Swedish Estonia
Encyclopedia
The Duchy of Estonia , also known as Swedish Estonia, (Swedish: Svenska Estland) was a dominion
of the Swedish Empire
from 1561 until 1721, when it was ceded to Russia
in the Treaty of Nystad
, following its capitulation
in the Great Northern War
. The dominion arose when the northern parts of present-day Estonia
were united under Swedish rule in 1561. The city of Reval
and the counties of Harjumaa
, Western Virumaa, Raplamaa
and Järvamaa
surrendered in 1561, and Läänemaa
was conquered in 1581. It is also colloquially known as the "good old Swedish times" by Estonians, but this expression was not used before the following Russian rule, in the beginning of which the situation of Estonian peasantry declined rapidly (to gain support of German nobility, Russia gave them more power over peasantry).
Governors-General (1674 - 1728)
Infantry regiments:
Cavalry
Cavalry regiments:
Temporary cavalry regiments:
Dominions of Sweden
The Dominions of Sweden or Svenska besittningar were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish Crown, but never became fully integrated with Sweden. This generally meant that they were ruled by Governors-General under the Swedish monarch, but within certain limits retained...
of the Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
from 1561 until 1721, when it was ceded to Russia
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
in the Treaty of Nystad
Treaty of Nystad
The Treaty of Nystad was the last peace treaty of the Great Northern War. It was concluded between the Tsardom of Russia and Swedish Empire on 30 August / 10 September 1721 in the then Swedish town of Nystad , after Sweden had settled with the other parties in Stockholm and Frederiksborg.During...
, following its capitulation
Capitulation of Estonia and Livonia
With the Capitulation of Estonia and Livonia in 1710 the Swedish dominions Estonia and Livonia were integrated into the Russian Empire following their conquest during the Great Northern War...
in the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
. The dominion arose when the northern parts of present-day Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
were united under Swedish rule in 1561. The city of Reval
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
and the counties of Harjumaa
Harju County
Harju County , or Harjumaa , nowadays one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in northern Estonia, on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the south-east, Rapla County to the south, and Lääne County to the south-west.528,468 people...
, Western Virumaa, Raplamaa
Rapla County
Rapla County , or Raplamaa, is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in western part of the country and borders Järva County to the east, Pärnu County to the south, Lääne County to the west, and Harju County to the north...
and Järvamaa
Järva County
Järva County , or Järvamaa , is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in central part of the country and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Jõgeva County to the south-east, Viljandi County to the south, Pärnu County to the south-west, Rapla County to the west, and Harju County to the...
surrendered in 1561, and Läänemaa
Lääne County
Lääne County , or Läänemaa , is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is located in western Estonia and borders Baltic Sea to the north, Harju County to the north-east, Rapla County to the east, Pärnu County to the south, and the island counties of Saare and Hiiu to the west...
was conquered in 1581. It is also colloquially known as the "good old Swedish times" by Estonians, but this expression was not used before the following Russian rule, in the beginning of which the situation of Estonian peasantry declined rapidly (to gain support of German nobility, Russia gave them more power over peasantry).
Head of Dominion
Governors (1561–1674)- Lars Ivarsson Fleming Friherre of NynäsNynasNynas AB is a world-leading Swedish manufacturer of naphthenic specialty oils and bitumen products. During its 80-year history the company has been transformed from a national oil company with a traditional range of products into a global group of companies with a focus on special products and...
, from SundholmSundholm*Steve Sundholm , American record producer*Karl Sundholm , Swedish rower...
(August 2, 1561 – February 27, 1562) - Klaus Christiern Horn of Åminne (acting) (August 1561)
- Henrik Klasson HornHenrik Klasson HornHorn, Henrik Klasson af Kanckas was a Swedish army commander, officer and gentleman of Kanka. He was the son of the Privy Councillor Klas Henriksson Horn and his second wife Kristina, and cousin of the commander Klas Kristersson Horn....
from KankasHorn of KankasThe Kankas noble family, otherwise known as Horn, is a noble family from Finland of medieval frälse.Its first known member, Olof Mattsson, was documented between 1381 and 1415, having a seat in Halikko, near the present town of Salo. His seal featured the figure of a drinking horn. The family...
