet is formed to solve internal disputes in Livonia. | |
1435 | The Livonian Confederation is established to solve internal disputes in Livonia. | |
1440 | The Livonian Order becomes self-governing from the Teutonic Order. | |
1459 | The Livonian Order takes its territories in Estonia under its self-government. |
16th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1525 | The Teutonic Order is secularized and the Livonian Order becomes de facto independent. | |
1558 | Russian forces invade Eastern Estonia, starting the Livonian War. | |
The Bishopric of Dorpat and several bailiwicks of the Livonian Order in Eastern Estonia surrender to Russian forces. | ||
Tartu surrendered to Russian troops in the Livonian War | ||
1559 | The Bishop of Ă–sel-Wiek sells his bishopric to King Frederick II of Denmark, who gives the land to his brother Duke Magnus of Holstein. Lutheranism prevails in Western Estonia. | |
1560 | Duke Magnus of Holstein takes power in the Bishopric of Ă–sel-Wiek. | |
Russian troops defeat the Livonian Order in the Battle of Härgmäe. | ||
Russian troops capture Central Estonia from the Livonian Order. | ||
Ivan the Terrible decimated the Livonian Order in the Battle of Ergeme. | ||
1561 | The Commandery of Tallinn and the nobility of other North Estonian bailiwicks of the Livonian Order swear allegiance to Sweden. | |
The Treaty of Vilnius gives lands of the Livonian Order in Southern Estonia and Northern Latvia to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania as the Duchy of Livonia. | ||
6 June | The city council of Reval surrendered to Sweden. | |
1562 | The Livonian Order is dissolved. | |
The Bailiwick of Maasilinna of the former Livonian Order in Saaremaa and Hiiumaa refuses to recognize Lithuanian power. | ||
1564 | The Bailiwick of Maasilinna gives itself under Danish rule. | |
1573 | 1 January | The Russians occupied Pärnu (Pernau) in Western Estonia and the fortress of Weissenstein (Paide). |
1578 | Balthasar Russow publishes his cronicles about the Livonian War. | |
1581 | 6 September | A mercenary army of Sweden under Pontus de la Gardie captured Narva from Russia. |
1582 | By the armistice of Jam Zapolski, Dorpat together with Southern Estonia was incorporated into the state of Poland-Lithuania. |
17th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1625 | Swedish commander Jacob De la Gardie took Dorpat (Tartu) and Southern Estonia from Poland | |
1632 | Foundation of the University of Tartu under Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus. | |
1645 | 13 August | Saaremaa (Ösel) island was ceded from Denmark to Sweden by the Treaty of Brömsebro. |
1700 | 20 November | Battle at Narva, where the Swedish army under King Charles XII defeats the Russian army. |
18th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1704 | Russian troops under czar Peter the Great captured Dorpat (Tartu) in the Great Northern War. | |
1708 | Fearful of Swedish attack, Russians burned down the city of Tartu. | |
1710 | Whole Estonia was included in Russian empire.[1] | |
1721 | 30 August | Estonia was formally ceded by Sweden to Russia by the Treaty of Nystad.[2] |
19th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1819 | Serfdom abolished. | |
1861 | "Kalevipoeg", Estonia's national epic, was published in both Estonian and German. | |
1869 | Estonian Song Festivals established. | |
1889 | Policy of Russification introduced where Baltic German legal and educational institutions are abolished or transformed into Russian |
20th century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
1918 | 24 February | Estonian Declaration of Independence |
3 March | Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. Bolshevist Russia cedes sovereignty over Estonia to Germany. | |
11 November | Germans began withdrawal and turn over power to the provisional government of Estonia (headed by Konstantin Päts). | |
22 November | Estonia was invaded by Bolshevist Russian forces. Beginning of Estonian War of Independence. | |
1919 | Bolsheviks were driven out of Estonia. | |
10 October | Agrarian Law passed redistributing many of the estates owned by Baltic Germans and Estonian landowners. | |
1920 | 2 February | Treaty of Tartu which gave Estonia recognition by Soviet Russia. |
15 June | Adoption of Constitution. | |
1922 | 22 September | Estonia joined the League of Nations. |
1933 | 14 October | Plebiscite in favour of constitutional reform giving wide powers to a new office of the president. (to 16 October) |
1934 | 24 January | New constitution in effect. |
12 March | Konstantin Päts with the help of General Johan Laidoner set up a virtual dictatorship. Parliament was prorogued and political parties were banned. Many members of the Vaps Movement were arrested. | |
1937 | 29 July | A new constitution in force with civil liberties and democracy restored but with a very strong presidency. |
1938 | Kaarel Eenpalu became prime minister of Estonia. | |
24 February | Election sees National Front winning 63 seats and all the opposition winning 17 seats. | |
24 April | Konstantin Päts elected president. | |
1939 | JĂĽri Uluots becomes prime minister of Estonia. | |
23 August | The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was signed, promising mutual non-aggression between Germany and the Soviet Union and agreeing to a division of much of Europe between those two countries. | |
1940 | 17 June | The Red Army occupied Estonia and Latvia. |
6 August | Estonia was unlawfully declared the Estonian SSR and was, against the law, incorporated into the Soviet Union. | |
1941 | German troops took with help of the Forest Brothers Estonia over from the Soviets. | |