(1st time) (February 27, 1562 – June 1562) - Svante Stensson StureSvante Stensson StureSvante Stensson Sture or Svante Sture the Younger was a Swedish count, riksmarsk and statesman. From 1562 to 1564, during the Livonian War, he was governor of Estonia....
(June 30, 1562 – July 27, 1564) - Hermann Pedersson Fleming from Lechtis (1564 – 1565)
- Henrik Klasson Horn from KankasHorn of KankasThe Kankas noble family, otherwise known as Horn, is a noble family from Finland of medieval frälse.Its first known member, Olof Mattsson, was documented between 1381 and 1415, having a seat in Halikko, near the present town of Salo. His seal featured the figure of a drinking horn. The family...
(2nd time) (January 30, 1565 – 1568) - Gabriel Kristiernsson Oxenstierna from Mörby (November 1568 – 1570)
- Hans Björnsson from Lepas (October 9, 1570 – 1572)
- Claes Åkeson Tott (November 6, 1572 – 1574)
- Pontus De la GardiePontus De la GardiePontus De la Gardie was a French nobleman and general in the service of Denmark and Sweden.He was born Ponce De La Gardie in Russol , Languedoc, as a son of Jacques De la Gardie and Catherine de Sainte-Colombe. As a youngster, he wanted to become a priest and was educated in a monastery...
(June 4, 1574 – December 1575) - Karl Henriksson Horn from KankasHorn of KankasThe Kankas noble family, otherwise known as Horn, is a noble family from Finland of medieval frälse.Its first known member, Olof Mattsson, was documented between 1381 and 1415, having a seat in Halikko, near the present town of Salo. His seal featured the figure of a drinking horn. The family...
(1st time) (January 1576 – May 1578) - Nilsson Hans Eriksson Finn from Brinkala (acting) (April 19, 1576 – 1577)
- Göran Boije af Gennäs (1st time) (August 1, 1577 – 1580)
- Svante Eriksson Stålarm from Kyala (1580 – 1581)
- Göran Boije af Gennäs (2nd time) (April 25, 1582 – 1583)
- Pontus De la GardiePontus De la GardiePontus De la Gardie was a French nobleman and general in the service of Denmark and Sweden.He was born Ponce De La Gardie in Russol , Languedoc, as a son of Jacques De la Gardie and Catherine de Sainte-Colombe. As a youngster, he wanted to become a priest and was educated in a monastery...
(1583 – November 5, 1585) - Gustaf Gabrielsson Oxenstierna (November 8, 1585 – 1588)
- Hans WachtmeisterHans WachtmeisterCount Hans Wachtmeister af Johannishus was admiral general of the Swedish Navy and advisor to King Charles XI of Sweden and King Charles XII of Sweden. He served in the Scanian War of 1675–1679 and during the following twenty years of peace worked to build up the Swedish Navy...
(acting) (July 1588 – October 13, 1588) - Gustaf Axelsson Banér from Djurshom (October 13, 1588 – 1590)
- Erik Gabrielsson Oxenstierna af LindöLindöLindö is a locality situated in Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 4,842 inhabitants in 2005. It is situated just a few kilometers from the centre of the city of Norrköping and is often considered part of it....
(1590 – July 1592) - Göran Boije af Gennäs (3rd time) (1592 – June 1600)
- Karl Henriksson Horn from KankasHorn of KankasThe Kankas noble family, otherwise known as Horn, is a noble family from Finland of medieval frälse.Its first known member, Olof Mattsson, was documented between 1381 and 1415, having a seat in Halikko, near the present town of Salo. His seal featured the figure of a drinking horn. The family...
(2nd time) (acting) (1600 – January 30, 1601) - Moritz Stensson Leijonhufvud Count of RaseborgRaseborghttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Raseborg&action=editRaseborg is a town and municipality of Finland. It was created on January 1, 2009, when the municipalities of Ekenäs, Karis and Pohja were consolidated into a single town....
(1601 – October 1602) - ... (October 1602 - May 1605)
- Nils Turesson BielkeNils Turesson BielkeNils Turesson Bielke was a swedish statesman, member of the privy council, son of Ture Pedersson Bielke.- Career :Nils Turesson Bielke was an ardent supporter of Duke Carl which rewarded his fidelity in 1602 when he became Kansliråd, deputy director of the kingdom; in 1605 he became governor of...
(May 10, 1605 - June 1605) - Axel Nilsson Ryning (1605 - 1608)
- ... (1608 - 1611)
- Gabriel Bengtsson Oxenstierna (1611 - 1617)
- Anders Eriksson HästehufvudAnders Eriksson HästehufvudAnders Eriksson Hästehufvud was a Swedish officer, governor of the Estonia province between 1617–1619 and Governors-General of the Livonia province 1628.-External links: - Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon at Project Runeberg...
(1617 - 1619) - Jakob De la Gardie (July 1619 – 1622)
- Per Gustafsson Banér af Tussa (1622 – January 1626)
- Johan De la Gardie Friherre of Eckholm (1626 – October 1628)
- Philipp Scheiding from ArnöArnöArnö is a locality situated in Nyköping Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 3,925 inhabitants in 2005.-History:Arnö is situated on a peninsula. The populated area was mainly built in the 1970s and has become a southern suburb of Nyköping, being in walking distance from the city....
(1628 – July 17, 1642) - Gustaf Gabrielsson Oxenstierna Friherre of KimitoKimitoKimito is a former municipality of Finland. On January 1, 2009, it was consolidated with Dragsfjärd and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön...
(July 26, 1642 – 1646) - Erik Axelsson Oxenstierna, Count of Södermöre (September 9, 1646 – 1653)
- Wilhelm Ulrich (1st time) (acting) (May 1653 – August 16, 1653)
- Heinrich von Thurn-Valsassina, Count of Thurn (August 16, 1653 – 1655)
- Wilhelm Ulrich (2nd time) (acting) (1655 – August 1655)
- Bengt Skytte (1655–1656)
- Wilhelm Ulrich (3rd time) (acting) (1655– August 2, 1656)
- Bengt Klasson Horn (August 2, 1656 – November 1674)
- Wilhelm Ulrich (4th time) (acting) (1656 – 1659)
- Johan Christoph Scheiding (acting) (1674)
Governors-General (1674 - 1728)
- Andreas Lennartson TorstenssonAnders TorstensonCount Anders Torstenson , Swedish statesman, son of Lennart Torstenson and member of the Privy Council, was from 1674 to 1681 Governor-General of Estonia. The family became extinct on the sword-side in 1727.-References:...
(1674 - 1681) - Robert Johannson Lichton (April 1681 - 1687)
- Nils Turesson BielkeNils BielkeCount Nils Bielke was a member of the High Council of Sweden, military and politician.Born the eldest son of Baron Ture Nilsson Bielke, who died in 1648, Queen Christina granted the young boy the barony of Korpo in the archipelago of Finland Proper in 1649...
(January 20, 1687 - April 19, 1687) - Axel Julius De la GardieAxel Julius De la GardieAxel Julius de la Gardie was a Swedish Field Marshal and was appointed Governor-General over Estonia.Axel Julius was the son of military commander Jacob De la Gardie and Ebba Brahe. He became colonel of an infantry regiment and a cavalry regiment and in 1684 he attained the rank of major general...
from Läckö CastleLäckö CastleLäckö Castle is a medieval castle in Sweden. Läckö Castle is best known as Magnus de la Gardie's magnificent castle on the shores of Lake Vänern, the largest lake in Sweden....
, LidköpingLidköpingLidköping is a locality and the seat of Lidköping Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 27,941 inhabitants in 2005.It is neatly situated on the southern shore of Lake Vänern and sometimes refers to itself as "Lidköping by Vänern", possibly to distinguish itself from Linköping near...
(1687 - December 1704) - Wolmar Anton von SchlippenbachWolmar Anton von SchlippenbachWolmar Anton von Schlippenbach was Governor General of Swedish Estonia from 1704 to 1706.-Biography:Born in Livonia, Schlippenbach participated as a captain in the Swedish army Scanian War under Charles XI and served later as a major in Swedish Pomerania and Prussia...