14 June | Mass deportations by Soviet Union authorities take place in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. | |
22 June | Germany attacked Soviet Union, Estonian partisans (Forest Brothers) started revolting in Southern Estonia. | |
28 August | Sinking of an Soviet steamer with 3500 Soviet-mobilized Estonian men on board, 598 of them died. | |
1 December | Self-government of Estonia, headed by Hjalmar Mäe, is appointed by German military administration. | |
1944 | Otto Tief was captured by Soviet forces; JĂĽri Uluots and members of the Tief government escaped to Sweden. | |
30 January | Battle of Narva: The first Soviet units crossed Estonian border. | |
24 February | Battle of Narva: Estonian volunteers launched a counterattack at Narva river. | |
6 March | World War II: Soviet Army planes attack Narva in Estonia, destroying almost the entire old town. | |
9 March | World War II: Soviet Army planes attack Tallinn, Estonia. | |
26 July | Battle of Narva: The Soviets captured Narva. | |
29 July | Battle of Tannenberg Line: The Estonian and German counterattack stopped Soviet advance towards Tallinn. | |
26 August | The Soviets captured most of Tartu, what became frontline city for almost a month. | |
18 September | JĂĽri Uluots, prime minister in capacity of president of Estonia, asks Otto Tief to form a government on the eve of the withdrawal of German forces; official gazette published proclaiming the Tief government. | |
20 September | Otto Tief attempts to organise the defence of Tallinn against the arrival of the Red Army two days later. | |
22 September | The Soviets captured Tallinn. | |
19 December | The entire territory of Estonia was captured by the Red Army. | |
1949 | 25 March | An extensive deportation campaign was conducted in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Soviet authorities deported more than 92,000 people from the Baltics to remote areas of the Soviet Union. |
1955 | 19 July | Estonian Television (ETV) began broadcasting. |
1978 | 28 September | One of the last Forest Brother guerilla movement fighter August Sabbe was discovered and killed in Estonia. |
1980 | Youth riots in the capital of the Soviet Republic of Estonia were quickly forced down. | |
1988 | In Estonia, 300,000 demonstrated for independence. | |
Estonian became the official language of Estonia. | ||
16 November | The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR declared that Estonia is "sovereign" but stopped short of declaring independence. | |
1989 | After 44 years, the Estonian flag was raised on the Pikk Hermann castle tower. | |
Two million indigenous people of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, then still occupied by the Soviet Union, joined hands to demand freedom and independence, forming an uninterrupted 600 km human chain called the Baltic Way. | ||
1991 | Latvia and Estonia voted for independence from the Soviet Union. | |
The United States recognized the independence of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. | ||
20 August | The Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR recognized Estonian independence from the Soviet Union. | |
6 September | The Soviet Union recognized the independence of the Baltic States. | |
1992 | Estonia held a referendum on its constitution. | |
Heinrich Mark and the government in exile appointed by him cede their credentials to the newly elected Riigikogu. | ||
Lennart Meri was elected President of Estonia. | ||
20 June | The Soviet ruble was replaced with kroon. | |
1994 | The Russian army left Estonia. | |
28 September | The car ferry MS Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea, killing 852. |
21st century
Year | Date | Event |
---|---|---|
2001 | 68 people died in Estonia after drinking bootleg alcohol that contained methanol. | |
2002 | Estonia hosted the first Eurovision Song Contest in a former Soviet republic. | |
North Atlantic Treaty Organization Summit in Prague: Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia were invited to join NATO. | ||
2003 | Estonia approved joining the European Union in a referendum with 66% agreed with joining and 34% were against it. | |
2004 | 29 March | The largest expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to date takes place, allowing Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia into the organization. |
1 May | The largest expansion to date of the European Union took place, extending the Union by 10 member-states: Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Malta and Cyprus. | |
2005 | The same storm which pounded the U.S. earlier in the month hit England, Scandinavia and the Baltic States, leaving 13 dead with widespread flooding and power cuts. | |
A passenger helicopter en route to Helsinki, Finland crashed into the sea near Tallinn, Estonia, killing 14. | ||
2006 | Toomas Hendrik Ilves was elected President of Estonia. | |
2007 | 27 April | Russians riot in Tallinn, Estonia, about moving the Bronze Soldier. Two nights of rioting left one dead.[3] Cyber attacks launched against Estonia. |
See also
References
- Miljan, Toivo (2004). Historical dictionary of Estonia. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-4904-6.
- 1 2 William Henry Overall, ed. (1870). "Esthonia". Dictionary of Chronology. London: William Tegg.
- ↑ Benjamin Vincent (1910), "Esthonia", Haydn's Dictionary of Dates (25th ed.), London: Ward, Lock & Co.
- ↑ "Estonia Profile: Timeline". BBC News. Retrieved September 2015.
Further reading
- Thomas Bartlett (1841). "Esthonia". New Tablet of Memory; or, Chronicle of Remarkable Events. London: Thomas Kelly.
- "Estonia". Political Chronology of Europe. Europa Publications. 2003. ISBN 978-1-135-35687-3.
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