(December 1704 - July 6, 1706) - Niels Jonsson Stromberg af ClastorpNiels Jonsson Stromberg af ClastorpNiels Jonsson Stromberg af Clastorp was a Swedish soldier and Governor-General of Swedish Estonia from 1706 to 1709....
(July 6, 1706 - October 23, 1709) - Carl Nieroth (October 23, 1709 - October 10, 1710)
Swedish infantry and cavalry regiments
InfantryInfantry regiments:
- Estländskt infanteriregemente, Harriska kretsen (Estonian Infantry Regiment, HarriaHarju CountyHarju County , or Harjumaa , nowadays one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in northern Estonia, on the south coast of the Gulf of Finland, and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Järva County to the south-east, Rapla County to the south, and Lääne County to the south-west.528,468 people...
n Circle) - Estländskt infanteriregemente, Jerwiska kretsen (Estonian Infantry Regiment, JerwiaJärva CountyJärva County , or Järvamaa , is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in central part of the country and borders Lääne-Viru County to the east, Jõgeva County to the south-east, Viljandi County to the south, Pärnu County to the south-west, Rapla County to the west, and Harju County to the...
n Circle) - Estländskt infanteriregemente, Wieriska kretsen I (Estonian Infantry Regiment, Wierian Circle I)
- Estländskt infanteriregemente, Wieriska kretsen II (Estonian Infantry Regiment, Wierian Circle II)
- Estländskt infanteriregemente II (Estonian Infantry Regiment II)
- Garnisonsregementet i Narva (Garrison Regiment in NarvaNarvaNarva is the third largest city in Estonia. It is located at the eastern extreme point of Estonia, by the Russian border, on the Narva River which drains Lake Peipus.-Early history:...
) - Stadsmajorens i Reval Bataljon (Reval City Major Battalion)
Cavalry
Cavalry regiments:
- Estländska lantdragonskvadronen (Estonian County Dragoon Squadron)
- Estniska adelsfanan (Estonian Banner of Nobles)
- Estniska kavalleriregementet (Estonian Cavalry Regiment)
- Laurentzens fridragoner (Laurentzen's Free Dragoons)
- Lewenhaupts frikompani (LewenhauptLewenhaupt*Adam Ludwig Lewenhaupt , Swedish general*Charles Emil Lewenhaupt, Swedish general*Carl Gustaf Sixtensson Lewenhaupt , Swedish horse rider and modern pentathlete...
's Free CompanyFree companyA free company or free lance was a late medieval army of mercenaries acting independently of any government, and thus "free". They were not called "free" because their services were gratis, rather they sold their services to the highest bidder...
) - Öselska lantdragonskvadronen (ÖselianSaaremaaSaaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring 2,673 km². The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago...
County Dragoon Squadron)
Temporary cavalry regiments:
- Estniska ståndsdragonbataljonen (Estonian Rank Dragoon Battalion)
- Öselska ståndsdragonbataljonen (ÖselSaaremaaSaaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring 2,673 km². The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago...
Rank Dragoon Battalion)
See also
- dominium maris balticiDominium maris balticiThe establishment of a was one of the primary political aims of the Danish and Swedish kingdoms in the late medieval and Early Modern eras...
- uniformity policyUniformity policyThe uniformity policy was the concept of implementing Swedish law to the dominions of Sweden during the latter's time as an empire. It is symbolized by the slogan unus rex, una lex et grex unus coined by Johan Skytte, governor-general in Swedish Estonia, Ingermanland and Livonia...
- Dominions of SwedenDominions of SwedenThe Dominions of Sweden or Svenska besittningar were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish Crown, but never became fully integrated with Sweden. This generally meant that they were ruled by Governors-General under the Swedish monarch, but within certain limits retained...
- Livonia
- Governorate of EstoniaGovernorate of EstoniaThe Governorate of Estonia or Estland, also known as the Government of Estonia or Province of Estonia, was a governorate of the Russian Empire in what is now northern Estonia.-Historical overview:...
- Estonian SwedesEstonian SwedesThe Estonian Swedes, Estonia-Swedes, or Coastal Swedes are a Swedish-speaking linguistic minority traditionally residing in the coastal areas and islands of what is now western and northern Estonia...